JazzTimes magazine calls Jackie Ryan “one of the most outstanding vocalists of her generation ..rivaling the dexterous sass of Sarah Vaughan, the instinctive smarts of Carmen McRae and the scintillating verve of Diana Krall.” Vocalist Jackie Ryan arrived on the ever-changing jazz scene at the dawning of the new millennium, deriving a classic, yet exotic style and sound. Of Mexican, Irish, French, and Spanish decent, Ryan throws her background it into her music. She sings in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, and echoes of Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday can be heard.

"Extraordinary - a world-class talent!" Don Heckman, jazz critic for the Los Angeles Times, calls her. And it's no wonder. She has a magnetic stage presence. Wherever she performs - domestically, or in Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada - it's the same story. She's been such a hit at London's famed Ronnie Scott's Club that the owner, Pete King, asked Jackie to appear on Ronnie Scott's own prestigious Jazz House label and the London Evening Standard called her "one of the finest singers to perform at Ronnie's since Shirley Horn." Among the many jazz greats Jackie has sung, recorded, or toured with are: Clark Terry (at the Monterey Jazz Festival), Toots Thielemans, Barry Harris, Cyrus Chestnut, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, Red Holloway, Eric Alexander, Jeremy Pelt, Ernie Watts, Roy McCurdy, George Gaffney, Amina Figarova, Mike Wofford, Larry Vuckovich, Jon Mayer, and Jon Hendricks - just a few of the legends with whom she has shared the stage, and who sing her praises as well.

She has written and recorded not only vocalese lyrics to such be-bop improvisations as Joe Henderson's "The Kicker," but also lyrics to such poignant ballads as Barry Harris's "Deep Love." This creativity as an artist and performer, combined with her being a genuinely warm person, has put her much in demand for concerts both here and abroad.

Playing with Jackie will be:

Mads Tolling on Violin

John R Burr on piano

Doug Miller on bass

Akira Tana on drums

Tickets at Jackie Ryan Quintet featuring Mads Tolling

Don't Miss This Show!!!

Traveling through the lush paradise of Brazilian music, there are few more scenic byways than música popular brasileira – the enduring alchemy of fusing genres like samba and baião within the larger frameworks of Jazz, rock, classical and popular music. Even without a map, exploring this unique terrain with its rich harmonic complexity, elaborate lyrics, and remarkable emotive metaphors, leads musicians towards an inescapable reality: all roads lead to Guinga – the master guitarist, composer arranger and Brazilian music legend.

Having shaped a creative identity that embraces the signature energy of Brazil’s diverse artistic enterprise, Guinga’s legacy lives within the spirit of crafting a voice that’s essentially Brazilian while cultivating a vivacious universal appeal. A spirit lovingly captured by trombonist Natalie Cressman and guitarist Ian Faquini within their new GroundUP album GUINGA.

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.

Organic, improvisational and often initiated by humming out melodies, Guinga’s compositional style has played a significant role in shaping Cressman and Faquini’s artistic chemistry. Having spent years watching the master at work, both are fluent in the processes that powers Guinga’s magic, as his fluid incorporation of musical influences blends seamlessly with the florid temperament of their own creative ambitions. After recording albums exploring their personal relationship to contemporary Brazilian music, it was only a matter of time before Cressman and Faquini decided to focus on Guinga, a musician who’s been a mentor, teacher, collaborator and friend throughout the course of their careers.

Unlike most tribute albums celebrating artists long past, Guinga’s contributions are central to the process of the recording. Composing, arranging, and collaborating as a lyricist, Guinga’s ingenuity is matched only by his evocative and often haunting vocals. Compact, discreet, remarkably positioned with no less than fourteen songs, the album flows effortlessly like a personal juke box supplied by an endless roll of Brazilian centavos, all while unfolding into a delicate mosaic of Guinga’s musical world view.

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

Possibly one of the best shows you can see!!!

We featured a performance by this group in September and we were left spellbound! Before they left that evening, we were begging for a return date. Well here it is. If you like music, tales and pizazz this is it. An amazing show of Sinatra's music - beautifully done - interspersed with tales about the real man behind the legend.

