Kim Shuck, San Francisco’s 7th poet laureate, now emerita, and more vital than ever, has been hosting a zoomed poetry reading for Bird & Beckett since way back, early pandemic… it continues. We’re grateful for the fabulous ways in which she extends the bookshop’s boundaries. Tonight, she’s invited Norma Smith and Gail Mitchell to read,…

Keith Saunders, piano Eric Markowitz, bass Smith Dobson V, drums Remembering the Deluxe…

Oakland’s Bishop O’Dowd High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by bassist Fred Randolph.

Cecilia Perez Urias – jarana, vocals, zapateado Diego Perez – bass guitar Dan Neville – vibes, marimba Andres Reyes – tambór and cununo $20 cover charge (cash please). No one turned away for lack of funds. Admission in the last half hour is $5 upon request. BYOB. Created in Mexico City by Cecilia Perez Urias…

This is where it all begins! Where the future comes into view afresh with every sunrise! Sunnyside Elementary School’s brilliant young students produce “The Ray” once a year — their own literary journal! They’re coming to Bird & Beckett this Sunday, from 2-3pm, to deliver the word! Turn out to hear them and to let…

David Hardiman, Jr., trumpet Charles Hamilton, trombone Hal Richards, tenor sax Cory Wright, baritone sax Karl Evangelista, guitar David Parker, bass Valentino Peeps, drums Come out for the late set at the Bird & the Beckett to get a taste of a deep and moody and slammin’ septet led by bassist David Parker and featuring…

Erik Jekabson, trumpet/flugelhorn Sheldon Brown, saxophones/flutes Murray Low, piano Fred Randolph, bass/compositions Isaac Schwartz, drums $20-25 is suggested for quintets (cash or venmo, please), but no one is turned away for lack of funds. Pay what you can at our Friday evening jazz happy hours! Byob if you think you’re going to get thirsty! Fred…

Sheldon Brown – Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet Ben Goldberg – Bb and Bass Clarinets John Wiitala – Bass Tim Bulkley – Drums $20 cash cover charge; byob. Reservations, call 415-586-3733 Sheldon writes: Ben and I have been playing together for longer than he or I can remember. We’ve played together with Clarinet Thing, with Darren…

Ashia Ajani’s position as poet-in-residence at the San Francisco Museum of the African Diaspora was announced just days ago, and her poetry debut Heirloom is newly published by Write Bloody Publishing. Speaking from both a place of restoration and vengeance, Heirloom explores concepts of spiritual nourishment, physical and emotional sacrifice, environmental injustice, sexuality, waste colonialism,…

The intensity of individual, mob and institutional attacks on working journalists and their media outlets is unmistakable in our current age. World Press Freedom Day pushes back. So, too, does the work of many thousands of individuals locally and worldwide who take the tools of journalism in hand to accurately report the news they encounter…