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Beginning in June, Summer Jazz Twenty at Stanford
Shopping Center presents an extraordinary concert lineup every
Thursday evening at the Clock Tower Plaza, located at180 El Camino
Real in Palo Alto. Produced by SFJAZZ in association with
Stanford Shopping Center.
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June 8 • 6-7:30PM
Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums
The 2006 SFJAZZ Summerfest opens with the rollicking swing
ensemble Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums. The band features
smoking pianist Steve Lucky and blues/swing vocal diva Carman
Getit. Down Beat Magazine praised the Rhumba Bums’
“superior musicianship” and Blues Access Magazine
said, “They’ll have you jumpin’ and jivin’
in no time.” |
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June 15 • 6-7:30PM
Calvin Keys Trio
The history of jazz and blues flows through the fingers of
guitar master Calvin Keys. He’s performed with legends
like Ray Charles and Ahmad Jamal and recorded groundbreaking
albums of his own. Said the San Jose Mercury News,
“With his lean single-note style, veteran jazz guitarist
Calvin Keys is a subtle but forceful improviser.” |
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June 22 • 6-7:30PM
Kim Nalley Quintet
Praised by Down Beat Magazine for her “lustrous
voice” and “impeccable sense of swing,”
jazz/blues singer Kim Nalley is a soulful “solid sender”
in the grand tradition of artists from Bessie Smith to Billie
Holiday to Nina Simone. In turns saucy, rollicking and thoughtful,
Nalley never fails to deliver a thrilling performance. |
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June 29 • 6-7:30PM
Jane Getter Trio
High-octane guitarist Jane Getter has been in steady demand
on the competitive NYC jazz scene for some time, getting the
call from high-profile musicians like Jack McDuff and Kenny
Garrett. She also leads her own hard-charging band. Jazziz
Magazine said, “Jane . . . combines infectious grooves
and buoyant melodies with confidence and flair.” |
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July 6 • 6-7:30PM
The Snake Trio
Virtuosity, inventiveness and soul are the hallmarks of The
Snake Trio, an intriguing Latin ensemble featuring mandolin/bandola
(Jackeline Rago), flute/sax (Donna Viscuso) and bass (Saul
Sierra). The Trio is hailed for its spirited performances
and its fascinating fusion of Latin and folk rhythms with
adventurous jazz explorations. |
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July 13 • 6-7:30PM
Akira Tana and Sound Circle
Drummer Akira Tana is a local treasure whose multi-rhythmic,
melodic dexterity has brought him well-deserved recognition
around the world. The San Francisco Chronicle
called singer Kenny Washington “a vocalist with
an exuberantly supple tenor...capable of astounding improvisational
flights.” The pairing of these jazz all-stars is sure
to produce a memorable show. |
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July 20 • 6-7:30PM
Sony Holland
Vocalist Sony Holland has created quite a stir since moving
to the San Francisco Bay Area three years ago. Her clear,
from-the-heart singing has reminded critics of stars like
Nancy Wilson and Peggy Lee. BVS Reviews called her recent
CD, On a San Francisco High, “a great album by one of
the best new singers around.” |
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July 27 • 6-7:30PM
Slammin All Body Band
High-energy fun is the name of the game for the six-member
a cappella ensemble SLAMMIN all body band. The group draws
inspiration and material from a dazzling spectrum of jazz,
blues and R&B. In performance, they offer imaginative
interpretations of songs by artists as diverse as Sly Stone,
Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, and Outkast. SLAMMIN all-body
band features: Bryan Dyer, Zoe Ellis, Steve Hogan, Keith Terry,
Kenny Washington and Destani Wolf. |
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Aug 3 • 6-7:30PM
Quetzal
Quetzal, a Chicano band out of East L.A., performs an impassioned
cross-cultural fusion of Mexican folk and Afro-Cuban salsa
influenced by the universal rhythms of rock, soul, and jazz.
Quetzal creates “such a warm, embracing and celebrative
spirit, there’s no other place to be” (Los
Angeles Times). |
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Aug 10 • 6-7:30PM
Rebecca Coupe Franks
Rebecca Coupe Franks is a trumpeter with an exuberant sense
of swing. A Palo Alto native, Franks was mentored by sax legend
Joe Henderson, then honed her music with six years on the
competitive New York City jazz scene. Her latest CD, a tribute
to Henderson, admirably displays her performing and composing
excellence. |
Enjoy live jazz performances every Thursday evening
in the heart of San Francisco! Union Square is bordered by Geary,
Stockton, Post and Powell streets and features a large outdoor
stage and plentiful outdoor seating. Parking is conveniently located
underground in the Union Square garage. Produced in association
with Union Square Association, Macy's, and U.S. Bank.