For the last 13 years Oakland-based vocalist Jefferson Bergey has been zig-zagging through multiple genres of music and comedy. He’s been channeling the voice of Gregg Allman in Freestone Peaches: A Tribute to the Allman Brothers Band for a decade. As a solo act and live-looper, he’s negotiated thousands of covers in an anything-goes show at Belle Cora in North Beach since the pandemic. He’s a featured vocalist with Jazz Mafia’s Grateful Brass and will soon be taking on the David Byrne role in a Talking Heads tribute in the fall. As a vocalist and bandleader he’s lead hundreds of bands on private and corporate events all over the Bay Area as well as corporate events in Barcelona, Hawaii, Cancun, Dallas, and Arizona. Based on a handbook he wrote inspired by his dynamic and colorful experiences at the helm as a wedding singer, Bergey conducts training seminars all over the west coast where he teaches young bandleaders the ropes on running a tight ship under the pressure of high-end private events. Now he’s taking on his most challenging musical costume yet, covering arguably the greatest singer of the 20th Century, Frank Sinatra. Sinatra may have been the greatest singer, but he was far from a perfect man. Bergey is pulling no punches as he tells sordid stories of the singer’s life against the musical backdrop of some of the best-known songs of the Great American Songbook.

When asked why Sinatra, Bergey says “There’s something so classic and timeless about the songs and the way that he sang them. But then I started to learn about his life and that sent me down a rabbit hole that I’m still digging deeper into and I’m eager to share the stories and my discoveries with an audience.”

He also warned that this is not a classic, note-for-note tribute. “I’m not doing a Frank Sinatra impression. I won’t be wearing a fedora or tuxedo. If I quote him, it will be in context of a story I’m telling about the man and these will not be well-known stories! I’m singing his songs, but I’m also telling tales that are not the normal, bland fanfare and publicist-approved points that would introduce him on a prime time television show in the 60’s. This show will present both the bright accolades and the dark sins of a nuanced artist while showcasing the songs that make him undeniable for any generation.”

Bergey will be backed by some of the best of the Bay Area including Andrew Dixon on tenor sax and all three of the incredible Hogan Brothers. Expect some very-special musical guests as well.

Tickets at Sinatra: The Man & The Music

Skip the shopping, sneak away from the family, and come on out for some great music!

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 will be joined by local blues players from around the Bay each month.

Tickets at Jules Leyhe & The Family Jules

Pianist Peter Smith puts out a cooking hard bop sound that has that classic Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers/ Horace Silver groove to it. Smith's piano work is certainly a talent worth paying plenty of attention to.

Peter is an accomplished pianist, composer, arranger, songwriter, and music director, and his career has flourished on both coasts. Originally a New Yorker, Peter has lived in Los Angeles since 2005.

Along with his jazz performances, Peter has been the musical director on numerous TV shows. He has worked directly with Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, Robin Thicke and John Legend, not only accompanying them and their contestants in rehearsal, but collaborating with them on the musical arrangements for the show.

Peter began working with Natalie Cole as her primary accompanist just prior to her passing, and he has been traveling the world as Molly Ringwald’s pianist/MD, serving as co-producer and arranger on her Concord Records release: Except Sometimes. He has played on major stages large and small: Iridium, Birdland (NYC), Jazz Alley (Seattle), Yoshi’s (SF), Blues Alley (DC), Montreal Jazz festival, Vector Arena (NZ), Melbourne Recital Centre (AUS), and many, many more.

Peter’s composing career has merged with the Industry in Los Angeles, and his compositions can be heard on numerous TV shows (Mindy Project, CSI, Bones, Arrow, Bojack-Horseman, Young Sheldon, Benched, Supergirl, Growing Up Fisher, Black Lightning, Pitch, Charmed, How to Live With Your Parents) as well as in the films Hotel Noir, Myth of Fingerprints, and Bleached. He has also created custom music for commercials, animated logos, and explainer videos.

