Jacobs has long been a supporter of Atkinson's jazz programming at the Athenaeum and a frequent attendee. Plascencia first collaborated with Atkinson on the 2018 concerts of jazz giant Charles Mingus' "Tijuana Moods," which were held at the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT) and at the Auditorium at TSRI in La Jolla.

"I've always enjoyed jazz, but I didn't have much time for it until I came to San Diego (in 1966)," said Jacobs, a leading philanthropist who — with his wife, Joan — has given more than $100 million to the San Diego Symphony alone.

"Dan always does a very good job selecting musicians and staging concerts. I like the fact this festival will involve students from both sides of the border. And Joan and I are close to Gilbert Castellanos through the jazz concerts he does for the symphony."

Jacobs donated $75,000 in seed money for the festival last year, followed by $100,000 more this year and an additional $200,000 that help fund the event's 2025 and 2026 editions.

Other individual donors have pitched in to support the launching of the festival, which has received grants from the World Design Capital, the City of San Diego, and — under the auspices of the Burnham Center for Community Advancement — the National Endowment for the Arts.

"Irwin Jacobs has provided a major amount to make this year's festival possible and he has made significant pledges for the next two years," Atkinson said. "We've raised 75% of our $400,000 for this year and I am still working to secure the other 25%."

Plascencia, whose family owns the historic Caesar's restaurant in Tijuana, is especially pleased the festival will allow Tijuana and San Diego residents to interact with music as their common bond.

"We're really, really excited to have a quality international event like this that will be held annually," said Plascencia, whose family also owns the Tijuana live-music venue Praga Cafe.

"I think that, over time, other international jazz artists will become curious and want to come to play at the festival," Plascencia continued. "And the binational flavor will help draw people to attend from California and beyond, as well as from Tijuana and across Baja."

That bi-national flavor will extend to more than just the location and talent lineup for the festival.

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