653 Chenery Street
in San Francisco's Glen Park neighborhood
1-415-586-3733
[email protected]
Open to walk-in trade and browsing
Tuesday to Sunday
noon to six
Live Streams every weekend!
Refresh your browser to catch a show in progress!
Visit our Facebook page or YouTube channel!
But nothing beats being in the room with the music & the musicians!
Noel Jewkes, reeds & flute. Ben Stolorow, piano. Peter Barshay, bass. Vince Lateano, drums. $20 cover (adults) / byob. ~~cash please!~~ teens/undergrads – $10. kids free. To reserve seats, call the shop at 415-586-3733. Noel Jewkes is celebrating his 85th birthday this week, and we’re celebrating his six and a half decades as a force on the Bay Area jazz scene. Vince Lateano, who has a solid six decades in, leads his trio with Noel as special guest today at 5pm. You can catch Vince’s trio at Bird & Beckett on the third Sunday of each month, and they’re also here the last Sunday of each month hosting one of the Bay Area’s most enjoyable jam sessions. Read jazz journalist Andy Gilbert’s recent piece on Noel here: This Richmond barber shop turns into a jazz club after hours
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…..69 years on, Thursday, June 19th, 7:30-9pm: Walker Talks! In his monthly live stream, Walker Brents III plumbs a sliver of Jaime De Angulo—cowpoke, daemonic scholar, gatherer of mystic word-lore among the Achumawi around Alturas, legendary bohemian bay area presence, he-who-rolled-in-ditches-with-shamans, Big Sur hermit and socialite. Inspirer of free-thinkers, anthropologists and poets across generations. Aged Chinatown cross dresser & secretary to Robert Duncan. Gary Snyder commends him as “a lavengro, a language-spirit-master.” His linguistic writings are primary sources of a great deal of material that would otherwise be long lost. He is also one of the greatest storytellers, so far, who has ever lived. His recitations of spoken tales, on KPFA radio in the late 1940s, are classics of their kind, gifting the American vernacular with mythic figures of archaic vitality. No audience in the shop for these talks, though if you tap on the window we’ll likely let you…
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Chiara Izzi, vocals Michael Potter, piano Alan Jones, bass $20 cover charge; byob. For a reservation, call the shop at 415-586-3733. Chiara Izzi arrived in New York City from Italy in 2014, three years after Quincy Jones awarded her first prize in the 2011 Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition.Chiara has said of Quincy Jones, “Having him as the judge…was the luckiest moment of my life. As a young singer, his whispered words, ‘Sister, you are very, very talented,’ made me feel like I belonged. His invitation to move to the U.S. to refine my craft opened my mind to bigger possibilities, encouraging me to take that leap; a leap that was anything but easy, coming from a small town where it’s hard to even think of making a living through music or art.Her career has blossomed in America, and she’s well regarded as a refined interpreter of jazz traditions and contemporary styles,…
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Mutual Aid Literary Reading In Solidarity with a Palestinian Family in Gaza featuring writing by Munira El Najar and Dr. Hassan Al Qatrawy. Bay Area writers and educators will read works that have been shared with us by Munira El Najar, one of Palestine’s most highly acclaimed teachers, and Dr. Hassan Al Qatrawy, celebrated author and university lecturer. All funds raised at the event will directly support Munira, Dr. Hassan, and their four children. Donations can be made at our event and also at this link. Doors for the event will open at 7pm for the reading, which will begin at 7:30pm. Reservations are available for those with mobility considerations. Masking is welcome if desired, and masks will be available at the event. Munira El Najar has written the following paragraphs for an online fundraiser that has been established to help her and her family: My name is Munira El Najar, an…
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Here at Bird & Beckett Books, we’ve always relied on the kindness of neighbors and strangers to make it all work; and we’ve always found that strangers don’t stay strangers long! Your tax-deductible donations to our 501(c)3 nonprofit, the Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project, FEIN 261906810, are the secret sauce. Book sales and cover charges at the shows are crucial, but only go so far to fill the cornucopia of culture that you’ll find here at Bird & Beckett! You can donate through our website using PayPal. Or if you prefer, you can drop off or mail us a check made out to the “Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project” — write “tax-deductible donation” in the memo line. Cash is fine if you prefer. You can also donate on a recurring, monthly basis through PayPal — which is quite a wonderful way to support us. Bright moments ahead, thanks…
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We’ll always remember you. You gave us so much, just a fraction of what you gave the world. You live on.
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The posts that follow show you what’s come and gone. Search the videos on our youtube channel or facebook page to find evidence of what you remember, or what you missed! Then, make sure you catch the next thing that catches your fancy. The live streams are great, but live music in a room with folks you know or ought to get to know, that’s irreplaceable…
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A wonderful run of shows ahead! Please bring cash for the cover charge, and something to drink, if you like. Call to reserve a seat: 415-586-3733. Teens pay a reduced price, typically $10. Kids free and welcome. …..Thursday, June 12th, 7:30-9pm: The sitar/tabla duo of Srinivas Reddy and Ferhan Qureshi, $20. …..Friday, June 13th, 6-8pm: Eric & the In Crowd, with Eric Shifrin on piano and vocals; Simon Planting, bass; Randy Lee Odell, drums, $20. …..Friday, June 13th, 8:30-10pm: Rick Brown’s Deep State Jazz Quartet, with Rick on trombone; Jeremy Leber, piano; Carl Herder, bass; Chris Cortez, drums, $20. …..Saturday, June 14th, 7:30-9:30pm: Carlo Rabano’s Chordless Trio, with Carlo on trombone; Alan Jones, bass; Miles Turk, drums, $20. …..Sunday, June 15th, 5-7pm: Saxophonist Noel Jewkes with the Vince Lateano Trio — Ben Stolorow, piano; Peter Barshay, bass; Vince Lateano, drums. We’re celebrating Noel’s 85th birthday three days early! Don’t miss…
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An all too rare opportunity to hear classical music in the lovely acoustic chamber that is Bird & Beckett. Janet Popesco Archibald’s Lowell Ensemble will perform works of American classical composers . Re-think any conflicting plans and reserve your seat now, by calling the bookshop at 415-586-3733. Leslie Chin, flute. Vicky Ehrlich, cello. Janet Popesco Archibald, oboe and English horn. Karen Hutchinson, piano. $20 admission at the door; cash, please. Bring something to sip if you like. You’ll find the performance archived on our facebook page and youtube channel, at the links below. But you should note that the sound doesn’t start until Janet is beginning her introduction a little before the 5 minute mark in the video. To view it on our facebook page, use this link: https://www.facebook.com/bird.and.beckett/videos/the-lowell-ensemble/1070492654962414. Remember to scoot 5 minutes in to catch the end of Janet’s introductions and the start of the music! On our…
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Jenna Littlejohn, producer of the SFLives Project, interviews Ramsey Robinson, a mental health social worker and longtime organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). The livestream can be found on Bird & Beckett’s website, as well as on its YouTube channel and Facebook page. Robinson has dedicated his life to organizing with others to gain the economic and political power to bring about a society where, along with our basic necessities, we can all survive and thrive. He organizes and fights back with the PSL wherever war, racism, poverty, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia and environmental destruction are present, specifically in the Bayview/Hunters Point community of San Francisco and across California. The SFLives Project, a series of candid conversations with San Francisco’s artists, activists and free thinkers, was conceived as a print media column by Denise Sullivan for the San Francisco Examiner where it ran from 2018-2022, then transitioned into a live-streamed conversation, produced by…
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Lincoln Adler, saxophone Scott Foster, guitar Kurt Ribak, bass with special guest Scott Larson on trombone! $20 cash or venmo at the door; byob. For a reservation, call the shop at 415-586-3733 Kurt Ribak is a pretty big guy, and a giant on the San Francisco jazz scene. One of the best established bassists in these parts, he’s fresh off an engagement at SFJazz. Chris Cortez, a KCSM disc jockey and drummer, has had this to say about Kurt, “Kurt’s ability to take you on a journey from the deepest waters of the Caribbean to the funky alleys of the urban jungle in one listening makes him a truly gifted original in my book.” Tonight, Kurt will deliver two sets of original music and more, in the company of jazz colleagues that we hold in high esteem. We’ll let Kurt speak for the band, and…
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Join us for an unforgettable evening of jazz with drummer Sheldon Alexander’s quintet. He has a passel of original tunes to play, and always builds a top-flight combo for any occasion. A sought-after sideman for many, many gigs, he’s also passionately developing his own unique projects. Prepare to be captivated by an extraordinary ensemble under the leadership of a young, but by now solidly established & brilliant star in the Bay Area jazz firmament. Kelyn Crapp, guitar Nico Colucci, tenor sax Morgan Harrison, piano Alan Jones, bass Sheldon Alexander, drums $25 cover charge (cash, please); byob. For a reservation, call the shop at 415-586-3733. Here’s video of a past date with Sheldon’s quintet playing John Coltrane’s “Naima” at Bird & Beckett two years ago:
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Joel Behrman, trumpet. Tod Dickow, saxophone. Matt Clark, piano. Jeff Saxton, bass. Greg Gotelli, drums. $25 cover per adult; byob. $10 teens and students. Kids free. For a reservation, call the shop at 415-586-3733. Tonight, the San Francisco Jazz Quintet brings to you the classic composers of the hard bop genre, as well as the best of the Great American Songbook. They’ll be performing the compositions of Sonny Clark, Lee Morgan, Tadd Dameron, Kenny Dorham, and Clifford Brown to name but a few. The San Francisco Jazz Quintet delivers a dynamic, horn driven sound that stays true to the exciting music that made the hard bop genre some of the greatest, most loved jazz in the world. The San Francisco Quintet’s engagement at Bird & Beckett this evening is subsidized by Jazz in the Neighborhood, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports the growth of live jazz in the Bay Area, focused…
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Jessica Loos’s work verges on performance art, channeling a strain of poetic tradition steeped in surrealism, dada and the best of Charles Bukowski. She’s a member of The Living Theatre and a collage artist as well, and organizes the poetry for the North Beach First Friday Artwalk and the North Beach Festival. Never satisfied, she also puts on readings, often with live music, at Specs Bar in Adler Alley opposite City Lights, and in Kerouac Alley between City Lights and Vesuvio opposite Specs–not to mention on Upper Grant Street on the sidewalk in front of Macchiarini Creative Design on the North Beach First Fridays. Cara Vida left a life among the suits long ago to find a dizzying and earthy reality. With a carney’s purity, she utilizes a collage technique in her poetry that digs truth from the rubble-strewn wasteland of the news-entertainment-advertising-industrial complex. She’s the real deal! An open…
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…..6/5 at 7pm, donations appreciated: Poets Jessica Loos and Cara Vida followed by an open mic. ….6/6 at 6pm, $25: San Francisco Quintet w/Joel Behrman, trumpet; Todd Dickow, tenor sax Matt Clark, piano; Jeff Saxton, bass; Greg Gotelli, drums. …..6/6 at 8:30pm, $20: The Sheldon Alexander Quartet w/Sheldon Alexander, drums; additional personnel tba. …..6/7 at 7:30pm, $20: Kurt Ribak Trio w/Lincoln Adler, saxophone; Scott Foster, guitar; Kurt Ribak, bass. …..6/8 at 5pm, $20: The Lowell Ensemble w/Leslie Chin, flute; Vicky Ehrlich, cello; Janet Popesco Archibald, oboe and English horn; Karen Hutchinson, piano.
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SUPPORT BIRD & BECKETT - DONATE TODAY!
Your donation to the Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project helps us pay for a multitude of operating expenses necessary to present, promote and preserve local music, poetry, and more.
Help us keep the arts alive and thriving!
The Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project was created in 2007 "to present, document and archive the creative work of significant living writers and musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area, for a neighborhood audience and future generations," continuing the work we began when the store was established in 1999.
We continue to present a full slate of programming of live music and poetry readings, and produce a literary journal and poetry chapbooks, and we seek and welcome your continued financial support by way of donations.
Click on "donate" in the navigation bar above. Better yet, make a check out to the “Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project” and drop it off or mail it to:
Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project
653 Chenery Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
Call us at (415) 586-3733 to find out how else you might lend your support.
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We're immensely appreciative of Jazz in the Neighborhood for having stepped in as our temporary fiscal sponsor for a few months, while we straightened out some paperwork to get nonprofit status restored to the BBCLP. We're happy to say that's been done, and all past, present, and future donations made directly to the BBCLP are fully tax-deductible!
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The Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project
Our events are put on under the umbrella of the Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project (the "BBCLP"). That's how we fund our ambitious schedule of 300 or so concerts and literary events every year.
The BBCLP is a [Read More ]
The Independent Musicians Alliance
Gigging musicians! You have nothing to lose but your lack of a collective voice to achieve fair wages for your work!
The IMA can be a conduit for you, if you join in to make it work.
https://www.independentmusiciansalliance.org/
Read more here - Andy Gilbert's Feb 25 article about the IMA from KQED's site
