The city of Houston will kick off the beginning of Jazz Month with the 23rd Annual Houston International Jazz Festival Concert. The concert will take place August 2nd to August 4th at the Bayou Music Center in Houston. The event’s all-star lineup includes Sheila E., Jonathan Butler, and Elan Trotman, who will be performing as the “Soul of Summer” along with local returning acts such as Nicaraguan-inspired jazz musician Yelba Heaton Roman and the regionally famous Texas Brass Band.
First-time festival performers include the energetic Los Skarnales band, and fusion rock and soul artist, Sydnee-Jane. Proceeds from the ticket sales will fund scholarships for local students and will also help purchase needed equipment for Jazz Education Inc.’s programs.
Jazz Education Inc. was founded by jazz artist Bubbha Thomas in 1970 to offer music education to inner-city youth. After receiving a grant from The National Endowment for the Arts, Thomas started an eight-week summer program that has continued to grow over the years from a part-time-one-program project to one of the leading music organizations in Houston and the state of Texas. The daily operation is now home to full- and part-time employees with a roster of activities serving more than 20,000 elementary school children to a five-week workshop-serving more than 150 middle school and high school students.
Take a look at the Jazz Fest weekend events below
