"Transforming Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose into a musical haven" (San Francisco Chronicle) San Jose Jazz Summer Fest returns to Plaza de César Chávez for its 35th Anniversary festival from Friday, August 8 - Sunday, August 10, 2025, turning the heart of downtown San Jose into an immersive cultural mecca. With nine indoor and outdoor venues featuring more than 80 artists representing the best in jazz, R&B, Latin jazz, salsa, soul, funk, bossa nova, blues, and a larger-than-life celebration of Oaxacan culture with the Mexican exhibition ALEBRIJES EN SAN JOSÉ displayed throughout the urban festival grounds, SJZ Summer Fest 2025 proudly presents the most stylistically diverse music event on the West Coast. San Jose Jazz's eclectic programming reflects the city's longstanding role as the epicenter of Latin culture in Northern California with eight epic 23-feet-high Alebrijes sculptures amplifying the artistic ingenuity of South American creators in both the visual arts and music.
Academy Award, Emmy, and GRAMMY-winning artist Common (Friday Headliner -- Aug. 8) transfixes audiences as the hip-hop pioneer inspires us for global social change. Common's much-anticipated return to the Jay Paul Company Main Stage celebrates the 25th anniversary of his pivotal album, Like Water for Chocolate. Fans have seen Common make significant inroads in Hollywood, as he's starred in Apple TV+'s Silo, as well as making his Broadway debut in Between Riverside and Crazy, and appearing in films like Alice and Breathe alongside Jennifer Hudson. His contributions also extend to the literary world with his health-focused And Then We Rise (2024) and two New York Times best-selling memoirs.
Legendary soul and gospel artist Mavis Staples (Sunday Headliner -- Aug. 10) is a cultural titan whose unmistakable voice has defined American music for over six decades. A civil rights icon, Rock and Blues Hall of Famer, GRAMMY Award winner, and Kennedy Center honoree, Staples delivers powerful performances with inimitable conviction and energy. Her illustrious career spans from The Staple Singers' classic hits like "I'll Take You There" to critically-acclaimed solo albums that have made Mavis Staples a towering musical force.
New Orleans native PJ Morton (Saturday Headliner -- Aug. 9) is notably the 5-time GRAMMY-winning keyboardist with Maroon 5 who's gained acclaim for his collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Solange, India.Arie, Yebba, Allen Stone, among others. PJ Morton's sweet and soulful vocals uplifts his audiences with irresistible melodies and his gospel grooves. His celebrated solo albums including Gumbo, Paul and Watch the Sun, which are rich fusions of jazz and R&B that reflect his upbringing as the son of gospel royalty Bishop Paul S. Morton.
Led by GRAMMY Award-winning Snarky Puppy alumni Robert "Sput" Searight and Nate Werth, the explosive musical collective Ghost-Note (Friday Headliner -- Aug. 8) delivers a blast of funk, jazz, and hip-hop that ignites dance floors across the globe. Ghost-Note's 2024 release Mustard n'Onions dazzled critics while their virtuosic live performances feature mind-bending solos and thunderous grooves.
Femi Kuti, the eldest son of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, leads The Positive Force with explosive energy and revolutionary spirit. A GRAMMY Award-nominated saxophonist and vocalist, Femi blends traditional Yoruba rhythms with jazz and funk. His electrifying live shows capture the essence of Afrobeat while advancing his father's legacy of musical activism against corruption and social inequality.
Advocating for the "Future of Jazz"
San Jose Jazz has championed two innovative efforts to ensure artists have both access to funds needed to create original works and a state-of-the-art venue to perform their music in while the volatility of concert venues remain in flux. Over the course of five consecutive years, San Jose Jazz has granted $160,000 to local SF Bay Area musicians through offering $1,000 individual grants to support newly written commissioned pieces with the SJZ Jazz Aid Fund. San Jose Jazz is proud to have shepherded more than 100+ new works into existence, right here in their community by offering assistance to 120 Bay Area musicians.
In 2021, San Jose Jazz also opened their very own performance venue the SJZ Break Room, ensuring artists working at the 100-capacity level will have access to a professional live music venue in the South Bay with world class recording and video capabilities. SJZ Break Room has been widely successful with SJZ producing more than 200 concerts through their Winter Series, SJZ New Works Fests featuring Jazz Aid Fund artists, and regular weekend programming.
SJZ Summer Fest 2025 carries forth their mission to book artists carrying the jazz tradition forward with fresh takes on the ever-evolving genre. Following years of their "Jazz Beyond" stages at the Fest, San Jose Jazz goes big on their Friday Night programming featuring a collection of trendsetting artists that represent the "Future of Jazz." Curated for the twentysomethings crowd with a discounted ticket price of only $25 (for festivalgoers ages 25 and under, Friday Night Only), fans interested in seeing the hottest leading-edge jazz artists will have easy access to the Fest. Groundbreaking artists set to appear on Friday include beloved vocalist José James, electronic music wizard Kiefer, spellbinding collective Ghost-Note, prolific saxophonist David Binney with Pera Krstajic & drummer Louis Cole, and the Bay Area's very own, Bennett Roth Quartet.
Julie Ramirez, President of the San Jose Jazz Board, comments, "It's essential for us as a non-profit to not only offer visionary local artists opportunities to perform at our flagship summer festival, but to also encourage younger audiences to enjoy the festivities with a ticket price they can afford. At $25, we feel that many new music fans will be able to have an unforgettable experience at SJZ Summer Fest 2025."
Additional acts on its array of nine stages, include The Headhunters, Kishi Bashi, Tyreek McDole, Delbert Anderson, Something Else! ft. Vincent Herring, Jonathan Dely, Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Sachal Vasandani, Marisoil and the Love Notes Orchestra, Mary Stallings, David Binney Action Trio with Pera Krstajic & Louis Cole, Kazemde George Trio, Tom Scott & The LA Express, Saul Sierra Quintet: "Caminos, A Pan American Jazz Suite," Ray Obiedo Group ft. Lilan Kane, Akira Tana with Bobby Floyd, Atsuko Hashimoto & Jackie Ryan, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir & Youth Choir, Oakland Jazz Choir, Nidia Góngora, Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, Hermán Olivera with Orquesta Taino, Andre Cruz & Chris Lujan, Malo, Juan Prado Trio, All Things Swamp, SJZ High School All Stars, Synchronicity, SOJ Band, Los Tacoyos, Ames Big Band, Footnotes, Swing Solution, Full Spectrum, Top Shelf, Los Gatos-Saratoga Band, Green Feather, and more headliners to be announced!
