Charles McNeal, alto sax.
Joe Warner, piano.
Ron Belcher, bass.
Jemal Ramirez, drums.

$20 cover charge; byob.
$10 for students.
For a reservation,
call the bookshop at 415-586-3733.

Saxophonist Charles McNeal has been a featured performer at the Monterey, San Jose, San Francisco and Telluride jazz festivals as well as the Playboy Jazz Festival (now known as the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival), and the Umbria Jazz Festival and Porretta Soul Festival in Italy. He’s performed, recorded and/or toured with: Lyle Lovett, The Headhunters w/Mike Clark and Bill Summers, Jimmy Scott, Charlie Mussellwhite, Keb Mo, John Faddis, Wynton Marsalis, James Carter, Steve Turre, McCoy Tyner, Ray Obiedo, Dave Garabaldi, Steve Turre, James Carter, Brenda Boykin, Claire Dee, Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Barbara Morrison, Jackie Ryan, Take 6, Kirk Whalum, Nneenna Freelon, Barbara Dennerlein, Junior Mance, Bruce Forman, Mark Elf, Roberta Flack, The Temptations, Norman Conners, Jean Carne, Curtis Olson, Peter Horvath, Jaz Sawyer, Boz Scaggs, and Nicolas Bearde.

Pianist Joe Warner has set the Bay Area jazz scene on fire. Known for his captivating style and electrifying performances, he’s worked as pianist and musical director for legendary vocalist The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol for over 10 years and leads the charge with his own Joe Warner Trio while sharing stages and studios with icons like Houston Person, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, Mary Stallings, Buster Williams, Billy Hart, Azar Lawrence, and Gary Bartz. Warner’s deep groove and versatility have also led him to work with not just jazz royalty but heavyweights like Mistah F.A.B., Bernard Purdie, and Robert Randolph. Whether it’s classic jazz or genre-bending collaborations, Warner’s got the keys to the future.

He has also performed or recorded with Dayna Stephens, John Handy, John Santos, Steve Turre, Herlin Riley, Nasheet Waits, Kenny Washington, Tarus Mateen, Marcus Shelby Orchestra, Johnny Talbot, Stephanie Crawford, Elena Pinderhughes, Craig Handy, Greg Hutchinson, Roy McCurdy, Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith, Eric Wyatt, Lenny White, Casey Benjamin, Dennis Chambers, The California Honeydrops, Jules Broussard, Freddie Hughes, Derick Hughes, Martin Luther, Oakland Symphony, Valerie Troutt, and Denise Perrier, among others.

Bassist Ron Belcher is a tried and true anchor of the jazz scene in Northern California with a worldwide reach. Just take a listen to this recording of a duo performance with Charles McNeal and it’ll tell you all you need to know about him and Charles, both! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-_sZVVp0aQ

That said, we’ll tell you that Ron has traveled the world bringing his rhythmically buoyant, emotionally uplifting style to the stage for a wide diversity of jazz artists. He’s has performed or recorded with Branford Marsalis, Regina Carter, Rodney Franklin, John Handy, and Pete Escovedo, as well as a literal “who’s who” of the San Francisco jazz scene. A passionate teacher and advocate for children’s education, Ron has served on the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley and has contributed to several seasons for the San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures In Music outreach program. Ron‘s own studies include jazz improvisation and acoustic bass at several Bay Area colleges, culminating in a degree from Texas College, where he had the honor of membership in the East Texas All-Stars. He’s a beautiful human being, to boot, and is raising a son who’ll make his own mark in the world once he’s beyond the toddler stage!

Drummer Jemal Ramirez, born in Merced in 1974, and is a monstrous talent on drums with a deep track record as leader and sideman. Read Jemal’s terrific story here–complete with a great soundtrack. He chose Chico State over Berkelee School of Music for his undergraduate years, and in the past three decades plus he has worked with dozens of fantastic musicians, gigging, touring, recording and teaching extensively.