Elaine Dame sings - and people stop and listen. Since 1996, the woman Time Out Chicago calls “a jazz dynamo" and "a gem in the city's vocal jazz scene" has been turning heads and capturing attention at venerable jazz venues from coast to coast, bringing her unique, superlative interpretations to vintage vocal classics and modern standards alike.

Neil Tesser, Grammy award-winning jazz critic and author of The Playboy Guide to Jazz said, "Dame has risen to the top ranks of Chicago jazz singers. She possesses all the musicality you could want in a true jazz vocalist: centered intonation, an enviable command of rhythm and a translucent but powerful instrument.”

Dame will appear at The Sound Room to celebrate the release of her latest album, Reminiscing, a spirited collection of reimagined songs from the ’70s that once populated the FM airwaves during one of the most creatively diverse decades in music. Dame says, “This recording represents the culmination of my desire to create something entirely outside my comfort zone --something unique that challenges me as a vocalist. And, I have a deep emotional connection to all these songs. When I listen to them, I recall specific moments in time and have distinct memories associated with each song.”

The music of Reminiscing promises to evoke distinct memories from her audience as well, with tunes including “Tell Me Something Good,” a funk-soul tune originally performed by Chaka Khan; a funky, bluesy “Use Me,” written by Bill Withers; “Reminiscing,” a soft rock number by The Little River Band; “Wish You Were Here,” from Pink Floyd; “Sing Child,” a song by the group Heart; Bonnie Raitt’s “Nothing Seems to Matter”; “Midnight at the Oasis” the mega-hit for Maria Muldaur; “Last Dance” recorded by disco queen Donna Summer; and “Love Will Find a Way,” a chart-topper for Pablo Cruise in the late ‘70s.

Dame will be joined by two members of her recording band, top Chicago musicians CHRIS MADSEN (co- arranger and tenor & soprano sax) and TOM VAITSAS (piano) as well as local stalwarts, MATT MONTGOMERY (bass), and GREG WYSER-PRATTE (drums).

Dame released two previous albums, You’re My Thrill (2014) and Comes Love (2005). Neil Tesser, Grammy Award-winning jazz critic and author of Playboy Guide to Jazz, said, “Dame has risen to the top ranks of Chicago jazz singers. She possesses all the musicality one could want in a true jazz vocalist: centered intonation, an enviable command of rhythm, and a translucent but powerful instrument.”

Looking over Elaine Dame’s oeuvre, it’s clear that she can sing just about anything she sets her mind to. Her commitment to rework these rock, pop, and funk classics is a bold move, but it pays off handsomely. These songs are both familiar and refreshingly current. REMINISCING is a journey through nostalgia and an homage to a creative era whose sounds still resonate today.

Catch a glimpse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJkKyv0fgMY

Tickets at Elaine Dame Quartet

TONE FOREST is a groundbreaking contemporary jazz ensemble that has been delighting audiences for the past six years throughout the United States. This trio represents the fruits of decades of musical collaboration between three world-class musicians: Miro Sprague (piano), Jason Ennis (guitar), and Marty Jaffe (bass). Their music, conceived and composed specifically for this unique ensemble, fuses jazz, world music, and free improvisation to create a wholly new, genre-defying sound that is adventurous, meditative, and grounded in a deep sense of beauty and groove.

All three members met through the western Massachusetts music scene and have played with one another since the early 2000’s in various ensembles, including bands led by Sonya Kitchell, Karrin Allyson, Samirah Evans, Charles Neville, and others.  

Their compositions and performances are a cinematic journey through a wide range of textures, dynamics, and emotions, ranging from the most delicate moments to the most danceable as they incorporate rhythms from many different folk and world music traditions including swing, new orleans street beats, samba, baião, funk and more.

Tickets at Tone Forest

Trumpeter, composer, educator, and recording artist Jun Iida (Joon Ee-da) has quickly established himself as a highly sought after musician. A recording and performing artist, Iida has performed extensively throughout the U.S. at notable jazz clubs, theaters, and festivals with his sextet and as a sideman.

Originally from St. Louis, MO, Iida has lived in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Los Angeles, and has recently relocated to New York City. Iida has internalized the different styles of music from each region, making his approach to composing and arranging appealing and unexpected with his subtle amalgamation of contemporary jazz, blues, pop, hip-hop, soul, and classical music.

The son of Japanese immigrants, Iida’s mother, a semi-professional koto (Japanese harp) player, had a profound influence on his love of music. Iida says, “My mother was always playing music around the house. She loved all types of music, especially classical, and I spent my formative years listening to Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Mendelssohn. My mother wanted to make sure we didn’t lose our culture and language, so she also taught us Japanese folk and children’s songs. But I also listened to jazz, blues, soul, rock & roll, and hip-hop, which were all prevalent in St. Louis when I was very young.”

Iida began studying the piano when he was five years old and subsequently started playing the trumpet when he was nine after listening to his mother’s Louis Armstrong album, Hello Dolly! Although Iida was mainly attracted to jazz when he was young, his interests encompassed a wide range of styles, and he performed in several classical orchestras and wind ensembles throughout his high school and college years. Iida went on to study classical music at the Cleveland Institute of Music and jazz at Case Western Reserve University, where he also studied aerospace engineering.

Iida’s debut album as leader, Evergreen, was released January 19, 2024 on Origin Records.

