Origin stories are fun, because you can see how wildly unrelated events become the foundation of a dream. In the case of the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, which is celebrating 50 years this year, for co-founder Tim Jackson the auspicious tale began as a lark.
“I moved to Santa Cruz right out of high school in 1972. And in those days, I surfed more than I played, or listened to music,” says Jackson who recently stepped back into the well-worn shoes of artistic director of the venerated jazz club.
In 1972, Santa Cruz had a sweet little jazz scene percolating. Cabrillo College had the magnificent music director Lile O. Cruse. The Cooper House was THE place to be, with “music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air,” to quote Bob Dylan.
Living the life of a vagabond, Jackson drove his VW bus up and down the coast. “By the summer of 1973, I was in Half Moon Bay, and ran into Pete Douglas. He was running a jazz club out of his house called the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, and he invited me in,” Jackson says. “I had no idea that spot even existed. And it’s a pretty magical place.
“So Pete let me live there,” he recalls, “and instead of paying rent, I worked. I was the janitor, and I took the money at the door for the shows. It was actually my first taste of the music business.”
Let’s Dance
Fifty years later, Jackson and the Kuumbwa crew are planning multiple celebratory events throughout the year. On May 2 at 5pm, as part of Santa Cruz’s First Friday celebration, Kuumbwa will premiere the exhibit Celebrating Creativity, which showcases 50 years of Kuumbwa posters, photos and archival material. At 6pm, Jackson and Bay Area vocalist Kim Nalley will talk about Kuumbwa’s role in the greater Bay Area and Central Coast jazz and music scene. The event will be live-streamed as well; visit kuumbwajazz.org to register.
While all of the events are worthy, there is one that is going to take flight and soar, and possibly quack.
On Sunday, May 18 at the newly renovated Duck Island Stage in San Lorenzo Park, the Kuumbwa Jazz Center is hosting a free, supremely special afternoon of music, in celebration of their 50th anniversary. This epically danceable event will include the much loved Brazilian beats of SambaDa, and, out of Oakland, the improvisational sounds of the West Grand Brass Band, funkifying numbers from traditional New Orleans jazz to Stevie Wonder, while even sprinkling in some Ariana Grande. The point of this celebration is to move your body and your soul, and to recognize achievement.
Teach Your Children Well
Besides entertainment, The Kuumbwa has always kept an eye (and ear) on education to help keep the legacy of jazz alive throughout the generations. Thus, this free afternoon event will also feature the Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band, composed of the most talented high school students from several counties.
Executive Director Chanel Enriquez is clear and concise on what fostering young musicians means to jazz. “Our education programs have always been a core pillar of our organization. Since our founding, we have fostered the next generation of artists, audience members and jazz lovers here in the Santa Cruz community,” she says.
Besides the education programs and honor band, Kuumbwa also runs a jazz camp and free master classes, and half-priced student tickets are available to every show. “We work very hard to encourage younger members in our community to come and experience the joy and creativity in jazz,” says Enriquez.
One Cool Cat
Certainly, the biggest name on the poster for the May 18 event is singer Tony Lindsay, who will be backed by the Joint Chiefs. “The Joint Chiefs are the real deal, man. They’re heavy cats,” says Lindsay from his home in the Bay Area. Lindsay is famously known, for a quarter of a century, as the lead singer of Santana, whose prestigious work earned 11 Grammy awards. He might be a big name, but Lindsay is down-home and gracious when he talks about the early days with Tim Jackson. Lindsay also talks like the perfect jazz man.
“Tim? He just got that magic, man. Great cat. He knows what he’s doing, man. Tim transformed the Monterey Jazz Festival. I think it’s because a lot of people have the type of relationship that he and I have. Tim works on a professional level and that’s the major difference right there. This show we’re doing, that’s gonna be a dance party, man. There’s gonna be some bad dudes, man,” Lindsay says.
It Takes a Team
The Kuumbwa team has been working for more than a year to plan the 50th anniversary celebration. “So we’ve got a number of different events going on, throughout the year, but we are really excited about the concert in the park on the Duck Island Stage. It was actually the location of the Kumbwa’s very first concert presentation back in 1975,” Enriquez says.
Before Kuumbwa settled into its current location, co-founder Jackson—not to be confused with his son, Kuumbwa creative director Bennett Jackson—would hold concerts in “pop-up” locations. “The very first concert was actually supposed to be at the Duck Pond, but it got rained out. So we moved it to what is now known as London Nelson,” Jackson says. Call it kismet or coming full circle, but this show, back at the Duck Island Stage, is not to be missed.
Just in case history repeats, there is a contingency plan. “But the Kuumbwa has had multiple shows there over the years. So, it’s an important part of our history. And, we will be working with our community partners, like Woodhouse Blending & Brewing, who will be hosting the beer garden, along with Alfaro Family winery. We have food from Roux Dat Cajun Creole and Pana Food Truck. And, Bike Santa Cruz County, who will be providing a free bike valet for attendees,” Enriquez concludes.
With dancing, music and a crew of mallards, this is going to be a really fun day—and a great chance to support a local venue and local musicians.
The Celebrate Creativity exhibit opens May 2 at 5pm at Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. The 50th anniversary concert will take place May 18 at 1pm on the Duck Pond Stage in San Lorenzo Park, 137 Dakota Ave., Santa Cruz. Both events are all ages, and free. For more, call 831-427-2227 or visit kuumbwajazz.org.
