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Live jazz at Santana Row's restaurants In July and August, 2008 Every Tuesday, from 6pm to 8:30pm Santana Row’s popular Jazz series will take on a brand new “flavor” this summer with Flavors of Jazz, a series that marries Santana Row’s international cuisines with incredible jazz. Dine at the featured restaurant during Flavors of Jazz and receive exclusive rewards and the chance to win a “Weekend in the City” including a two night stay at The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residence, limo service, two tickets to the San Francisco Giants and more. Pick up your Jazz in Clubs card at Santana Row’s Concierge. And don’t miss a tribute to the San Jose Jazz Festival with a special performance at the Hotel Valencia courtyard on August 5. Flavors of Jazz is presented by San Jose Jazz.
More info about Santana Row (San Jose, CA).
To stay tuned and receive exclusive info about the performers: sign up for our newsletter. July 1st, 2008
 John Worley and Worlview 3.0 (at Pasta Pomodoro)
Trumpet / Flugelhorn artist and leader of WorlView, John Worley has been a member in many of the San Francisco Bay Area’s creative music ensembles for the last 20+ years. Being adept at a multitude
of styles, John has played with many national and international artists in Canada, Europe, Central and North America, including the Carla Bley / Steve Swallow Big Band, Stanley Clarke, Don Byron and the John Jang Seven to name a few. Combining a hard-hitting approach with potent lyricism, Worley has created a unique sound. His WorlView ensemble touches on all corners of the Americas, riding a world chart of bop, straight ahead jazz, tango, Afro Cuban and “all ports in between.”
With a voice described as sweet, sultry, like caramel sweetened with honey, vocalist Rhonda Benin is enjoying a full and versatile musical career. Rhonda began her career as a member of the Los Angeles based jazz trio “Sound of Soul”. The group received citywide recognition after winning the prestigious Hollywood Bowl, “Battle of the Bands”. Rhonda went on to make a career as background vocalist having appeared on over 100 recordings. www.rhondabenin.com July 8, 2008
 I’ve Never Been to Brisbane (at El Jardin)
The idea of combining reggae and jazz is not new, but INBTBrisbane brings a few new twists to the mix…celebrating both styles, compromising neither. As a happy result, the trio has been playing steadily of late and attracting the attractive.; recent appearances at the Hotel De Anza’s Hedley Club, Downtown San Jose’s Gordon Biersch, Santana Row’s Thea, the Hotel Los Gatos, and a host of private affairs and charity events have kept the boys’ wine glasses full.
Jazz Guitarist, Composer, Arranger and Musical Director – Brewer resides in Almeda, California. Brewer’s aggressive marketing and business acumen aided him in leading his own instrumental and vocal groups in nearly 2000 throughout California in the last seven years. In addition to his impressive feat, Brewer possesses the rich experience of performing with legendary artists such as Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Pete Escovedo, Babatunde Lea, Kim Nalley, Dave Ellis,… www.terrencebrewer.com July 15, 2008  The Jack Conway Trio (at Maggiano's)
The Jack Conway Trio plays elegant classic jazz featuring incredible vocalist Juanita Harris. Conway (guitar) is a fixture on the Bay Area jazz scene, currently playing with Octobop, VJB, Tuesday Nite Live and The Jack Tones. Long time Bay Area bass player Roger Dahlberg performs with small groups, theatre and big bands including Le Jazz Liaison, Touch of Brass and Tuesday Nite Live. Drummer Reno Brian, a recent grad from North Texas State, composes,performs and teaches here and in the Sacramento area. Juanita Harris, a graduate of Boston's Berklee, performs regularly with The Choral Project, theatre groups, big bands and churches. www.jackconwaytrio.com  Kristen Strom Trio (at Left Bank)
San Jose saxophonist Kristen Strom has been a mainstay on the Bay Area music scene for nearly two decades, acclaimed for beautifully rendered melodies, exceptional tonality, and accomplished musicianship. In addition to regular performances with her own quintet, Strom has played alongside many well-known artists, including Manhattan Transfer, Gladys Knight, the Temptations, Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Steve Turre, and Jon Faddis. She recently released a highly regarded solo album, Intention, and has recorded and toured the world with several jazz and pop artists. www.kristenstrom.com July 22, 2008  Nancy Gilliland (at Roux)
With a repertoire of over 1,000 tunes, singer-pianist Nancy Gilliland interprets the Great American Songbook with emotion and sensitivity. She prides herself on a constantly expanding musical selection and has been researching these songs and their composers to share anecdotal histories with the audience. With her incredibly vast and diverse repertoire, Nancy is able to please audiences again and again with musical variety and sophistication.”www.nancygilliland.com Performing with Nancy are the very talented musicians Perry Thoorsell on bass and Olaf Schiappacasse on drums.
 Steffen Kuehn (at El Jardin)
Steffen Kuehn was born and raised in Germany and began playing the trumpet at the age of eight. Twenty years later he received his Bachelor of Music from the prestigious University of North Texas in 1993, majoring in Jazz Trumpet and Jazz Studies. He has also studied with Jazz greats such as Tim Hagans, Brian Lynch and Claudio Roditi. In Europe, he played as a sideman for the Dusko Gojkovich Big Band, Al Porcino Big Band, Conexion Latina and others. Other credits include the following Broadway Musical Productions ‘Annie’, ‘Damn Yankees’, ’Phantom of the Opera’,’Evita’ among others.
