A crowning glory of the jazz calendar, the San Francisco Jazz Festival brings international artists to the city's great venues. New commissions, the unique "Jazz on Film" presentations, family matinées and exhibitions all make for a busy jazz jamboree.

Originally a small-scale local community event, the festival now fills the city's principal venues - Herbst Theatre, Davis Symphony Hall, the Palace of Fine Arts and Great American Music Hall to name a few.

The vibrant program features artists such as Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Ahmad Jamal, Aaron Neville and Pat Metheny.