Jazz saxophonist and composer Dennis Mitcheltree has just released his 7th album, "Holding Space", on Sifting Paradigm Records. Mitcheltree is a mainstay of the tenor saxophone, having been based in New York City from 1987-2007 and in Los Angeles from 2007 to the present.

Dennis has performed and recorded with masters of the jazz world: Clark Terry, Billy Taylor, George Cables, Bill Holman, Bob Moses, Jim McNeely, Howard Johnson, Gary Bartz, Kenny Werner, James Williams, Don Sickler, Charli Persip, Ronnie Matthews, Pete Yellin, Richie Cole, Bill Holman, Pete Christlieb, Doug Webb, Carl Saunders, Joe Labarbera, John Clayton, Christian Jacob and Bruce Forman along with contemporaries Uri Caine, Ingrid Jensen, Johannes Wallmann, Andy Milne and David Binney.

Mitcheltree was born and raised in Wisconsin, picking up the oboe and saxophone at age 12. He received a scholarship from Berklee College of Music where he graduated with a Magna cum Laude degree in Jazz Performance in 1987. He is the Artistic Director for the American Music Group, widely known for the INFLUENCES series presented at Carnegie Hall, and an award-winning saxophonist and composer.

A former student of Joe Viola, Billy Pierce, Jim McNeely, George Garzone and Joe Lovano, Dennis is also a renowned jazz teacher and clinician of jazz improvisation, harmony, composition and saxophone/woodwinds. He teaches privately and as a guest artist/clinician/lecturer at universities and jazz education programs worldwide.

Dennis Mitcheltree - tenor saxophone

Adam Klipple - piano

Jesse Crawford - bass

Bill McClellan - drums

"...the saxophonist is aggressively adventurous and most expressive...Mitcheltree evokes hearty tones from his instrument as he masterfully interweaves unexpected lines to create fascinating sound tapestries at any tempo."
Nancy Ann Lee, Jazz Times

"Mitcheltree's quartet is definitely hard-core NYC: tough sounding, aggressive, and complex. They swing hard, even at midtempo, as though all of them were percussionists, which infectiously pulls the listener into their complex conversations."
Dave McElfresh, Jazz Now

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Don't Miss This Show!!!

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

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

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

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

Faquini, who was born in Brasília and now lives in Berkeley, California, 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.

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Eloise Carter is a NYC-based jazz singer and actress. With Bay Area roots, she is delighted to return home. She’s a recent graduate from the Tribeca Jazz Institute, where she studied with Lucy Yeghaizaryan, Michael Kanan, Tardo Hammer, and Vanisha Gould. In November 2025, she released her debut EP “Eloise: Live From Monks.” An emerging artist in both the acting and music fields, her Shakespeare adaptation Gents Can’t Measure was workshopped by Fiasco Theater in May and she has just returned from her first European tour with stops in London, The Netherlands, and Paris.

Featuring Adam Schulman on Piano, John Wiitala on Bass & Tim Bulkley on Drums

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Chiara is an award-winning jazz singer and composer from Italy based in New York City since 2014, three years after Quincy Jones awarded her first prize in the 2011 Montreuz Jaa Festival Vocal Competition. In 2020 she also won one Independent Music Award for Best Jazz song with vocals with her composition Circles of the Mind. She perfectly blends traditional Italian music with jazz, Mediterranean and pop sounds to create a dynamic and heartwarming show, singing and telling stories in four languages (Italian, English, Portuguese and Spanish).

Chiara navigates each idiom fluently, on its own terms of engagement, displaying her prodigious vocal instrument, refined musicianship, inherent soulfulness, and ability to convey both emotional transparency and ebullient swing. In an All About Jazz review Michael Bailey praised Chiara as “a force of nature,” while in Jazz Times Travis Rogers described her as “a talent to be heard, admired and anticipated.” How that talent has evolved and blossomed since Chiara moved to New York is apparent on her latest releases: Live In Bremen (Dot Time Records/2022) that embodies a classical richness enhanced by Izzi’s stylistic method of blending her lyrics and languages, and Across The Sea (Jando/2019), a cooperative project with pianist Kevin Hays who says about Chiara: “There was a sense of sincerity and honesty — a lack of artifice. She has an inner strength that I think is rare”. Delivering a vocal that carries a warm, Mediterranean quality, Izzi acknowledges that experiencing music in a highly inspiring place like New York City brings out her best assets as a storyteller, musician, and human being. “It’s very important for me to make music as a peacemaker, to work creating bridges between different worlds, to put different cultures in communication starting from the music.” says Chiara.

