[arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7MuMSND-iE” /] Guitarist Duncan James and vibes & harmonica player Jon Eriksen have been playing in various configurations for more than thirty years, and bassist Rich Girard has played with both of them in different situations for that long or longer. These three musicians have a deep and eclectic common repertoire to draw on, from Brazilian tunes to jazz and pop standards, to numbers by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea, Frank Zappa and plenty more. Jon is most widely known in these parts as the co-leader of SoulSauce, a Latin-jazz quintet based on the Cal Tjader sound that got its start in 1998. He’s also been in the house band at Nick’s in Pacifica for 24 years, and plays jazz harmonica ala Toots Thielemans (with some Stevie thrown in). Duncan James has worked side by side with highly esteemed jazz guitarists George Barnes, Howard Alden, Bruce Foreman…

Five first call jazz players join forces for two sets of straight ahead jazz and bebop: Lyle Link, alto sax; Bob Kenmotsu, tenor sax; Keith Saunders, piano; Adam Gay, bass; James Gallagher, drums.

We’ve been held in thrall by pianist Grant Levin ever since he first graced the Bird & Beckett bandstand in a couple different units in 2011 and 2012 (Home Spun Trio and Hawkeye), then in extensive collaboration with the late Houston, Texas alto saxophonist Terrance Tony (a veteran of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers); in groups led by local heroes Noel Jewkes and Peter Barshay; and on countless dates here as a leader of his own groups (frequently including another Jazz Messengers vet, bassist Chris Amberger, as well as many esteemed and emerging local and regional players). Grant leads a trio this afternoon that features the New York City-based drummer Sylvia Cuenca (a San Jose native with extensive experience in bands led by tenor titan Joe Henderson and the marvelous trumpeter Clark Terry) and bassist Aaron Cohn — Sunday at 4:30. Don’t miss it!

Walker Brents III has been musing on topics of his choosing monthly at Bird & Beckett for fifteen years or more — thoughts on individual poets, philosophers, seers… bits of mythology…  There are wonderful reasons that he’s got a loyal coterie of fans, and not just at the bookshop, but at storytelling festivals, in schoolyards and classrooms, at art museums. Come hear for yourself. He says,  “Human speech is the place where myths unfold, today and tomorrow. It has always been this way. The language of storytelling contains within itself how we, both as a species and as unique individuals, understand events as they occur. This is a process continually in transition. The more we are aware of its nuances as it makes itself known, the more is our vigilance honed, our intuitive faculties strengthened, and our trust in life assured.” This afternoon, his subject is Goethe’s poetic science: the unity…

The sound of tomorrow’s jazz today!  Drummer Christian Kyle Burgs arrived in San Francisco out of Houston last September to enroll in the inaugural class of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s undergraduate degree program in “roots, jazz & American music” (read: JAZZ!). Bassist Cris Carrera and tenor player Jayden Clark turned up at the same time for the same reason. We’ve been hearing these players and their cohort of twelve for the past six months in a monthly jam session here at the shop, and we quickly realized that any of them could lead a tight unit with unbelievable talent and fresh energy to burn! For this date, Christian has also enlisted San Francisco native son Zack Shubert to handle the piano duties. You’re in for an earful! Jayden Clark, tenor saxophone – Sydney, Australia Zack Shubert, piano – San Francisco, California Cris Carrera, bass – McAllen,Texas Christian Kyle…

Members of the Japanese-American community and their friends observe February 19th as a Day of Remembrance, as it marks the date in 1942 when Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt, leading to the internment of Japanese-Americans in concentration camps spread throughout the country. Tonight, Shizue Seigel, Hiroshi Kashiwag, Mia Ayumi Malhotra and Peter Yamamoto read prose and poetry in observation of this dark chapter in American history — a chapter which seems to be endlessly rewritten, as it is being rewritten today in this era of unspeakable travesties and cruelty. An open mic follows the featured readers.  

Rural blues from the San Francisco masters of the form HowellDevine Joshua Howell, harp, guitar, vocals Pete Devine, traps, washboard, percussion, jug Joe Kyle, Jr., bass

Lyle Link, tenor sax  •  Greg Jacobs, piano  •  Chris Amberger, bass  •  Mark Lee, drums

Read more (and hear them) by clicking here! Jazz lives!

Songs that bear a message… The Scott Foster Trio Scott Foster, guitar Richard Hall, piano Andrew Higgins, bass  

Poetry! Stephanie Baker Jess Rowland Ava Koober / Marina Lazzara / Patrick James Dunagan collaboration Music! J & Kevin BYO Bottle, Ears, Minds, Heart 

El Guajiro plays the gamut of popular music from Latin America, including cha cha, boleros, Latin jazz, as well as different varieties of Cuban music. El Guajiro is el guajiro Johnny Escobedo’s group, with a number of associates that include Norman Downing, the Razons Bo and Richie, Mario Vega and others. For this concert, he’s joined by Norman and Mario, who also make up the trio on his just-released (2017) cd entitled… El Guajiro. We’re pleased to welcome El Guajiro back to Bird & Beckett on February 11th.