An accomplished actor as well, Peter’s career has brought him many roles on the small screen in shows like Law and Order, 24, Scandal, Weeds, CSI, and many more. Peter has also performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Regional stages. Combining his experiences in acting and music, Peter has written a screenplay about jazz pianist Bill Evans during his time with Miles Davis. The script, Blue in Green, has received much acclaim in the industry and is inching its way towards production.

Smith will be accompanied by Lorca Hart on drums and Gary Brown on bass.

Tickets at Peter Smith Trio

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

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 Roberto Zamora - vocals, Mizuho Sato - dance, Clara Rodriguez - dance, Marlon Aldana - percussion, David McLean - guitar

Tickets at An Evening of Flamenco

Calling all Francophiles!  You don't want to miss this gorgeous evening of music from Bordeaux!

“A really good jazz sound has come out of France …Rachael Magidson hails from San Francisco, California and is a swing singer in addition to playing trumpet and percussion.Tim Taylor – Audiophile Audition

Described by CJ Bond of Jazz Music Review as“…frighteningly hedonistic impact…Magidson is one of those song stylists … that pretty much has her way with you emotionally. You could easily succumb to a state of bewitched, bothered bewilderment”

Joining Rachael is a killer quartet from Bordeaux, France, united by their shared passion for jazz and world music. Their unique arrangements infuse each song with a rich tapestry of global colors, transcending the boundaries of jazz to include beloved hits from the worlds of pop, soul, and funk.

Thierry Lujan, a virtuoso guitarist, has graced stages worldwide, from The Forbidden City Music Hall in China to Madagascar. Known for his diverse cultural fluency and heartfelt arrangements, his artistry adds an unmistakable depth to the quartet's sound.

On drums, Antoine Fillon brings a wealth of international experience, having studied and performed in iconic music hotspots like New York, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Rio de Janeiro. His wife, Leonie Hey, a seasoned upright bassist from Stuttgart, has jazz in her blood, having played since her youth under the guidance of her father, a big band leader. The two met playing for the Late Night shows in Germany while performing with a roster of renowned artists, from Will Smith to Cindy Lauper. The pair met Thierry and Rachael after relocating to Lacanau, a serene surf town just an hour from Bordeaux.

Join us to feel the dancing waves , the sunsets and the laid-back vibes of the West Coast.

Tickets at Rachael Magidson West Coast Jazz Quartet

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.

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.

This month the theme is Family.

About our Featured Storytellers:

Tony Sparks AKA "the Godfather of San Francisco comedy," is best known for being the host of the Brainwash (SF) comedy open-mic for many years.

Abby Rotstein comes to us from Sacramento's Capital Storytellers. She teaches workshops on storytelling. She's been featured on the RISK! podcast and told at The Moth and at many other storytelling events. 

More about the show:
Doors open at 6:30 so you can choose your seats and get some of the delicious food and drinks from the Sound Room cafe.
There will be one intermission.
StorySlam Oakland is suitable for adults and mature younger people, but since we can't control the content of the stories, it might not be suitable for people with sensitivities and young children. Swearing and adult topics sometimes arise.

Hosted by StorySlam creator Julie Soller, and the painter, kitesurfer, comedian and dog dad currently known as Inanc.

Tickets at StorySlam Oakland: Family

One of the most exciting contemporary Brazilian jazz groups: Vocalist Dani and pianist) Débora Gurgel and their Quarteto (DDG4). Their original music (composed by Débora) is the best of current samba jazz. Débora is also the conductor and arranger of OBA (Brazilian Orchestra of Auditório Ibirapuera), and a regular arranger for Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica and Orquestra Jovem Tom Jobim, having written for artists such as Richard Bona, Chico Pinheiro, Joyce Moreno and Amilton Godoy. The quartet is rounded out by Dillon Vado on drums, and bassist David Belove.

Special guests include vocalist Sandy Cressman, and who knows what other surprises...

Tickets at DDG4 Brazilian Jazz

Founded in 2012, THE PEGGY LEE PROJECT is a musical and multimedia collaboration between Oakland, CA-based vocalist Suzanna Smith and pianist Lee Bloom that seeks to honor the influence of Peggy Lee on American popular music — as a singer, songwriter and entrepreneur.

