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Whether or not you believe that old maxim from grade-school posters that "learning is fun," the San Jose Jazz Society has proved that at least supporting learning can be lots of fun. Every year the society raises funds for its many education programs with the San Jose Jazz Festival. And here's another really fun thing: The festival is free.
Now in its 14th year, the San Jose Jazz Festival brings around 150,000 people to downtown San Jose each year, making it the world's largest free jazz festival. Small wonder it attracts such crowds—this musical extravaganza features performances by top names in jazz and the best of local musicians and young up-and-coming musicians, plus a variety of jazz-related activities, including jazz-themed movies, informal jazz jam sessions and "jazz Mass" church services.
The festival, which runs Aug. 710, gets under way this year with a special fundraising gala to be held Aug. 7 at Santana Row. Headlining the gala are Grammy-nominated vocalist Nnenna Freelon and the Count Basie Orchestra. Not only does this event launch the festival but it will also serve as the unofficial kickoff to a year of celebrations marking the centennial of the birth of jazz legend Count Basie. "We're very excited about the gala this year," says Steve Saperstein, the general director of the San Jose Jazz Society. "It's a really huge milestone for us to bring out the Basie band. Nnenna Freelon is going to be singing with the band, which is something that everyone is very interested in. There are some people in the recording industry who see this as a match made in heaven—that coupled with the fact that there is a special song that was written by Sarah Vaughan that Nnenna is going to sing. It's going to be very exciting to see that."
The gala kicks off three days of free events, ranging from a small but diverse assortment of after-5 p.m. performances and events on Aug. 8 to two full days of music and activities on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 910.
A concert by Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca, performing Afro-Cuban music, opens the festival's Main Stage at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez on Friday. Some other festival headliners include: the Taylor Eigsti Trio, headed up by 18-year-old local piano prodigy Taylor Eigsti; another musical phenom, 16-year-old guitarist Julian Lage; master jazz flutist Nestor Torres, backed by a talented group of Latin music artists from the Bay Area; and legendary saxman Jimmy Heath, who will be joined by the San Jose Jazz Orchestra under the direction of local musician and composer Dennis Wilson (see related story on final page of Steppin' Out). In addition to her appearance at Thursday's gala, Nnenna Freelon will perform at the festival's Main Stage on Sunday.
The festival's other seven stages will be going strong all day Saturday and Sunday with blues, world music, Latin, salsa and more. Performers featured on some of those stages include saxophonist and jazz maverick Greg Osby; blues vocalist Lara Price and her band; Afro-Cuban percussionist Babatunde Lea; and Latin jazz pianist Rebeca Mauléon. During the weekend, each of these stages will feature a variety of top musicians from noon until the early evening.
However, sundown won't mean the end of the festivities. Jazz jams will be held on Friday and Saturday nights at Theatre on San Pedro Square (which also serves as an eighth festival stage on Sunday). "It's a great acoustic place," says Saperstein of the theater, "and the people that are coming are just phenomenal. We usually have a trio, piano, bass and drums that support anyone who's coming to play. It's going to be a great backup group, and I think anyone who comes is going to see some wonderful jazz." Saperstein hints that there may be some appearances at the jams by a few headliners. A voluntary entry donation will be asked at the jazz jams.
This year, festival-goers can literally stay at the festival all weekend. Waves Smokehouse and Saloon will be hosting a 24-hour jazz jam beginning on Saturday night, a first for the festival. "It's an experiment we're trying," says Saperstein. "We have 12 slots in 24 hours and they're almost all filled up at this point with some really interesting talent."
Also new for this year is the Jazz After Dark stage on Post Street, which will offer performances Friday and Saturday nights. Another new addition is a kids' activity area. "This event has always been a family affair. We want to encourage people to come down, bring their kids and just have a good time," says Saperstein.
But the extra events aren't just for the little ones. The festival also includes food and drink, arts and crafts, an art market, jazz Mass services at Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph and screenings of the jazz films Mo' Better Blues and Calle 54.
It all makes for quite a spectacular party, but the best thing about this four-day musical fête is that the proceeds (from the gala and from vendor percentages) go to educating the next generation of performers and jazz lovers. Last year, Saperstein says, the San Jose Jazz Society's programs reached more than 12,000 local students from elementary through high school with interactive lectures, master classes, competitions and a jazz camp.
"The important thing to know about the festival is the fact that these funds that we get from the gala and from the jazz festival go right back into the community," says Saperstein. "That's our sole purpose, really—to educate and to celebrate jazz. Certainly the education part takes most of our efforts throughout the entire year, and we're just in love with it."
The San Jose Jazz Festival takes place Aug. 710 at various venues. Tickets to the gala at Santana Row on Aug. 7 are $100$125 for table seating, which also includes a pre-concert reception; general admission tickets are $40$50. For gala tickets, call 408.288.7557, ext. 2328. To see a full schedule of performers, visit www.sanjosejazz.org.
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