2023 Lineup / Chronological

Longtime record collector & producer Allen Johnson, aka Albert Jenkins, is one of the Bay Areas finest DJ selectors. From deep grooves to classics, his sets provide surprises you may not have heard on vinyl prior. He & his crew, Needle To The Groove, are a growing force for vinyl culture, with new artists releases and well curated events throughout California.

W.I.T.C.H., aka We Intend To Cause Havoc, was the biggest rock band in Zambia in the 1970s, spearheading a new genre dubbed “Zamrock” that fused influences ranging from the Rolling Stones to Black Sabbath and James Brown, mixing them with traditional African rhythms and bush village songs.

Bay Area soul singer/songwriter and guitarist Noah exudes a whole lot of soul and blues. He and his tight group of seasoned musicians, known as Noah and the Arkiteks, will take you down memory lane of great soul vocalists Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and Al Green; and then, switch it up and funk things up with nods to Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley and James Brown.

See how Bay Area hip-hop culture translates to dance, in performances by several of the Bay’s top dancers and ensembles including the venerable outfit, Playboyz, Inc.

The Bay Area’s own iconoclastic hip-hop podcasters Demone Carter (aka DEM ONE), Nate LeBlanc and David Ma put their heads together with international MC Murs to put the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop into context with the region’s remarkable contributions to the genre.

Brass sensation The Soul Rebels started with the idea of expanding on the pop music they loved on the radio and the New Orleans brass tradition they grew up on. The eight-member collective serves up an eclectic live show that blends funk, soul, hip-hop, jazz and rock, rolled up in a party atmosphere.

Longtime record collector & producer Allen Johnson, aka Albert Jenkins, is one of the Bay Areas finest DJ selectors. From deep grooves to classics, his sets provide surprises you may not have heard on vinyl prior. He & his crew, Needle To The Groove, are a growing force for vinyl culture, with new artists releases and well curated events throughout California.

Come celebrate the opening night of Summer Fest and join us for a epic night of live Latin music and social dancing at the beautiful 386 Lounge in Downtown San Jose!

DK Harrell is carving out a career as a blues singer, guitarist and songwriter of note. He may owe a debt of gratitude to B.B. King for inspiration, but clearly, he has his own ideas of blues in today’s world and hopes to honor The King’s legacy through his own music.

Living Legend — few within hip hop ever earn such a moniker, but with nearly 40 solo and collaborative releases, Los Angeles’ MURS has truly run the gamut of independent success.

Big Daddy Kane is one of hip-hop’s most lyrical, diverse, innovative, trendsetting MCs, and the first to bring the “playa” element to the game. 

The musical focus of the LGS Big Band is dance, jazz, Latin and vocals in all styles. The classics from Miller, Basie, Brown, and Goodman are among the featured songs as well as more modern works by arrangers such as Nestico, Goodwin, Carter, Hefti, Wolpe and more.

The Monterey Jazz Festival Regional All-Star Vocal ensemble features the top voice students from across Monterey County, who all come together to participate in an advanced choir.

Join us for the launch of Community Fest@Circle of the Palms from 12–5pm. Celebrate local San José culture with some fun in the sun and the cool vibes of Summer Fest.

The Serenaders band was originally formed in 1983 and has been active in various forms ever since. Although the band has always highlighted jazz standards from the proverbial Great American Songbook, it has evolved to include big band and swing versions of contemporary jazz and popular music.

The Monterey Jazz Festival Regional All-Star Band features the top music students from across Monterey County, who all come together to participate in middle and high school big bands.

Mitch Woods and His Rocket 88s have been the torchbearers of a great American blues musical heritage for three decades. Taking their inspiration from the great jump n’ boogie outfits of the late 40s and early 50s, they breathe fresh life into the music that gave birth to rock n’roll.

Vanessa Collier is a sight to see, with head-turning, fiery and passionate performances. A Berklee College of Music graduate and the 2022 Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, Blues Blast Magazine calls her “an important part of the future of the blues” and blues legend Buddy Guy calls her live performance “amazing.”

Synchronicity is a classical jazz ensemble of alumni from various Bay Area big bands, in the tradition of Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones and Oliver Nelson.

Barely Funktional is a hip hop group turned funky who specialize in freestyling lyrics to engage with the crowd and make every show unique and unforgettable. Each song and style represents one of their members’ musical backgrounds so they all get a chance to shine.

Founded in Oakland in 2015, we are an assembly of world class jazz musicians, dedicated to sharing the joy of jazz with children (ages 9-17) through our after school classes and by performing concerts with our students, and sharing jazz through educational concerts with our community at large.

Diana Trujillo, known as “Chika Di,” is a rising star who blends traditional Latin, electronic, afro, and pop with powerful Colombian vocals. She has credits on the hit TV shows Euphoria and Generation, and her debut album is set to release in 2023.

Join a house band made up of alums from the San Jose Jazz High School All Stars U19s for a free, youth-focused community jazz jam during the Fest. If you’re 21 and under, bring your instrument and sign up for a slot. Or just take a break from the heat and listen as future jazz stars show you how it’s done.

