San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival

At a time when cross border relations have become increasingly complex, the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival (SDTJ Jazz) offers a welcoming vision of cultural unity. Returning for its second year after the unprecedented venture’s successful 2024 launch, SDTJ Jazz continues to showcase the deep cultural ties embodied by jazz and kindred musical idioms that connect the US and Mexico.

SDTJ Jazz kicks into high gear on Saturday, October 4, with a combination of free outdoor performances and a ticketed mainstage lineup indoors at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. The concerts in the main theater include rapidly rising star Lucía, an incandescent singer from Veracruz who was the first Mexican artist to win the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2022. Hailing from an illustrious family of son jarocho artists, she seamlessly weaves jazz classics, boleros, and son jarocho standards into performances punctuated by percussive zapateado, a son jarocho dance idiom from Veracruz.

Eight-time Grammy-winning pianist/composer Arturo O’Farrill, described as the leader of the “first family of Afro-Cuban jazz” (The New York Times), is renowned for his weekly residency at Birdland, one of NYC’s top jazz venues. He makes a rare San Diego appearance with his eight member Afro Latin Ensemble. Son jarocho figures prominently in O’Farrill’s Fandango at the Wall project, originally recorded at Tijuana’s Fandango Fronterizo Festival organized by Jorge Castillo. Castillo’s son jarocho ensemble, Fandango Fronterizo Colectivo, reunites with O’Farrill for a portion of his set in the main theater.

Much like last year’s festival highlighted Tijuana’s deep jazz roots beginning with New Orleans pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton, this edition highlights another seminal jazz artist’s Tijuana ties. O’Farrill plans to feature the composition “Tijuana Traffic,” a piece by the late composer Carla Bley, an NEA Jazz Master and mentor of O’Farrill’s. Bley recorded “Tijuana Traffic” on her acclaimed 2003 album “Looking For America,” and would likely be pleased at its inclusion on both sides of the US/Mexico border.

PLEASE NOTE: The website only lists events on October 4, but it also states that it is a 3-day festival. Check the website for clarification.

Admission/Cost: Varies, see Website

Location:
California Center for the Arts
340 N. Escondido Blvd.
Escondido, CA

Saturday, October 4 - 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM