Summer on the Square: Big Band Jazz

Summer is back, and so is our Sunday afternoon live music series!

It's family-friendly, it's fun, it's free (or pay-what-you-wish)!

Summer on the Square occurs every other week, outdoors at the Oshman Family JCC's Town Square. Come schmooze with old friends, make new friends, bring a picnic, enjoy delicious food from our cafe*, or purchase light refreshments, beer and wine at the pop-up bar. Your kids will enjoy playing on the Oasis Playground while you groove to the sounds of summer.

Registration is preferred but not required. This event is open to the public and everyone is welcome!

*For a 10% discount at the Oasis Cafe utter the code word "B'tayavon"-which means "bon appetite" in Hebrew.

Our first "Summer on the Square" features the Big Band Jazz ensemble. Big Band Jazz draws its extensive repertoire of American swing music from a library of over three thousand charts. This 17-piece group led by Jeff Sanford meets every Tuesday evening at the JCC. We're looking forward to playing a fun variety of concert/dance music-so come and put your dancing shoes on!

Musical Director Jeff Sanford began playing the clarinet at nine, alto sax at twelve, and teaching at fifteen. Today his professional life incorporates a wide variety of musical genres spanning jazz, blues, classical, rock and world music, from symphony orchestras to big bands.

Sanford has performed in Europe, Cuba, the Caribbean, China, Egypt and Vietnam. He currently plays with The Cartoon Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Sanford Quartet, Castles and Concerts with Tom Montgomery, The Golden Gate Park Band, The Fireside Trio, Patrice Haan, Tony Marcus, Leftover Dreams, Sylvia Herold and Carl Vast.

Jeff also teaches privately and holds two weekly Big Band classes on the SF Bay Peninsula (including at the Oshman Family JCC) and leads the Cartoon Jazz Orchestra, who will perform at the OFJCC on the "Summer on the Square" on Sunday, July 9.