Jazz: there’s no stopping now!

San Francisco holds its own as one of the key hubs of jazz in America, and we’re crazy for it in all its permutations

Friday, August 26th, 5:30 to 8:00 pm

The 230 Jones Street, Local 6 Literary Jazz Band

With vocalist Dorothy Lefkovits adding her own sweet sound, this is the band assembled by Glen Park tenor player Chuck Peterson with colleagues he’s played with for decades.  Named in tribute to the Musicians Union and its historic (1925-1998) home in the theatre district, this group’s members are all seasoned professionals, working in the business since the early 1950s.

Chuck Peterson, tenor sax and flute; Howard Dudune, tenor sax and clarinet; Glen Deardorff, guitar; Dean Reilly, bass; and Tony Johnson, drums.  This band, aka “The Chuck Peterson Quintet” plays at Bird & Beckett on the fourth Friday of each month.

Tyrone Dorian subs for Glen on guitar this week.

Sunday, August 28th, 4:30 & 5:30 pm (two sets)

Lords of Outland

Concluding our five-week sequence called Outfest!, this band takes free improvisation into the fiercest, darkest corners you’ll find in a little neighborhood bookshop.

Throughout the fifteen year history of the Lords of Outland, its core roster has changed numerous times featuring guests John Tchicai, James Zitro, Kash Killion, and many others. The group currently features leader Rent Romus on saxes, CJ Borosque no-input pedals and trumpet, Philip Everett drums, percussion and electronics, and Ray Schaeffer electric basses.

The Lords of Outland released two recordings in the ninties — “You’ll Never Be the Same” in 1995 and, “Adapt…or Die!” in 1997. In 2000, Romus produced a dedication to Albert Ayler, “Avatar in the Field” and in 2002 alongside his partner and wife CJ Borosque, the group released music to her book of poetry entitled The Metal Quan Yin.

Continuing to perform and record live shows up and down the West Coast through the latter half of the decade, Romus discovered he and the Lords had fallen into a realm known to some as “Free Jazz Metal” (or some variation thereof). This back alley sub-genre seems to have metamorphosed from the seeds of free jazz mixed with the fires of a new generation of instrumentalists who were influenced by 60’s and 70’s rock as well as punk, metal and noise. The incubation and virulent growth of this sub-genre spurred The Lords’ last three recent releases, aptly named “Culture of Pain” in 2005, “You can sleep when you’re dead!” in 2007, and “The Pit ” in 2009.

“…Lords of Outland imagines Jaco Pastorius playing armor-outfitted basketball with a band of crazed bassists and saxophonists. The rhythms run amok, the melodies are anything but friendly, and nausea and sickness is sure to follow.” – Ken Micalle.

This will be fun, intriguing & loud.

Outfest! has been co-presented by the Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project and Outsound Presents.