Previous events

Few artists have appeared at the Festival more frequently than flutist, percussionist and arranger John Calloway. Whether he’s leading his own band, performing in the sextet of longtime creative partner John Santos, or directing the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco, Calloway is a Bay Area icon who’s been at the center of the San Francisco Latin jazz scene for some five decades. But his latest and most personal project yet, the Afro-Filipino Jazz Project, takes his music in a new direction. Founded in 2022 as a creative, interactive space, the Project is intended to bring together Afro Filipinx, African American and Filipino American musicians to explore a broad range of musical styles, with a particular emphasis on jazz idioms, African American roots and traditional and folkloric Filipino music. It’s one component of the larger Afro-Filipino Project, a platform dedicated to highlighting and celebrating, individually and collectively, the art practices and artists of the African American and Filipino American communities whose contributions have profoundly shaped our nation’s artistic narrative. For this performance the AFJP features bass star Marcus Shelby, inveterately grooving drummer Deszon Claiborne, Latin jazz piano specialist Murray Low, saxophonist TJ Milan, Conrad Benedicto on kulintang, vocalist and dancer Ting Alvarez and guest vocalist Anna Maria Flechero.

Director: John Calloway Drums: Deszon Claiborne Bass: Marcus Shelby and Chris Trinidad Piano: Murray Low Guitar: Joshua Icban Violin: Sam Brown Sax: TJ Milan

Percussion: Rebecca Rodriguez Percussion: Jaeden Baclay Kulintang: Conrad Benedicto Kulintang: Manny Dragon Vocals: Ting Alvarez Vocals: JoJo Thompson Vocals: Lina Luna

Guest Vocalist: Anna Maria Flechero Dancers: Marcella Pabros Clark, Daniel Giray Spoken word: Umali Horne

Celebration for the temporary monument to the Paleteros (ice cream vendors) of the Bay Area and the world. This is the first monument dedicated to Paleteros, celebrating diversity, immigrants, and resilience.

PROGRAM: A Sweet Route – Potrero del Sol Park Performance: Sunday August 2nd, 12 noon – 3pm 12:15 – 12:20 PM — Four Directions Land Acknowledgment 12:20 – 12:30 PM — Mixcoatl Aztec Dance 12:30 – 12:40 PM — Project Introduction 12:50 – 1:10 PM — Susana Arenas Dance Company 1:20 – 2:20 PM — John Santos Sextet, with Kata Miletich & Anais Azul performing the song “Paletas”

Week long, all-inclusive music camp focusing on jazz, Afro Latin, vocals, dance and everything in between.

KPFA continues its 77th Birthday celebrations with a live music performance by The John Santos Sextet.

KPFA Radio, 94.1 FM on the radio dial and on kpfa.org, continues to celebrate its 77th year with a live music performance, The John Santos Sextet. 55% of our programming is music programming, and this event celebrates that aspect of the station. Join us for

Free! Jazz on a Saturday morning. Coffee and food available for purchase

Lukumi rhythms, drums and songs are mixed withstrings, flute and piano, and traditional danzones are played over the bata drums instead of the normal Latin percussion battery. The blending of these styles creates a unique musical adventure, one in which you can of course dance all night, or you can listen and appreciate the textures and timbres of this new and creative ensemble.

Afro Filipino Project: "New Voices" highlights four Afro Filipinx artists—Ting Alvarez, Umali Horne, Jasmine Miller, and Jojo Thompson—exploring their dual identity through creative work. Led by artistic director John Calloway, the ensemble will also perform music that honors the legacy of past Afro Filipinx artists.

Presented by Stanford Live This program of soulful, Afro-Caribbean–tinged jazz is designed by John Santos, "The Latin music Renaissance man" (San Francisco Chronicle) and seven-time Grammy nominee. Known for their virtuosity and collaborative spirits, Santos and his stellar sextet deconstruct standards with unusual musical turns and surprises.

In their premier performance as a duo, John Calloway and Larry Vuckovich will each draw from their musical experiences and cultural backgrounds to perform a rich and varied program of jazz repertoire that will include music from Latin America and Eastern Europe, both original compositions and jazz and Latin standards. John will play an assortment of flutes with Larry accompanying on piano, as well as performing some solo pieces, creating an intimate dialogue between them.

Cuban changui and jazz with Kai Lyons' Changuisonico! Two shows, 6:30pm and 8:30pm

Spirology’s repertoire is rather “experimental” in that it fuses the music of the Cuban bata drums with the music of the Cuban charanga genre– I suppose you could say we play the “Batanzon”–Lukumi rhythms and songs mixed with strings, flute and piano—and traditional danzones played over the bata drums instead of the normal Latin percussion battery. The blending of these styles creates a unique musical adventure, and we encourage both dancers and listeners alike to check out this original musical format.

The band features some of the best charangueros in the Bay Area (John Calloway, Tregar Otton, Miguel Martinez, Steve Senft-Herrera, Remi Spiro, Osvaldo Carvajal, Pablo Caro, and Ed Valencia) along with some very special guests. You can, of course, dance all night to our music, or you can listen and appreciate the textures and timbres of this new and creative ensemble.

Conjunto Karabali led by Karl Perazzo and Michael Spiro. Bring your dancing shoes.

The john Santos Sextet "The African Roots of Jazz Latino" with Kiazi Malonga, Bongo Sidibé, Moshé Milon, Lakiba Pittman & MJ Santos

Michael Spiro’s Spirology is the Bay Area’s newest Afro-Cuban charanga ensemble, and it brings an entirely new and original approach to Afro-Cuban music. Spiro is one of the true veterans of the charanga scene in San Francisco, beginning with his tenure in the Orquesta Batachanga back in the 1980s and then continuing as a founding member of the now iconic Orquesta la Moderna Tradicion. But he also is a mainstay of Afro-Cuban folkloric music, and is known internationally for his work in this genre.

With his band Spirology, he has created a new genre which he calls the “batanzon”combining the music of the Lukumi bata drums with the oldest form of Cuban charanga – the danzon. Lukumi rhythms, drums and songs are mixed with strings, flute and piano, and traditional danzones are played over the bata drums instead of the normal Latin percussion battery. The blending of these styles creates a unique musical adventure, one to which you can dance all night, or listen and appreciate the textures and timbres of this new and creative ensemble.

Spirology features some of the best charangueros in the Bay Area: John Calloway, Tregar Otton, Sandy Poindexter, Miguel Martinez, Steve Senft-Herrera, Remi Spiro, Osvaldo Carvajal, Pablo Caro, and Ed Valencia.

Salsa dancing with Conjunto Karabali!

An evening of jazz (and some Latin) music related to the chage from fall to winter. It's a seasonal thing! With Greg Jacobs, Scott Amendola, Sam Bevan and guests Henry Hung and Conrad Benedicto