Jonathan Gonzales hails from Gilroy, the Garlic Capitol of the world. He loves jazz, good food and good people, which is why Summer Fest is one of his favorite times of the year.
A strong supporter of music and arts education programs for youth, Jonathan believes in the positive impact a program can have on a child’s life. He’s been a fan of San Jose Jazz’s youth programs for quite some time and began working as a year-round volunteer for SJZ seven years ago. He is keen on community engagement and works for GoVoluntr, a local company aiming to help make community engagement fun and easy. Jonathan’s official title is “Professional DoGoodr” — and yes, that is listed on his business card. You’ll find him helping to coordinate the Info Team at this year’s Summer Fest.
A self proclaimed “foodie,” Jonathan applied an edible touch to his fest five and designed a five-course menu to enjoy Summer Fest 2015 in the most savory way possible.
I like starting with some staples, much like the bread and butter served at the start of dinner.
Katie’s fresh delivery of tunes with a classic straight ahead sound is the perfect way to start off a jazz weekend. Hanging at San Pedro Square Market, one of San Jose’s most popular downtown destination, will surely provide the perfect setting for Ms. Thiroux to take her bass for a walk then scat sing along. This show should be the perfect way to get from weekday mode to weekend mode.
Next up: putting in your drink order.
You can feel the energy and passion in the music put out by Will Sessions, and adding their great feel atop the hip vibes that surround the South First Friday scene in the SoFA District will make this blend one you can’t miss. Their soul, funk and jazz fusion will definitely present an extraordinary Friday experience.
Your appetizers or first plate out should be exciting and full of flavor.
The first type of jazz that drew me into being a musician myself ( I play clarinet & alto saxophone) was Dixieland. Glen David Andrews delivers that great sound, and even takes you to church by throwing a little gospel in the mix. New Orleans is one of those places forever linked with jazz, and Glen David Andrews is a must see act that will transport you from Silicon Valley to the middle of the Crescent City.
A main dish needs to be profound and hearty.
One of my early San Jose Jazz encounters, and one of the first to teach me about Summer Fest, was a summer concert series with the Le Boeuf Brothers. It was their last local performance before making their move to New York. I still remember that great set, and I look forward to them return to Summer Fest to share their new jazz-rooted compositions.
I prefer smooth & bold café over cake for dessert.
I don’t need to get too complex to explain this one. To quickly summarize: the girl has GOT CHOPS! Trumpeter, vocalist and composer Bria Skonberg, paired with the California Theatre, one of Summer Fest’s most stunning venues, makes this combination too good to mix. On top of this, she’s also an active volunteer in the jazz scene, which personally strikes a chord near and dear to my heart.
This special foodie Fest Five has us ready to dive into a five-course meal. Take a look at our full lineup here and make your own version of a five course Fest Five. Share it with info@sanjosejazz.org or post to our Facebook page. Include a photo of yourself holding up five fingers and you may be added to our blog as we count down to the Fest.