Steffen’s great talent, writing skills and broad musical knowledge make him an in-demand trumpet player for all styles of music. www.steffenkuehn.com July 29, 2008 Mark Russo a professional musician performer/writer and teacher graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. His commitment and discipline to music has given him the opportunity and array of woodwinds to include flute, saxophone, clarinet and oboe. As a professional he has toured with Vic Damone, Mel Torme, Albert King and Albert Collins. He has also performed with world class tenor player Pete Christlieb from the tonight show band. He has performed with American Musical Theatre and Theatre Works of Mt View. He has also produced two Christmas albums on the M & M Productions label as well as three Swing CDs compilations. He is an active performer in Classical, Jazz and Blues. The Mark Russo Quartet has been playing in and around the bay area for many years. Most recently the group has played for the San Jose Jazz Society series in Santana Row and the SAP open at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. They play straight ahead Swing, Jazz, Latin, Brazilian and originals. Within the last couple years Mark has recorded two quartet CDs entitled; The Mark Russo Quartet and Casual Instincts. The group plays also for private and public events.  Milla Milojkovic (at Thea)
Milla Milojkovic is a dynamic and powerful San Francisco-based jazz singer who possesses both strong technique and ability as a vocalist, as well as sass and chops as a performer. Indeed, Milla is marked as one of the most exciting new voices on the jazz scene today. Milla possesses crystal clear intonation, an infallible sense of timing, and sultry vocals. Furthermore, Milla has that innate ability that we search for in singers, the ability to affect her audience deeply, to the core. www.millajazz.com August 5, 2008 (special festival preview night)
The San Jose Jazz Festival all Stars (8/5 Hotel Valencia - 6:00pm-8:30pm) John Worley presents the San Jose Jazz Festival All-Stars Band. This ensemble, comprised of some of the Bay Area’s most interesting jazz musicians, is a not-to-be-missed insight into the 19th Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival’s line-up. August 12, 2008 The Lee Pardini trio is a high energy ensemble in the "Bad Plus" vein. Comprised of Lee on Piano, Kevin Higuchi on Drums and Gus Kambeitz on Bass, this native SJ trio makes for an exciting experience as they channel the Bill Evans Trio, with hints of Bud Powell, all the while making use of original compositions and jazz standards done in new and exciting ways. There are also hints of 70's pop - if you listen closely...
Euphoria (at Roux) ... August 19, 2008 Kat Parra has leapt beyond the boundaries of the typical latin jazz singer. With her thirst for the exploration of world rhythms and tonalities, she has developed a style of music that encompasses sounds that both transcend and bend the stereotypical definition of latin jazz. She has incorporated not only afro-cuban music, but also added afro-peruvian, middle eastern, south american folklore as well as nueva trova. Most interestingly, she has also been developing, along with her musical director Murray Low, new arrangements of Sephardic music, the music of the Spanish Jews sung in the dying language of Ladino. Kat sings fluently in English, Spanish and Portuguese as well. With this multi-lingual and multi-musical experience, Kat Parra is able to transport her audiences to an exciting and vibrant journey of world and latin music. www.katparra.com
 Orquesta d'Soul (at Consuelo)
Orquesta d’Soul is a band that prides itself on delivering both original high-energy latin dance music and soulful R&B grooves. The pop delivery and style of the songs is unique due to the inclusion of folkloric Caribbean rhythms. Led by trumpeter, singer, and composer Marina Garza the all-female front line delivers a rich show that combines dance moves and lyrics in three languages: English, Spanish, and Japanese.www.odslive.com August 26, 2008  Rick Vandivier (at Pluto's)
Rick Vandivier is a guitarist who has found inspiration in influences that stretch from Andres Segovia to Pat Metheny to Jimi Hendrix. His performances are daring, soulful, and evocative. In addition to his work with Nate Pruitt in Primary Colors, Rick has been active in numerous other projects as a guitarist and composer, including leading his own ensemble. www.rickvandivier.com In the early 80’s he became a first call piano player in the thriving Bay Area funky-Latin-Jazz scene. He was Pete Escovedo's piano player for several years. In the late 80's, he was a member of The Freaky Executives. Then he worked with George Benson, Bobby Womack, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Kenneth Nash, Samba Ngo, Nicolas Bearde, Tony Lindsey, Charo, Don Cherry, Love and Rockets, Taj Mahal, Rebbe Soul as well as my old friends Ray Obiedo and Pete Escovedo and many others. In the 2000's I have been a member of Los Mocosos- A Latin/Hip Hop band, who have toured all over the world playing Jazz and World music festivals. They won a California Music Award for best Latin Album. Now his heart is totally into this trio. He said “I have found musical soulmates in Dennis Smith and Tommie Bradford. This band is the most musical fun I have had in years (probably ever).
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Rhonda Benin (at 
Terrence Brewer (at 
Mark Russo (at 
Lee Pardini Trio (at 
Kat Parra (at 
Steve Carter (at