The now renowned Music Festival known as Jazz in Blue Jay first showcased in the summer of 1991 as the Summer Jazz Celebration, presented by the Blue Jay Business Association and the Arrowhead Arts Association, offered four Thursday night concerts free to the public entirely supported by donations, grant funding and merchant sponsorship. Also produced that year, on April 17, 1991, was a special paid admission concert by jazz artists from NBC's "Tonight Show," conducted by Tommy Newsom featuring Conte Candoli, Snooky Young, Ross Tompins and Ed Shaugnessy. In 1993 the Lighthouse Jazz All Stars Reunion was produced as a concert tribute to Howard Rumsey. Performers that year included Shorty Rogers, Bud Shanks, Conte Candoli and Bill Perkins. Since that time the Blue Jay Jazz Foundation has held the tradition of presenting outstanding jazz performances during July and August in beautiful Blue Jay, California. Popular artists continue to entertain the community with traditional, modern and contemporary jazz. Recalling some of the past years favorites like Poncho Sanchez, Jack Sheldon, Kilauea, Gregg Karukas and Kenny Burrell to name just a few.

Here is a list of past years programs:

1996 Bobby Shew, Sarkis, Frank Strazzeri, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

1997 Buddy Collette, Golden Eagles Big Band, Bughouse, Lincoln Adler, Jon Mayer Trio, Rickey Woodard, Daniel Ho & Kilauea, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

1998 Bill Cunliff & Holly Hoffman, Jazz Junkies, Arco Iris, Hues of Blues, Chris Botti, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

1999 The Phil Upchurch Quartet, Chris Ho, The Jon Mayer Trio featuring Ernie Watts, Al Grey and the All Stars, The Phil Norman Tentet, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

2000 Ron Eschete, Pete Jacobs and his Wartime Radio Revue, Ernie Andrews and Barbra Morrison, Poncho Sanchez, Scott Wilkie Group, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

2001 Kilauea, Jazz Junkies, Pete Jacobs and his Wartime Radio Revue, Phil Norman Tentet, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats, Jack Sheldon

2002 Scott Wilkie, Pete Jacobs and his Wartime Radio Revue, The Night Blooming Jazzmen, The Jack Sheldon California Cool Quartet, Jon Mayer Trio with Ernie Watts and guest Sydne, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

2003 Gregg Karukas, Sydne and Straight Ahead, Brasil Brazil, Pete Jacobs and his Wartime Radio Revue, Kenny Burrell, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

2004 The Four Freshmen, Greg Adams Band, Pete Jacobs and his Wartime Radio Revue, Sydne and Straight Ahead, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Lisa Haley & the Zydecats

2005 Greg Adams, Joey DeFrancesco featuring Sax Legend "Red" Holloway & Stacy Rowles

2006 Maiden Voyage All Stars, Sydne and Straight Ahead, Greg Adams, Bobby Matos

2007 Phil Norman Tentet, King Bros, Jeff Kashiwa

2008 Carl Saunders, Scott Martin and King Bros.

2009 Gregg Karukas, Poncho Sanchez