Classics of literature are most fully lived in the consciousness of individual readers. Known or unknown, such works abide. One such case is The Gate of Horn, the debut work by Gertrude Rachel Levy, a University of London archeologist. Long out of print, it was sent forth in 1948 into the post-war world, galvanizing…

Tammy Hall brings Gary Brown on bass and Deszon Claiborne for a classic piano trio date, covering material from the gospel tinged to the blues to pop and always landing in the sophisticated elegance of straight ahead jazz. Catch the trio’s 90-minute performance on our facebook page or youtube channel And do please help us pay the musicians…

Danny Bittker, clarinets & steel drum Joyce McBride, piano Scott Foster, guitar Guitarist Scott Foster offers a wonderful array of ensembles at Bird & Beckett on the third Friday of each month, and he has another in store for us tonight. Tonight, Danny Bittker brings his clarinets and steel drums to the party. This will…

Occasional Sunday mornings at 10, we host an hour-long, live-streamed conversation between and among local writers, scholars, activists and others on topics of particular and timely interest to Bay Area residents. This morning, Kitty Costello, co-editor of a new anthology  of Muslim American writers’ essays, fiction and poetry on a variety of themes — identity,…

Greg Jacobs was born in London and grew up in San Rafael, where he started playing classical piano as a child. At twelve, he was inspired by the music of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Claude Debussy and local pianist Zack Hornstein, who rehearsed with Greg’s brother, Josh, at their home, playing blues and Dylan covers….

The Shack-Shaking Music of HowellDevine “There is no blues band performing today as different as HowellDevine—nor as delightful.” ~ Lee Hildebrand, Living Blues Magazine/SF Chronicle 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…

Jinx returns to Glen Park, hot on the heels of his trio date across the bay at Piedmont Piano, with Kenan O’Brien on bass and Ken Owen on drums. Sure, he’s a rockabilly star, but he’s also devoted to the pioneering work of Charlie Christian and the jazz guitar styles of Wes Montgomery, Grant Green,…

After performing on trumpet and piano in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1970’s and 80’s, notably with Mark Levine and Chuck Clark, Tom Reynolds earned a B.A. in Music from UCBerkeley in 1982 and kept at it; but in 1988 he veered off into tech. In 2014, he returned to the music, playing…

  A slight change in plans brings us balafon maestro Mohammed Kouyate in a duo set with his student, Dan, on balafon.  For the second set, a trio with Dan on vibes with drummer Michael Mitchell and bassist Tyler Harlow. Rebecca Holtz can’t join us tonight, but sends her love and best wishes. Tonight will…

“It’s never over when one person remembers you.” Sunday morning, join us for an hour’s discussion of the book Death in the Tenderloin and the individual residents whose lives are commemorated in this volume. Geoff Link, editor, and writers Marjorie Beggs and Tom Carter explore the motivations behind and circumstances surrounding the publication of this…