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.

Tickets at Amy D: All About Love

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.

Tickets at Rebecca Kleinmann & The Hogan Brothers

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

Tickets at Chris Cain Band

This is a show you will absolutely not want to miss!

Kelly Green is one of NYC's most exciting new artists "well worth discovering" (NYC Jazz Record)! A true "triple threat", Kelly Green mesmerizes audiences as a pianist, vocalist, and composer. Kelly’s remarkable talent has led her to share the stage with jazz legends such as Christian McBride, George Coleman, Billy Hart and many others showcasing her exceptional skill, empathy, and musicality. She has brought her compelling talent and personality to prestigious venues including The Kennedy Center, Dizzy's Jazz Club, Birdland, and Blue Note and has toured with her band all over the US, Europe, and South America.

Green will be joined by her renowned band of world class musicians Evan Hyde on drums and Luca Soul Rosenfeld on the upright bass.

Kelly Green is known for her intricate lyric driven arrangements of Jazz standards and her auspicious "outside-the-box" original compositions. With her trio she will be performing selections from their classic repertoire, music from their latest album 'Seems' and music from their upcoming album 'Corner of My Dreams'.

Esteemed writer and radio DJ Thierry De Clemensat describes their new album ‘Seems’ as “…an album of incredible class with musicians you’ll instantly adore.”

“Kelly Green is one of the most talented & spirited people I know. Everything about her is joyous and swingin’!” -Christian McBride

“She is no mere songwriter, but an artist and performer in toto...Green’s composing skills are more than impressive.” -Michael Bailey (All About Jazz)

“Kelly Green is a triple threat as pianist, vocalist and composer” -Jazz Weekly, George Harris

“She is no mere songwriter, but an artist and performer in toto…Green’s composing skills are more than impressive.” -All About Jazz, C. Michael Bailey

Tickets for the show at Kelly Green Trio

Join acclaimed New York City-based pianist, vocalist, and composer Kelly Green for an engaging and insightful masterclass on learning songs and playing in ensembles. Hailed as one of NYC's most exciting new artists and praised by Christian McBride for her joy and swing, Kelly brings her extensive experience performing with jazz legends like George Coleman, Billy Hart and many more. Kelly is an accomplished educator, teaching for the prestigious World-renowned education program Jazz House Kids for the last 10 years and has many students who have gone on to study jazz at college and have successful careers.

In this masterclass, Kelly will guide participants through her method of mastering new repertoire and collaborating effectively within a group setting. Known for her intricate, lyric-driven arrangements of jazz standards and innovative original compositions, she will share techniques on:

• Efficiently learning and internalizing songs

• Developing a strong sense of time and groove

• Enhancing communication and empathy among musicians

• Creating engaging arrangements in a small group context

Kelly will be joined by her world-class trio featuring Evan Hyde on drums and Luca Soul Rosenfeld on upright bass, who will help demonstrate how to interact dynamically within an ensemble. The session will also include performances of selections from her albums Seems and Corner of My Dreams, offering real-world examples of how to apply these concepts on stage.

Whether you're a vocalist, instrumentalist, or bandleader, this masterclass is perfect for anyone looking to improve their ability to play confidently in a group and make meaningful musical connections. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of jazz’s rising stars!

Master Class is 5:30-6:30

Show is 7:30 - 9:30

Tickets for: Master Class & Show with Kelly Green

Angela LaFlamme heads up a six-piece band from San Francisco that deftly re-imagines some of our favorite music from ’20s through the ’00s into her own swinging sound. Drawing on favorites from Billie Holiday to Tom Waits, the Cure to Count Basie, and also iher own original material, this sextet embodies more than just a retro jukebox, it creates a memorable live show experience.

