As part of our 25th Anniversary celebration and on the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, CJC Associate Professor John Santos presents an evening of original compositions and original arrangements of classics from the Jazz and Afro-Caribbean canons with a high dose of improvisation. John has been part of our CJC faculty for many years and we are honored to have him join our celebration!
Band Members and Instrumentation
Marco Díaz - piano, trumpet
Saul Sierra - basses
Charlie Gurke - saxes
John Santos - percussion
Artist Bio
Far more than a master percussionist, internationally renowned multi-Grammy-nominated San Francisco native, John Santos, is a prolific Afro-Latin bandleader, composer, teacher, writer, producer, and cultural activist with a musical career of over 50 years in the Bay Area. He has worked with acknowledged masters including Cachao, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Bebo Valdés, Max Roach, Eddie Palmieri, and Omar Sosa. He is an Advisory Board member of Oaktown Jazz, Living Jazz, and the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance (NY), and a Trustee of SFJAZZ. Mr. Santos is on the faculty of San Francisco State University, the College of San Mateo and the California Jazz Conservatory. He has taught at Jazz Camp West since 1986. November 12th, 2006 was proclaimed John Santos Day in San Francisco by Mayoral proclamation. For more information, visit johnsantos.com