Dignity Health Sports Park hosts day of food, fun, and funk in the city of Carson.
By Camila Chavarria, Staff Reporter
The Dymally International Jazz and Arts Festival returned to Dignity Health Sports Park on Apr. 26, inviting the city of Carson to enjoy a day of food, fun, and funk.
Now in its sixth year, the festival featured performances from artists like PJ Morton, Will Downing, and Nedra Wheeler, while the comedian Jay Lamont kept the crowd entertained between sets as the day’s emcee.
The festival was founded by Anthony Asadullah Samad, an esteemed professor of political science and African American studies in Los Angeles. Samad joined the Dymally Institute at CSUDH as executive director in 2018, and launched the Jazz Festival the following year to help support educational programs for young African American students.
This year’s festival kicked off with Tito Puente Jr.—the son of the legendary Latin jazz icon Tito Puente. The park lit up as he played some of his father’s biggest hits, including “Oye Como Va.” Puente Jr. told the audience he was honored to carry on his father’s legacy and share that music with a new generation.
As the festival’s headliners wooed crowds from the main stage, local artists like The Crewmakers jammed out on the second stage. The jazz ensemble is made up of CSUDH students, including fourth-year music education major Mario Martinez.
“This was our debut performance, and being able to study the music, showcase our talents, and perform for such a welcoming audience meant a lot,” Martinez said.
Throughout the stadium, the sounds of timbales, horns, and bongos filled the air, blending with the smells of festival food wafting from rows of booths and food trucks. Meanwhile, local vendors like Arllecia Sweeney lined the festival grounds with handmade goods, art, jewelry, and wellness products.
“Ever since the festival began, I have been selling and bringing my booth here,” Sweeney told The Bulletin. “I have been selling for more than 20 years.”
For Shannon Evans, it was her first time at the festival. She sold natural body butters, soaps, sea moss, herbs, and oils, and said the easygoing crowd made the experience even better.
“I always love the jazz festivals,” Evans told The Bulletin. “We’ve done jazz festivals before and it’s always been a calmer, friendly, older crowd.”
Gregory Owens and Belinda Battle were also first-time attendees. Owens told The Bulletin the nature of the festival spoke to “the heart and soul” of his culture and identity. For Battle, it was about the love of jazz and the opportunity to celebrate that with friends.
“Spending time with friends and enjoying the music—my parents listen to a lot of jazz music and alot of blues music,” Battle said. “So, this was a tribute to them, coming to this event.”