Angela LaFlamme: vocals
Timothy Orr: drums
Greg Olwell: double bass & guitar
Jeff Hobbs: violin/saxophone/clarinet
Myles Boisen: guitar
Kymry Esainko: piano

“A fantastic band… sexy and sleek.” —Huffington Post

Tickets at Angela LaFlamme: Brand New Dream

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 Blues Showcase: Jules Leyhe Band

Oakland Samba Revue is the San Francisco Bay Area’s premiere banda de gafieira. Featuring a full horn section with tightly crafted original arrangements featuring 3 vocalists, O.S.R. draws on the sounds of samba de gafieira; an eclectic form of traditional samba from Brazil. O.S.R.’s unique brand of samba de gafieira includes heavy does of jazz, funk, forró, bolero and more.

O.S.R. is a product of Grupo Falso Baiano co-founder Brian Moran – “Morangão” (guitar/cavaquinho/vocals and arrangements), backed by a rotating cast of some of the Bay Area’s best jazz and latin jazz musicians including vocalists/percussionists Catia Machado Lund and Katiana Vilá, Zack Pitt-Smith and Marçelo Meira (reeds), Erik Jekabson, Henry Hung and Ethan Pires (trumpets), Jeff Cressman and Remee Ashley (trombones), Brendan Neutra (bass), Fabio Reis and Dillon Vado (drums).

Tickets at Oakland Samba Revue

DON'T MISS THIS SHOW!!!
Marina Crouse is one of the most notable talents on the San Francisco/Bay Area music scene. Her early classical training is reflected in her powerful and versatile vocal style that creates a genuine excitement in every performance. Her most recent music has focused on Boleros and Spanish love songs, but her early performances were singing the Blues and we are VERY EXCITED to have her perform again!

"A new voice as strong as the best blues singers of the past as she sings with the intensity of a Koko Taylor, heartbreak of Etta James, raw emotion of Big Maybelle... Marina Crouse has all it takes to be the next top lady of the Blues" ~ Noel Hayes, DJ at KPOO 89.5FM
"Marina Crouse is long overdue her day in the sun. This big, delicious voice deserves to be heard! Really soulful." ~Danny Caron, guitarist and former musical director with Charles Brown
Marina regularly performs in the Bay Area, sharing the stage with many notable Bay Area musicians, including Garth Webber, S.E. Willis, Ruth Davies, Pamela Rose, Tammy Hall, Danny Caron, and many others.

Garth Webber is a Berkeley-based guitarist/singer, known internationally for his signature tone, who has played with Miles Davis, Gregg Allman, Bill Champlin, Mose Alison, Robben Ford, Boz Skaggs, Merl Saunders, Bob Weir, Doctor John and others. His style is a mix of blues, jazz and rock. He has three Solo CD projects out and has played on many recordings for Bay Area artists. His style is modern but with a foundation in traditional blues.

Tickets at BIG Birthday Bash for Marina Crouse with the Garth Webber Band

Bassist/Composer/Band leader Fred Randolph brings his fiery quintet to The Sound Room Thursday January 23. The group has recorded 4 cds: “Learning Curve”, “New Day”, “Song Without Singing” and it’s most recent offering “Mood Walk”. JW magazine says of Mood Walk: “Stylistically eclectic, supremely grooving, endlessly fascinating masterwork… a rambunctious, twist, turn and improvisation-filled set.”

Joining Fred will be some of the most in demand musicians on the scene: Erik Jekabson trumpet, Sheldon Brown saxes and flute, Isaac Schwartz drums, and Murray Low piano.

www.fredrandolph.com

Tickets at Fred Randolph Quintet

January's theme is "Trying Something New."

We are excited to present Fred Brill as our Featured Storyteller this month. Fred is an avid storyteller/performer and writer. He's won the Moth StorySlam twice, and has recently come up with his own recurring StorySlam show in San Francisco at The Marsh Theater. It's called, "Conundrum Chronicles - where stories are told, moral dilemmas unfold." He lives in Berkeley with his wife Mimi and their two rescue dogs. They have 5 adult kids and several grandchildren. Fredbrill.com

Tickets at StorySlam Oakland

Horns have been the backbone of the 20 year deep genre-bending West Coast musical collective known as Jazz Mafia. “New Directions In Brass” features the brass of Jazz Mafia taking the 100 year old brassband ensemble into the future, with innovative new rhythms that reflect current music, while keeping a solid foundation in the tradition of New Orleans Jazz and street party music.

