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San Jose Jazz and West Valley Jazz have announced a new collaboration to provide enhanced performance and education programs to music fans throughout Silicon Valley. As part of the collaboration, the West Valley Jazz Orchestra will be renamed the San Jose Jazz Orchestra and will continue under the leadership of Artistic Director Gus Kambeitz.

The partnership was first announced at the group's performance at the Left Coast Live festival in downtown San Jose on May 15.

"The West Valley Jazz Orchestra has successfully produced concerts featuring world-class artists for the past seven years," said Geoff Roach, Executive Director at San Jose Jazz. "Becoming the San Jose Jazz Orchestra helps San Jose Jazz fulfill its mission to bring the finest performance and education programs to the region. San Jose Jazz and West Valley Jazz have worked together at our Winter Jazz Series and on the San Jose Youth Jazz Orchestra with great success and we look forward to providing more great music."

Kambeitz agrees. "Working with San Jose Jazz in the past has provided access to audiences and resources that were previously unavailable to us. San Jose Jazz has produced some of the best music programs on the west coast, so combining our year-round concert series with San Jose Jazz performance programs will undoubtedly take both organizations in new and exciting directions."

Over the past seven years, the West Valley Jazz Orchestra has brought world-renowned artists to Silicon Valley, including saxophonists Ernie Watts, Dave Liebmann, and Jerry Bergonzi; drummers Steve Smith and Dave Weckl; keyboardists Russell Ferrante and Jeff Lorber; trumpeters Carl Saunders and Wayne Bergeron; and guitarist Grant Geismann. Ferrante and Giesmann are Silicon Valley natives, and Geismann is currently working as music director for the hit television show "Two and a Half Men."

In addition to international talent, the orchestra has also regularly showcased the Bay Area's most musically gifted residents such as Aaron Lington, Wayne Wallace, Hafez Modirzeh, Dave Eschelman, Madeleine Eastman, and Jamie Davis. These shows have helped subsidize student concerts and have featured artists such as John Worley, Kristen Strom, Eric Bolvin, Lee Pardini, and Dave Rocha.

The 19 musicians in the orchestra represent a cross-section of Silicon Valley. Not only are they professional musicians, but also music teachers, engineers, marketers, and even a CEO of a local startup. Many are San Jose State graduates and alumni of local high schools such as Lincoln, Prospect, Piedmont Hills, Fremont, Westmont, Andrew Hill, and Pleasanton. The orchestra plans on using these high school ties to enhance the education programs of San Jose Jazz.

The collaboration is in keeping with the organization's vision of making Silicon Valley a great cultural destination. Since becoming director of West Valley Jazz, Kambeitz has grown the artistic quality of the orchestra and its programs. Working together, the San Jose Jazz Orchestra will help continue to develop a world-class music scene in Silicon Valley.

The San Jose Jazz Orchestra's next performance will be at the 20th San Jose Jazz Festival on August 9. That appearance will feature the group performing with jazz saxophone legend Don Menza.

For more information, please visit www.westvalleyjazz.org.