Peggy Lee was a sophisticated stage persona who rose to fame at the height of the Big Band era, serving her apprenticeship with the “King Of Swing,” Benny Goodman, before establishing herself as one of the pre-eminent female singers of the post-war age. Realizing that versatility could help maintain the public’s interest in her, she navigated many different musical paths, from jazz, blues, and swing to Latin, pop, soul, and even, in her later years, soft rock. The best Peggy Lee songs reveal what a versatile singer she was.

Lee was blessed with a laconic vocal style, never wasting a note and eschewing unnecessary embellishment. Or, as her former arranger, Artie Butler, once told this writer: “She could change the molecules of the oxygen around her because she mastered the art of simplicity. It wasn’t that she had the greatest voice, but she was a unique song stylist. You just heard two notes and knew it was her.” THE PEEGY LEE PROJECT celebrates her talent! She has performed songs that are known by generations: Fever, Is That All There Is?, I'm a Woman, Black Coffee.

Suzanna brings an ALL-STAR band featuring Lee Bloom on piano, John Wiitala on bass, and Jon Arkin on drums. This intimate group of musicians will be an exquisite setting for a trip through the music of Peggy Lee.

Christopher Louden in Jazz Times gave this high praise to Suzanna in reviewing her recording, Halfway Between Heaven & Love, "There are relatively few contemporary female vocalists who evoke Peggy Lee, at least not genuinely. Suzanna Smith, new to recording, but a seasoned pro who has been honing her artistry in and around the Bay Area for over a decade, numbers among that rare ilk. That Smith sounds like Lee slightly breathy and warmly sensual with a hint of huskiness is undeniable, but the parallels extend much further. Lee's ability to not just caress a ballad but smother it in mink has seldom been matched. She was also a sage swinger never too much, never too little as well as a first-rate songwriter. Smith checks all those boxes."

Brent Black on CriticalJazz.com said her approach is "organic, eclectic, and contemporary, yet rooted in the tradition of what old school vocal jazz was once all about, soul."

Tickets at Suzanna Smith & The Peggy Lee Project

If you are a fan of Latin Jazz, this is a DON'T MISS EVENT!

A night of Contemporary Latin Jazz with Original Compositions and intriguing Arrangements!

For the past 20 years Saúl Sierra has been a member of some of the leading bands in the Bay Area, including The John Santos Quintet/Sextet, Bobi Cespedes’ band, Dr. Loco’s Rocking Jalapeño Band, El Tren Trío, Anthony Blea y su Charanga, The Snake Trío, Jesús Díaz y su QBA, The Bay Area Afro-Cuban All Stars, The Venezuelan Music Project, Corazón Sur, Sababa band, Cascada de Flores, SJZ Collective, LaTiDo.

Saul is joined by a team of exquisite musicians.

Marco Diaz is an accomplished recording musician who has shared the stage with Grammy Award winning artist, Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Nelson Gonzales, Jimmy Bosch, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, Ska Cubano (Europe), Tito Rojas, Nino Segarra, Anthony Cruz, Anthony Blea, Jovino Santos Neto, Joe Santiago, and is an integral member of the John Santos sextet, and the musical director for Bobi Cespedes.

Charlie Gurke is a saxophonist, composer, and educator active in the jazz and latin music scenes in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can hear him perform at venues and festivals around the bay with his own ensemble, Gurkestra, with cuban son quintet Latido, and with the salsa band Candela.

Julio Pérez and Ahkeel Mestayer on percussion are two of the most sought after musicians in the Latin Jazz world. They bring an infectious Afro-Cuban backbeat.

Tickets at Saul Sierra Quintet

Terrie Odabi is nothing short of West Coast Blues Royalty. It has been written that she is “easily the most dynamic blues and soul woman to have emerged in the Bay Area since Etta James came out of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ’50s.” Only a singer with Odabi’s combination of power and finesse could hold her own amid those kinds of comparisons. What sets Odabi apart from so many of her peers are the different shades of hurt, longing, bliss, and depth she brings to the music. The distinguishable character of her voice rings out with a rousing revival of faith and reverence that has a drenching rejuvenation and sacred renascence complexity. Her abundant soul and improvisational prowess has made her a crucial contributor to today's Blues scene. Warmly embraced by Blues fans and peers alike, Terrie Odabi is one of the most respected talents in the Blues genre.