"Sister, you are very very talented!” - QUINCY JONES

"A talent to be heard, admired and anticipated" - Travis Rogers, JAZZ TIMES

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Rhonda Sauce is an Oakland-based vocalist, composer, arranger, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader whose original music reminds us that the tradition is still being written. Rooted in jazz while drawing from soul, blues, Brazilian music, folk traditions, and the broader Afro-diasporic musical lineage, her songs blend rich storytelling, adventurous improvisation, and fearless emotional honesty.Praised by vocalist and educator Dr. Kim Nalley as having "the special voice, firmly rooted in the jazz greats while still oozing her special unique style," Rhonda has become one of the Bay Area's most compelling emerging original voices. Her recent body of work has been featured in a live Studio 91 performance and interview on KCSM 91.1 FM, profiled by the East Bay Express and the Mercury News, and presented on stages including the San Francisco International Arts Festival, Fillmore Jazz Festival, and Levitt VIBE Oakland. For this performance at The Sound Room, Rhonda is joined by an exceptional quartet anchored by pianist Adam Klipple, with Dan Feiszli on bass and Deszon Claiborne on drums. Together, they bring Rhonda's original compositions to life with lyrical interplay, deep grooves, and fearless improvisation.

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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 six 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.

For this event, the Jazz Mafia will play music celebrating Stevie Wonder. Wonder is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. A musical pioneer who has drawn inspiration from jazz and reggae, Wonder is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He has won 25 Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement award, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from the 1984 film The Woman in Red.

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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 six 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.

For this event, the Jazz Mafia will play music celebrating Stevie Wonder. Wonder is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. A musical pioneer who has drawn inspiration from jazz and reggae, Wonder is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He has won 25 Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement award, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from the 1984 film The Woman in Red.

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THE COTTONTAILS are one of San Francisco's most exciting musical groups, playing a wide range of styles ranging from 20'/30's jazz torch songs, classic 40's swing, and 50's R&B. Made up of local Bay Area luminaries in their own right The Cottontails are Karina Deniké on vocals, Michael McIntosh on piano, Vic Wong on guitar, Joe Kyle, Jr. on bass, Tom Griesser on saxophone/clarinet, and the irrepressible Randy Odell on percussion.

San Francisco's darling Karina Deniké is a versatile, sought after vocalist, songwriter, collaborator and band leader who moves fluidly from intimate torch song chanteuse to soul singer, to punk powerhouse. "Deniké possesses a voice so rich and luxuriant she sounds like she was born to sing any song that comes her way". (KQED’s California Report). Deniké has released over 30 albums as solo artist, band member or guest, been on major and independent labels: ( MCA, Warner/Discovery, Fat Wreck Chords, MoonSka, 510, Pink and Black, Portofranco, Hellcat), toured extensively worldwide, had her work on soundtracks and countless compilations. She is known for her work in SF Bay Area groups: Dance Hall Crashers, Stara Nova, Jezebelle among others, and is a current recording and performing member of bands NOFX , her own self- titled sextet “Karina Denike”, The Cottontails, The Bluebelles, Red Room Orchestra, Marc and The Casuals and recently sang and toured with Hope Sandoval ( Mazzy Star) and the Warm Inventions for their 2017 release.

Deniké and her solo band have performed in New York, Los Angeles, at dOCUMENTA 13 arts festival in Kassel Germany, London and Japan and locally have been presented by SF Jazz, The Flower Pianos series, the centennial celebration of SF City Hall, Noise-pop, The Contemporary Jewish Museum, Undercover Presents as musical director for ‘Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 revisited’ among others. Her acclaimed 2015 solo release "Under Glass" was named one of the TOP 10 JAZZ ALBUMS of 2015 -by KQED, and her song Musee Mecanique was on the 2016 compilation by Fat Wreck Chords.