Adam Theis- Trombone, Ross Eustis- Trumpet, Richard Benitez- Trumpet, Tommy Occhiuto- Sax, Jonathan Seiberlich- Tuba, Darian Gray- 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. This is a continuation of Jazz Mafia’s much talked about monthly residency at The Sound Room.

Tickets at Jazz Mafia: New Directions in Jazz

The big guy from out West and larger than life energy (he’s also 6’5’) performer, guitarist, singer, banjoist, songwriter, composer, entertainer, musical historian and teacher Mitch Polzak wears his heart on his sleeve and his playing in his heart.

Polzak performs rockabilly and 60’s country music with the religious fervor of Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash and delivers a Honky Tonk ballad with the sincerity of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. Mitch will bring a room to a fevered pitch of joyous energy on the dance floor and then tell you a story in a song like two old friends sitting at a kitchen table at midnight.

His virtuosic guitar skills and influences range from the blazing flying fingers of Joe Maphis, Marty Stuart, Roy Clark, and Don Rich to the timeless dreamlike state of “Sleepwalk” by Santo and Johnny along with the vast valleys of deep rumbling twang associated with Duane Eddy.

There is not one singular definition of Polzak’s music but that is very specific to what he does. Being fluent in the musical languages of Country, Rockabilly, Honky Tonk, The Bakersfield Sound, Surf, early Rock and Roll, Bluegrass, Cajun, Blues, and Truck Driving music gives Polzak the unique voice of the melting pot of the American musical experience. This is why he consistently connects with so many people directly at every show.

Polzak’s abundant joy in communicating with people through music leaps off the stage through every fiber of his being. His near-constant genuine smile can be seen clear across the room and invites you in without any pretense or judgements. Some call him “The Honky Tonk Mister Rogers”!

Make no mistake though. Underneath that smile is a deep and reverent respect for the history and integrity of the music and musicians who came before him and created the sounds and told their stories.

Tickets at Mitch Polzak

Many of us have friends, colleagues, or family who have lost everything in the devastating fires in the LA area. If you remember the 1991 Oakland fire, this may be a frightening reminder. We will be donating proceeds from this event to the LA Red Cross.  

CSU Northridge is nationally recognized as a destination program for aspiring musical professionals. The TenTet is coordinated by Gary Fukushima, jazz pianist, CSUN educator and monthly contributor to DownBeat Magazine. The TenTet is made up of some of the best and brightest students in the jazz program at CSU, Northridge. They are on a tour of Central and Northern California as representatives of CSUN's award-winning jazz program, which has over 80 jazz majors who participate in three big bands, vocal jazz and latin jazz bands, and over a dozen combos. The TenTet's mission is to entertain the public and inform them of the hallmarks of CSUN Jazz.

The CSUN Jazz TenTet is ten distinct artistic voices:

Gianna Pedregon, violin; Alya Olcan, vocals; Cesar Hernandez, trumpet; Christopher Astoquillca, alto saxophone; Brandon Muhawi, tenor saxophone; Matteo Rivera, trombone; Steven Caceres, guitar; Elder Gindroz, piano; Erick Hernandez, bass; Osmar Barrios, drums.

Come hear the future of Jazz!

Tickets at CSU Northridge TenTet

Lotería is a Mexican card game that is played like bingo but with images instead of numbers. The Gurkestra Lotería Project presents original compositions inspired by the iconic lotería images by drawing on rhythms from around Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Gurkestra is: Charlie Gurke - saxophone and compositions; Josh Jones - drums; Patrick Morehead - keys, with special guests: Anthony Blea - violin and Camilo Landau - guitar

Charlie Gurke is a Bay Area based saxophonist, composer, and educator. In addition to leading various incarnations of his Gurkestra, Charlie is a member of the John Santos Sextet, The Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, Edgardo Cambon’s groups Candela and Latido. An active freelancer, Charlie regularly performs and records with collaborators in a variety of genres. Recent performances of note include the 2018 and 2019 Monterey Jazz Festivals (with John Santos and the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, respectively), and the 2019 Montreux Jazz Festival (with the Grammy winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra).