Cimafunk is a Grammy Award-nominated Afro-Cuban rockstar. His name refers to his heritage as a “cimarrón,” a Cuban of African descent who resisted and escaped slavery, as well as to the essence of his music that subverts classical Cuban rhythms with innovative mixes of funk, Afrobeat and hip-hop.

DJ Flow will DJ on the 200 Park Stage both Saturday and Sunday. He’s also onsite to record chats with Summer Fest artists for the Inventions & Dimensions the Podcast at SJZ Summer Fest presented by Topo Chico. We’ll be sharing those episodes after the Fest.

Top Shelf Big Band brings the swinging sounds of live jazz and ballroom dancing to life. Enjoy vintage jazz and standards made famous by groups like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller and Les Brown with this 17-piece orchestra.

Frunkyman’s cosmically eccentric sound adorned with elaborate funk convolutions and electronic elements have been a new sound in the Bay Area with notable performances at Blues and Brews Festival, San Jose Museum Of Art, and San Jose Jazz Summer Fest.

Vanessa Collier is a sight to see, with head-turning, fiery and passionate performances. A Berklee College of Music graduate and the 2022 Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, Blues Blast Magazine calls her “an important part of the future of the blues” and blues legend Buddy Guy calls her live performance “amazing.”

VibraSÓN brings traditional sounds of Latin music together with modern rhythms, soulful vocals and adventurous solos. VibraSÓN’s music respects and honors the classic salsa from the Boogaloo era of the 1960s while adding a contemporary feel with dancers in mind.

With dozens of movie scores and over 500 recording credits to his name across jazz, R&B and opera,  Grammy Award-winning Marcus Miller’s resume speaks for itself. Marcus sets the standard for slap bass as a leading instrument with a sound that’s distinctly funky, melodic and multifaceted.

22-year-old non-binary, queer Oakland native B DeVeaux is a rising singer who studied at the Oakland School of Arts and was mentored by the likes of Kehlani, Daveed Diggs and Ledisi. They held the top spot in OSA’s premier ensemble, Vocal Rush (International Competition for High School A Capella, 4x champions).

South Bay native Maxx Cabello Jr. plays the guitar with high-octane energy that combines elements of blues, rock and his own musical vision. An accomplished singer and songwriter, Cabello’s music appeals to a diverse range of audiences with his honest lyricism and powerful vocals.

Bloco do Sol is a community ensemble of youth and adult students based in San Jose at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza. Watch for this special pop-up performance in the Latin Tropical Stage area.

Óskar Ly & Rumbalú is an electrifying Latin musical collective in the thriving landscape of the San Francisco Bay Area. With their captivating fusion of jazz, salsa, pop, and Afro-Latin rhythms, Rumbalú has become a driving force in the Bay’s contemporary music scene.

Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, producer and actor Anthony Hamilton has achieved global sales of over 50 million albums. The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductee notably performed for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle, cementing his place in the history books as the “Narrator of Love.”

Cimafunk is a Grammy Award-nominated Afro-Cuban rockstar. His name refers to his heritage as a “cimarrón,” a Cuban of African descent who resisted and escaped slavery, as well as to the essence of his music that subverts classical Cuban rhythms with innovative mixes of funk, Afrobeat and hip-hop.

Stephen Peterson and Stephen Vahle are the founders of the band Los Tocayos. The band plays music inspired by latin jazz greats Cal Tjader and Claire Fisher.  The band features Peterson’s son Mike on bass and Karen Manrequez on vocals and her son Marcelo.

The premier West Coast Latin music ensemble, La Verdad, is a collective of world-class musicians whom embody the truth of the Los Angeles Latino experience through their blend of traditional and original repertoire that spans the scope of Latin American route music including salsa, cha cha, boogaloo and Latin soul.

Enjoy a Sunday morning filled with delicious food and uplifting music, 11am–1pm, on the final day of the festival. Just order off the regular restaurant menu; the music is free! This year’s brunch will feature vocalist Joyce Randolph accompanied on keys.

Full Spectrum Big Band Jazz has delighted audiences with traditional and modern big band sounds since 1996. Performance styles range from laid-back Count Basie swing to poly-rhythmic modern Latin. FSJ has a diverse catalog of exceptional music, including original compositions and venerable jazz standards.

Sunday morning, join our friends at First Unitarian Church of San José for a celebration with a jazz accent. This year’s theme, “The Women Who Raised Us,” is inspired by Kandace Springs’ 2020 album of the same name, paying tribute to the female musicians who inspired her throughout her childhood.

Join us for the launch of Community Fest@Circle of the Palms from 12–5pm. Celebrate local San José culture with some fun in the sun and the cool vibes of Summer Fest.

Directed by musician/educator “Mr. Clifford” Samoranos, Summer Fest presents the youngest group of gifted young musicians that embody the enduring American legacy of Jazz. The group will perform their interpretations of timeless musical compositions.