Tickets at Terrie Odabi Band

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

Ray Obiedo’s Latin Jazz Project is comprised of some of the Bay Area’s finest contemporary jazz musicians. With its heavy influence of Brazilian and Caribbean rhythms, a traditional West Coast Latin Jazz sound is always at the core of the ensemble. Ray’s group was formed in 2010 to further explore his love of Latin music. His compositions draw inspiration from various genres, including Contemporary Jazz, Afro Cuban, Soca as well as other musical genres. The Latin Jazz Ensemble works with a wonderfully rich array of textures and colors, melding together all of it’s musical elements for a delightfully distinct Bay Area flavor.

Ray Obiedo is best known for his work with organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith, ECM Records trombonist Julian Priester, jazz superstar Herbie Hancock, and Latin jazz great Pete Escovedo. Join Obiedo as he takes the stage with his group for a night of funky, percussive guitar!

Obiedo's solo compositions have been played by Tower of Power, Sheila E, Marion Meadows, steel pan great Andy Narell, jazz guitarist Bruce Forman and The Pete Escovedo Orchestra. Parts of his work have appeared on film soundtracks, most notably Michael Caine's “A Shock to the System” and Richard Gere's “Internal Affairs."

Ray O - guitar

Jeff Cressman - trombone

Murray Lowe - piano

Dave Feiszli- bass

Michael Spiro - percussion

Phil Hawkins - drums

Tickets at Ray Obiedo Latin Jazz Project

“Depth, Elegance, Heart, Integrity. Bad-ass Soul…the meeting point of impeccable musicianship and catharsis.” -Quotes from fans after live shows

The sound of Heart Matter starts with soothing, lush vocals and the entrancing, mythical waves of vibraphone, weaving compositions that are both virtuosic and uplifting. Co-led by vocalist Amy D and vibraphonist Dillon Vado, Heart Matter’s innovative, original sounds combine the intentionality of chamber music with the grounded yet agile nature of Brazilian rhythm, the spontaneity of jazz improvisation, and soul-stirring lyrics.

The infectiously funky nature of Esperanza Spalding, the lyrical depth of Joni Mitchell, and the catchy/memorable melodies of The Beatles and Paul Simon are some of the influences that this bold and original project nod towards in their compositions and performances.

Vibraphone, electric bass, and drums form the group’s signature sonic palette, setting a potent foundation for powerful, timeless vocals.

Tickets at Heart Matter

Join us for some howling blues. Come in costume, come as you are. For this Halloween event, we are putting together some of the best blues players!!  When that happens - it's magic.

We start with Jules Leyhe & The Family Jules. Jules is 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.” His band is also top-notch - featuring Ian McArdle on keys, Isaac Schwartz on drums and renowned bassist Andrew Couttie. 

When this band gets together with Aki Kumar, magic happens! Aki's harmonica playing and bluesy vocals are like a powder keg igniting everyone in the room. Get ready to shake, rattle and roll for this fun event. 

Tickets at Halloween Blues Blowout

Don’t miss this Bay Area All-Star Show – Three musical masters performing together for the

first time!

Mads Tolling is a two-time Grammy Award-Winning Violinist and the 2016 Winner of DownBeat Critics Rising Star Poll. As a former nine-year member of both Turtle Island Quartet and bassist Stanley Clarke’s band, Mads has spent most of his professional life touring internationally. Mads has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, and his recordings have received rave reviews in DownBeat Magazine, Strings Magazine, Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle. He has performed with Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron, Paquito D’Rivera, and he is now a part of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros. In 2015 Mads was commissioned to write a violin concerto by the late great conductor Michael Morgan, which he performed with the Oakland Symphony Orchestra at the Paramount Theatre.