"In my humble opinion, she’s probably got one of the most powerful, virtuosic voices around and a vocal delivery that’s JUST SEXY. You really have to see her live to know what I mean." - Missionmission.com

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Flamenco is a passionate, expressive art form from Andalusia, Spain, combining song (cante), dance (baile), and guitar playing (toque). Shaped by Romani, Moorish, and Jewish cultures, it is celebrated worldwide for its complex rhythms, elaborate footwork, and emotional storytelling.

Recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, flamenco is a living conversation between the performers. Performers often shout jaleos (encouraging words like "¡olé!") to support and praise one another during improvisational sections. It is performed across Spain in intimate venues called tablaos, and has grown into a global phenomenon with vibrant communities and academies around the world.

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Jazz ​​Mafia vocalist and genre-bending artist Kate Lamont brings soulful originals, inventive covers, and a powerhouse band ...

Born in the UK, singer Kate Lamont has recorded 7 collaborative works as well as 2 solo albums and spent a decade working in and building the Indianapolis arts and music community. Arriving in the Bay Area in 2012, Kate released a self-titled contemporary R&B record in 2013 with drummer/producer Devon Ashley, and has since released several singles with Bay Area producers including On Again, Everything, and 2 Forever One 4 Me, featuring Kev Choice on keys. In 2020, Lamont released Konkrete Violet with artist/producers Mani Draper and NOBL. Kate also runs with the Oakland collective, Grand Nationxl, releasing 2020’s Twice on Sunday: Season One & Season One Deluxe.

Kate Lamont crafts original music with emotional depth that grooves. A frequent vocalist with the Jazz Mafia family, Kate’s reputation as a genre-fluid vocalist keeps audiences guessing as to what she’ll do next. Her collaborative nature has produced a wide variety of arrangements (and a TED talk you can find on her website, katelamont.com ) giving each song a unique jumping off point. A creative interpreter, Kate uses spacious arrangements to cover some of her favorite artists like Joni Mitchell and Nancy Wilson, and Michael Jackson.

Mia Pixley, is a multidisciplinary artist who integrates cello, voice, and performance to explore aspects of our inner worlds. Her music—often described as whimsical, irreverent, melodic and unconventional — is a grounding, soulful, and ethereal blend of classical, experimental, blues, folk, and jazz genres.

Mia has opened for artists such as Fantastic Negrito, Valerie June, Hauschka, and Holly Near. She performs and records regularly with GRAMMY-nominated multi-instrumentalist Barbara Higbie and Fantastic Negrito. Mia loves collaboration and interdisciplinary endeavors of all kinds

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In the mood for a good, true story? How about four?

Pretty Good Stories brings you stories you can sink into. Please join us as we gather to experience amazing guest storytellers. (Plus a story and a half from us, your hosts.) Guest storytellers will be announced soon…

We’ll also have JON on the piano getting things going with the Pretty Good Theme Song.

Take a look here to see what it’s all about.

About your hosts:

Beau Ryder Davis: Moth Grand Slam champ and winner of 9 Moth StorySLAMs. Featured at Redwood Nights, In A Nutshell, The Punch Line, Simply Said, StorySlam Oakland, Alameda StorySlam and so many more. You may have heard him on the Moth Radio Hour. Also a comedian and seasoning-packet hawker.

Tom Darci: Moth StorySLAM winner. Featured at In a Nutshell, Simply Said, StorySlam Oakland, Conundrum Chronicles, and more. Shakespeare lover, pickleballer.

We created Pretty Good Stories to give the room for experienced storytellers to showcase longer, more in-depth stories. Some are funny. Some are moving. All are pretty good. Join us.

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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 Max Cowan on paino, Isaac Schwartz on drums and renowned bassist Matt Roades.

Then we add a special guest to create something new and exciting!

