Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
In Memoriam: John Hammond Jr., 1942–2026
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
The San Jose Summer Jazz Fest will take place August 11-13.
(Photo: Courtesy San Jose Summer Jazz Fest)With the July 4th holiday in the rear-view mirror, the summer jazz season is really revving up, and soon, Silicon Valley’s premier annual music event, the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, will return for its 28th festival season.
Taking place August 11–13 in and around Plaza de César Chavez Park in downtown San Jose, California, SJZ Summer Fest is a standout destination for music lovers of all ages and stripes. It’s also nationally recognized as one of the biggest Latin festivals in the country. The three-day event will feature more than 120 performances on 10 stages, attracting tens of thousands of visitors to downtown San Jose throughout the weekend.
The 28th Annual San Jose Jazz Summer Fest features an acclaimed lineup, with a roster of headliners that includes Chris Botti; George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic; Maceo Parker; The Whispers; Angélique Kidjo’s Celia Cruz Tribute with Pedrito Martinez; Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio; and Jazz By Five with Javon Jackson, George Cables, Randy Brecker, Eddie Gomez and Jimmy Cobb.
Additional artists include the San Francisco String Trio with Mimi Fox, Mads Tolling and Jeff Denson; Cyrille Aimée; The Seshen; Pacific Mambo Orchestra; Danny Green Trio; Carmen Lundy; Sasha Masakowski; Emilio Solla Quartet; Dmitri Matheny Jazz Noir; Tia Brazda; Gregory Page; Kavita Shah; Ray Obiedo; Tommy Igoe Groove Conspiracy; Brian Andres Afro-Cuban Cartel; and Somos el Son.
With its internationally renowned Latin artists and top Bay Area salsa bands, the SJZ Summer Fest’s 2017 Salsa Stage, co-curated by arts and culture advocate Mister Latin Jazz, will feature sets by Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Brian Andres Afro-Cuban Cartel, Somos el Son, and many others.
Want to know more? DownBeat invites you view this exclusive video preview of the fest, featuring music by Parliament Funkadelic and some pretty happenin’ dance moves.
There’s a whole lotta rhythm going down in San Jose. For additional info, click here. DB
Hammond came to the blues through the folk boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which he experienced firsthand in New York’s Greenwich Village.
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