Contest! U.S. Bank
is hosting a contest for 5 people to win reserved seats for
4 at one Union Square concert in August. In addition to VIP
treatment, the winner will enjoy a reserved table in the wine/beer
garden, and a gift from Macy's. Enter
today for your chance to win a Five Star Experience!
August 3 • 6-7:30PM
Bat Makumba
Bay Area-based Brazilian/fusion dynamos Bat Makumba have exploded
onto the Bay Area music scene. In fact, their gumbo of joyous
Brazilian rhythms spiced with driving strains of rock and
funk have made them dance halls favorites throughout the West
Coast. They've been nominated for two SF Weekly Music
Awards as "Best World Band." |
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August 10 • 6-7:30PM
Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Without a doubt, Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
are “IT” when it comes to jazz that swings! Smith’s
classy and provocative vocals head up dynamic arrangements
of classic Big-Band tunes that become “as close to the
real deal as you can get” (New York Press).
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August 17 • 6-7:30PM
Jacqui Naylor
Vocalist Jacqui Naylor is a true original, surprising audiences
by singing in one genre while her band plays another, to create
wholly new, and thrilling, musical experiences. While praising
Naylor’s “gorgeous voice,” Stylus Magazine
said, she “commands her territory with a rich sound
throughout.” Vogue called her “the new
voice of jazz-pop.” |
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August 24 • 6-7:30PM
Dmitri Matheny
Nationally renowned, Bay Area dwelling flugelhornist Dmitri
Matheny shares his seductive and sophisticated brand of post-bop
jazz — as heard on acclaimed discs like Red Reflections
and Nocturne. |
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August 31 • 6-7:30PM
Jesus Diaz y su QBA
Jesus Diaz y su QBA, led by Cuban-born percussionist Jesus
Diaz, burst with the intoxicating power of their stirring
blend of Afro-Cuban, funk, jazz and rumba as they fill the
stage with percussion, horn, and dancers. Latin Beat said
their CD, Jardinero, “displays the diverse
colors and beats of innovative new sounds.” |
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Set amid the peaceful surroundings of rolling lawns,
shade trees, and a running creek, this six week series presents
the perfect opportunity for a mid-week picnic on the grass! Levi's
Plaza is located between Battery and Bay Streets off the Embarcadero
in San Francisco. Produced in association with Interland-Jalson
Property Management.
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Sept 6 • 12-1:30PM
Alma Brasileira
The music of Alma Brasileira, led by Brazilian guitarists
Mauro Correas and Carlos Oliveira, is an express ticket to
the fertile, fiery diversity of Brazilian jazz/folk traditions
and dance rhythms. The band’s sound springs from Brazilian
Choro music, but they sizzle with a fascinating mix, ranging
from American jazz to Argentinean tango. |
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Sept 13 • 12-1:30PM
Darren Johnston Quintet
Young trumpeter Darren Johnston has a brash, powerful style
that leads to spine-shaking performances. He appears with
many of the Bay Area’s leading ensembles, including
the renowned Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, and as a leader
fronts the bold, hard-charging United Brassworkers Front.
He cuts across jazz styles and musical genres fearlessly and
with aplomb. |
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Sept 20 • 12-1:30PM
Son de Madera
Los Angeles-based ensemble Son de Madera pulses with the vibrant
joy of son jarocho, a wonderful Mexican folk style born in
long-ago Veracruz from a fusion of Spanish, African, and Native
American rhythms. The Los Angeles Times says the
group “brings [son jarocho] into the present, making
it sound fresh, modern and fully its own.” |
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Sept 27 • 12-1:30PM
Vidya
A beguiling ensemble fusing Indian classical (Carnatic) music
with jazz, Vidya is led by saxophonist Prasant Radhakrishnan,
with fiercely creative improvisers drummer Sameer Gupta, bassist
David Ewell and violinst Gautam Ganeshan. Arts website sdam.com
said, “[Radhakrishnan's] incredible saxophone playing
blended Carnatic music and jazz so well, it seemed like the
two genres were one and the same.” |
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Oct 4 • 12-1:30PM
Tanaora
Describing their style as “contemporary music of the
Americas,” the quartet Tanaora features a delightful
fusion of Brazilian and Caribbean music with American jazz.
Versatile, accomplished vocalist Cecilia Engelhart and internationally
known percussionist Michael Spiro propel this group, which
also includes pianist Bob Karty and saxophonist Ron Stallings. |
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Oct 11 • 12-1:30PM
Pat Carroll Quartet
Come hear the music of one of the Bay Area’s tremendous
crop of up-and-coming jazz musicians as alto saxophonist Pat
Carroll and his band take the stage. In 2003, Carroll was
the recipient of the Jimmy Lyons Scholarship at Berklee College
in Boston, an honor awarded to only one Northern California
musician each year. |
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