Composer, bassist and educator Marcus Shelby formed his namesake orchestra in 1999 to give proper voice to his compositions that modernized the big band idiom. For this set the latest incarnation of the band performs with longtime collaborator Tiffany Austin, of whom DownBeat said: “West Coast vocal jazz simply gets no better than Tiffany Austin.”

Born in Sacramento, CA, Marcel Smith has remained a staple on the California music scene for over 40 years. His vocal approach will remind you of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding rolled into one.

The SOJ Big Band was formed almost 20 years ago in the south San Francisco Bay Area to play big band arrangements of gospel and swing, Latin, R&B and jazz tunes.

Veronica Swift took the jazz world by storm following her debut album, 2019’s Confessions. Having made her mark as one of the star jazz vocalists of her era, she has now expanded her style, bringing to Summer Fest material from her upcoming album TransGenre, mixing bebop with classical, rock and soul, and showcasing the dynamic power of her performances.

Chickenbone Slim, aka Larry Teves, is an original Blues/Americana touring artist based in San Diego and has been playing his primitive, tough, bare knuckle electric blues for over 25 years.

Born into a family of musicians, Michael ‘Tiny’ Lindsey’s inevitable musical career began at an early age. By the age of fifteen, Michael was already performing in local venues throughout the New York area. With Michael’s ability to play genres such as pop, R&B, rock, jazz, blues, funk, and gospel he went on to form his career and develop talent and reputation as a skilled and versatile bassist and background vocalist.

Savaiah is a young rising star from San Jose, California eager to share her unique sound and captivate audiences with her powerful voice and musical versatility.

Footnotes Jazz Band is a San Francisco Bay Area ensemble that showcases contemporary and original big band jazz. Its founding members once played together in the Foothill College jazz program, before going independent under the leadership of Lori Stotko.

Club Mambí is the creation of the Cuban trumpet player and percussionist Onier Bacallao, based in Los Angeles — now featuring the singer Maga Shukar, who brings original pieces to their beloved salsa repertoire. All the band members have Latin roots and have travelled the world to bring fresh, original vibes to the Latin scene.

Trumpeter Lucas Davis is a creative musician dedicated to spreading peace and love by sharing his music with audiences across the world.

Billy Iuso has a passion for song and a drive to make other people smile that has kept him playing for thirty years, through the pandemic and the toughest of times. His new album, 52Hz, is lockdown-inspired, and a little bit nostalgic.

Patrice Rushen is one of the most sought after R&B artists in the music industry–a three-time Grammy Award nominee who has composed scores for movies and television. Her song “Forget Me Nots” was famously sampled by Will Smith and earned her a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1983.

DJ Flow will DJ on the 200 Park Stage both Saturday and Sunday. He’s also onsite to record chats with Summer Fest artists for the Inventions & Dimensions the Podcast at SJZ Summer Fest presented by Topo Chico. We’ll be sharing those episodes after the Fest.

La Misa Negra is a 7-piece band from Oakland, California, known for their unique blend of heavyweight cumbia and high-energy, Afro-Latin music.  On stage, they deliver an electrifying performance that explodes with infectious dance grooves and punk rock energy, powered by horn and accordion-driven riffs, a fierce rhythm section, and a vintage-inspired sound.

The NASA Ames Jazz Band (AJB) is the large ensemble of the “Jazz Band” Club of the NASA Ames Exchange.  The group’s eighteen musicians are drawn from the Ames community, as well as from the local Bay Area.

San Miguel Perez is an exceptional Cuban artist based in Los Angeles. Born in Cuba, he was part of the New Generation of the famous Buena Vista Social Club as well as the best Salsa band for the island, Adalberto Alvarez Y Su Son.

Bee Taylor’s style conjures up memories of New Orleans, the musical capital for so many southern styles of jazz. Well versed in jazz, funk, roots, and soul, she has an impressive vocal range, able to hit high and low notes with a soulful and evocative inflection.

Two-time Grammy winner Gregory Porter’s bone-deep baritone has no equal. Porter, who grew up singing in the church of his poor Bakersfield neighborhood and then in New York’s jazz clubs as he worked as a chef during the day, now performs his spellbinding discography in front of audiences who gasp with disbelief.

The JUNGLE FIRE sound is a deep foray into Afro/Latin Funk with an approach that is authentic and highly explosive! The Los Angeles-based TropiFunk juggernaut pulls its influences from the music of legends such as Irakere, Ray Barretto, James Brown, Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango (just to name a few) while creating a melting pot of Afro-Caribbean and West African rhythms with heavy breakbeat funk.

The Swing Solution is a classic big band specializing in music from the ’40s through the swing revival of the ’90s and beyond.

Telmary is one of Cuba’s leading, cutting edge hip-hop and urban music artists. Her study of English, theater, and writing informed her work in the Havana music scene during the late ’90s and early 2000s. She has four solo albums, including the Latin Grammy-nominated Fuerza Arará, and Libre, awarded the 2014 Cubadisco Prize for Best Hip-Hop Recording.