In the not-too-distant past, there were a few places where you could sit back and enjoy live jazz in downtown San Jose. But those numbers have dwindled to the point that if you stumble upon the weekly jam at Five Points, you can consider yourself lucky.
But there’s one unlikely bright spot in that musical dessert: The SJZ Break Room, a live music venue in the lobby of a converted office building on South First Street, which may just be the best place to catch a jazz show downtown these days.
The Break Room is in the old Valley Title Building across from Original Joe’s in the arty South First Area (SoFA) district (San Jose Jazz’s offices and the Kaleid Gallery are in the same building). There’s seating for about 100 people at high-top tables, folding chairs and couches — and the farthest seat is about 30 feet away from the band.
Now, it’s not a Yoshi’s or Mr. Tipple’s, but the office surroundings actually add to the atmosphere, making concerts feel like an after-work pop-up — with professional lighting and great sound. Last weekend, the room was packed Saturday afternoon as the New Orleans-flavored band All Things Swamp celebrated the release of its new album, “Fully Dressed,” and played tunes from it and raised money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley.
If you haven’t been before, this is a great time to check it out as San Jose Jazz’s New Works Fest has three shows left. The John Dryden Quartet plays the Break Room on Friday night, the Kai Eckhardt Band is there Saturday night and Ben Henderson and Friends wrap things up March 14.
Other performers this month include Dirty Cello (March 15), the JC Smith’s Blues Summit (March 22), jazz harpist Brandee Younger (March 27) and trumpeter Rachel Thierren (March 29). You can check out the full schedule and get tickets at www.sanjosejazz.org.
WALKING ART (AND MUSIC): I peeked in the alley window at Works/San Jose’s gallery as set up continued for the Community Art Auction, which opens at 5 p.m. Friday and features work from nearly 100 artists from around the region. The gallery is inside Open San Jose at 38 S. Second Street, and the exhibition will be on display until the auction on April 5.
Of course, that’s just one of the offerings for South First Fridays in downtown San Jose this week. Anno Domini has an opening reception for “Raison d’Etre,” featuring the work of Canadian painter Anick Langelier; Kaleid Gallery has a dual exhibition, “Fragments: Intimate Details,” with work by two creative locals, paintings by Francisco Ramirez and photography by Robertino Ragazza; the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles has “sustainABILITY” by Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA); and MACLA is closing its group show, “Mirame,” along with a free performance in the Castellano Playhouse by DJ Toonin, who got her start with San Jose’s all female group, “Ladies1stDJclub.”
Finally, there’s more art for the ears as Symphony San Jose will have an open rehearsal for this weekend’s performances of Beethoven’s Third Symphony, the “Eroica,” on Friday night at the California Theatre. The doors open around 7 p.m. if you want to give a listen.
STAND-UP IDEA: You may have heard about Stand Up for Science, a nationwide event taking place at universities and other venues Friday, March 7, to spread the message — especially to our elected leaders — that “science is for everyone.” That seems like a no-brainer in a science-minded region like Silicon Valley, and there are Stand Up for Science rallies planned here, as well.
Most events start at noon and include a teach-in outside the Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation at Santa Clara University and rallies at Lytton Plaza in Palo Alto and outside the student center at UC Berkeley, as well as another at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco. There are no walkouts or rallies officially planned for San Jose or San Jose State, but if one materializes, you’ll know why.
You can get more information on the rallies and the cause at standupforscience2025.org.