“All compositions are reflective of both his Japanese heritage and his command and fluency in jazz composition and stylings, the two worlds being complementary and mutually enriching on this showing. The diversity of mood and style, not to mention thoughtful programming of tracks, is a real strength of this album. All in all, there is a great deal to enjoy here.”
- John Arnett, London Jazz News

Tickets at Jun Iida Group

Flamenco is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain , developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia. Flamenco fuses song (cante), dance (baile) and musicianship (toque). Cante is the vocal expression of flamenco, sung by men and women, preferably seated, with no backing singers. The gamut of feelings and states of mind – grief, joy, tragedy, rejoicing and fear – can be expressed through sincere, expressive lyrics characterized by brevity and simplicity.

Flamenco baile is a dance of passion, courtship, expressing a wide range of situations ranging from sadness to joy. The technique is complex, differing depending on whether the performer is male (heavier use of the feet) or female (gentler, more sensual movements). Toque or the art of guitar playing has long surpassed its original role as accompaniment. Other instruments, including castanets, hand-clapping and foot-stamping are also employed.

Flamenco is performed during religious festivals, rituals, church ceremonies and at private celebrations. It is the badge of identity of numerous communities and groups, in particular the Gitano (Roma) ethnic community, which has played an essential role in its development. Transmission occurs through dynasties, families, social groups and Flamenco clubs, all of which play a key role in its preservation and dissemination.

Featuring: Yaelisa - dance & vocals; Clara Rodriguez - dance & vocals; Jesse Torre - guitar; David McLean - guitar; Marlon Aldana - percussion

Tickets at Flamenco March 29

Pianist - composer Daniel Meron and his trio deliver a set of highly melodic and expressive music. Featuring compositions from their newest release "Pendulum" on Pinch Records, the NYC-based group presents original modern jazz influenced by middle eastern and latin rhythms. Over the past decade Meron has established himself as a prominent figure in the modern jazz scene. Meron has released four critically acclaimed albums, with performances at NYC's best jazz clubs, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Costa Rica Jazz Festival, and tours of the US, Canada, Europe and Israel.“Meron’s songs are defined by a melodic, lyrical, style that is immediately engaging... his piano sound is crystal clear, precise and beautiful..." - All About Jazz

Daniel Meron - Piano

Pablo Menares - Bass

Mark Whitfield Jr - Drums

Tickets at Daniel Meron Trio

Join us for our monthly Blues Blowout. You won't want to miss these!

Jules Leyhe might look like your everyday, average, unassuming guy, but he’s one of the world’s foremost blues slide-guitar players—so much so that even Premier Guitar magazine called his music “the best blues slide licks since Derek Trucks, maybe even Duane Allman.” Those might sound like some big boots, but this Oakland native not only fills them, he wears them out and has to order new ones. This year, he is showcasing a new blues series at the Sound Room, where Leyhe and his Family Jules Blues Blowout take a look at new music each month.

Tim Marco is a guitarist, singer, song-writer and multi-instrumentalist with an inclination for writing sun kissed hooks with relatable narratives. After establishing himself in the Bay Area he studied music performance at the ICMP in London. He went on to tour Europe, the Caribbean and playing guitar with greats like Nigel Hall, Jorge Santana, Narada Michael Walden, Brett Hunter Band (The Voice), Lisa Pac, Call Me Karizma, Kelechi, Mike Taylor and Lauren Sanderson. Inspired by modern R&B guitar playing Tim Marco weaves vocals reminiscent of Frank Ocean with his own unique guitar stylings.

Tickets at Blues Showcase

A branch of the illustrious Jazz Mafia, COSA NOSTRA STRINGS specializes in original Hybrid Crossover music. This five-piece powerhouse crew features conservatory trained classical musicians who bring a provocative, precise, punk-rock personality to a highly distinguished multi-style sound, utilizing their unique instrumentation of cello, viola, violin, trombone, bass, and percussion to the fullest extent. Spanning centuries of genres, you’ll hear diverse influences from around the world: funk infusion, folk, western chamber music, jazz, and most certainly 80’s rock ballads!

The Cosa Nostra Strings quintet does share a good deal of creative DNA with the ever-morphing Oakland Jazz Mafia collective that’s bootstrapped its stylistically omnivorous aesthetic into a booming cottage industry, collaborating with everyone from racy cabaret productions and soul belters to symphony orchestras and socially conscious hip-hop MCs. Whatever its mob ties, Cosa Nostra belongs to a larger, more powerful subterranean family of musical renegades. The group, builds directly on the region’s rich history of string innovators by featuring a cadre of superlative musicians including violinist Shaina Evoniuk, violist/vocalist Keith Lawrence, cellist Lewis Pazner, multi-percussionist Aaron Kierbel, and bassist/trombonist Adam Theis, the music showcases pretty much everything a string band can do.

Tickets at Cosa Nostra Strings

Established in 2017, the Alpha Rhythm Kings have created quite a stir with music fans, having crafted an exciting, King Size California sound, with what roots music magazine No Depression calls "the badge of authenticity".

The “swaggering” (The Washington Post) ensemble, led by Robert Dehlinger's “exhilarating” trumpet and "magnetic" singing (Jazz Corner) are a favorite with audiences in nightclubs, festivals and concert halls.

The A.R.K.'s high-energy vintage vibe has whisked them all over the globe, from the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, to performances in Hungary, Austria, Germany, and back to the USA to play at the Grammy Awards Nominee San Francisco Chapter Celebration.

