While the majority of his generation is expected to jump frequently between jobs and even careers—as they seek out higher wages and a sense of fulfillment—Kris Bowers is content to stay right where he is.

“I’ve never had another job, fortunately,” he says.

The pianist and composer, slated to play San Jose Jazz Winterfest next Friday, isn’t unambitious or lazy. It’s just that when Aretha Franklin and Kanye West both personally recognize your musical abilities before the age of 25, chances are you’ve found your calling.

“I’ve been around the piano from about as far back as I can remember,” Bowers says. Following the Suzuki method of music instruction, his mother and father started him on piano lessons when he was just 4, sent him to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and eventually shipped him off to The Juilliard School in 2006.

Examining Bowers’ upbringing provides the key to unlocking the dense and diverse sounds of his debut LP, Heroes + Misfits, which weaves swinging jazz, smooth soul and hip-hop into a seamless, flowing musical fabric.

As a child, he was exposed to classical music from his instructors, while at home he was immersed in the jazz, soul, R&B and funk in his parents’ record collection. In middle school, he discovered that “it wasn’t normal to listen to jazz”—at least not in the estimation of his peers. While working to blend in he developed a genuine love of hip-hop and modern R&B.

His tastes shifted twice more. In high school, he met other young jazz musicians and shunned all pop music. These days, his record collection is diverse, including albums from Radiohead, A Tribe Called Quest, My Bloody Valentine and Kanye, all intermingled with the classical, jazz and old-school jams his parents used to play.

Bowers has worked with a number of big-name musicians, including West, Q-Tip and Pharrell, who tapped him to add keyboards to the song “No Church in the Wild” from Kanye and Jay-Z’s collaborative 2011 album Watch the Throne. Bowers won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition the same year—catching the attention of Franklin, who has since invited him to perform at her private parties.

Since the release of Heroes + Misfits in March of 2014, Bowers has been shifting his focus, away from session work and playing other people’s music. “I made a conscious choice this year to really do my own thing,” he says.

So far he’s off to a strong start. On his first tour as a bandleader Bowers says he has been playing for large and enthusiastic crowds all over the U.S. and in Europe.

Kris Bowers plays at San Jose Stage Company on March 6 at 9pm. More info.

Erykah Badu is at the top of the list of some recent additions to this year’s San Jose Summer Jazz Fest. The neo-soul legend won’t be singing however; she’s spinning records under her the moniker DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown. Her DJ side project began in 2011, and she spins frequently at clubs, bringing an eclectic mix of hip-hop, jazz, soul, funk and even a little EDM.

Other artists just announced for the festival include New York’s rising jazz pianist Kris Bowers, New Orleans R&B singer Ledisi, Poncho Sanchez Band, who will be performing a tribute to the late great Latin percussionist Armando Peraza, as well as label showcases by Peanut Butter Wolf’s cutting edge funk/hip-hip Stone Throw Records and Harlem’s jazz and world beat label Motéma Music.

This is a big year for the San Jose Summer Jazz Festival as they celebrate their 25 year mark milestone. Bootsy Collins has already been announced as this summer’s headliner. This year’s festival lasts between Friday August 8 and Sunday August 10. The festival started back in 1990 in downtown San Jose when the city was undergoing major efforts to rebuild the area. Starting out on a single stage the first year, The San Jose Jazz Festival has grown alongside downtown San Jose and now boasts 11 stages, and even happens twice a year—known as the summer and winter fests.

Between now and August 6th, 3-Day passes will be on sale: $55: General admission, $65 All Stage Access, $150: Priority Access, $285: VIP.