Sunday, April 24th, Misisipi Mike Wolf & Friends perform his 2009 debut album live, for you.   Mike says, “The Cold Hard Facts of Mike” was my redemption song, and it came about very unexpectedly. After a couple of very dark years of personal turmoil I had found myself suddenly with a clear head and a new lease on life. Suddenly songs were coming to me in whole cloth out of the blue. I had no way to document the tunes but, the way I remember it, I was speaking on the phone to my dear old friend Maurice Tani and he offered to record demos of a couple of the new tunes on his home recording machine. Long story short, I quickly made my way to his house, grabbed his acoustic guitar, and sang the song “I’ll Be Back” into his microphone. That was that. A couple of days later, Maurice…

Channeling the sounds of Mississippi John Hurt, Fred McDowell and countless masters of the depression era delta region barely known to this day, Bill Phillippe celebrates his new cd release, “Parade,” at Bird & Beckett!  Ivor Holloway on clarinet and Daniel Fabricant on bass complete the trio this Sunday.  

Here’s what we’ve got for you! • Dorothy Lefkovits with the Chuck Peterson Quintet • Grant Levin/Pepe Jacobo Duo • Vinnie Rodriguez Quartet  • Poets of a Different Beat • Bill Phillippe Trio – rural blues cd release • Misisipi Mike’s “The Cold Hard Facts of Mike” • Glen Park Fest All in a weekend’s pleasure in Glen Park. Take a hike in the canyon when you’re out here, too!                                            

Drummer Vinnie Rodriguez invites trumpeter Ian Carey, pianist Adam Shulman and bassist Noah Schenker to the Bird & Beckett stage to spotlight a number of Ian’s own compositions as well as a select number of jazz standards. Ian has just released his latest album, “Interview Music,” under the group name of the Ian Carey Quintet + 1, with Adam on piano and other exemplary Bay Area jazz talents.  He brought the group into the Oakland’s Sound Room for the album’s debut just last week and will present the band and the album again on Sunday the 24th at San Francisco’s Chez Hanny. It’s a stupendous piece of work, and you’d be well advised to see if it’s still possible to get over to Frank Hanny’s place to hear the group Sunday. In any case, you’ll be missing a bet if you neglect to buy a copy of the cd at…

Two sets of jazz from a master pianist and a wonderful drummer.

The Chuck Peterson quintet, aka the 230 Jones Street, Local Six Literary Jazz Band, features Chuck and Howard Dudune on reeds, Glen Deardorff on guitar, Dean Reilly on bass and Tony Johnson on bass, with vocalist Dorothy Lefkovits. Dorothy was singing on the stage of the Apollo Theatre back in the halcyon 1950s, when the guys in the band were getting their start as professional musicians in fabled San Francisco venues. Their performing history as a unit already dates back a decade.

Paula Tejeda is a force of nature! Want to hear her poetry? You bet you do! Open mic follows. Read about Paula’s life as the Chile Lindo empanada lady at this link, and know that this is just the tip of Paula’s own particular iceberg! Jerry Ferraz, as per usual, hosts our twice-monthly shindig.  Jerry, himself, is one of a kind. Oh, Jerry’s throwing a party for the bookstore in his backyard on May 21st.  Wanna come?  He’s making chili!  I’ll ask some jazz guys to play in his gazebo.  Whaddya say?  

Richard Sears is a highly regarded and well traveled young pianist and composer.  Raised in Palo Alto and having lived and worked for a significant stretch in Los Angeles, he’s now Brooklyn based, where he has made a solid name for himself.   His group for this engagement includes fine musicians indeed: Patrick Wolff, tenor sax John Wiitala, bass Michael Davis, drums. Sears and Davis, who is also based in Brooklyn, grew up together playing music in and around San Jose. Of Michael, Richard says he’s “one of the most original drummers I’ve played with.” As for Patrick and John, both are at the very top echelon of jazz musicians working in the Bay Area today. The quartet will feature many of Sears’ original compositions as well as redefining a number of jazz standards. Their date at Bird & Beckett will conclude a three-night swing though three of the region’s…