Four shows lined up for 2017 Music in the Park

First show June 23 features New Zealand’s Katchafire

SAN JOSE – Music in the Park kicks off its 28th season on June 23 with New Zealand-based roots-reggae rockers Katchafire.
Also, save these dates:

• July 20:  Grammy-winners Blues Traveler, celebrating their 30th anniversary
• Aug. 3:  Brenton Wood
• Aug. 25:  The headliner has to be announced in June, but this featured band has earned 17 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards and is self-described as an “original Afro Cuban jazz rock blues band.”

Local artists will open each show at 5:30 p.m. at Plaza de Cesar Chavez, off Market Street in the center of downtown San Jose.

Advanced tickets are $10 per adult and free for 12-under when accompanied by an adult.  Tickets and information are available at www.musicintheparksj.com. Day-of-the-event admission will cost $15 per adult.

Music in the Park is presented by Metro Newspapers and produced by the San Jose Downtown Association.  The events are supported by the City of San Jose.

June 23: Katchafire - The five-piece all-Maori band formed in 1997 is regaled as one of the most cherished, original live reggae bands in the world.  Roots reggae artists at their core, Katchafire also integrates R&B, funk, dancehall and pop themes into their live playing.  Most recently they put out a single Burn it Down and offered Stir It Up on a recent tribute to Bob Marley, in the wake of four studio albums, multiple awards and platinum sales. www.katchafire.co.nz

July 20:  Blues Traveler - One of America’s all-time favorite jam bands.  Says frontman John Popper:  “Three decades and I am still surprised when we play and find some rich new musical vein to tap. Three decades and I cannot believe my luck with this band of brothers and this string we have run.”

Blues Traveler has recorded 12 albums and sold millions of records. They hit it big with their 1994 release, “four,” which included “Hook” and the Grammy-winning  “Run Around.”  Their latest release, “Blow Up the Moon,” (2015). http://www.bluestraveler.com/

Aug. 3: Bootsy Collins – Funk royalty, bassist Bootsy Collins has worked with everyone from James Brown to Hank Williams, Jr. and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Parliament-Funkadelic (P-Funk) with George Clinton. His big break occurred in 1970 when James Brown hired a new backing band, which was called The JB’s. Collins played on several of Brown’s biggest songs recorded that year.  As a solo artist and leader of Bootsy’s Rubber Band, his songs climbed the U.S. R&B charts for almost 20 years, reaching the pinnacle with 1978 No. 1 hit Bootzilla.

Aug. 3:  Brenton Wood brings his chest full of R&B hits up from Los Angeles to perform for his South Bay audience.  twitter.com/brentonwood Wood will perform in lieu of Bootsy Collins, who was previously announced but had to cancel for medical reasons.

 Aug. 25:  Headliner to be announced June 11.

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About San Jose Downtown Association:  SJDA, a non-profit membership-based organization founded in 1986, represents business and property owners and works to enhance downtown’s vitality and livability. www.sjdowntown.com