Rodney Ruckus kicks it up with two pros up from L.A. — Detroit native DeSean Jones on tenor sax and, originally from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, the bassist Tabari Lake. Oh, and on drums? That would be RUCKUS!  

Thu Ho – Vocals Jeff Kaliss – Poet and Music Historian Grant Levin – Piano Ollie Dudek – Upright Bass Mark Lee – Drums Have you ever pondered how legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart developed his exquisite lyricism? One has to wonder how much of his personal experience living as a gay man in 1920’s and 30’s America had found its way in the subtle seams of his poetry. Would Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” be as powerful and impactful without understanding the historical and racial context in which this song was written? Jazz vocalist Thu Ho is excited to try something new at Bird and Beckett Books, joining poet/writer/music historian Jeff Kaliss to present a unique night of music interwoven with thematic poetry and jazz history, backed by the innovative Grant Levin on piano, Ollie Dudek on upright bass, and Mark Anthony Lee on drums. Jeff Kaliss has been writing about…

Gray Brechin and Walter Riley will be on hand at Bird & Beckett this Sunday, hosted by Riva Enteen, editor of Follow the Money: Radio Voices for Peace and Justice, a new book compiling 66 interviews conducted by KPFA radio commentator Dennis J. Bernstein on his long-running and hugely influential program, “Flashpoints.”  Bernstein’s Flashpoints interviews with Brechin and Riley are among the 66 incisive, insightful interviews, all conducted during the Obama era, that are collected in this volume.  Together, they provide the writing on the wall for how we got to Trump today. and paint a vivid picture of the state of things in present-day America. Gray Brechin is an historical geographer, a visiting scholar in the UC Berkeley Department of Geography, and project scholar of the Living New Deal Project. His book Imperial San Francisco (UC Press, 2006) has set the standard as the key economic, political and cultural investigation of San Francisco history.…

Beth Custer, voice, clarinet David James, guitar/voice Diana Mangano, voice Jordan Glasgow, piano Keith MacArthur, bass John Hanes, drums Supported by Jazz in the Neighborhood’s Guaranteed Fair Wage Fund      

Three Friday late nights in a row with triple-threat trumpeter Darren Johnston. Call him Mr. 3D! June 8 – DARREN JOHNSTON/DESTINY MUHAMMAD QUARTET (featuring Leon Joyce Jr. and Eric Vogler) Expect fresh takes on jazz standards, some premieres of original music, and selected covers from around the globe. Destiny Muhammad – harp Darren Johnston – trumpet Eric Vogler – bass Leon Joyce Jr. – drums June 15 – BYE BYE BARTOK Known by my cats at home as “The Noisy Strangers,” this collective arranges classic symphonic and chamber themes for jazz improvisers by the likes of Bach, Bartok, Sibelius, and more. Matt Renzi – clarinet, tenor sax, English horn Darren Johnston – trumpet Adam Shulman – piano Eric Vogler – bass June 22 – THE PIPES A very unique and original recipe for chamber-folk with a jazz reduction. Darren Johnston – trumpet, voice Cory Wright – bass clarinet, clarinet Steven…

Bob Kenmotsu is one of the great tenor players on the Bay Area jazz scene, and has been for years. He’s joined this evening by bassist Adam Gay and drummer Vince Lateano. Three generations of great jazz players share the stage. Bob notes that tonight’s tenor-bass-drums format is a particularly nice set-up “that we sometimes call the ‘Magic Number.’” Bob’s got some new material to present alongside some standards. We’re anticipating a lovely night in the cocoon of Bird & Beckett, as the Warriors and Cavs take their feud down to Glen Park Station to settle matters like gentlemen. Catch a little of their thing before, after and during the break– but don’t miss the chance to hear this consummate horn trio. Tonight will be the measure by which much other jazz may be profitably judged!

Pianist Steve Rudolph, based in Harrisburg, PA, is on tour with Ali Ryerson; and after a week of workshops with her in the Carmel Valley, leads a trio at Bird & Beckett in the eve of their concert at Piedmont Piano.  Bassist John Wiitala and drummer Akira Tana are two of the finest, most experienced jazz players in the Bay Area, and lend ample support to a pianist who’s been called “a savvy, swinging, glimmering heavyweight… …simply outstanding.” The winner of the Jazziz Magazine Piano Competition at the Seven Springs Jazz Festival in 2000, he was also awarded two Jazz Composition Fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.  

