The San Joaquin Valley Jazz Festival was founded in 1989 by Paul Shaghoian. After being held at the D&D Ranch in Madera, CA, it was moved to San Joaquin Memorial High School, and finally to Buchanan High School in 1992. During the festival’s 23 years in existence the central valley has seen some of the nation’s top musicians and jazz educators during it’s numerous two day runs in February. Such notables have included educators, Larry Sutherland, Gene Aitken, Neil Slater, George Stone, Aaron Lington and James Miley to name a few. The performance line-ups have been a virtual who’s who of performers throughout the state and nation and have included Bobby Shew, Frank Mantooth, Jim Snidero, Glenn Kostur, Jeff Uusitalo, Carl Saunders, Gary Hobbs, Dave Rickenburg, John Gove, Lanny Morgan, Tim Ries, Michael Davis, Brian Lynch, Peter Epstein, Terell Stafford, David Binney, KNEEBODY and The John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble. In 2012 we are welcoming Gilbert Castellanos and The Chris Potter Underground to the performers list.

The festival has been anchored since its inception by Fresno native musicians Brian Hamada, Craig VonBerg and John Lauffenburger, as well as a long list of FSU alumni including Dale and Larry Engstrom, Michael Caldwell, Rick Helzer, Mike Dana, Larry Honda and former Fresnan Mark Anderson.

For the past several years this festival has been organized and overseen by the Buchanan Area Director of Jazz Studies,
Paul Lucckesi and Laura Shaghoian. Along with a long list of parent volunteers, Mr. Lucckesi & Mrs. Shaghoian have helped make this festival one of the biggest festivals of its kind in California, possibly even the West Coast.


This year will mark yet another historical milestone for the festival - a 1 day, 2 evening event of education and performances with something for all jazz aficionados. We are extremely proud to present at our Friday night concert this year the Grammy award winning Jeff Hamilton Trio, and our new Saturday evening concert featuring the Grammy award winning John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble - both evening concerts will be in the Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall. The hall is a fitting tribute to a man who gave so much to jazz in the Central Valley.

Mr. Paul A. Shaghoian  Click here to go to Mr. Shaghoian's memorial site.