Frontman Robert has entertained crowds at many of the USA's most famous locales, including shows at Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night's Swing in Manhattan, George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch, Pixar Animation Studios, and Disneyland Park in Anaheim, CA.

The Alpha Rhythm Kings' debut recording, "California Boogie", featuring their exciting original arrangement of "Oh Marie", is a "truly happening party record" (Jazz Corner), and one of the "greatest swingin' releases worldwide" (Hey Mister Jesse).

The A.R.K.‘s first full-length offering, “Sharp Dressed Men”, is “a jumping good time of an album” (Midwest Record Blog), and “sharper than a Versace suit” (Jazz Weekly). It was followed up with three singles: “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie (Featuring Tammi Savoy)”, “Vaccinate Me, Baby”, and a rollicking rendition of Louis Prima’s little-known “Baciagaloop”, released in December 2023.

There is a 10 x 18 ft dance floor for this show.  

Tickets at Alpha Rhythm Kings

The celebratory sounds of the drums and horns take you back to New Orleans as they parade throughout the venue with the entire audience following in the "second line". This dynamic and exciting band will have you dancing from their first note.

Originally from Connecticut, Greg now resides in American Canyon CA, north east of San Francisco. After hearing Dr. John play piano, Greg developed a passion for two fisted piano styles like boogie woogie and New Orleans jazz. His most recent project Rent Party Piano is inspired by the rent parties that were common in urban American cities in the 1920's and 30s, where renters would invite guests to parties a few days before rent was due, charging 25¢ for admission and have live musicians perform, serve food and drink, and celebrate. These compositions are dripping with honky-tonk, jazz, blues and blazing boogie-woogie influences from pianists like Fats Waller, Professor Longhair, Pete Johnson and Dr John.

Tickets at Greg Rahn & The Fat Tuesday Horns

StorySlam Oakland is Oakland's longest-running true storytelling show, where people tell short and true stories from their lives. Or just listen and laugh.

This month’s theme is: Breaking the Rules.

And we have 2 featured performers to showcase this month.

First is Gui Cavalcanti, a StorySlam Oakland Super fan! Gui Cavalcanti has been a story collector his whole life, and only recently realized he should also become a story teller. He's an engineer, entrepreneur, and all-around troublemaker who has a habit of diving in the deep end of the pool before he knows how to swim. Once he challenged the country of Japan to a giant robot fight. Once he was taken into custody by the Chinese state police at the behest of a gangster because they thought he was a spy. And there’s the time his new girl got mad at him because the giant robot he was testing caught fire -- on date night -- with him inside it -- one too many times. Gui has a story for any super-weird situation that might come up. Also he celebrates Halloween by carving pumpkins with chainsaws.

Our second headliner is none other than the icon of Bay Area storytelling, Corey Rosen. Corey Rosen is a writer, actor, producer and author of the book “Your Story, Well Told.” He hosts The Moth StorySlam and has been featured on The Moth Radio Hour. He's currently hosting a new monthly showcase at the Lark Theater in Marin on the Third Tuesday of every month. Find out more at www.coreyrosen.com or follow @storyrosen on Instagram. Corey also teaches workshops for individuals and organizations. But we’re hoping he’ll put aside all professionalism at StorySlam Oakland to tell us a true story about Breaking the Rules. You don’t want to miss this!

As always, we’ll have time for open-mic storytellers telling their short, true stories. Put your name in the hat when you come in, for a chance to be picked to tell your story. Remember, open-mic stories must be 5 to 6 minutes or less, no notes and no reading allowed. Just tell it like you’re telling friends around a dinner table. Tell us about a time you Broke the Rules!

Tickets at StorySlam Oakland

"Kumar is on the cutting-edge of blues today. He is highly respectful of blues traditions, yet understands how to interpret it in innovative ways. I think we will look back in 20 years and realize we witnessed something very special in the evolution of the blues." Michael Kinsman, San Diego Blues Festival

Charlie Musselwhite-endorsed Aki Kumar proves to traditionalists that singing in Hindi can co-exist with Chicago blues conventions. This Indian-American’s intense sense of musical discovery as an able vocalist and harmonica player drives worry-and-regret makeovers of Bollywood film songs and adds bounce to a reggae version of “Watermelon Man.” Boosted by top West Coast blues personnel and cross-cultural extras, Kumar proves that the integrity of his music marks the difference between novelty and substance.

Kumar was born and grew up in Mumbai, where his parents' upbringing and eclectic tastes—his father spoke Kannada, his mother Telugu—exposed him to a broad range of sounds—everything from rock 'n' roll and pop to the more traditional sounds of Bollywood film scores and Indian classical music. In his youth, he studied both keyboards and tabla, and acquired his first harmonica from his father. He listened to "everything from Bach to John Denver, from Stevie Wonder to the Police" in addition to music that dominated the Indian subcontinent.

He moved to the US in 1998 to study computer science, initially in Oklahoma City and then at San Jose State University in Silicon Valley. He was first attracted to American oldies radio, and then discovered the blues by visiting nightclubs and bars in the Bay Area.Soon after completing a degree, he went to work at Adobe. He has now turned to music full-time.

Kumar's harmonica playing is rooted in the classical style invented by Little Walter and others, but his blues style is eclectic.He developed his skills by studying with David Barrett, who operates the School of the Blues in San Jose. He played regularly in the band Tip of the Top for several years before forming his own band and launching a solo career.

