San Jose Jazz

FestivalThe San Jose Jazz Summer Fest is one of the leading urban music festivals in the nation. It draws in excess of 40,000 diverse attendees annually and features legendary Jazz, Blues, and Salsa, Latin Jazz artists while providing performance opportunities for emerging and local musicians. With over 90 performances and events over 3 days, Summer Fest celebrates the diversity of jazz, America's great contribution to global culture, with a wide variety of music and performing arts disciplines, all with an international flair reflective of the Silicon Valley community. Attracting visitors from all over California, the U.S. and internationally, the festival promotes San Jose as an essential arts, cultural and entertainment destination in Silicon Valley.Summer Fest's primary goals are:1. To bring people together through music, arts and culture in an affordable format that is accessible for all.2. To provide performance opportunities for emerging and local musicians (enabling artists to be exposed to audiences who enjoy discovering new musicians and great music.)3. To continue being widely known as one of the leading jazz/live music festivals in the United States.Mission: Summer Fest exemplifies SJZ's mission as it promotes jazz through performance and education. Summer Fest explores and celebrates the musical and cultural heritage of San Jose's rich diverse community. Modest admission prices and free performances ensures accessibility for everyone to attend the festival.

Youth DevelopmentSan Jose Jazz Education Programs Progressions is San Jose Jazz's year-round in-school youth development program that uses music to connect with low-income, at-risk students, challenges them with a rigorous music education program, and helps them to build a pro-social community. The program focuses on helping to keep participants in school, out of gangs, and on the road to becoming better students and contributing citizens. Progressions is taught by professional musicians/educators/mentors who teach students to read music, master instruments, and collaborate in ensembles, bands, and choirs which help them: develop as individuals, learn to set and achieve goals, and understand what it takes to succeed in life and in the classroom. In addition to music instruction the program provides homework support, nutrition (a supper meal), mentorship, and recreation opportunities. Summer Jazz Camp (100-130 students) propels student-musicians forward as musicians and individuals. The two-week camp enables young students to work closely with professional Jazz musicians to help them achieve a greater mastery of performance and improvisation techniques while advancing their knowledge of music theory, arranging, composition, performance, and Jazz history. San Jose Jazz High School All Stars big band program provides motivated, young jazz musicians in the South Bay region with an advanced opportunity to grow and develop as musicians and young adults. Participation is accomplished through a competitive audition process.