San Jose Jazz awards grants to local musicians

San Jose Jazz Awards Five Local Musicians $1,000 Grants to Fuel Creative Endeavors

A boost of creative energy is hitting the Bay Area music scene thanks to San Jose Jazz's latest grant recipients. Twenty talented musicians from across the region have been awarded a collective $20,000 in grants to support the development of new work.

Among these awardees are five San Jose residents who will see their artistic visions come to life with financial backing. Drummer Sylvia Cuenca is just one such recipient, having previously received the New Works Grant in 2022. Cuenca's new music project will be part of a larger Winter Series at the SJZ Break Room, where six commissioned works by local musicians will premiere between February and March next year.

Other notable recipients include saxophonist Oscar Pangilinan, who recently served as director of San Jose Jazz's Summer Jazz Camp and High-School All Stars. The Alum Rock native has led or co-led numerous groups over the years, including The Bad Ones, which toured Asia with the SJZ Collective in 2018-19.

The award also goes to the Budhrani Brothers, a guitar-and-clarinet duo known for their technical precision and melodic warmth. Jason Lewis, a percussionist with a degree from San Jose State University, is another recipient, having toured and recorded with notable artists like Boz Scaggs and Taylor Eigsti.

Lastly, Dave Dolengewicz, an audio engineer by day and tenor saxophonist for the video game music jazz fusion band Ultra Combo, rounds out the list of San Jose musicians receiving $1,000 grants. These financial injections will undoubtedly help stimulate creative output and further establish these talented artists on the Bay Area jazz scene.

just saw this news and i'm so stoked for these talented san jose musicians ! like, a $1k grant can make all the difference in bringing their music to life , especially when it's part of a bigger initiative like the winter series at sjz break room . and it's awesome that they're supporting local talent, from drummer sylvia cuenca to guitar-and-clarinet duo budhrani brothers . this funding will definitely help them collaborate with other artists and push the bay area jazz scene forward !

Oh man, this is amazing news! I'm so stoked for all these talented musicians in San Jose . It's like, totally awesome that the San Jose Jazz Awards are giving them a boost to pursue their artistic dreams . Sylvia Cuenca and Oscar Pangilinan, I've seen you guys live before, and you're both incredible! The Budhrani Brothers' sound is so unique and captivating... I need to check out more of their music ASAP . And Jason Lewis, dude, Boz Scaggs and Taylor Eigsti are legends in the jazz world - you must be so stoked to have had the chance to tour and record with them! ‍ Dave Dolengewicz is a genius behind the scenes, no wonder he's got his own jazz fusion band Ultra Combo rocking out . This $1,000 grant is gonna make all the difference for these artists... bring on that creative energy!

This is what I think - we're investing in our local talent and it's making a difference . But let's be real, have you seen the state of education funding in California lately? I mean, can't we do more to support arts programs in schools so that these kids are learning jazz theory from a young age instead of just getting a basic music ed class? It's all about making smart investments and creating opportunities for our youth. The $1,000 grants are a great start, but what if we're not providing enough resources for them to really take off? That's the real question .

I gotta say, I'm loving this news! It's like a shot of espresso for all you musicians out there in the Bay Area - $1k grants to fuel your creativity! I mean, who wouldn't want that kind of boost? Sylvia Cuenca is going to be drumming up some serious business with her new project , and Oscar Pangilinan's Summer Jazz Camp experience must've been a real game-changer... or should I say, a 'riff' on success . Seriously though, it's awesome to see local talent getting the recognition they deserve! These musicians are about to make some beautiful music together - and with that cash, they'll be able to jam all night long without worrying about the bills . The Budhrani Brothers are going to blow our minds with their clarinet skills, and Jason Lewis is gonna keep on pounding out those beats like a pro... it's going to be a wild ride!

I'm so stoked to see these talented local musicians getting some serious cash to fuel their creativity ! It's about time we recognized the hard work of our community musicians, you know? San Jose Jazz is doing a great job supporting the arts in our area . I mean, who doesn't love live jazz music, right? And it's awesome that these grants are going to help stimulate new projects and collaborations - that's what jazz is all about, man! Collaboration, creativity, and pushing boundaries... let's keep supporting local talent and watching them thrive

i think its awesome that san jose jazz is giving these local musicians a boost by awarding them $1k grants!!! it's gonna be super cool to see what they come up with, especially since some of them have already shown their skills through other projects like sylvia cuenca and the budhrani brothers - their music is already on point i'm also stoked that jason lewis and dave dolengewicz are getting this support too ultra combo's music fusion is always a highlight at their shows, and it'll be great to see more of that coming from san jose musicians

just think about it, these 5 local musicians from san jose are getting a major boost to pursue their artistic dreams and that's super cool! i mean, who doesn't love seeing more innovation and diversity in the bay area music scene? especially since some of these musicians have already made a name for themselves with their work. it's all about nurturing new talent and keeping the creative energy alive in our community . can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Another handout to try and prop up the failing music industry I mean, isn't it just a fancy way to give them an easy credit boost before they inevitably flop? And what's with the timing? Winter Series in February? Just great for trying to get people out during the coldest part of the year. And all these musicians are from San Jose, who are we kidding, they'll probably just become just another bunch of middle-aged wannabes trying to cling to their 15 minutes of fame