Kumar blends melodies from Hindi movies and Indian classical music with American blues, creating a fusion of East and West that he calls "Bollywood blues".

Tickets at Aki Kumar Group

Mistura Fina comprises some of the finest jazz musicians from the San Francisco Bay Bay Area. With a strong influence of Brazilian and Afro-Cuban rhythms, a traditional West Coast Latin jazz sound lies at the core of the ensemble. Guitarist and composer Ray Obiedo formed this group in 2010 to further explore his passion for Latin music. His compositions for the group draw inspiration from a variety of musical influences, including contemporary jazz, funk, Caribbean styles, and other genres. The rhythm section features some of Obiedo's main collaborators over the years: vocalist Sandy Cressman, trombonist Jeff Cressman, pianist Murray Low, bassist Dan Feiszli, percussionist Michael Spiro, and drummer Phil Hawkins.

Mistura Fina showcases a wonderfully rich array of textures and colors, skillfully merging all its musical elements to create a delightfully distinct Bay Area sound.

Tickets at Mistura Fina

Come listen to jazz bassist Marty Isenberg and his ensemble of talented, young musicians as they capture the melancholy, wonder, and precision of filmmaker Wes Anderson through music.

“I’ve always resonated deeply with Wes Anderson’s movies,” muses Isenberg. “There was something so familiar about the way he captured the ache of adolescence.” He appreciated how Anderson’s cinematic language always seemed to juxtapose our local vastness with our cosmic tininess. Of course, Isenberg loved the off-kilter mixtape quality of the soundtracks and how perfectly they mirrored the plotlines. So he set out to put his own spin on songs by artists like David Bowie, Nick Drake and the Velvet Underground but through the lexicon of jazz orchestration and improvisation. The resulting album is a sonic storyboard, a soundtrack to the wonder, loneliness and nostalgia of life in the modern world. Downbeat Magazine’s glowing review says that, “Movies for your ears are somewhat cliched, but Isenberg has gone way beyond that. This is a movie.”

Isenberg has been an in-demand bassist in the New York City jazz scene for almost 20 years. He’s played Birdland, the Blue Note and the Public Theater as well as several Broadway musicals. He has toured nationally and internationally. He is the founder and CEO of the Clinton Hill Music School, a twelve-year-old neighborhood music program in Brooklyn. His debut album garnered much critical acclaim and resonated with a wide audience, making the NACC jazz charts and racking up over 40,000 streams on Spotify. Vintage Guitar Magazine described The Way That I Feel as a “fascinating concept, executed splendidly.” Isenberg’s unique sensibility seems to capture the melancholy, wonder and precision of Wes Anderson’s cult classics. Perhaps a sequel is in store. In the meantime, roll credits.

Tickets at Marty Isenberg’s Wes Anderson Playlist

Don't Miss This Show!!!

Trombone/classical guitar duos are very rare in Jazz. While few dare to exist beyond the occasional recording or live performance, Cressman and Faquini have transformed their platform into a sophisticated medium showcasing the extraordinary influence Brazilian contemporary artistry has had on music throughout the world. Tagged as the “Bossa Nova girl” while studying at the Manhattan School of Music, Cressman has always been inspired by Brazilian culture, frequently attending the California Brazil Camp in the mountainous enclave of Cazadero, California where she met Faquini, a Guinga protégé teaching at this annual summer gathering.

In time they discovered the dynamic nature of their instrumental pairing as well as the unique aperture it lends to the intricate nature of Brazilian music. Having mastered a resonant, open, and full bodied sound, Cressman and Faquini utilize a spacious tonal vocabulary, deft harmonic pairings and meticulous arranging that perfectly lends itself to the unique repertoire they’ve cultivated over the years.

Simplicity can feel like a rare commodity in our increasingly complex world. Knowing this, Natalie Cressman and Ian Faquini recognize that the simplicity of their instrumentation provides an introspective way to celebrate the legacy of música popular brasileira and the remarkable manner in which Guinga extends the vocabularies of its exceptional harmonic and melodic systems. Managing the perfect balance of space, pacing and musicianship, Cressman and Faquini have mastered the mechanics of unpacking the deep musical authority that defines the DNA of Brazilian music and the core of Guinga’s genius.

Cressman’s musical pedigree is impeccable, growing up as the daughter of vocalist Sandy Cressman and Santana trombonist Jeff Cressman, gaining fame as a member of Phish leader Trey Anastasio’s solo project, and working with Nicholas Payton and Wycliffe Gordon. A virtuosic instrumentalist and gifted singer, she’s a former member of the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars who has made good on her prodigious beginnings, working with a diverse range of artists including salsa icon Pete Escovedo’s Latin Jazz Orchestra, world music giant Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, and iconoclastic multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum.

Faquini, who was born in Brasília and now lives in Berkeley, California 15, was mentored by legendary Brazilian composer Guinga. He went on to study at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley and immediately after graduating joined the faculty there. He is also on the faculty at California Brazil Camp, alongside musical legends including Ivan Lins, Guinga, Chico Pinheiro, and Spok. Ian has become one of the most unique and respected guitar players in the San Francisco Bay Area, with his distinct compositional style and harmonic sense. He is also a brilliant accompanist, which has made him an in-demand collaborator with vocalists in the Bay Area and beyond.