The guest this month is Angela Petrilli, a professional guitarist from Los Angeles known for her extensive online presence, her work with Norman's Rare Guitars, and her band Angela Petrilli & The Players. She also hosts The Riff Rundown and has released music with her band, earning acclaim from CBS Morning, Rolling Stone and Guitar Player Magazine. The band has opened for The Immediate Family, Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters, Eric Krasno, Cardinal Black and Joe Bonamassa's Stream-a-thon.

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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.

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

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. 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).

Saxophonist Luis Rosa has appeared at major festivals and venues such as the Java Jazz Festival, Hungary’s Mediawave Festival, the Berklee Performance Center, and Boston’s Beantown Jazz Festival. His performance collaborations include work with Wayne Bergeron, Theo Bleckmann, Maurice Brown, Eguie Castrillo, Billy Cobham, Carlos Garnett, Jerry Gonzalez, John Hollenbeck, Roscoe Mitchell, Steve Nash, Charlie Sepulveda, Don Severinsen, Terrell Stafford and Allen Vizzutti among others.

Tickets at Saúl Sierra Sextet

Come in costume, come as you are. But be prepared to be AMAZED!

Join us for a magical show full of laughs, gasps, and WTF was that's?!

This will be an unforgettable eveining of magic, mentalism, and mysteriousl feats.

Award winning comedian and magician Sean Francisco teams up with mind reading sensation Jake Berg to bring you a show like no other! With experience performing everywhere from the biggest stages to the swankiest private events, this is sure to be a show you don't want to miss!

Sean Francisco makes magic funny and comedy magical. Mixing laugh out loud comedy with jaw-dropping illusions, Sean’s style is fast, fresh, and a little dangerous. This isn’t your uncle’s card trick, it’s a night out guaranteed to be bold, hilarious, and unforgettable.

Jake Berg blurs the line between reality and illusion. He has performed nationwide for celebrities and Fortune 500 companies, delivering an interactive, mind-bending show that astonishes from start to finish. You’ll leave questioning where the trick ends and reality begins.

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

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What a band!!!! Often they are on the road with BIG names but now this is a showcase of their talent! Miro has been on the road with Karrin Allyson. Karl tours with Jane Monheit, John C Reilly and Anthony Wilson. Dan has toured with all of these musicians. But now we get to focus on THEIR music.

Featuring pianist Miro Sprague, bassist Karl McComas-Reichl and drummer Dan Schnelle, this dynamic Los Angeles-based cooperative trio performs original music and choice standards in a conversational and highly interactive improvisational style. The trio’s music spans a wide range of grooves, moods and musical colors, from intense swing and second line grooves to contemplative ballads and freely improvised vignettes. The musical material is also wide-ranging, featuring original compositions by each band member as well as lesser known material by artists like Mary Lou Williams and Bill Evans. Come see their Bay Area debut!

Miro Sprague is a pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator known for his inspiring creativity, dynamic and passionate performance style, and artistic versatility. Working primarily in the world of jazz and improvised music, Miro has been an active performer since the early 2000’s, touring throughout the U.S. and overseas and performing at many of the world's top venues and festivals. Currently based in Los Angeles, Miro leads his own trio and quintet, and has performed with many renowned artists including Greg Osby, Ingrid Jensen, Linda Oh, Jeff Parker, Joe LaBarbera, Steve Cardenas, Jerome Jennings, Ed Howard, Walter Smith III, Jerry Bergonzi, Houston Person, and many others. He is also an in-demand vocal accompanist and since 2015 has been the pianist of choice for renowned vocalist Karrin Allyson, touring extensively with her throughout the U.S. and overseas. He has recorded on numerous albums as both a sideman and a bandleader and he is currently gearing up to release his next album “Constant” later this year.

Karl McComas-Reichl is a bassist, cellist, film composer and artist. He is from Stevens Point, Wisconsin and earned a BFA from The New School. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and good friend Lesley Ann Wheeler. Arrangement and performance credits include: Baskets Season 4, The Shrink Next Door, Special, Three Busy Debra, ONI: Thunder Gods Tale, Grace & Frankie, NY State Lottery. Other performance credits include: Jane Monheit, John C. Reily, Joshua White, Anthony Wilson, Glenn Zaleski, Josh Nelson, Peter Schlamb, Hermon Mehari, Libery Ellman, Logan Richardson, Colin Stranhan, Geoffrey Keezer, and Tommy Crane.

