Friday, November 23rd – 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. jazz in the bookshop – every Friday without fail, since October 2002! Never a cover charge, but your generous donations make it possible for us to pay the musicians. All ages welcome! This week, it’s the 230 Jones Street, Local Six Literary Jazz Band, also known as The Chuck Peterson Quintet, led by the tenor sax man who founded our series ten short years (and 520+ consecutive Fridays) ago!  Chuck is joined by his close friend and erstwhile mentor Howard Dudune on reeds, guaranteeing a cooking front line.  They’re ably backed by compatriots Glen Deardorff on guitar, Dean Reilly on bass and Tony Johnson on bass — and joined by the marvelous vocalist Dorothy Lefkovits.  Dorothy was singing on the stage of Harlem’s Apollo Theatre back in the halcyon 1950s, when the guys in the band were getting their start as professional…

Sunday, November 25th – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. which way west? Sunday concert series. No cover charge, but your kind donations help us pay the musicians.  All ages welcome! The art of the jazz trio, performed by guitarist Widelock together with bassist Fred Randolph and drummer Jim Kassis. Decades ago, famed Brazlian guitarist and composer Luis Bonfa named Widelock as “a giant of the twelve string guitar… one of my favorite guitarists.”  We’ll attest that Widelock’s skill, sensitivity and ingenuity have only continued to grow since that time. The David Widelock Trio’s superb cd called “Skating on the Sidewalk” was recorded in 2009 with bassist Randolph and drummer Kassis, featuring Widelock originals as well as covers of Tom Waits’ “Sixteen Shells from a 30-06″ and Leadbelly’s “Black Betty”.  The trio’s work is just the latest phase in an adventurous career — in which the guitarist has engaged in the exploration…

Sunday, November 18th – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. which way west? Sunday concert series. Never a cover charge, but your generous donations help us pay the musicians.  All ages welcome! Ron Crotty is one of the very top players who link us directly back to the fertile San Francisco jazz scene of the late 1940s and the 1950s. A frequent presence on the Bird & Beckett stage over the past several years, Ron’s professional history dates to 1949 with the first Dave Brubeck Trio and subsequent decades of work with the likes of Vince Guaraldi, Cal Tjader, Paul Desmond, Virgil Gonzalves, Brew Moore, Wally Rose, Earl Hines and Sarah Vaughan. Witness this photo, Frank Phipps‘ history on the local jazz scene goes right back into the heart of the 1950s.  The compact horn Frank plays these days is a marching trombone — a valve trombone about the size of a…

Sunday, November 11th — 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. which way west? Sunday concert series. Your generous donations help us pay the bands.  All ages welcome! Mas Koga (sax). Grant Levin (piano). Sam Bevan (bass). Bryan Bowman (drums). Hawkeye is a collaboration of extremely fine young jazz players–all active musicians on the local scene who have been heard at the bookshop on a number of occasions with various groups. All four are frequently heard around town in countless exciting combinations and more venues than you’d think. We’re more than pleased to present their quartet called Hawkeye, a project that has produced a terrific cd and much fine & adventurous music. Expect a wonderful afternoon following this unit as they take the music some exciting directions, traveling the “joy road” that’s classic modern jazz!