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San Jose Jazz Co-Director Walter Green:
March 2, 1930 - March 14, 2012

   

[ Walter Smith Co-Director San Jose Jazz ]Walter Green, Co-Director of San Jose Jazz from 1989 to 1997, passed away in Las Vegas at the age of 82.

Originally from Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, Walter studied aerospace engineering at Drexel Institute of Technology (one of the first black engineers to graduate from Drexel). He moved to California in 1963, and designed prototypes for future Apollo missions to the moon.

Walter had a passion for arts and music, and was a co-founder La Boheme Jazz Club in Saratoga, where he spotlighted and promoted local musicians. As San Jose Jazz Artistic & Festival Director Bruce Labadie put it, "Walter Green was a solid supporter of San Jose Jazz from its inception. He loved music and his business acumen helped us manage the organization through the early years. He had a wonderful sense of humor and remained a strong supporter of San Jose Jazz for over 20 years."

Green's contribution to the development of San Jose Jazz from a small arts "startup" to a professional organization was due in large because of his efforts, and he will always be remembered with great respect and fondness. Read his obituary.  

 

Laila Smith Chosen as a Presidential Scholar of the Arts  

Though not even 18, jazz singer, pianist and composer Laila Smith is well on her way to a distinguished career in music. An alumna of San Jose Jazz' education programs, Laila was chosen this month as one of only 20 young Scholars in the Arts in the nation to be recognized for their academic and artistic achievements. She was recently interviewed by NBC about the Presidential Scholar of the Arts Award, and in June she will travel to the White House, where she will to receive her award and also perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Those of you who have met Laila or have heard her sing know her to be a remarkably composed and gracious young woman, on stage and off. Her talent, dedication and professionalism has resulted in many honors, including the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards in 2010 and 2012, and four different Downbeat Awards. In January 2012, Laila performed at the JEN Louisville conference, and attended the NFAA YoungArts Week in Miami, FL as a finalist in jazz voice. She also attended GRAMMY Week as part of the GRAMMY Camp Jazz Choir in February.

Laila will be performing with her group The Usual Suspects on Wednesday May 23 at 8:00pm at the Fairmont Lobby Lounge, as part of San Jose Jazz Free Jazz Wednesdays.

Congratulations Laila and we look forward to hearing you sing on the 23rd of May!   
Take Our Survey & Win A Pair of Summer Fest Tickets!
[ San Jose Jazz Survey ]
San Jose Jazz wants to bring you the most up-to-date and relevant news and information about its programs and performances.

If you have not done so, please help us with this goal by completing a short, two-minute survey. We promise it is brief, and you will automatically be entered to win two tickets to San Jose Jazz Summer Fest upon completion.

Your insight matters to us. To take the survey, please click through to the Survey Monkey website. Thank you for being a part of the San Jose Jazz Community! 
Free Jazz Wednesday

 

[ Jazz Vocalist Lisa Engelken San Jose Jazz] Tonight!
Lisa Engelken
Wednesday, May 9 at 7:30pm
Affinity Restaurant & Bar, Hilton San Jose Hotel
300 Almaden Blvd. San Jose (MAP)
Free Admission

 

Kansas-born, classically & theatrically trained singer Lisa Engelken has shared the stage with greats such as Yo La Tengo, Stephen Trask, Greg Brown, T-Bone Burnett and Tom Waits. Her last CD, Caravan, was named to the Jazz Journalists Association Best of 2010 List, featuring 10 fresh takes on jazz standards & Brazilian tunes. Learn more... 

 

 

John Worley, Oscar Pangilinan, Wed Jazz Jam Hedley Jazz Jam at the Hedley
Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30pm
Hedley Club, Hotel De Anza 

233 W. Santa Clara St. San Jose (MAP) 

Free Admission  

 

The Jazz Jam at the Hedley is the place for Jazz in San Jose on Wednesdays! Led by trumpeter John Worley and saxophonist Oscar Pangilinan, the Jazz Jam is the perfect opportunity to connect and play with other musicians. Or just drop in and enjoy the Hedley's elegant Art Deco atmosphere while listening to some of your favorite Jazz tunes.  Learn more...    

 

  

[ Music at the Market San Jose Jazz ]  
 Music at the Market    
Every Friday, 7-9pm at San Pedro Square Market, downtown San Jose [MAP]  

Blues, Jazz, Folk, R&B, World, Indie, and more. San Jose Jazz serves up the best musical variety at the new San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose. Best consumed with food, drink, and friends.

