SAN JOSE, Calif. — There’s a lot to like about this year’s San Jose Jazz Summer Fest.
Yes, of course, there’s always a lot to like about this incredible festival – which brings some of the top talents in jazz, world music, blues and other genres to multiple stages in downtown San Jose each August.
Yet, this lineup is absolutely bursting at the seams with cool acts, including such headliners as Lee Fields, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Leela James, Stanley Clarke and Ledisi.
Overall, more than 90 acts are set to perform on 12 stages — indoor and outdoor — during the three-day festival, which takes place Aug. 12-14 at Plaza de Cesar Chavez at San Carlos in downtown San Jose (enter at the ticket booth on the south end of the plaza.)
Shows that take place in San Jose Jazz’s Break Room venue will also be available to livestream.
Details and tickets are at available at summerfest.sanjosejazz.org.
Here are 10 of our top picks for the 2022 Summer Fest, organized chronologically.
—Caroline Chung & Citizens Jazz
Chung is a Bay Area bassist, songwriter and producer, who has released a full-length album of original tunes — titled “Sounds of Haejin” — as well as the EP “Citizen Jazz Tribute to the Great Nina Simone.” Earlier this year, Chung and her band Citizen Jazz — featuring a rotating roster of local musicians — performed material from Simone’s “Silk & Soul” classic record during two sold-out concerts at the SFJAZZ Center.
Details: 6 p.m. Aug. 12, Break Room Stage
—JC Smith Band
One of the Bay Area’s most accomplished blues players, Smith has shared stages with such legends of the game as Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, B.B. King, Pinetop Perkins and Buddy Miles. He’s a terrific vocalist and guitarist, who has led his group to such recognition as being named West Coast Blues Band of the Year in 2006 by the Bay Area Blues Society.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 12, Blues/Big Easy Stage
—Cameron Graves
Famed saxophonist Kamasi Washington reportedly once described Graves’s musical style as an “almost unbelievable combination of modal jazz, romantic era European classical music and mathematical death metal.” And, yes, that does indeed sound mighty appealing to us. So turn out to hear this pianist-composer — who has been influenced both by Herbie Hancock and Slipknot — perform his self-described brand of “thrash jazz.”
Details: 9 p.m. Aug. 12, Montgomery Theater
—Diunna Greenleaf
The Houston blues singer is yet another great addition to the Little Village Foundation label, which does so much to provide much-needed attention to some very deserving talents. Greenleaf, who has three Blues Music Awards to her credit, does a fine job showcasing her tremendous blues vocals on her Little Village debut, “I Ain’t Playin’.”
Details: 2:45 p.m. Aug. 13, Blues/Big Easy Stage
—Sabor De Mi Cuba
The Bay Area band, which is rooted in Afro Cuban music but draws from other world music styles as well, is the vehicle for the compositions and arrangements of percussionist Carlitos Medrano. Before moving to the U.S., the Cuban-born musician earned his chops alongside legendary conguero Jose Luis “Changuito” Quintana and performed in some of the most-acclaimed Latin jazz and salsa bands in Havana.
Details: 8 p.m. Aug. 13, Latin Tropical Stage
—Charlie Wilson
This all-time R&B great could go in a lot of different directions with his set list, given how much good music he’s delivered during his impressive career. And we’re pretty much good with anything the crooner wants to sing. That said, however, we’d really like to hear some Gap Band classics like “Party Train,” “Outstanding,” “Burn Rubber on Me” and “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.”
Details: 8 p.m. Aug. 13, Main Stage
—The LMR Jazz Orchestra featuring Tierney Sutton
The acclaimed orchestra, which was formerly known as the Long Meadow Ranch All Star Big Band, is celebrating the release of the debut album “Golden Jubilee: Missa Iubileum Aureum.” The show will feature Grammy-nominated vocalist Sutton, saxophonist Tom Scott, trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, trombonist Michael Davis, drummer Gary Novak, pianist Shelly Berg and trumpeter Niel Levonius. The 17-member large jazz ensemble will be conducted by Chris Walden.
Details: 1 p.m. Aug. 14, Hammer Theatre
—Judith Hill
The Los Angeles native first made her mark as a backup singer for such artists as Josh Groban and Michael Jackson (who picked Hill as his duet partner for “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” during his This Is It concerts). She was featured in the great music documentary “20 Feet from Stardom,” addressing the significance of backup singers in the music business. Hill has also released a number of solo albums, including the 2015 debut “Back in Time” that was co-produced by none other than Prince.
Details: 3 p.m. Aug. 14, Montgomery Theater
—Aki Kumar
What to hear an intriguing take on the blues? Then turn out to see this San Jose vocalist and harmonica player, who draws from both his love of Chicago-style electric blues and the sounds of his native Mumbai, India, in creating what he’s dubbed “Bollywood Blues.” He’s known for a number of popular releases, including 2016’s “Aki Goes to Bollywood” and 2020’s “Dilruba.”
Details: 3:30 p.m. Aug. 14, Blues/Big Easy Stage
—Stanley Clarke
He’s nothing short of one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time — an undeniable virtuoso on the bass who basically reinvented and reinvigorated the use of the instrument in jazz and beyond during his more than a half century working as a professional musician. We dig his Return to Forever catalog the most, but anything with Clarke’s name on it is worth hearing — repeatedly.
Details: 4 p.m. Aug. 14, Main Stage
San Jose Jazz Summer Fest
When: 6 p.m. Aug. 12, 11 a.m. Aug. 13-14
Where: Plaza de Cesar Chavez, San Carlos and Market streets, downtown San Jose
Tickets: Single day, $35-$120 Aug. 12 ($10 for kids ages 5-12), $35-$190 Aug. 13-14 ($10 for kids ages 5-12); three-day pass $105-$495 ($30 for kids ages 5-12); summerfest.sanjosejazz.org.
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