Gerald Beckett – flute Gary Zellerbach – guitar Trevor Murphy – bass Greg German – drums   Originally from Texas, flutist Gerald Beckett is now a stalwart of the San Francisco music scene. Eight years of classical training at the San Francisco Conservatory, combined with extensive jazz studies with some of the leading teachers in the Bay Area, has left Beckett with a firm command of both his instrument and the jazz idiom. He has recorded five CDs. His last CD, “The Messenger” (2014), peaked at #12 on the national JazzWeek charts.  Read more on Gerald at www.geraldbeckett.com The Messenger — Gerald Beckett, flute and piccolo “Beckett’s CD is a hard-swinging feast of original works from various sources, all mixed in with surprises written by Lee Morgan, Duke Pearson and Bud Powell. Beckett invites a host of fine reedmen and rhythm guys to the session, resulting in a well-balanced, invigorating performance.…

Mean to Me resurrects jazz of the 1920s through 1940s–sometimes twisted by the more modern stylings of Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and Ahmad Jamal–and an eclectic variety of soul-jazz and latin-jazz. This mix reflects the interests of its three core members: Judy, who trained as a cabaret singer but whose love is for soul music; Ben, a pianist interested in exploring jazz’s roots after living in New Orleans; and Dave, a trumpeter drawn to more modern and funky sounds. All three grew up in San Francisco and have played together on and off for ten years now. For their Bird & Beckett date this Sunday afternoon, Mean to Me will perform as a sextet, with the guitar, bass and drums of Scott Foster, Kenan O’Brien and Cairo McCochran completing the band.

Heshima Mark Williams presents The Ways & Means Committee, a tight quintet that delves deep into a book of straight-ahead jazz influenced by Herbie Hancock, Jerry Gonzalez, Buster Williams, and Fort Apache Band. For their Bird & Beckett date, this “boppish collective” comprises Gary Bean, cornet; Michael C. Bush, tenor sax; Sam Cady, piano; Joe McKinley, bass; and Ajayi Jackson, drums

Chuck Peterson, who leads his quintet on tenor sax and flute this evening, started this ball rolling over twelve years ago… six hundred fifty Fridays ago! And not once since that start in late 2002 has Bird & Beckett been without the sounds of live jazz on a Friday night. We feel that’s quite an accomplishment– as is the fact that we added a Sunday afternoon series eight years ago that’s still going strong; added a Saturday night series last July that has its own special momentum; and added a monthly Sunday noon-time good-time rave up last November that’s one of those delightful things that gives you hope, despite the cold-hearted capitalist times we’re living in. You’re betting with your kind hearts, precious time and hard-to-come-by dollars when you come down to Bird & Beckett for the music and poetry and throw money in the pot to let us reward…

On the second Saturday of every month, pianist Grant Levin assembles a quartet, choosing players from the ranks of San Francisco’s most talented jazz musicians. Tonight, enjoy Grant’s in-the-moment collaboration with tenor sax player Jonathan Bautista, bassist Chris Amberger and drummer Pepe Jacobo. Grant’s compositions are exceptionally lovely and exciting, his improvisational skills superb.  And his sensitivity to the dynamic, rhythmic and harmonic possibilities inherent in the material he works with, as well as his ears for the contribution of the other musicians on the bandstand always make for a thrilling, satisfying experience. Through the years, Grant has worked with the likes of Pete Yellin, Jerry Dodgion, Dayna Stephens, Noel Jewkes, John Santos, Howard Wiley, Ray Obiedo, Dean Reilly, Melecio Magdaluyo, Marcus Shelby, and numerous others. He has also performed with Little Anthony and the Imperials on keyboards. “jazz club” is what we call our weekly Saturday night series, now entering…