This week the North Beach Jazz Festival is giving the normally tourist laden North Beach neighborhood in San Francisco back to the locals. Just two years after the people of SF stood up and saved the event from extinction, the festival is back for it's 14th year and has expanded to a 7-day lineup of killer shows in tiny venues. It's a unique event and it is definitely uniquely San Francisco.

The festival actually kicked off earlier this week on Sunday, July 20 and continues all the way through Sunday night. The solid Sunset Promotions team and festival founder Alistair Monroe bring what has been lovingly referred to as the "Soul of San Francisco." The festival boasts an annual attendance of over 50,000 and an abundance of free and all-ages shows, making it San Francisco's foremost urban music festival. The locally produced festival presents musicians who continue to push jazz into the future, while honoring its past at the same time.

NBJF has purposely maintained a distinctly grassroots, homegrown feel by consistently featuring local talent, and incorporating the neighborhood's unique jazz culture into the festivities. "This is definitely not your father's jazz festival," says founder Alistair Monroe. "The North Beach Jazz Fest is about hosting a great music in one of the city's most dynamic and storied neighborhoods. We bring people together to celebrate the cultural heritage of this neighborhood and this city."

Schedule of events:
Wednesday, July 23rd: “Jazz on Grant”
"Jazz on Grant" kicks off the NBJF every year with free jazz in more than a dozen clubs, cafes, bars and restaurants.
NOTICE: THE OPENING WITH REALISTIC ORCHESTRA HAS BEEN MOVED TO MOJITO. (Not Italian Athletic Club)

This year the event will kick off at Mojito at 7pm with a performance by the Realistic Orchestra. Led by composer/trombonist/bassist Adam Theis, Realistic is a 20+ piece jazz orchestra composed from the "Jazz Mafia" collective. Other announced J.O.G. artists include Gregory James, the Park, and NBJF legend BJ Papa.

2007 Jazz on Grant Schedule:
· Mojito 7pm: Realistic Orchestra - 1630 Stockton St, 7pm
All subsequent shows run from 8-11pm
· Mojito 10pm: Realistic Orchestra (7-9) the Jazz Mafia (10-2) - 1337 Grant Ave
· Royale: the Park - 1326 Grant Ave
· Ristorante Ideale: Gregory James - Grant Ave
· Cafe Trieste: TBA - Grant @ Valejo
· Savoy Tivoli: The Ritual - 1434 Grant Ave
· Live Worms Gallery - New Orleans Trio (6-9) and Boca do Rio (10-2) - 1341 Grant Ave
· Dell'Uva: Blues in the Pocket - 1534 Stockton
· Tony Nic's: Matt Moorish - 1534 Stockton
· Cafe Divine: Craig Ventresco & Meredith Axelrod - 1600 Stockton
· Columbus Cafe: DUUY Quintet - 562 Green
· Amante: Stephane Wrembel- 570 Green
· Café Roma: TBA - 526 Columbus Ave
· Joe Dimaggio's Chophouse: TBA - 601 Union
· Pasta Pomodoro: Marcus Stephens - 731 Union
· King's ChaCha: Mingo's Tribe 3 - 601 Union
· Trattoria Pinocchio: Nova Jazz - 401 Columbus Ave
· Steps of Rome: Snake Plisskin Quintet - 348 Columbus Ave
· Giordano Bros: Jugtown Pirates - 303 Columbus Ave