  

[ Funk & Soul Band Funkranomicon San Jose Jazz ] Funkranomicon
Friday, May 11 at 7:00pm
San Pedro Square Market 
87 N. San Pedro St. San Jose (MAP) 
Free Admission 
 
From the Santa Cruz Mountains comes the modern Funk band Funkranomicon (funk-r�-n�m-e-kon). The band writes dynamic, high energy Funk and Soul, and recently played the main stage of the 2011 San Jose Jazz Summer Fest where they opened for The Ohio Players. Their new CD, Book of Funk, was produced by Milton Davis (Brandy, Neville Brothers, Dionne Farris, New Mastersounds). Learn More...

  

[ Blind Willies Folk, Blues, Americana San Jose Jazz ] Blind Willies
Friday, May 18 at 7:00pm
San Pedro Square Market 
87 N. San Pedro St. San Jose (MAP) 
Free Admission 
 

Blind Willies are the brain child of Alexei Wajchman, a singer/songwriter from San Francisco. His third album Needle, Feather, and a Rope combines a band of accomplished multi-instrumentalists, including cellist Misha Khalikulov from Rupa and the April Fishes. The Blind Willies' gypsy/carnie influence offers a mix of Folk, Blues, Americana and rock 'n' roll, all recorded in retro analogue. Learn More...

 

Blues Thursday at the Poor House

Great Blues each Thursday evening at the Poor House Bistro, 6-9pm. Mention San Jose Jazz to your bartender or server, and a portion of your purchase will go to support our programs. Thank you!

[ Guitarist, songwriter & singer GG Amos San Jose Jazz ] Fountain Blues Festival Preview Party
with the GG Amos Band 
Thursday, May 10 at 6:00pm
Poor House Bistro
91 S. Autumn St. San Jose (MAP)
Free admission

The Fountain Blues Festival is back, July 14, 2012! Come listen to blues artist GG Amos, and get a sneak preview of the artist lineup from FBF Artistic Director Ted Gehrke, with the chance to win a pair of tickets to the event. Join guitarist, vocalist and songwriter GG Amos, who incorporates soul, jazz, funk and Latin elements within her distinctive West Coast Blues sound. Learn More...


[ Blues Singer Karen Lovely San Jose Jazz ] Karen Lovely Band
Thursday, May 17 at 6:00pm
Poor House Bistro
91 S. Autumn St. San Jose (MAP)
Free admission

Karen Lovely shot onto the blues scene from the Pacific Northwest, capturing the 2nd Place Band Prize at the 2010 International Blues Challenge followed by 2011 BMA Nominations for Best Female Contemporary Blues Artist, Best Contemporary Blues Album, and Best Song (for her second release Still The Rain). Still the Rain also topped the blues and roots charts and went to #1 on XM Radio's B.B.King's Bluesville's "Pick to Click" list. Learn More... 
Nickels for Non-Profits: Whole Foods Donates to
San Jose Jazz's Progressions Program
  
Shop at the Campbell Whole Foods Market until July 1 and you can make a donation to Progressions, our youth development program, which is free to at-risk students.

To participate, just bring your own reusable bag, and tell the Whole Foods staffer at the checkout that you'd like to donate your five-cent credit to San Jose Jazz. That's all there is to it!

We are very pleased to have been chosen by Whole Foods Campbell to be the beneficiary of this initiative -- these contributions add up! 

Whole Foods in Campbell is located at 1690 S. Bascom Ave, Campbell 95008. Hours, 8am through 10pm, phone 408-371-5000. 

 

In The Community

CD Release Event: "Wally Schnalle Live At Yoshi's"
Friday, May 25 at 8:00pm
Theatre on San Pedro Square
29 N. San Pedro St. San Jose CA 95110
$15

Drummer Wally Schnalle has been a drummer and bandleader for over 20 years. One of the most in-demand professionals in the Bay Area, he has performed at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, MontClair Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, and many other national and international venues. Schnalle worked with Drum! magazine as a music editor and reviewer for 15 years, and  has released seven previous CD's of original material; this new live CD is a compilation of his past tunes. Also featured on the recording are guitarist Jeff Massanari, saxophonists Charles McNeal & Dann Zinn, pianist Murray Low, and bassist Jason Muscat.

Schnalle is also one of the house band drummers for our biweekly Hedley Jazz Jams, and returns to the San Jose Jazz Camp faculty again this year. Tickets | More Information
   
More Events
 
Wed,   May 23: Laila Smith and the Usual Suspects 

Thurs, May 24: The Nightcats

Fri,     May 25: San Jose Jazz High School All Stars           

   
About San Jose Jazz

San Jose Jazz is a 25 year-old public benefit corporation that enriches our community through education and performance.  View website...

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Header photo image by Everett Taasevigen.