John R. Burr is one of the most in-demand pianists around the Bay Area. He has toured extensively with Maria Muldaur and The Alison Brown Quartet. Mads and John met back in 2015, and last year they released the album Ramblin’ on Blue Coast Records, which features creative arrangements of songs from all corners of the music world, including Toto, Lennon/McCartney, Victor Young and John McLaughlin.

After 25 years as the lead vocalist for Carlos Santana, Tony Lindsay has garnered eleven Grammy Award, traveled on numerous world tours and recorded on seven Santanaalbums. Tony is a fixture at Warriors and Giants games, where he frequently is featured for opening day and playoffs.

Both Mads and Tony have established duos with John R. What makes tonight so special, is that the three of them for the first time will collaborate for one show only right here at the Sound Room!

Tickets at Mads Tolling, John R Burr, Tony Lindsay

The language we know as jazz has been pushed by the innovations contributed by the great masters of the tenor saxophone. Musical Collaborators Tom Catanzaro and Isaac Schwartz will honor the trendsetters of this instrument by playing their unique arrangements and interpretations of the saxophonists that have meant so much to them. This includes John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins and much much more. Isaac and Tom are no strangers to paying tribute to their heroes. Last year Isaac led a tribute to Wayne Shorter to a packed house at The Sound Room and together Tom and Isaac have played tribute shows to Joe Henderson and John Coltrane to sold out rooms in SF. This show will span multiple eras, styles and influences, and will be accompanied by an inimitable rhythm section.

Tom Catanzaro - Saxophone Isaac Schwartz- Drums Ian Mcardle- Piano.

Isaac Coyle- Bass

A recent SF Bay Area transplant, saxophonist Tom Catanzaro is a dynamic and versatile musician. In the early 2000s, while studying with Bob Mintzer at Manhattan School of Music on a full scholarship, Tom honed his craft by regularly playing with local NYC artists such as Roy Hargrove, Eric Lewis, Robert Glasper, and Ambrose Akinmusire.

Upon returning to California, Tom toured with The Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, performing with artists such as Diana Krall, Al Jarreau, Michael Brecker, George Benson, Christian McBride, Dianne Reeves, Peter Martin, and Liza Minelli, to name a few. While living in Southern California over the years he often played and recorded with LA artists such as pianist Josh Nelson and trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos.

Oakland native Isaac Schwartz has been playing drums since age 12. Isaac has toured the United States and Europe as well as playing many top venues around the Bay Area. This includes Yoshi's, Sf Jazz, The Fox Theater, The Sound Room and much much more. Isaac has gotten to share the stage with Chuck Israels, Troy Roberts, and many great Bay Area artists. He now plays in great projects such as Heart Matter, and the Family Jules Band, as well as freelancing and being a private instructor.

Tickets at Tenors of Our Time

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.

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.

This month the theme is Aggression and the featured storyteller is MEAN DAVE. "Mean Dave" has made fans laugh, cry and cringe. He is sharp and honest, and people who know him say, "such a sweet person." He is a regular in the Bay Area comedy scene. He's performed at Cobb’s Comedy Club, the Punch Line in SF and Sacramento, Laughs Unlimited, Alameda Comedy Club, SF Sketchfest and other comedy festivals of note. Most of Dave’s life has been littered with the kind of utter disappointment and flat-out betrayal that only a sarcastic, cynical sense of humor can remedy.

Tickets at StorySlam Oakland: Aggression

So it's Tuesday but you gotta eat and you want to do something but not be out late. We have the perfect evening for you! Doors open at 6:30P. Come on in to the front cafe and grab a bite to eat and something to drink. The food is brought to you by some Bay Area culinary stars. We will be offering specials on wine by the bottle so come bring your friends. Once the band is set up in The Sound Room (usually about 7:45) you can grab a seat and get ready for some fun.

The Lucky Devils are a 3 to12 piece band that usually plays at wedding and corporate events. They need a place to do a showcase for prospective clients and we have a place with great food and drink, so why not? The band will play for 1 hour.