Dan Schnelle is one of the most talented, in-demand drummers in the music scene. Schnelle understands how to make other musicians comfortable, while bringing enough of the unexpected to his playing to keep it consistently exciting. Unsatisfied with the idea that the drum set is merely a time-keeping device, Schnelle is thoughtful about how this unique instrument, with its nearly limitless variety of sounds, can be tastefully and effectively deployed in a wide variety of musical situations. Notable collaborators in the studio and on tour have included Billy Childs, David Benoit, Karrin Allyson, David Binney, Josh Nelson, Alan Ferber, Joshua White, Sara Gazarek, Dayna Stephens, Anthony Wilson, and many others.

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With its heavy influence of Caribbean & Reggae rhythms, a traditional West Coast Latin Jazz sound is always at the core of the ensemble. Featuring:

Ray Obiedo has been at the forefront of Latin jazz for three decades. With a long list of albums out that seem to always make the Billboard charts, Obiedo's funky percussive guitar playing is rooted in blues, jazz, Latin and pop. Demonstrating an exceptional talent for mystically melding urban jazz with Brazilian funk and dynamic Caribbean rhythms, Ray has developed a very unique and distinctive guitar signature. For this show, he is accompanied by an ALL STAR cast

Murray Low is best known for his contributions to Latin Jazz, Salsa and Afro-Cuban musical landscape. In his twenty-two years of involvement he has established himself as one of the premier pianists in that genre, being nominated as 2008 Pianist of the Year by the Latin Jazz Corner and for a Grammy in 2004 as part of Machete Ensemble. He is or has been the regular pianist/collaborator with several top Bay Area ensembles including Wayne Wallace’s Quintet, John Calloway’s Diaspora, Jesus Diaz y su QBA, Pete Escovedo Orchestra, and John Santos’ Machete Ensemble. He has also collaborated with Latin Jazz giants Ray Vega, Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, Nestor Torres, and Andrea Brachfeld. In 2008 he also performed with famous Cuban flautist Orlando Valle at the Monterey Jazz Festival as part of a specially commissioned project including Jon Benitez, David Sanchez, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, and Giovanni Hildalgo.

Dan Feizli, experienced on both upright and electric basses, is a versatile performer in styles of music ranging from jazz and latin to pop and rock. He has performed in concert with such notable artists as James Moody, Raul Midon, and Mickey Hart, toured nationally and internationally with artists including Julio Iglesias, Nicole Yarling and Raul DiBlasio, and played in the pit orchestras for musical theatre productions including Hamilton, The Lion King and Billy Elliot.

Jon Bendich has performed with Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E., Robben Ford, The Last Poets, George Duke & Stanley Clarke, Roy Ayers, MC Hammer, Lisa Stansfield, Bobby McFerrin, Frank McComb, Ray Obiedo, Andy Narrell, Lenny Williams, Gerald Allbright and Phil Upchurch

Phil Hawkins is an accomplished jazz drummer and one of the leading innovators of music for the steelpan. As a percussionist and drummer he regularly travels throughout the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America to perform concerts, teach clinics and study percussion.

Harry Best is a steeldrum player, vocalist and composer who has been performing in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 15 years. His music ranges from infectious Afro-Caribbean rhythms of reggae, calypso, soca, bossa, samba and salsa to engrossing arrangements of jazz and popular standards.

Jeff Narell is an internationally known steel panist, Afro-Caribbean percussionist, educator-clinician, and recording artist who has dedicated his life to promoting the artform and expanding the musical range of the steel pan.

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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: John R Burr onPiano, Doug Miller on bass, Leon Joyce on drums, and Erik Jekabson on Trumpet

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Charles Wheal walked into a bar in Blacksburg Virginia to hear Muddy Waters' old guitar player "Steady Rollin" Bob Margolin light up the stage. That night, he went back to his apartment, picked up his roommate's acoustic guitar, and hasn't been without one since.