Tickets at Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini

Marcus Anthony Shelby is a composer, bassist, bandleader, and educator who currently lives in San Francisco, California. His work focuses on the history, present, and future of African American lives social movements and music education.

In 1990, Marcus Shelby received the Charles Mingus Scholarship to attend Cal Arts and study composition with James Newton and bass with Charlie Haden. Currently, Shelby is the Artistic Director of Healdsburg Jazz, an artist in residence with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and a past resident artist with the San Francisco Jazz Festival and the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Shelby has composed several oratorios and suites including “Harriet Tubman”, “Beyond the Blues: A Prison Oratorio”, “Soul of the Movement: Meditations on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”, “Black Ball: The Negro Leagues and the Blues”, “Green and Blues”, and a children’s opera “Harriet’s Spirit” produced by Opera Parallel 2018.

Christopher Clarke: Trumpet. Phil Vieux: Alto Sax/Flute. Greg Jacobs: Piano. Jemal Ramirez: Drums. Marcus Shelby: Bass

Tickets at Marcus Shelby Quintet

Unfortunately, Brad Barton is ill and this show has been cancelled. Look for a rescheduled date later this year.

Mardi Gras is a centuries-old tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. It was initially celebrated by European Christians as a way to mark the beginning of Lent and to prepare for the fasting period of Easter. Mardi Gras is believed to have arrived in North America on March 3, 1699, when the French-Canadian explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville camped about 60 miles downriver from the future site of New Orleans. Knowing it was Fat Tuesday back in France, Iberville named the spot Point du Mardi Gras and held a small gala. A few years later, French soldiers and settlers feasted and wore masks as part of Mardi Gras festivities in the newly founded city of Mobile (present-day Alabama). To this day, Mobile claims to have the oldest annual Mardi Gras celebration in the United States, although New Orleans has the biggest North American celebrations.

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", reflecting the practice of the last night of eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual Lenten sacrifices and fasting. It's a time of celebration, food and music.

The Medicine Ball Band was created on the streets of San Francisco by Daviid Sturdevant more than 50 years ago. It has rolled across many terrains, picking up many amazing musicians along the way. Always holding on to the roots of New Orleans, the Medicine Ball continues its annual Fat Tuesday Celebration at the Sound Room this year featuring vocalist Rhonda Benin; John R Burr- piano; John Stafford- clarinet, vocals, John Hunt- trombone, vocals; Anton Patzner- violin, vocals, whistling; Chris Aschman- trumpet, steel pan; Richard Howell- sax; Ron Belcher- bass Chauncey Roberts- vocals; Leon Joyce Jr- drums; David Sturdevant- guitar, banjo, harmonica, vocals and surprise guests. Get your tix soon as this always sells out!

Tickets at Mardi Gras with Medicine Ball

Vocalist extraordinaire Kenny Washington and trumpeter Erik Jekabson deliver the true New Orleans sound and spirit, but with a modern twist. Washington is a New Orleans native and Jekabson has lived and performed in the Big Easy. They are backed by Jekabson’s New Orleans Sextet: Rob Barics, clarinet and tenor sax; Dan Zemelman, piano; Ron Belcher, bass; and Deszon Claiborne, drums. The evening will include traditional New Orleans tunes, both instrumental and vocal, performed in the fun, loose, freewheeling style that is so representative of the Big Easy.

Erik Jekabson is a trumpet player, composer, arranger and educator who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is equally busy playing and composing for different bands, leading his own groups, teaching a wide variety of students and running the Young Musicians Program at the California Jazz Conservatory.

Erik has eight CDs out under his own name: “One Note at a Time” (2020) “Erik Jekabson Sextet” (2018) and “Erik Jekabson Quintet” on the Wide Hive label, “A Brand New Take” (2016) on the OA2 record label, and “Erik Jekabson Quartet & John Santos: Live at the Hillside Club”, (2014) ,“Anti-Mass”(2012) , and “Crescent Boulevard” (2010) on his own Jekab’s Music record label. His debut CD, “Intersection”, was recorded in New York in 2002 and released on the Fresh Sound/New Talent label.

Kenny Washington thrills audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and rapid-fire scatting. He is described as one of “the Bay Area’s best kept musical secrets,” Washington’s astounding improvisational flights, inventive approach and emotional intensity are awe inspiring. If you have never heard this New Orleans native sing before, prepare to join a global audience that has been wowed by Washington’s talent.

Tickets at Erik Jekabson’s New Orleans Quintet

Mamajowali features three veteran musicians – one from Mali, West Africa and two from the United States – that have found common ground in a new and unique sound. Interweaving two continents and three uniquely different musical sensibilities, their cultural and instrumental blend of kamale ngoni (the hunter’s harp), six string guitar, percussion, fiddle, mandolin and singing is traditional, innovative and uncommon – all at the same time. Mamajowali overlays West African and Latin American music with old time Americana and spirited originals with hoppin’ high energy grooves and tons of improvisational trialogue. Come listen to the sound you’ve never heard ~ “Afromericana!”