The Twelve Chimes Players record the season 2 episode finale for the radio drama podcast “Twelve Chimes It’s Midnight” with live foley sound effects! Live music will be provided between plays by The Nick Rossi Trio with Annabelle Zakaluk. No cover, but donations are more than welcome! Check out the podcast at www.twelvechimesradio.com!

Born and raised in San Francisco, Thea Matthews is an awarded poet, spoken word artist, activist, curator, bruja, revolutionary, collaborator, and scholar. She writes on the complexities of trauma, grief, resiliency, and ultimately, the triumph over trauma. Her work can be found in For Harriet’s Soar, Rag Queen Periodical, as well as SoundCloud, YouTube, and Ello. She has studied the poetics of June Jordan, Pat Parker, and Jewelle Gomez. As a seasoned performer, Thea frequents the San Francisco Bay Area literary scene; and has featured at literary festivals such as Beast Crawl Oakland, Lit Crawl San Francisco; and reading series such as Paseo Artístico, Lyrics & Dirges, Hazel Reading Series, Nomadic Press’s First Fridays and Get Lit. Currently, she is working on her first book– a thematic collection of poetry incorporating flower medicine.  https://www.theamatthews.com/ Jane Rades’ prismatic poetry seems deceptively simple and crystalline. She has read her work intermittently in San Francisco…

Guitarist Bruno Pelletier  leads a quartet featuring Rob Sudduth on saxophone, Ken Lenga on bass and Tom Hassett on drums, playing original composition and jazz standards. Born in Paris, France in 1960, Pelletier grew up in a musical family  and was encouraged to be a musician at a young age. Bruno notes that it’s been said that his father had played with gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. “That is true,” he says. “However, it should be mentioned that they only played pool together…” After studying guitar and Jazz Composition at the University of Miami, Florida, Bruno moved to San Francisco in 1987 where he now works as a free-lance guitarist, bandleader and educator. He has performed Yoshi’s with his own quartet, at the SF Museum of Modern Art, at local jazz festivals and at the Mill Valley International Film Festival, and has played with Buddy Collette, Sonny Simmons, Norah Jones, Bruce Dunlap,…

Author event! Tango Lessons: A Novel by Adriana Díaz   “Adriana Díaz has captured perfectly the soul of Buenos Aires. Tango Lessons invites us into the suspense of a tango thriller infused with the unfortunate sinister days of the military dictatorship in Argentina. Her perspective recreates the uniquely porteño alchemy of sensuality, love, and death in a passionate plot that one wants to read in one sitting. Like a modern Agatha Christie, she captures the record of an unforgettable journey.” – Prof. Ana Jachimovicz, The Center for Spiritual Studies, Buenos Aires, Argentina  

In one of the sweetest rooms in the City, Imperial Jazz Co. brings together some of the brightest lights on the Bay Area music scene performing songs and instrumental standards with maximum swing, scorching solos, and delightful vocals.  The band includes: Phillip Greenlief (Lost Trio, Orchestra Nostalgico, Animals & Giraffes), reeds John Hanes (Smith Dobson V, Dream Kitchen and Actual Trio with John Schott, Orchestra Nostalgico), drums Myles Boisen (Past-Present-Future, Fred Frith, Orchestra Nostalgico, Franco Nero, Club Foot Orchestra, Miniwatt Trio/Quartet), guitar Kurt Ribak (Kurt Ribak Trio), bass John Ettinger (Miniwatt Trio/Quartet), violin Jill Rogers (Crying Time), vocals https://www.facebook.com/events/205922840216534/  

Drummer Lorca Hart brings in guitarist Mike Scott and organist Brian Ho for two sets of music rooted in the classic jazz organ sound (Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Larry Young, jazz standards and be‐bop) while also exploring more contemporary elements (John Scofield, Larry Goldings, r&b, pop, and original compositions).

It’s always a blast at Bird & Beckett at the end of the (conventional) work week. Jazz in the bookshop on Fridays from 5:30 to 8:00 pm every single week (since 2002!). And a 9:00 to 11:00 pm late show as well. Tonight in the early show, it’s the quintet they call Oop Bop Sh’Bam! Five veteran players who’ve never stopped swingin’. Al Molina, trumpet Jerry Logas, reeds, flute and vocals Jeffrey Burr, guitar Dean Reilly, bass Vince Lateano, drums