Charlie is currently on the faculty at Laney Community college in Oakland where he leads the Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Combos, and teaches music theory. Charlie is also part of the faculty of the Community Music Center in San Francisco, where he teaches Jazz Ensembles and is part of the faculty for the Mission District Young Musician’s Program.

A native of the Bay Area, Charlie attended the San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA), where he studied with Wayne Wallace and Melecio Magdaluyo, among others. After high school Charlie moved to New York and attended the New School's Jazz and Contemporary Music program, studying with legendary saxophonists Billy Harper and George Garzone. Charlie holds a bachelor's degree in music with an emphasis on composition from California State University East Bay (aka Cal State Hayward), and a master's degree in jazz studies from the University of Oregon.

Drummer & Percussionist Josh Jones is recognized internationally from his touring and recording with such Jazz greats as Don Cherry, Steve Coleman, Omar Sosa, Yosvany Terry, and Jacqui Naylor. His recent recording projects include “Then and Now” with Blue Note recording artist Benny Green, as well as a project with Cuban royalty Chuchito Valdes. Josh continues to perform with his various ensembles at clubs and festivals in the Bay Area and remains a major influence on the jazz community not only as a performer, but as a highly respected educator.

Patrick Morehead has recorded with a wide spectrum of musicians ranging from the soulful, jazz vocalist Gail Dobson to multi-Grammy recording artist Karl Perazzo (Carlos Santana band) to folk artist Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star). He performed with top artists such as Sheila E, Steve Turre, Jerry Gonzalez, Louis Romero, Orestes Vilato, Bobby Allende, Johnny Rivera, Poncho Sanchez, Giovanni Hidalgo, John Santos, Bobi Cespedes and Benny Velarde (Cal Tjader).

Anthony Blea played and recorded with Artists Israel Lopez “Cachao”, Ray Charles, S.F. Opera Orchestra, John Santos Ensemble, Jazz Mafia, Anthony Blea y su Charanga, Charanga 76, Orquesta Broadway and many more. Anthony also is a professor of Music at the San Francisco City College where he teaches Orchestra, Violin and Community Choir.

Camilo "con su estilo" Landau lives in Oakland and plays with The Cuban Cowboys, LaTiDo, AguaLibre, Carne Cruda, La Mixta Criolla, Dave and the Diamonds, The Los Shoegazers, and more. He has performed or recorded with Susana Baca, Omar Sosa, Dr. Loco's Rockin' Jalapeño Band, Quetzal, Ozomatli, Los Lobos, Batista, Sambada, Los Mocosos, Fito Reynoso, Arturo Ortega, Santero, Los Compas, The Ska Messengers, Medusa, Edgardo y Candela, Bobi Cespedes, Maldita Vecindad, John Santos, Vission Latina, Los Cojolites, Kepa Junkera, Domingo Siete, Jesus Diaz, Francisco Herrera, Azabache, Nina Serrano, Pamela Rodriguez, Burning Star, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, John Santos (on a Grammy®-nominated CD) and many more.

Tickets at Gurkestra Lotería Project

18 year old, trumpeter Skylar Tang has become a prominent figure in the Bay Area jazz scene and has garnered national recognition for her trumpet playing and composing. She is an award-winning student at Juilliard Conservatory and Columbia University who has performed at Carnegie Hall, SFJAZZ, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Monterey Jazz Fest, Davies Symphony Hall, Royal Albert Hall and more.

She has toured the US, Europe, and South Africa with Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra Jazz Band, which featured guest artists Sean Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Jazzmeia Horn. As the winner of the 2022 Essentially Ellington’s Student Composition/Arranging Contest, she conducted and performed her original composition "Kaleidoscope" with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Inspired by the profound history of black American music, Skylar strives to create honest, innovative, and relevant music that speaks to all aspects of the human condition.