Let us know you are coming! Reserve your spot now. You'll be home early enough that you don't have to worry about work the next day.

Please RSVP if you are actually coming and cancel if you are unable to make it. This allows us to staff appropriately.

Reserve your spot for Neighborhood Nite

The Sound Room presents the Dmitri Matheny Group, honoring Henry Mancini’s 100th birthday with new arrangements of his classic hits Charade, Days of Wine & Roses, Dreamsville, Moment to Moment, Moon River, Mr. Lucky, Peter Gunn, Pink Panther, Royal Blue, Slow Hot Wind, Two For The Road, and more!

“Mancini is my hero,” says Matheny,“not just for his award-winning scores and orchestrations, but because of his unparalleled gift for songcraft. There’s nothing like a Mancini melody! Wistful, whimsical, romantic, or sinister, his songs always deliver.”

Flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny has been lauded as “one of the most emotionally expressive improvisers of his generation” (International Review of Music). An honors graduate of Berklee College of Music, Matheny vaulted onto the jazz scene in the 1990s as the protégé of jazz legend Art Farmer. Since then he has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal international following, releasing twelve CDs and touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. The San Francisco Chronicle calls Matheny “one of the jazz world’s most talented horn players.”

According to All About Jazz, the Dmitri Matheny Group is “an all-star jazz band featuring some of the most accomplished musicians in the western United States.”

Dave Ellis saxophones

Keith Saunders piano

Ruth Davies bass

Leon Joyce Jr. drums

Dmitri Matheny flugelhorn

Tickets at Matheny plays Mancini

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

Triple threat talent, Joshua Howell (guitar, harmonica, vocals) and percussion savant, Pete Devine (drums, washboard), plus veteran upright bassist, Joe Kyle Jr. deftly mix Delta/Country Blues with wildly syncopated rhythms to create a rollicking present-day sound rooted in early blues. Their music stands in stark contrast to the typical blues heard in bars these days and would more likely be shaking the floors of a Southern juke joint some 70 years ago.

From Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to Son House and B.B. King, blues artists have claimed some of the most evocative monikers in American music. With its intimations of primal sacred cries, HowellDevine embodies that legacy in word and deed, delivering elemental blues and boogie like juke joint prophets. Featuring Eli’s Mile High Club-honed Joshua Howell on slide guitars, harmonica, and vocals, percussion expert Roll ’Em Pete Devine on drums and washboard, and the relentlessly propulsive Joe Kyle Jr. on bass, the combo taps into red clay Delta roots while embracing fierce grooves that speak to urban realities. While debates about authenticity and the blues often devolve into tiresome stalemates, the fact that HowellDevine was the first blues act signed by Chris Strachwitz to his Arhoolie Records label in a quarter century speaks to the band’s unusual feel for the tradition. The result was 2013’s Jumps, Boogies & Wobbles, which neatly sums up their irresistible sound. ​~ Andrew Gilbert

Tickets at HowellDevine

Delicious, delightful, bodacious, brave, insightful, seductive, and fun - just some of the many adjectives one might use to describe Judith Owen’s fascinating and alluring new album- ‘Come On & Get It.’

Celebrating the unapologetic and often unsung badass ladies of 1940’s and 50’s jazz and blues, Owen, shares the stories, and embodies the spirit, accomplishment, and delicious joy of these risqué trailblazers, for the rest of 2023 thru 2024, with a hi-octane live show, accompanied by her New Orleans Allstar band- ‘The Gentlemen Callers’.

Described by Rolling Stone as “an exercise in style”, and “one of the most joyous releases of the year”, by the London Times, Owen and her band bring you retro with a fresh feel, and a live show that will leave you entertained, educated, uplifted, and inspired.

The latest iteration of Owen began with the arrival of her 13th album, Come On & Get It. The project is rooted in her childhood fascination with the jazz music of some of the ballsiest women of the Jazz and Blues world, including unsung trailblazers – Nellie Lutcher and Julia Lee – whom she discovered hidden on the shelves of her father’s record collection.