Thursday, July 24th: “Latin Jazz Night”
"Latin Jazz Night" features artists who bring a decidedly Latin flavor. Mojito welcomes the salsa, reggaeton and hip hop of San Francisco family-favorite Dos Four y Los Mios. The Grant & Green will feature live salsa and Latin jazz from Bay Area hero Fito Reinoso. Maggy McGarry’s welcome Puro Bandido featuring members of Santana and Malo. Latin Jazz night has been extended into 3 venues that will be running simultaneously with one wristband cover charge of $10. All three venues kick off at 9pm. Django Reinhardt clone Stephane Wrembel will also play a happy-hour set at Mojito from 6-9pm.
· DosFour y Los Mios @ Mojito – 1337 Grant Ave, @ Green 9pm-close
· Stephane Wrembel @ Mojito – 1337 Grant Ave, @ Green 6-9pm happy-hour jazz
· Fito Reinoso @ the Grant & Green – 1371 Grant Ave
· Puro Bandido @ Maggy McGarry’s - 1355 Grant Ave
· John Ulloa y su Mision @ Royale - 1326 Grant Ave

Friday, July 25th: “Jazz Forward I” NIGHT SHOWS
“Jazz Forward” features artists that are boldly pushing jazz into the future, or who have incorporated jazz principles into futuristic music. NBJF 2008 proudly presents “Lipstick Jungle” themesters and critical darling Bitter:Sweet along with soundscape creators The Frequency at Great American Music Hall in an all-ages show. On the same night, ALO guitarist Dan Lebowitz Group and Stephane Wrembel Trio appear at Mojito.
· Bitter:Sweet, the Frequency, Tal M Klein @ Great American Music Hall – 850 O’Farrell St | 8pm | ALL AGES | Tickets are $20 adv. at www.gamhtickets.com
· LEBO (Dan Lebowitz Group) & Stephane Wrembel @ Mojito – 1337 Grant Ave,
9pm | 21+ w/ID | $10 at www.sunsettickets.com

Saturday, July 26th: “Ladies in the Park” DAY SHOW
The first of two amazing days of free music in Washington Square Park features an all-star lineup of artists with a distinctly female flair – all of the bands feature female vocalists.The Bay Area’s own pagan lounge ensemble Rosin Coven will show off their cellos, standup basses and ruffled dresses. Oakland gospel-soul singer Jennifer Johns local Brazil-groovers Nobody from Ipanema and Los Angeles crooner Megan Jacobs do their part to make the sun shine. Dubmission SF’s legendary DJ Daneekah spins the breaks and radio star Sterling James MC’s
Details: Washington Square Park | FREE!!! | Noon-7pm | ALL AGES

Saturday, July 26th: “JazzFunk” NIGHT SHOWS
“JazzFunk” features two shows that blur the lines between contemporary jazz and oldschool funk. Los Angeles’ famed rootsfunk revivalists the Breakestra make their first SF appearance in almost 2 years, appearing at an all-ages blowout with Om Records world soul artists J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science at the Great American Music Hall. At Mojito, San Diego’s award-winning jazzfunk quintet On the One blow the doors off.
· The Breakestra and J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science @ Great American Music Hall 850 O’Farrell St | 8pm | ALL AGES | Tickets are $20 adv. at www.gamhtickets.com
· On the One & Stephane Wrembel @ Mojito – 1337 Grant Ave,
9pm | 21+ w/ID | $10 at www.sunsettickets.com

Sunday, July 27th: “Gentlemen in the Park” DAY SHOW
Sunday represents the second of two sublime days of free music in bucolic Washington Square Park featuring San Jose jazz legend and Sun Ra sideman Eddie Gale. The jams will be in full effect due to the efforts of Bay Area favorites New Monsoon and LEBO (Dan Lebowitz Group) and San Diego’s On the One. Also appearing will be local jazz hero Gregory James, DJ Tom Thump and MC Sterling James
Details: Washington Square Park | FREE!!! | Noon-7pm | ALL AGES

Sunday, July 27th: “the Legend” NIGHT SHOW
We close out the festival with an evening set by San Jose’s jazz ambassador, Eddie Gale. A longtime Sun Ra Arkestra member and compatriot of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, Gale is among the foremost jazz artists ever to reside in the Bay Area. We are honored to welcome him for his first-ever appearance at North Beach Jazz Fest on Sunday afternoon, and evening.
Details: at Mojito, 1337 Grant Ave. | $10 | 9pm | 21+ w/ID