After almost six weeks, some 30 ticketed events, and dozens of free concerts and education events, the final weekend of our 2022 Stanford Jazz Festival is almost upon us. But it might be more fitting to call it “All-Star Weekend,” since the stages at Dinkelspiel Auditorium and Frost Amphitheater will be nearly overflowing with legendary figures and modern masters, culminating in our Jazz Under the Stars grand finale this Saturday with the double bill of NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves and the SJW 50^th Anniversary Band.

The San Jose Mercury News just published an informative article on Saturday’s finale and on our 50^th Anniversary Season in general. In it, writer Andrew Gilbert commented, “Reeves is marking a milestone for the Stanford Jazz Workshop, which has played an outsized role in propagating the art form for half a century. Co-presented by Stanford Live, the concert concludes the Workshop’s companion six-week Stanford Jazz Festival…. A singer and songwriter whose sumptuously rich voice is matched by her gift for delivering captivating narratives, Reeves performs with her longtime quintet and an orchestra conducted by six-time Grammy Award-winning arranger Vince Mendoza.”

Of the jazz all-stars who perform on the first half of the concert, Gilbert wrote, “The ensemble billed as the SJW 50th Anniversary Band consists of six of the 21st century’s defining jazz artists, players who were profoundly shaped by their teenage experiences at the Workshop. Not surprisingly, the Bay Area is well represented with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and saxophonist Joshua Redman—both alumni of Berkeley High—along with Los Altos–raised pianist Taylor Eigsti and Burlingame-reared bassist Larry Grenadier.” Rounding out the ensemble are Houston-born drum wizard Eric Harland and Cuban-born alto sax maestro Yosvany Terry, both longtime SJW family members.

In addition to premier artistry, Jazz Under the Stars offers the prospect of a first-class hang with friends and family. Patrons are welcome to bring in a dinner to enjoy (click here for the list of permitted and prohibited items and containers), with wine and soft drinks available for purchase at the venue. VIP reserved seating with a catered meal is also available for groups of four. Tickets are still available and start at $35—click below for details, and join us this Saturday!