A few years later, he moved to London to pursue a career in global finance, but his passion for playing won out. Following in the footsteps of other English musicians steeped in the blues, from Peter Green to Stevie Winwood, Charles came back to America to delve deeper into the heart of the music he felt compelled to play.

After an apprenticeship in the historic clubs of Chicago, Charles was pulled further westward, to one of the epicenters of the contemporary Blues scene--San Francisco. Wheal got the call from harmonica player Mark Hummel to fill the guitar chair in his band. He played on all of Hummel's releases since then, including three Harmonica Meltdown CDs (Mountaintop) and Hummel's Electro-Fi CDs, "Golden State Blues", "Blowing My Horn", and "Ain't Easy no More". Over the years, Wheal has played with a virtual who's-who of blues greats, including James Cotton, Snooky Pryor, Sam Myers, Joe Beard, Steve Freund, Charlie Musselwhite, Kim Wilson (The Fabulous Thunderbirds), Rod Piazza, Rick Estrin (Rick Estrin & The Nightcats), James Harman, Paul Delay, Jerry Portnoy, Lee Oskar, Magic Dick, Huey Lewis, Jody Williams, Jr Watson, Billy Branch, Curtis Salgado, Maria Muldaur, Bob Margolin, Anson Funderburgh, Cal Valentine, Detroit Jr, Barrelhouse Chuck, Billy Boy Arnold, and of course Mark Hummel. For almost a decade, he anchored Mark Hummel and the Blues Survivors, playing with some of the greatest musicians of their generations, criss-crossing North America and Europe to packed halls, and playing festivals and clubs to dedicated fans of blues and jazz from around the world.

In October of 2006, Wheal decided it was time to devote his energy to his own band. Charles and his band can be found playing at all of the best Bay Area clubs, providing a mix of Chicago, Texas, and West coast blues that gets crowds on their feet and keeps them there.

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Twenty six 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.

Join us for the unveiling of thier newest configuration: Jazz Mafia Strings!

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Experience the elegant mysteries of Master Illusionist and comedian Patrick Martin, along with the wildly creative music of Mads Tolling in this surprising, fun and amazing mix of illusion, wicked jazz, comedy and startling mystery!

Internationally celebrated, Patrick has entertained at the White House, inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, and on “Masters of Illusion.” Mads, a two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist from Copenhagen, has performed with jazz legends Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, Turtle Island Quartet, and is a recent member of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros.

This collaborative show takes audiences on a surprising and comedic journey. Tolling provides a live, dynamic musical score to Martin’s  illusions, integrating classical virtuosity, jazz into a magic show unlike any other. Mads brings his signature live looping to the stage, layering rhythms, and harmonies on the violin, magically creating the sound of an entire ensemble. Together, Patrick and Mads create an unforgettable evening where magic meets music in the most unexpected and delightful ways.

Not to be missed!

Tickets at Mads Tolling & Patrick Martin

Angela LaFlamme's Wild Women of The Blues is an evocative musical tribute that brings to life the stories and songs of legendary blues and jazz artists. With a voice that channels the raw emotion of Etta James, the soulful depth of Billie Holiday, and the powerful presence of Big Mama Thornton, LaFlamme offers a captivating performance that honors these trailblazing women. Her repertoire also includes the timeless works of Alberta Hunter and other iconic figures, as well as her own original songs, weaving a rich tapestry of music and storytelling. Through this show, LaFlamme not only celebrates the enduring legacy of these artists but also keeps their voices alive for new generations of listeners.

Angela LaFlamme is a throwback to a bygone era — with an edgy modern twist. Sepia toned. Think 1920’s film siren meets Tom Waits. Angela's love for not only storytelling, but creating a unique nostalgic vibe come from years of studying the tarnished elegance of Billie Holiday, the whimsical smirk of Fats Waller, and the full throttle kick of Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

From performing at an Oakland warehouse party to the sumptuous main stage of the Edwardian Ball or legendary rock venue Bottom of the Hill, to the top floor of the De Young Museum, LaFlamme is completely at home. Her dedication, sheer joy and passion in creating not just great music, but an unforgettable atmosphere are a thing to behold.

