Ed Cherry is one of the greats of jazz. He’s been on that course since the late 1970s, and is solidly in his prime. Tonight, he leads a trio in the intimate space that is Bird & Beckett.

$20 cash cover charge. BYOB.
Doors open at 7:20pm for the 7:30pm show.
Call for reservations – 415-586-3733

Nothing beats being in the room, but the date will also be live streamed on the Bird & Beckett YouTube channel and Facebook page; and if you partake substantially of it, we hope you’ll support the stream by donating per the information on the screen. $10 is nice.

Ed Cherry moved to New York from New Haven, Connecticut in 1978 to play guitar with Dizzy Gillespie for the better part of a decade and a half, from 1978 to 1992, performing in Gillespie’s quartet and big band, and with Diz’s United Nation Orchestra, which recorded the 1989 Grammy Award-winning lp, “Live at Royal Festival Hall,” for Enja Records. Ed was with Gillespie’s group in San Francisco for an SFJAZZ date in 1991 on a bill opened by saxophonist Mel Martin’s Big Band — here’s a clip with Gillespie joining the Martin band for a take on “Manteca” that night, with Vince Lateano and John Santos in the band. Diz passed in 1993, and in the same year Ed released his first recording as a leader, “First Take” (Groovin’ High). Also in 1993, Ed recorded with Paquito D’Rivera’s small group which recorded “Havana Cafe” (Chesky Records). During this period, Ed worked with composer/saxophonist Henry Threadgill for two years and recorded  three cds with Threadgill’s Very Very Circus group.

In 1995, Cherry released his second project as a solo artist, entitled “A Second Look” (Groovin’ High Records). During that same period, he worked with Hammond organist John Patton, recording three critically acclaimed cds with Patton’s quartet – “Blue Planet Man,” “Minor Swing” and “This One’s for Jah” (DIW). From 1997 to 1998, Cherry worked in Roy Hargrove’s Latin jazz band, Crisol, which performed in Havana. During this period, he also worked with baritone saxophonist Hamiett Bluiett, recording Bluiett’s cd “With Eyes Wide Open” on Justin Time records. In 2001, Cherry toured Europe for the first time with his own group. He also released his cd, “The Spirit Speaks,” on Justin Time, inspired by the great jazz organist Jimmy Smith, with whom he had also recently worked.

Ed was asked to perform at the Vodaphone Madarao Jazz festival in 2002 in Madarao, Japan, with his quartet featuring trumpeter Jon Faddis. A few years later, he was touring with Dr. Lonnie Smith, recording the critically acclaimed cd, “In The Beginning” on Pilgrimage Records in 2012.

Ed released “It’s All Good” on Posi-Tone Records in 2012, which stayed in the JazzWeek charts for 3 months. His second recording for the label was “Soul Tree” (2016 ) featuring Kyle Koehler on Hammond B3 organ and drummer Anwar Marshall.

Ed works nationally and internationally in concert, jazz club and workshop settings.

We’re honored, and fortunate indeed, to have him once again on the Bird & Beckett stage.

Do come! The live stream can’t do justice to the real thing, live, though it’s pretty nice for all that.