Joe Craven – Award winning creativity educator, former museum curator, actor, festival emcee, Director of RiverTunes Music Camp and Co-Director of Wintergrass Youth Academy, multi-instrumentalist Joe Craven’s love of performing music has put him in many musical genres and alongside many musicians, from Jerry Garcia, David Lindley and Jason Marsalis, to fusion banjoist Alison Brown and groups such as Psychograss and The Horseflies. For 17 years, he was percussionist and violinist for mandolinist David Grisman. With presenting workshops and lectures in Costa Rica, to thousands of school kids in Scotland, from house concerts to major festivals and from Carnegie Hall to busking at Cannery Row – Joe’s at home and loving every minute.Master kamale ngoni player,

Mamadou Sidibe is from the Wassoulou Region of Mali, West Africa. Twenty-five years ago Mamadou played a groundbreaking role in transforming the music of this region from it’s origins in hunters’ sacred melodies- -played on six string donso ngoni (hunter’s harps)– to a music of philosophical observations, politics and daily life. Mamadou was one of the first to expand the instrument’s range with two extra strings, creating the popular kamale ngoni. He has recently enhanced the kamale ngoni even further, by creating 10 and 12 string kamale ngoni. Mamadou, with artists Coumba Sidibe, Oumou Sangare and Ramatu Diakite, spread the new sounds through recordings and performances in Europe, Africa and the United States. Not only is Mamadou an award winning musician and master of the kamale ngoni, he is accomplished on several other African instruments as well.

Fingerstyle guitarist Walter Strauss’s multi-layered style draws on cultural guitar traditions – Spanish, American roots, classical, jazz. But what makes his playing utterly unique is the influence of other global stringed instruments. He has delved deep into the gourd harp traditions of West Africa, translating traditional kora and kamal’ngoni pieces to the guitar. Malian kora legend Toumani Diabate calls Walter’s guitar rendering of kora music “inspirational”, and proposed Walter's duo with his son, Sidiki Diabate, a West African star in his own right. Walter's collaborators have ranged from Grammy-winning kora player Mamadou Diabate to Scottish fiddler Johnny Hardie & Grammy-nominated guitar maestro Alex de Grassi. He has performed internationally at venues like Lincoln Center, the Celtic Connections Festival in Scotland, and Le Diplomate in Bamako, Mali.

Tickets at Mamajowali

Join us for our monthly Blues Blowout. You won't want to miss these!

Jules Leyhe might look like your everyday, average, unassuming guy, but he’s one of the world’s foremost blues slide-guitar players—so much so that even Premier Guitar magazine called his music “the best blues slide licks since Derek Trucks, maybe even Duane Allman.” Those might sound like some big boots, but this Oakland native not only fills them, he wears them out and has to order new ones. This year, he is showcasing a new blues series at the Sound Room, where Leyhe and his Family Jules Blues Blowout take a look at new music each month.

Named one of Guitar Player Magazines 12 Players of Christmas in 2014 as well as the Bay Area Blues Foundations All Stars in 2015, Leyhe has already shared the stage with many of Blues greatest talents including Buddy Guy, Barry Goldberg, Fantastic Negrito, Nick Gravenites, Elvin Bishop, and Maria Muldaur.

Leyhe has performed with with Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Charlie Musselwhite, Chris Cain, Jimmy Vivino, Fantastic Negrito, Elvin Bishop, and Maria Muldaur, played the national anthem at the Oakland Coliseum, and been featured in guitar player, premier guitar, and vintage guitar. Leyhe’s music is a mashup of blues, hip-hop, fusion, rock and Latin music. Conceived and constructed using vivid fantasy, the Berklee grad imagined what it would sound like to pair signature elements from diametrically opposed artists. Picture Duane Allman jamming with jazz piano great Gil Evans, or Jimi Hendrix playing in Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Family Jules Band features drummer Isaac Schwartz, and renowned bassist Andrew Couttie on bass with Ian McArdle on keys

Tickets at Jules Lehye & The Family Jules

Continuing Jazz Mafia’s much talked about monthly residency at The Sound Room, this special night brings together Jazz Mafia and Tiffany Austin in a celebration of their decade-long collaboration. The 7-piece band of core Jazz Mafia musicians will perform original songs co-written by Tiffany and Jazz Mafia director Adam Theis, along with Adam’s arrangements showcasing Tiffany’s remarkable vocal talents. The evening will also feature a tribute to jazz legend Art Blakey.

Tiffany Austin - vocals

Adam Theis - trombone, musical director

Mike Olmos - trumpet

Tommy Occhiuto - sax

Colin Hogan - keys

Joshua Thurston-Milgrom - upright bass

Henry Plumb - drums

In the year 2000, trombonist, bassist, composer, arranger, and producer Adam Theis co-founded Jazz Mafia – an eclectic artist collective of forward-thinking and accomplished players in Electro, Hip-Hop, World, Classical, and Jazz. Twenty years in the making, Jazz Mafia is a prolific staple of the quintessential San Francisco sound, uniting creative and accomplished Bay Area instrumentalists, vocalists, MCs, composers, and arrangers.

The collective quickly garnered a reputation for its collaborative and risk-taking spirit, and over the years has worked with Roy Ayers, Lyrics Born, Zion-I, Rebelution, Latyrx, Galactic, Ledesi, Blackalicious, and Jackie Greene, to name a few. Recently, the collective performed sold out residencies at the SFJAZZ Center and served as the house band in The Soiled Dove – its large-scale cirque-inspired collaboration with The Vau de Vire Society. Jazz Mafia has also recently collaborated with the Oakland Symphony at Paramount Theatre of the Arts, as well as with GRAMMY-winning composer Mason Bates and his Mercury Soul project at the Kennedy Center in DC. Jazz Mafia also curates musical experiences for Stanford University, Oakland Art & Soul Festival, and many other presenters.

