Who better to introduce this year’s great Castellano Latin Stage and Kaiser Permanente Salsa Stage acts than the man who booked them, San Jose Jazz board member Arturo Riera. In addition to his role with San Jose Jazz, Riera is co-founder and director of the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco, co-founding partner for event company Latino Entertainment Partners and is Chair of the Board for San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Arts and Events, producer of the outdoor Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. He blogs regularly on the Latin jazz and salsa scenes at misterlatinjazz.com.
The Castellano Latin Stage has been organized this year to specifically highlight women in Latin Jazz. We will be featuring eight great acts all day Saturday and Sunday, including Alexa Weber Morales, Santos Perdidos and Summer Fest’s newest addition, Mexican American vocalist and percussionist Estaire Godinez. Godinez has toured throughout Europe and Latin America and recorded and performed with acts such as Prince, the Brothers Johnson and George Benson. She will be closing the Castellano Latin stage Saturday, Aug 11 at 6pm.
If you’re looking forward to dancing at Summer Fest, don’t overlook our Friday night programming at the Kaiser Permanente Salsa Stage. Latin big band will be the focal point of the night. Expect plenty of energy on stage when Bay Area natives Pacific Mambo Orchestra start things off at 6:30pm. This 19-piece group recalls the grand, Latin big band sound that was popular from the 1940’s through the 60’s. The premier dance group out of Cuba, 13-piece group Wil Campa Y Su Gran Union, will take the stage at 8:30pm. Don’t miss a dance-filled night with these two acts!
Riera will be hosting the Latin Jazz Jam with the “Masters and Lions” of Latin Jazz on the patio of Mezcal and Billy Berk’s 9pm-Midnight Saturday, Aug 11 . This special event is free with festival wristband and is sponsored by Latin Percussion and MisterLatinJazz.com.
Which of these groups are you most excited to see? Please share your comments on our Facebook post!