Featuring

Brahm Sasner, Piano

Ben Halle, Bass

Ben Schwartz, Drums

Tickets at Skylar Tang Quartet

Rising star Luis Peralta is a 22-year-old pianist from Oakland, California now living in Brooklyn, New York. He began playing piano at seven, embarking quickly on a serious study of European Classical and Jazz music. In 2019, Luis was awarded a full scholarship to study piano at the New School. He has studied with and performed with Bay Area figures such as Howard Wiley and Marcus Shelby. In New York City, he has played with Wallace Roney Jr., Rodney Green, Russell Hall, Darrell Green, and Mike Troy.

Bassist Isaac Coyle originally hails from the California Bay Area. He began his musical studies on guitar at the age of 6, but switched to primarily playing bass at the age of 14. While in high school Isaac had the opportunity to study under many fantastic musicians such as Howard Wiley, Ben Wolfe, Jeff Chambers and others. He was also a part of honor bands such as the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and SFjazz High School All-Stars, while continuing to gig frequently around the Bay Area. He graduated from El Cerrito High School in 2019 and currently attends the Berklee College of Music in Boston on a full tuition scholarship, studying with World Renowned Artists such as Bassist Linda May-Oh as well as Saxophonist Tia Fuller . In his first year, Isaac had the brief opportunity to also play in Ralph Petersons GenNext Bigband (alongside Morgan Faw and Christian Napoleon).

“The most prodigious Bay Area saxophonist of his generation” (Berkeleyside), Howard Wiley will join this group on drums. Having been mentored by Bay Area great Jules Broussard and sharing formative bandstand experiences with the likes of Clark Terry, Jason Moran, Orrin Evans, and Lauryn Hill, the Berkeley-born Wiley is a stunnung musical talent. The multi-instrumentalist and composer is a constant presence on stages and venues around the country as both a bandleader and collaborator with former Tower of Power and Santana organist Chester Thompson, Ethio-folk vocalist Meklit, and as drummer with jump-blues chanteuse Lavay Smith’s Red Hot Skillet Lickers.

Tickets at Luis Perlata, Isaac Coyle & Howard Wiley

Alabama Mike is a hard-driving Chicago-style blues singer with the ability to make you feel as if you’ve revisited the early CHESS RECORDS days. He's a force on the microphone with a first rate, church house tenor’, that he was blessed with. He has a sound that will remind you of a young BB King or Buddy Guy, Elmore James and Little Johnny Taylor.

Alabama Mike was born Michael Benjamin in Talladega Alabama in 1964. This was where he spent all of his formative years. Early on, he was musically influenced by his father Joseph Benjamin. Joseph was a very talented quartet, tenor vocalist from whom he inherited that soulful, gospel drenched approach to his vocal style. He sings low down blues or uptown soul with the style and finesse of a vocal master.

He has been nominated for by the Blues Foundation for Traditional Blues Artist Of The Year 2011 and Traditional Blues Band Of The Year 2014 with The Hound Kings . He won Traditional Blues Artist Of The year 2010 by the Bay Area Blues Society. In addition, he has played major festivals, both domestically and internationally. He has to date released several solo projects that are available on most digital platforms. The most recent releases being, “Upset The Status Quo” which includes the hits MISSISSIPPI and Restraining Order and also a Big Tone Records release entitled “Hip You To My Blues”. He has collaborated and shared the stage with many industry giants including, Kid Andersen, D’Mar Martin, Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, Bob Corritore, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Toni Tone Tony, Big Jon Atkinson, Jim Pugh, Jerry Jemmott, Bob Corritore , Kim Wilson and many others. In his latest tour, Alabama Mike joined the Andy T Band featuring Anson Funderburgh. Alabama’s works locally with, The Mighty Regulators, includes Ronnie Smith (Drums), AJ Joyce (Bass), Bernard Anderson (Sax) and Bobby Young (Guitar) who are all bringing great music to the San Francisco Bay area blues scene.

Tickets at Alabama Mike

Prepare to be AMAZED!

Join us for a hilarious show full of laughs, gasps, and WTF was that's?! Mystery, Magic & Mirth features the Bay Area's top acts in comedy and magic. Our performers have been seen on the biggest stages and have appeared in film and television! We strive to bring you serious laughs and even seriouser (definitely a word) magic! In this off the rails unconventional magic show, comedian Sean Francisco takes the audience on a tour of the impossible. Sean has traveled up and down the west coast sharing his show with audiences from across the map and he is excited to bring it back to the bay area! Come have your mind melted and your wishes granted in this eclectic and zany magic show unlike any other.

