The third annual San Diego Jazz Festival brings together music, acclaimed jazz artists and more, June 28-30

Music lovers unite! Join the third annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival to celebrate smooth jazz, a variety of delicious food, and an incredible atmosphere that creates an unparalleled experience for friends and family of all ages. Returning to San Diego at the scenic Embarcadero Marina Park North, June 28-30, 2019, the festival features an impressive lineup of musical talent, including Boney James, West Coast Jam ft. Peter White, Richard Elliot and DW3, Norman Brown, Sax au Max ft. Michael Lington, Paul Taylor, Vincent Ingala, and more.

My group and I had a great time on the 2019 leg of The Honestly Tour. The new show is a mix of songs from the latest album, fan favorites, plus some stuff from my other 15 albums that I haven’t played live in years. We are thrilled to be back in San Diego for the second time at this festival! Between gigs, I started writing my next album, so keep an eye out for it in 2020!

-Boney James

The Smooth Jazz Festivals kick off Friday, June 28, 7-10 p.m., with a three-hour dinner cruise on Hornblower Cruises’ Hornblower Inspiration. Attendees drink, dance, and get the party started with curated drinks, a buffet dinner, and a cigar bar. The event includes special guest performances from Althea Rene, the first Pied Piper in Billboard Chart history to reach No. 1, as well as Grammy-nominated artist Selina Albright. Tickets for Friday’s opening night are priced at $129 per person.

Eric Darius, a now internationally renowned performer, is about to host the San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival. As a saxophonist, composer, producer and singer, Eric Darius is considered one of the most exciting musicians to enter the contemporary jazz scene in the past decade. Darius was named No. 1 Artist of the Year by Smooth Jazz News in 2004. Since debuting as a recording artist at the age of 17, Darius currently has six critically acclaimed albums to his name, as well as only one number one single and seven top ten. radio hits.

The jazz festival’s headliner is saxophonist, composer and four-time GRAMMY nominee Boney James. Boney was named one of the top 3 contemporary jazz artists of the decade in 2009 and released his 16and album, titled Honestly, in September 2017. Artists such as Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler, Jazmin Ghent, Brian Simpson and Norman Brown will join Eric Darius and Boney James at the San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival.

Gates to the festival open at 10 a.m. on Saturday June 29 and Sunday June 30, with music starting at noon to the sweet sounds of jazz.

“We are thrilled to return to San Diego for the third annual Smooth Jazz Festival,” said Kimberly Benoit, Producer of the San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival. “The Embarcadero provides a scenic venue that offers music lovers the perfect place to enjoy performances by some of today’s most acclaimed jazz artists. This year’s line-up of talent brings a truly unique experience to San Diego and we look forward to creating a remarkable event filled with great food, views and of course music.

The festival is family friendly and will take place rain or shine. General admission tickets, in which attendees can bring blankets and chairs to relax on the lawn, cost $65 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.sandiegosmoothjazzfestival.com.

Ada J. Kenney