This event features Vocalist Tiffany Austin. Austin's music and voice draw upon influences such as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin, yet she also infuses songs with her own signature style that is precise, intelligent, and soulful.

Austin is becoming a national figure in her own right: an artist with a musical message as topical as an unsettling headline and as timeless as an Ella Fitzgerald ballad. Andy Gilbert

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Two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Mads Tolling and the dynamic multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Vicki Randle are teaming up for an unforgettable musicalcollaboration! This powerhouse duo promises an electrifying blend of Tolling’s virtuosic jazz violin and Randle’s soulful vocals, rhythmic mastery, and boundless energy. Together, they are redefining genres with a fusion of jazz, funk, blues, and Americana, creating a vibrant, one-of-a-kind soundscape.

Mads Tolling, celebrated for his innovative compositions and exceptional skills, brings his extensive background as former member of the Turtle Island Quartet and Stanley Clarke’s band. Vicki Randle, known for her magnetic performances as a longtime member of "The Tonight Show" band and collaborations with legends like Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staples, infuses every note with passion and authenticity.

Joining Vicki and Mads this evening are the Mads Men, renowned bassist Gary Brown and virtuoso pianist Colin Hogan. Don't miss this rare opportunity to witness Mads Tolling and Vicki Randle in concert for the first time—a thrilling journey through sound and emotion that will leave you inspired and wanting more!

Mads Tolling – violin

Vicki Randle – vocals & percussion

Colin Hogan – keys

Gary Brown – bass

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Join us for Laugh Attack at the Sound Room! The show features top comedy designed to leave you holding you holding your sides. You don't want to miss this Comedy Party!

Featuring Host Sean Francisco. With over a decade of entertainment experience, his zany performance style and unconventional act may leave you in stitches both figuratively AND literally. Sean has appeared on multiple streaming networks including "Discovery+" and the Belgium "VTM GO". He has performed everywhere from swanky private events, to casinos and amphitheatres. Through comedy and magic, Sean has collaborated with the Bay Area's top talents and is excited to bring his unique blend of hilarity and wonder to you!

Karen Braswell is a rising San Francisco based comedian. Originally from New York, Karen left Wall Street to pursue a career in literally anything else, and she now performs comedy on every stage, sidewalk and dive bar all over SF. A regular at local favorites like Cobb’s Comedy Club, Punch Line and Cheaper Than Therapy, Karen also is a member of the HellaFunny production team, helping run over 20 shows a week throughout the Bay Area. With a fresh take on things like dating, dogs and growing up as the teacher’s pet, Karen turns expectations on their head with her irreverent style.

K. Cheng has appeared at the Comedy Cellar, the Comedy Store, and Gotham’s Comedy Club… not to perform, he’s just appeared there. He has, however, performed at NBC Stand Up for Diversity, EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival), and San Francisco Sketchfest. He’s the producer of Crazy Funny Asians, Cosplay Comedy, The Khmers of Comedy, and Cardi Spelling Bee. He’s also a contributor to The Lunar Times, From the Desk of Nerd Legion, and The 1990 Institute. He is a guest lecturer on comedy at St. Mary’s College and Mills College.

Arturo Raygoza Jr is an energetic comedian who produces and performs in shows from the Bay Area to LA. He is a writer, filmmaker, and CEO of Street Light Entertainment. The production company that produces shows such as Ultimate Roasting Championship which you can find on YouTube. He has recently been selected for San Francisco Sketchfest. Arturo has performed with Jamie Kennedy and Saturday Night Live legend Darrell Hammond. Arturo is getting ready to film his first hour comedy special this year.

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StorySlam Oakland is Oakland's longest-running true storytelling show, where people tell short and true stories from their lives. Or just listen and laugh.

February's theme is "Advice." What have you been telling people? What have they been telling you? Come tell us a 5-minute true story about some memorable advice you received (or gave) and what happened. Life lessons, relationships, marriage and parenting, work or retirement, anything goes as long as you tell us the story behind it and what happened. (But please, save your medical stories for another audience.) Unasked for advice, a suggestion you were compelled to make, an online review that swayed you. We could all use some funny advice stories! Note: not all stories may be funny. Sometimes advice turns out to be tragic.

Featured Storyteller:Eva Schlesinger is a well-known Bay Area storyteller who you may have seen onstage at The Moth or other StorySlam Oakland shows. But we're giving her a long rein to tell us a more elaborate story as our Feature. Eva is a writer and humorist, who is beloved for her memorable style. If life is an ever-changing river, Eva has the rare ability to take its pebbles and sand and create story gold.

HOW THE SHOW WORKS:

Anybody can put their name in the hat for a chance to tell their true, personal story on the theme.

Storytellers will be mostly picked at random from the names in the hat. We usually have time for 8 to 10 open-mic storytellers. We also present one or two Featured Storytellers from our wonderful storytelling community. These are people who have won awards at various shows, or just are known to us for their great storytelling style and charisma. The Featured Storytellers tell true, personal stories, but a little longer than the open-mic'ers.

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SOLD OUT

SOLD OUT

Next Flamenco show is March 29

This event has SOLD OUT!