Tickets at Angela LaFlamme: Wild Women of the Blues

Join us for an extraordinary night celebrating the artistry of Israel Lopez “Cachao,” creator of the Mambo, pioneer of the Descarga, and one of the pillars of Cuban music. The Saúl Sierra Quartet features Saúl on bass, Marco Diaz on piano and trumpet, Julio Perez, and Ahkeel Mestayer on percussion. They will be joined by very special guests: John Santos and Orestes Vilató on percussion, Anthony Blea on violin, and Luis Rosa on saxophone.

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:

Five-time GRAMMY nominated percussionist, educator, producer, composer, John Santos, is one of the foremost exponents of Afro-Latin music in the world today. He is known for his innovative use of traditional forms and instruments in combination with contemporary music, and has earned much respect and recognition as a record and event producer.

Orestes Vilató is a Cuban percussionist considered to be one of the foremost timbaleros in the salsa genre. He has been a strong musical presence in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene playing with several groups like the Machete Ensemble and Los Kimbos. He has also been an influential music mentor to many owing to his deep musical knowledge and generous nature. He has worked with Ray Barretto, Johhny Pacheco, Cachao and Carlos Santana.

Anthony Blea, master violinist, is a veteran performer, composer, and instructor, whose performances have graced the stages, and enriched the musical community of the San Francisco Bay Area for over four decades.

Saxophonist Luis Rosa has appeared at major festivals and venues such as the Java Jazz Festival, Hungary’s Mediawave Festival, the Berklee Performance Center, and Boston’s Beantown Jazz Festival. His performance collaborations include work with Wayne Bergeron, Theo Bleckmann, Maurice Brown, Eguie Castrillo, Billy Cobham, Carlos Garnett, Jerry Gonzalez, John Hollenbeck, Roscoe Mitchell, Steve Nash, Charlie Sepulveda, Don Severinsen, Terrell Stafford and Allen Vizzutti among others.

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.

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 The Saúl Sierra Quartet with Special guests play the music of "Cachao"

Pianist Peter Smith usually 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. For this post Thanksgiving event, he will be presenting soul jazz / boogaloo music from his latest release Smitty Straightens Out.

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.

Tickets at Peter Smith Trio

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

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 Matt Roades.

Then we add Nancy Wright . Wright appeared on the Bay Area music scene in 1984 with the popular New Orleans Rhythm and Blues Band, Hot Links. Following a successful North American tour, Wright and Hot Links were tapped to perform with Swamp Boogie Queen Katie Webster, appearing on her Arhoolie Records release, “You Know That’s Right.” Wright and Webster also performed together at the Chicago Blues Festival and appear together on B.B. King’s album, “Blues Summit,” winner of the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Wright spent the next two decades touring North America, Europe, and Asia with such artists as Elvin Bishop, Commander Cody, Johnny Adams, Earl King, Joe Louis Walker, and Maria Muldaur, and opening the top-grossing Jimmy Buffett Outpost Tour with harmonica player Greg “Fingers” Taylor. She recorded with B.B. King, Elvin Bishop, Joe Louis Walker, Little Charlie and the Nitecats, Mark Hummel and many others, and performed with top blues artists including Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Lowell Fulsom, Son Seals, and Ike Turner. “I have been blessed to play with and learn from so many wonderful musicians,” says Wright.

“One of the hottest blues sax players in the business, she is known for powerful, soulful, fascinating playing.”
– John Orr, San Jose Mercury News

“One of the best horn blowers in the blues business . . . a singer and songwriter of high order.”
– Lee Hildebrand, Living Blues

“A naturally bluesy voice . . . reminiscent in its approach to Ruth Brown and Dinah Washington . . . she doesn’t just sing the blues, she feels them.”
– George “Blues Fin Tuna” Fish, Blues Blast Magazine

Tickets at Jules Leyhe & The Family Jules with Nancy Wright