Joining Sean on stage is mind reading sensation Jake Berg!

Jake Berg, a master mentalist from NYC, has mesmerized audiences and celebrities nationwide with his extraordinary abilities. Armed with a degree in psychology, razor-sharp wit, and over 20 years of performance experience, Jake has yet to encounter a mind he can't unravel.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll find coins behind your ears!

Tickets at Mystery, Magic & Mirth

A group of rising stars bringing you an evening of original and arranged compositions with stylistic influences from jazz, show tunes, Brazilian popular music, blues, and free improvisation.

Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee - saxophone

Hannah Mayer - piano

Gus Hurteau - vibes

Oliver Tuttle - trombone

Isaac Coyle - bass

Miles Turk - drums

Saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee was born and raised in Oakland, California, and is a graduate of the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York. During his time at the New School, he studied with luminaries such as Melissa Aldana, Darius Jones, Tivon Pennicot, David Glasser, Or Bareket, Jon Irabagon, Anat Cohen, Joshua Rubin, and Ismail Lumaneovsky. In Oakland, Nathan has taught at Oakland Summer Music, Oakland Public Conservatory, and his alma mater Claremont Middle School, providing music education at no cost to middle schoolers. He has performed at the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland with the Derek Lewis group, and more recently at The Stone in New York with Sebastian Selendis Alexander Johnson. Nathan is a big supporter of community organizing, hosting eclectic house shows and Improv Nights where he brings together 10 to 20 improvisers to play in pre decided groups that are kept secret from the participants until they play. Nathan continues to compose, improvise, and perform in New York City and the Bay Area.

Hannah Mayer is a 21-year-old pianist and composer from El Cerrito and a recent graduate of the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, MD. Hannah has had the honor of performing alongside notable musicians including Sean Jones, Melissa Aldana, Etienne Charles, Warren Wolf, Charenée Wade, Tim Green and Sharel Cassity, and has been a member of Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead (Kennedy Center), NYO Jazz (Carnegie Hall) and the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars. Hannah recently released an album paying tribute to the Broadway composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim (“Hannah Mayer & Friends Play Sondheim”), which captures their drive to bridge their love of improvised music and theatre.

Tickets at Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee & Hannah Mayer Group

There's a saying that what you do on New Year's Eve (NYE) is what you'll do the rest of the year. So let's all get together for some GREAT MUSIC, FOOD & MORE! Join us for a Special NYE Blues Bash featuring Marina Crouse, one of the best blues singers today, teaming up with Jules Leyhe, one of the world's best slide guitarist and his band.

Marina Crouse is one of the most notable talents on the Bay Area music scene. "A new voice as strong as the best blues singers of the past as she sings with the intensity of a Koko Taylor, heartbreak of Etta James, raw emotion of Big Maybelle... Marina Crouse has all it takes to be the next top lady of the Blues" ~ Noel Hayes, DJ at KPOO 89.5FM
"Marina Crouse is long overdue her day in the sun. This big, delicious voice deserves to be heard! Really soulful." ~Danny Caron, guitarist and former musical director with Charles Brown
Marina regularly performs in the Bay Area, sharing the stage with many notable Bay Area musicians, including Garth Webber, S.E. Willis, Ruth Davies, Pamela Rose, Tammy Hall, Danny Caron, and many others.

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.

Doors open at 6:30P. A buffet of hors d'oeuvres is included in the ticket. Many of you like to be home for the NY countdown, so this is the show for you. Beer, wine, champage and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase.

Ticket includes GREAT MUSIC , GREAT FOOD!

Tickets at New Years Eve Blues Bash

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.

Featuring: David McLean on guitar, Melissa Cruz & Clara Rodriguez dancers, Pirouz Ebadypour vocals, and Marlon Aldana on percussion

Tickets at An Evening of Flamenco

Simply the best!!!!