Join us May 9 for the next Sinatra show

Amy D.’s innate ability to carry lyrics and capture the essence of a song can be traced back to her early years. Hearing the sense of longing in romantic music from The Great American Songbook to The Quiet Storm's R&B slow jams, she found her own timeless sound.

In a special concert on February 8th at The Sound Room, Amy presents “All About Love,” depicting the many aspects of love woven through a diverse selection of romantic songs and spoken word.

Come discover a new found appreciation of what love can be in our relationships, family, and society inspired by the powerful, thought-provoking messages from bell hooks’ acclaimed novel All about love and Amy's own quest to define love and its multidimensional nature.

Featuring: Amy D, voice; Jeff Goodkind, piano; Etienne David Franc, bass; Jason Lewis, drums. +Special Guests

Amy D. (Amy Dabalos) is a vocalist, songwriter, and music educator who encourages reflection and healing through creative expression. With a musical foundation rooted in jazz, followed by formal classical training, Amy D. relishes in the subtle, technical, and innovative. A San Jose native now residing in Oakland, her luminescent voice and heartfelt performances have been featured throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond since 2010. Past appearances include SFJAZZ, Yoshi’s Oakland, The Sound Room, Keys Jazz Bistro, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, and Healdsburg Jazz Festival.

Her debut album ‘Like You’ was released in 2019 on Unspeakable Records, in collaboration with producer Michael Aaberg (Goapele, Lalah Hathaway, Derrick Hodge). In addition to performing and recording with her new band Heart Matter (with vibraphonist Dillon Vado), she empowers others along their own journeys to express through voice and communication through 1:1 coaching and workshops.

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Presenting a mixture of Original music, Jazz, Fusion and South American gems.

Rebecca Kleinmann started synthesizing her diverse musical interests as a flutist and vocalist at Indiana University, where she began her studies as a Classical Flute performance major and historically graduated as the first Jazz Flute major in the history of the school’s Jazz Studies program, thanks to the support of her beloved mentor, the late David Baker. She then moved to California where she lived for 20 years performing widely, teaching music and began yearly pilgrimages to Brazil where she cultivated her love and understanding of various Brazilian musical genres. Now newly based in her home state of North Carolina, Rebecca leads her Quintet "RKQ" which was awarded the 2024 Chamber Music America Performance Plus grant. She leads Brazilian Choro groups "Noites Carolinas,” and “Forró Triângulo” and is a professor at UNC Chapel Hill as the director of "Charanga Carolina” focused on Caribbean and South American music. She has toured world-wide from Spain to Australia, performed and recorded with Grammy winning artists including Hermeto Pascoal, Airto Moreira, and Taylor Eigsti and has been featured at major festivals and venues including the San Jose Jazz Festival, Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Birdland, Yoshi’s and SF Jazz.

The Hogan Brothers - Steve (bass), Colin (keyboards), and Julian (drums) - are a jazz fusion trio based in Oakland, California. Their influences, while rooted in American styles such as Jazz, Funk, R&B, and Pop, are also informed by many international styles such as Timba, Tango, Gamelan, Highlife, Soukous, Afro-pop, North Indian Classical music and much more. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, the brothers credit their parents (Jim & Maddie) for their diverse musical upbringing, exposing them to a plethora of international musical styles at young ages. They were fortunate not only to take advantage of the wide variety of excellent music programs available in the Bay Area (Berkeley High Jazz, Young Musicians Program, Cal State East Bay Music, UC Berkeley Ethnomusicology), but also had the opportunity to study internationally with master musicians in such countries such as Indonesia, Cuba, Ghana, and Brazil. The brothers are collectively involved in many projects and have performed extensively throughout the US and internationally (Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Barbados). They have performed with many great artists/projects such as: James Moody, Hugh Masekela, Peter Erskine, Tommy Igoe, Larry Graham, Bob Brookmeyer, Roy Ayers, Josh Jones, Goapele, Maria Schneider, Bobby Brown, Evan Rachel Wood, Keith Terry, Victor Wooten, Latoya London, Dave Chappelle, Crosspulse, Dynamic, Adam Theis, Jazz Mafia, and O-maya. The Hogan Brothers continue to perform and study internationally, always seeking to broaden their audience and sound.

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If you are a blues fan, it doesn't get any better than this!!!

Take some influence from B.B. King, Albert King, Ray Charles, and a pinch of Albert Collins. Add in dazzling blues and jazz guitar chops, a rich soulful baritone vocal delivering original, often wry and beleaguered lyrics with sophisticated chord changes and instrumentation, and skills on various horns and keyboards, all delivered with an uptown cool that never lacks searing passion. It all adds up to the one and only Chris Cain, who has gone from being a newcomer phenomenon bursting onto the blues scene in 1987 with a classic debut release, to being a legend, inspiration and long-established member of the blues pantheon.

His jazz-informed blues guitar playing is fiery, emotional and always unpredictable. His vocals—gruff, lived-in and powerful—add fuel to the fire. His indelible original songs keep one foot in the blues tradition and both eyes on the future. The pure joy Cain brings to his playing and singing is palpable, and draws fans even closer in.

"Hands down my favorite blues player on the scene today. He’s an absolute blinder of a guitarist, with the voice of B.B. King and the chops of Albert King." –Joe Bonamassa

"Chris Cain? Now that boy can PLAY the guitar!" –B.B. King

"Chris Cain is a hot-shot guitarist and a singer with the maturity of blues masters like Bobby Bland and B.B. King." –The Washington Post

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