Captivated and enchanted by these “unapologetic” chanteuses of the 40’s/50’s (along with Pearl Bailey, Dinah Washington, Blossom Dearie, Peggy Lee, Julie London), Owen made it her mission to dig deep and find out more from both a musical and historical perspective.

The album was recorded at Esplanade Studios in New Orleans – the city Owen now calls home – with a stellar cast of musicians, including Jason Marsalis, Donald Harrison, Charlie Gabriel, Nicholas Payton, David Torkanowsky, Kevin Louis, Evan Christopher, Ricardo Pascal and many more.

The result is the most joyful, uplifting, and empowering project. With the London Times calling it ‘one of the most joyous releases of the year’, and garnering support from flagship Jazz radio stations Jazz FM in the UK, TSF in France, and plays across NPR stations in the US.

Owen kicked off 2023 performing to thrilled audiences at sold out shows in Paris and Milan, followed by two ‘home-coming’ performances for the New Orlean’s Jazz Fest and a 5 night residency at New York’s McKittrick Hotel. She headed back to Europe for a series of summer festivals before she ’tore the roof off’ London’s Jazz Cafe in a packed-out show hosted by Jazz FM.

Accompanied by her New Orleans All-Star Band, Owen’s live shows are an ‘exercise in confidence’ as she “lights up the room with her red hair and her charisma.”

“In a snap of her fingers, she takes her .. audience with her, and dictates the tempo to her musicians with a naturalness that is almost divine.” [Toute la Culture]

NY showbiz critic Roger Friedman exclaimed ‘If you love real music, you can’t miss this show’.

Headline shows are planned for the fall which will take ‘Judith Owen & her Gentlemen Callers’ to select cities across the US and back to Europe. DON'T MISS THIS SHOW!!!

Tickets at Judith Owen & her Gentleman Callers

June Cavlan is an award winning Jazz vocalist based in New York City. June’s unique and charismatic interpretations of works from the Great American Songbook are inspired by legendary vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn, and Barbra Streisand. June’s debut effort, “A Portrait of June”, not only showcases her immense vocal prowess but also her skills in arranging, composing, and vocal improvisation. June can be seen performing in and around New York City and also in her hometown of Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. With various projects in the works, her rising vocal jazz trio The Sunhouse Singers (Joie Bianco and Kate Kortum), and her blossoming relationship with her label, La Reserve, June Cavlan breathes new life into this timeless and beloved art form.
Featuring Connor Rohrer - piano (this is Samara Joy's resident pianist), Aidan McCarthy - bass, Max Marsillo - drums

Tickets at June Cavlan

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 in honor of his birthday.

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

Tickets at Jazz Mafia with Tiffany Austin

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: Fanny Ara - dance. Marina Elana - dance. El Moreno - vocals. Marlon Aldana - percussion. David McLean - guitar

Tickets at Flamenco

This is a DON'T MISS event!!!

Sinne is an established star in Europe, and is rapidly becoming a star in the US. Music Republic Magazine decribed her as "probably the best female jazz singer I have heard since the legends such as Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald." Our local treasure, Kenny Washington, flies across the world to perform with her.

Andy Gilbert of JazzTimes Magazine describes her as "A vivacious vocalist with a winning, unpretentious stage presence… one of the top jazz vocalists on any continent.”

Sinne teams up with piano legend Josh Nelson for a stunning evening or originals along with some borrowed tunes. Southern California pianist-composer-bandleader Josh Nelson has performed with some of the most respected names in jazz, including Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli, Benny Golson, Sheila Jordan, John Clayton, George Mraz, Jeff Hamilton, Dave Koz, Joe Chambers and Peter Erskine. Nelson toured with legendary vocalist Natalie Cole for six years and continues to tour with vocalists Gaby Moreno, Freda Payne, Alicia Olatuja, Sara Gazarek, accordionist Richard Galliano, saxophonist Tom Scott, multi-instrumentalist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and violinist Christian Howes.

Tickets at Sinne & Josh

Join us for a hilarious show full of laughs, gasps, and WTF was that's?! An Evening of Illusion 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.

Prepare to be AMAZED!

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 Evening of Illusion