Cross border music hero Charlie Chávez is one of the region’s most popular jazz artists. Conguero, drummer, and percussionist, Chávez leads this dynamic binational 12-piece ensemble featuring vocalists Roberto Wence and Magui Morales and electric bassist Ignacio Arango from Cuba, plus piano, horns, and percussionists who hail from San Diego, Tijuana, Puerto Rico, Panama, Venezuela, and Peru. The band’s name, “Afrotruko,” combines the rhythms of Africa (Afro) and the “magic trick” (truko) of improvisation. They specialize in the infectiously danceable sounds of 70s Salsa, Mambo, Boleros, and Chachachá, drawing inspiration from artists such as Ray Barreto, Ruben Blades, Willie Colon, Celia Cruz, and Tito Puente.

Pianist/composer/educator Danilo Pérez, a native of Panama, has been a vital force in jazz for more than 30 years, including an early tenure with Dizzy Gillespie, a string of acclaimed projects as leader, and nearly 20 years in the Wayne Shorter Quartet. As an educator, he is Artistic Director of the Berklee College of Music’s Global Jazz Institute, furthering jazz’s unique role in world culture. SDTJ Jazz brings Pérez to the binational region for workshops and performances with two local ensembles. The San Diego State University Jazz Ensembles feature SDSU students and faculty under the directorship of saxophonist Brian Levy. Ensenada’s La Covacha Big Band, one of Baja California’s most influential jazz combos, is under the leadership of trumpeter and Mexico’s first JJA Jazz Hero, Iván Trujillo.

One of today’s most acclaimed jazz artists, Louisiana-based drummer Brian Blade brings his longtime ensemble, The Fellowship Band, to the SDTJ Festival for a rare local appearance. Formed in 1997, The Fellowship Band has been called, “one of the most distinctive bands in jazz in the 21st century.” From the beginning, they created a sound of its own genre, encompassing jazz, gospel, and folk music that continues to uplift and inspire listeners worldwide. NPR called The Fellowship Band, “an all-star lineup that functions more like a harmonious congregation, ebbing and flowing as one.” The band features Jon Cowherd on piano, Christopher Thomas on bass, Myron Walden on bass clarinet and alto saxophone, and Melvin Butler on tenor and soprano saxophone.