The awarding of five local musicians with $1,000 grants by San Jose Jazz is a fantastic move to inject fresh energy into the Bay Area music scene . By providing financial support for emerging talent, we're witnessing the very essence of community-driven artistic development in action . It's truly inspiring to see Sylvia Cuenca, Oscar Pangilinan, and their fellow recipients leveraging this funding to explore new sonic territories and collaborate with fellow musicians on innovative projects . The impact will likely be felt beyond the grants themselves, catalyzing a snowball effect that fosters creative growth and diversification across genres .

Just think about how awesome it is to see local talent getting some serious love! I mean, a $1k grant can make all the difference in helping those musicians bring their music to life . San Jose Jazz is doing an amazing job supporting the creative community, and I'm loving the fact that they're shining a spotlight on these incredible artists from our own backyard . It's going to be so cool to see what Sylvia Cuenca, Oscar Pangilinan, the Budhrani Brothers, Jason Lewis, and Dave Dolengewicz come up with next!

omg i'm so stoked to see these talented musicians getting some love from san jose jazz!! $20k is a huge deal for them to have, especially since it's going straight into fueling their creative endeavors . i've been following syvia cuenca's drumming skills for ages and now she gets to take her project to the next level oscar pangilinan's got some serious cred too, having led groups in asia and all... the budhrani brothers' sound is so soothing jason lewis's got some sick beats under his belt too and dave dolengewicz's got that jazz fusion vibe on lock can't wait to see what these musicians come up with next!!!

omg i'm so stoked to see these talented musicians gettin' some love from san jose jazz they're literally gonna make waves in the bay area music scene! i mean, can u imagine havin' a platform like that to showcase ur artistry? it's like, a dream come true for all the music majors out there sylvia cuenca's project sounds fire too, and i'm low-key excited to see what oscer pangilinan comes up with next these grants are def gonna help fuel some amazing new music!

I mean come on, $20k is like peanuts for someone with talent like that! 5 out of 20 people get $1k each? What's the catch? Are they gonna have to pay it back or something? It's all good, I guess, but I feel like this is just a drop in the bucket compared to what these musicians need to make some real noise. We should be talking about bigger grants, like $10k or more!

This is so cool! I mean, 20k for five local musicians to create new music? That's like a shot in the arm for the whole Bay Area jazz scene . But at the same time, it's also kinda worrying that we need grants to support our own artists in the first place... like, shouldn't they be able to make a living doing what they love without having to beg for money? Still, I'm all for celebrating these talented musicians and giving them a boost. And who knows, maybe this is just the spark that gets the whole scene buzzing again .

man I'm so stoked about this news - it's amazing to see organizations like San Jose Jazz supporting local talent like this! having that $1k boost can really make a huge difference in getting creative projects off the ground, you know? i mean Sylvia Cuenca has already gotten the new works grant in 2022 and now she's back for more - it's clear the funding is helping her take her music to the next level. and the fact that these grants are going to different genres too isn't a bad thing - the jazz scene needs all the love it can get! anyway, i'm loving this boost of creative energy for the bay area... bring on the amazing new music!

just love seein local musos gettin support from org like this! it's awesome to think that 5 of 'em in SJ are gettin $1000 each to do their thang. drummer Sylvia Cuenca is killin it, been around the block a few times too! and gotta give props to Budhrani Bros, they're like the ultimate technical duo . also, Jason Lewis's resume sounds like a dream come true , I'm dyin to see what he comes up with next! Ultra Combo is so underrated btw

Umm I dont know why ppl are being so extra about this... $20k might sound like a lotta dough but its actually kinda peanuts if u ask me . Like, I get that it can help out some talented musicians but come on, its still just a tiny drop in the ocean compared to what these artists need to take their music to the next level. And lets be real, who really needs that kind of financial push? Cant they just hustle and grind like everyone else?

ugh i feel like i'm stuck in a never ending loop of awards and grants for local musicians . can't we just talk about something else for once? like what's going on with san jose's traffic or which new restaurant is actually worth trying? anyway, glad to see some talented people getting support, but 20k collective grant might be a bit excessive if you ask me . and who needs a winter series when u can just have an online platform like this for free .

OMG just saw that 5 local musicians from San Jose are getting $1k grants to fuel their creativity! Sylvia Cuenca is one of them, she's already won this award last year so I'm low-key excited for her new project at the SJZ Break Room next year . And can we talk about Oscar Pangilinan's skills? The guy has been leading groups and touring Asia with the SJZ Collective since 2018 . These grants are gonna take our Bay Area jazz scene to the NEXT LEVEL , I'm hyped!