The festival is the annual fundraising event for Jazz Education Inc., drummer Bubbha Thomas's brainchild. Wildly successful, the program includes a summer jazz workshop with professional musicians teaching and mentoring students in the art of jazz. After working all summer, the kids get to play with the headliners … and this is no surprise … they steal the show every year. ''As many festival attendees have said in the past,'' Thomas tells us, ''if you close your eyes and listen to these young people, you wouldn't know they were children.'' Children with serious chops, that is.
A little bit of Jazz Fest trivia for you: Houston jazz legend Conrad Johnson's great-grandson, Tyler Johnson, will be among the students performing at the festival. Johnson won't be the only one onstage with a musical pedigree: Lawrence Turner, Kyle Turner's son, and Raven Moran, Jason Moran's niece, will also be onstage, along with several other second-generation Summer Jazz Workshop participants.
There's a kickoff party at 10 p.m. on Friday at 5115 Bar & Lounge. $15. The concert is at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Bayou Music Center, 520 Texas. $28 to $58. For information, call 713‑839-7000 or visit houstoninternationaljazzfestival.com.
Sat., Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m., 2013