Kenny Washington thrills audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and rapid-fire scatting. The New Orleans native, now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, 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.

"The thing is, Washington slays 'em wherever he performs. Standing not quite five-foot-two, he's an oversize talent who can scat with the harmonic daring and rhythmic command of a bebop saxophonist, croon with the simmering soul of Donny Hathaway, and interpret standards with such intelligence and emotional commitment it's like Rodgers and Hart wrote "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" with him in mind." -- Andrew Gilbert, eastbayexpress.com

Tickets at Kenny Washington Quartet

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. Shelby also composed the score and performed in Anna Deavere Smith’s Off-Broadway Play and HBO feature film “Notes from the Field” (2019). Shelby is also the voice of Ray Gardener in the 2020 Oscar-Winning Disney Pixar film “SOUL”. Shelby has also worked with a range of artists including Angela Y. Davis’ “Blues Legacies and Black Feminism” (2019), Joanna Haigood’s “Dying While Black and Brown” (2014), Margo Hall’s “Bebop Baby” (2013), and “Sonny’s Blues” (2008), the Oakland Ballet’s “Ella” The SF Girl Choir (2013), The Oakland Youth Chorus (2014), and many other productions over the past 23 years. Shelby has served on the San Francisco Arts Commission since 2013 and has worked with the Equal Justice Society for over 20 years. The Marcus Shelby Orchestra has released 5 CDs--“The Lights Suite”, “Port Chicago”, “Harriet Tubman”, “Soul of the Movement: Meditations on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”, and “Transitions”.

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

Tickets at Marcus Shelby Quintet

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.

The Featured Storyteller is Mindy Morawetz Myers. Mindy is a Bay Area storytelling favorite. Her stories deliver the laughs as well as her unique take on life. She's won at StorySlam Oakland as well as The Moth. An educator, world traveller, and culinary arts professional, Mindy grew up in New York City but calls the Bay Area her home. Her delightful and funny stories are always a crowd pleaser!

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.

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'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.

Tickets at Aki Kumar

Get ready to ring in the season with Jazz Mafia’s Holiday Heist! This vibrant collective is celebrating the holidays by giving classic tunes a fresh, funky twist.

Hide the presents and spike the punch! Featuring soulful vocalists Trance Thompson and Moorea Dickason, lively horns, and the versatile Adam Theis, who smoothly transitions from bass to trombone, Holiday Heist has something for every music lover.

The group’s clever arrangements, crafted by former SFJAZZ High School All-Star Kyle Athayde and tuba expert Jonathan Seiberlich, offer a delightful mix of holiday favorites. Enjoy reworked versions of James Brown’s “Soulful Christmas,” a remix of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” and playful renditions of “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy.”

For over two decades, Jazz Mafia has been a major player in the Bay Area music scene, expanding their influence and continuously welcoming new talent. Their diverse performances, including multimedia shows and burlesque, keep audiences grooving and coming back for more.

Tickets at Holiday Heist with the Jazz Mafia

What a show!!!! You don't want to mis this.

Referred to us by the amazing pianist Josh Nelson, LA Based Pianist/Composer Adam Hersh is the real deal. Considered to be a "colossal keyboard creative" by Contemporary Jazz Reviews. Hersh is a regular on the LA jazz scene as both a leader and sideman, performing with highly regarded musicians such as Joel Frahm. Andrew Renfroe, Gene Coye, Jon Hatamiya, Charles Ruggiero and Ben Van Gelder.

Joining Adam is Gary Novak, an American session drummer who has collaborated with George Benson, Maynard Ferguson, Chick Corea, Lee Ritenour, Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, David Sanborn, Anita Baker, Robben Ford, Alanis Morissette and Travis Carlton. He is the son of jazz pianist Larry Novak.
Also joining is Max Gerl on bass. Max is a member of the Arturo Sandoval band and Veronica Swift band alumnus.

The band will be performing a program of brand new original compositions written for the trio influenced by the music of Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Billy Childs, and Allan Holdsworth.

Tickets at Adam Hersh Trio