2022 SAN JOSE SUMMERFEST

SUNDAY. AUGUST 14. 2022

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY TOM EHRLICH © 2022

The last day of the festival started with strong performance by  Telmary and her group at the main stage.  Other groups covered include Javon Jackson, Charles McPherson, Gary Bartz and Donald Harrison with a tribute to Charlie Parker, Mario Y Su Timbeko another powerful timba group, Stanley Clarke. Keyon Harrold. Ledisi and Jazz Organ Fellowship Tribute to Dr. Lonnie Smith. 

Telmary, Thalia Geraldine and Yeni Valdés

Radio DJ Greg Bridges introducing the group

Telmary and her fantstic band including Yeni Valdés former Los Van Van vocalist and her husband Erick Barberia who is an outstanding percussionist and vocalist, presented her style of hip hop fused with  vocals/coros and dancing.  Telmary was the Afro-Caribbean headliner of this years festival performing on the main stage.

Telmany and Thalia Geraldine

Bassist Azaris Pijuan

Daniel Rodríguez

Erick Barberia and Yeni Valdés

Matt Amper keyboards and Azaris Pijuan bass

Matt Amper played keyboards and was the musical director of the group.

Onier Bacallao

Azaris Pijuan

Daniel Rodríguez

Erick Barberia

Matt Amper

Onier Bacallao

Onier Bacallao

Onier Bacallao doubled on trumpet and güiro.

Yeni Valdés, Thalia Geraldine and Telmary

Telmary, Thalia Geraldine and Yeni Valdés

Telmary and Thalia Geraldine 

Erick Barberia

Yeni Valdes and Telmary

Yeni Valdes and Thalia Geraldine

Telmary and Thalia Geraldine

In spite of partying late the night before at the salsa stage and performing at 12 noon the next day, Telmary and the group gave a high energy, inspired performance with songs mostly regarding important social issues.

Telmary originally from Havana, Cuba, lived many years in Canada, then moved back to Cuba and recently relocated to Miami, Florida.

Thalia Geraldine

Yeni Valdes and Telmary

Love and respect at the end of a great set of music.

Next on the main stage was an all-star band presenting a tribute to the late legendary saxophonist Charlie Parker on the 100th anniverary of his birth.

Left to right Donald Harrison, Gary Bartz, Carl Yamada, Jevon Jackson and Charles McPherson

Four saxophone masters and producer Carl Yamada. Carl produced tive jazz groups for the festival.  Javon Jackson was the musical director.  These musicians are some of the best living sax players.

Jeremy Manasia

Pianist Jeremy Manasia was someone I was not familar with, but he did a great job on the keys.

David Williams

David Williams is one of the best living bass players. He is one of my favorite bass players.

Willie Jones III

Willie Jones III another great musicians - the youngster of the group.  He is a first call drummer and band leader.

Right to left Chrles McPherson, Gary Bartz and Willie Jones III 

It was clear thaat these sax masters wer enjoying playing together.  They are all band leaders.

Charles McPherson

Donald Harrison

Donald Harrison is  from New Orleans and has an impressive list of projects playing different styles of music with others and as a leader of different projects.  He has played in the past with the great Eddie Palmieri, so he can play in clave.

Right to left Gary Bartz, Charles McPherson, Donald Harrison and Jevon Jackson

Jevon Jackson

Jevon Jackson also has an impressive resume and is an educator and he is the youngest of he sax players.

Tshaka Campbell

Tshaka Campbelll is the Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County. He opened the set with some poems solo and also with a trio backing him up.

Charles McPherson sax and David Williams bass

Charles McPherson

'Right to left David Williams, Charles McPherson, Donald Harrison and Gary Bartz

Gary Bartz

Another master with an extensive and impressive resume leading his own groups and playing with many including Miles Davis and MyCoy Tyner.

Garz Bartz

Gary Bartz, Charles McPherson and Lynn Sundfor McPherson

Gary, Charles and Charles' wife having an intersting conversaion back stage.

Left to right Javon Jackson, Charles McPherson and Gary Bartz

Tshaka Campbell poet, Jeremy Manasia piano, David Williams bass and Willie Jones III drums

Tshaka Campbell

Willie Jones III

Willie Jones III

David Williams

David WIlliams

David Williams

Gary Bartz

Left to right Javon Jackson, Charles McPherson, Gary Bartz and Donald Harrison

This group was one of the highlights of the festival.

Next to the Latin Tropical Stage (salsa stage)..  This stage was free and open to the public.   I only covered two acts on this stage - one I reported on previously.  On Sunday a timba group called Mario y Su Timbeko played.  The leader. timbale player and vocalist Mario Salomon is origianlly from Cuba, did live in the Bay Area but recently moved to Austin, Texas.  He travels to the Bay Area often to perform.

Mario Salomon timbales and Carlitos Medrano congas

Carlitos Medrano congas and Mayombe Cruz güiro

David Lechuga - Espadas

Mayombe Cruz güiro

Jordan Wilson

Jason Moen keyboards

Jason Moen is one of the better timba keyboard players in the Bay Area.

