One of the SF Bay Area's most cherished summer traditions turns 35 this year and San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2025 amplifies its artist lineup like never before ranging from GRAMMY Award-winners to the hottest acts on the live music festival scene with headliners Common, Mavis Staples, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, José James, Ghost-Note, Butcher Brown, The Headhunters, plus newly confirmed headliners Lalah Hathaway, PJ Morton, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Bilal, and the inaugural "Artist-In-Residence" for its "Future of Jazz" initiative, Theo Croker. 100+ artists from around the world -- from global stars to local emerging acts -- inspire and uplift festivalgoers for 3 days across nine indoor and outdoor venues. The crown jewel of Northern California's summer music season, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2025 "transforms Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose into a musical haven" (San Francisco Chronicle) from Friday, August 8 - Sunday, August 10, 2025.
While honoring jazz's legacy roots with acclaimed performers such as Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Headhunters, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest also stands as a platform for modern artists who speak to today's sounds -- blending R&B, hip-hop, electronic, Afro-Caribbean, soul, funk -- allowing jazz to shine through a multitude of genres representing the now and what's next. Preservation Hall Jazz Band -- the living embodiment of New Orleans' jazz heritage -- infuses the Fest with timeless energy that bridges generations with their second line celebrations while four additional newly confirmed Fest performers such as Lalah Hathaway, PJ Morton and Bilal unmistakably bring a creative freedom to their music that ignites live stages into unforgettable performances that any music lover can enjoy.
Newly Added Headliners @ San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2025
Featuring his only West Coast performance this summer, award-winning soul and R&B star PJ Morton is set to light up the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest stage with one of the most not-to-be-missed live shows of the year. A five-time GRAMMY® winner and 20-time nominee, Morton has emerged as a leading voice in contemporary R&B. A native of New Orleans, Morton combines his gospel-rooted upbringing and more than a decade of touring as the keyboardist with pop-rock band Maroon 5 to be a true showman commanding the stage like no other. 2024 was a landmark year for PJ Morton as he became the first Black composer to write an original song for a Disney attraction -- creating an all-new theme for Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disney World. That summer he released Cape Town to Cairo, an album conceived and recorded during a 30-day creative journey across South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt. This August 2025, audiences will witness why Morton is widely regarded as one of the greatest R&B performers of our time.
A five-time GRAMMY Award-winner and daughter of the legendary Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway is a vocal phenomenon with a tone, range, and control that are legendary, often placing her in the same breath as R&B royalty like Beyoncé, with whom she shares the record for most wins in the "Best Traditional R&B Performance" GRAMMY category. Whether festivalgoers are into jazz, R&B, soul, or experimental grooves, they'll be assured that Lalah doesn't just sing songs -- she transforms them. She's fresh off the release of her critically acclaimed eighth studio album, VANTABLACK, which Vibe hails as "arguably her best work to-date." Her recent appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show proves her magic goes far beyond the mic. As she walked the hallway, the staff and crew burst into applause, a powerful moment of admiration that racked up more than 5 million views on Instagram (watch here). That viral moment speaks volumes: Lalah Hathaway is well on her way to becoming a megastar.
Bilal is a true vocal shapeshifter as he transcends boundaries across jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop, and electronic music. Live on stage, Bilal doesn't just perform: he channels the music. His live sets are emotionally charged, improvisational, and utterly unique with no two performances ever being the same. Bilal is renowned for reinventing songs in real time, drawing on his deep roots in jazz to create a fully immersive live experience. Since his 2000 debut with the neo-soul classic "Soul Sista," Bilal has been a cornerstone of progressive Black music. His album Bilal: Live at Glasshaus features intimate takes of his classic songs alongside Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper, and Burniss Travis. His first album of new material in eight years, Adjust Brightness is a daring fusion of influences, inspired by artists such as Aphex Twin and Stereolab, and proves to be his most adventurous work.
Bilal will join Common on the Jay Paul Company Main Stage to perform songs from Like Water for Chocolate, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the iconic album that also featured 35th Summer Fest Main Stage artist Femi Kuti, Slum Village, DJ Premier, Roy Hargrove, Mos Def, and Jill Scott. Like Water for Chocolate, released in 2000, incorporated jazz influences and samples into the fabric of the album, earning placements on a wide range of Albums of the Year lists and catapulting Common to critical and commercial success. Common and Bilal bring this classic album back to life live on stage at Summer Fest!