Mario Salomon

Mario Salomon is originally from Cuba.  When he lived in Cuba, he played with Maravillas de Florida as a teenager sitting in at age 14 and then he played drums in 2013/14 when the regualr drummer was ill.  He also had the opportunity to play with La Ritmo Maderno, Elito Reve, Adalberto Alvarez and Maykel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor.  After moving to the United States, he was involved with reocording a music video with Martin Cohen and played with Chucho Valdes at the SF Jazz Center.

Yadier Noa

Yadier Noa from Camagüey, Cuba graduated from ENA and taught bass at ENA for two years. He has an impressive resume of the bands he played with in Cuba including Bobby Carcassés, Orlando Sanchez (CubaJazz), Alfredo Thompson, Pauilito, Maraca, Azúgar Negra, Tania Pantoja and others.

Caarlitos Medrano

Carlitos Medrano is a percussionist and band leader, who attended the Felix Varlea Conservatory of Muisc in Cubs.  While living in Cuba he played with Alexis Bosch, Orlando Sanchez of Cuba Jazz and Bobby Carcassés.  He moved to the US in 2008 and is the band leader for timba group Sabor de Mi Cuba, which performed on Saturday at the San Jose Jazz Summerfest.

Carlitos Medrano

Jason Moen keyboards and Yadier Noa bass

Mario Salomon

Mario Salomon

Yadier Noa

Yadier Noa

Back to the main stage to catch Stanley Clarke, the legendary bass player,

Stanley Clarke

'Stanley Clarke, legendary bass player brought a band of 20 year olds to the festival and they rocked the house.

Colin Cook

Jahari Stampley

Stanley Clarke and Jeremiah Collier

Stanley Clarke and Jeremiah Collier Jeremiah Collier

Stanley Clarke

Stanley Clarke

Stopped in the Montgomery Theater to catch Keyon Harrold's band.

Keyon Harrold

Keyon Harrold is a brillant young tumpeter, composer and band leader who is from Furgeson, MO s subburb of St Louis.  He moved to NYC to go to The New School and was exposed to many styles of music.  While living in NYC he performed with high profile hip hop groups such as Common,  Snoop Dog, Beyomce, Jay Z and others.  The music he played at the festival I would characterize as straight ahead jazz.  He is defintiely an extremely versatile musician that plays many different styles of music.

Did not obtain the drummers name

Back to the main stage to hear the popular vocalist from Oakland, CA Ledisi.

Ledisi

Ledisi

Ledisi

The last group for this years festival was an organ tribute to the late Dr. Lonnie Smith, a NEA jazz master on the Hammond B-3 organ, who passed away on September 28, 2021.

Mr. B-3 Organ Pete Fallico

Pete Fallico introduced this concert.

Peter Bernstein guitar, Wil Blades organ and Darrell Green drums

Wil Blades was the first organist to play.  He was accompanied by the great guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Darrell Green.

Akiko Tsuruga organ and Akira Tana drums

Akiko Tsuruga organist originally from Japan and now resides in New York City.  I had never heard of her or seen her perform before.  She was impressive with her creative and soulful style of playing the Hammond B-3.  She was a close friend of Dr. Lonnie Smith

Akiko Tsuruga

Akira Tana

Akira Tana is a Japanese American drummer and band leader who resides in the Bay Area.  He and Darrell Green took turns accompanying the different organists.

Darrell Green

Darrel Green is a Oakland, CA native and is a swinging drummer who is conversant in many styles of music.

Peter Bernstein guitar, Akiko Tsuruga organ and Akira Tana drums

Peter Bernstein

Peter Bernstein has been part of the NYC jazz scene since 1989 and has recorded dozens of reordings as a leader and dozens more of other leaders' projects.  He has played and recorded with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lou Donaldson, Tom Harrell, Eric Alexander, Diana Krall, Nicholas Payton and many others.

Peter Bernstein guitar, Ronnie Foster organ and Darrell Green drums

Ronnie Foster

Ronnie Foster is a master oranist and key boardist who also has an extensive resume of recordings and collaborations with others.  His first recording was with the late great guitarist Grant Green on the historic Blue Note Records.  His performance at the fesrival was mindblowingly fantastic - he's a true master and he has just relased a new recording on Blue Note Reocrds 50 years since he first recorded with them in 1972.  He performed with the great George Benson as a teenager.  Although he is in his 70s he is still energetic, youthful and swinging.

Left to right Peter Bernstein, Akira Tana, Wil Blades, Akiko Tsuruga, Darrell Green, Ronnie Foster and Pete Fallico

Pete Fallico and Akiko Tsunuga with a protrait of Dr. Lonnie Smith

Wil Blades, Akiko Tsunuga and Ronnie Foster 

All three of these Hammnd B-3 organists were really close to Dr. Lonnie Smith.  It was obvious this concert was an emotional experience for them and the music was exquisite.

Although from my perspetive this years festival was a little light on quality Afro-Caribbean music, there were many memorable momnets.