$20 cover charge; sliding scale available Forged by six-string electric bassist Michael Wilcox, this trio with saxophonist Sheldon Brown and drummer Bryan Bowman continues in the tradition of Sonny Rollins’ early explorations of the tenor sax/bass/drums format. As a trio, they explore a wide variety of music that’s interested them over the years, from Brazilian choro, Bulgarian music and the music of Herbie Nichols to pieces by Brahms, Faure and Machaut. Michael Wilcox has toured, performed, recorded and taught extensively, appearing on over 30 recordings, along with television, commercial and radio work. He’s played with Pickle Family Circus, The San Francisco Mime Troupe, and the Transcendental Theatre Company, as well as with Richie Cole, the Fifth Dimension, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Oakland Eastbay Symphony, Eddie Duran, Jules Broussard, Tom Coster and Larry Schneider. He also taught in the Jazz Department at San Jose State University for five years (1989-1994), and…

$20 suggested donation; any amount appreciated Michael Moore, cornet Michael Gold, tenor sax Randy Craig, piano John Clark, bass and Scott Foster on guitar Scott invites a crew of musicians and long-time friends who gather annually in cornetist Michael Moore’s living room to reminisce about old times and old friends and play some old tunes. Scott’s anticipating a relaxed evening spent in the company of old friends from the neighborhood, in your neighborhood bookshop and jazz joint, Glen Park’s auxiliary living room.

$20 cover charge; sliding scale available Adam Moezinia, guitar Noah Garabedian, bass Charles Goold, drums New York-based guitarist Adam Moezinia has been a rising star on the scene there since he arrived nine years ago to study at Juilliard. Since then he’s played with many great musicians including Cecile McLorin Salvant, Freddy Cole (with whom he’s recently traveled the world), George Coleman, Mike LeDonne and many others, at venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, Smalls and The Blue Note.  His Folk Element Trio is on the verge of releasing an album rooted in the jazz tradition and incorporating influences of folk and world music. Adam and his colleagues dig deep into the relationship between jazz music of the past century and ancient folk traditions from all over the globe.  The live performance video below is of Adam’s composition, “Celebration” from his “Ivory Suite,” inspired by the music of West Africa.…

$20 suggested donation; any amount appreciated Noah Frank, trumpet Grant Levin, piano Chris Amberger, bass Genius Wesley, drums A brilliant young trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader, staking out classic jazz territory for 2020 in the company of some fine players bridging the generations!

$20 suggested donation / any amount welcome The Seducers have had a monthly gig at Bird & Beckett for three years, playing classic, outlaw and honky tonk songs by the likes of Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Bobby Bare, plus originals and a few from left field. Look for the Seducers every second Sunday in San Francisco’s premier little bookshop/listening room. Bring a beer if that’s your inclination, but for one outing a month you’ll get a nice break from the barroom clatter that can sometimes obscure the beauty of these fabulous bits of American genius. You won’t regret it for a minute. BYOB and kick back. It all makes for a lovely way to spend a Sunday evening before returning to the working grind. Joe Goldmark, pedal steel guitar Mitch Polzak, lead guitar and vocals Hank Maninger, bass guitar and vocals Kenny Owen, drums

Vibraphonist Yancie Taylor has been a cornerstone of the Northern California jazz scene for decades, most reliably heard for the past decade at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle in downtown Oakland where he’s long held forth with a combo and hosts a jam session that’s legendary. Tonight, he’ll lead a quintet at Bird & Beckett featuring saxophonist James Bailey, pianist Joe Warner, bassist Ravi Abcarian and drummer Ron Marabuto. $20 cover charge; sliding scale available

Tonight, the Mike Olmos Quartet Mike is just the best! And what a quartet he’s fronting tonight at Bird & Beckett… Mike Olmos, trumpet Adam Shulman, piano Joshua Thurston-Milgrom, bass Evan Hughes, drums Clarinetist Rob Barics was slated to front this band as a quintet, but had to bow out at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. We’ll miss him badly, but we’re in good hands, believe you me! Jazz as it’s played in San Francisco in 2020! You’ll want some of this! Bring $20 for the band if you can afford it. Less if you can’t and more if you’re a silver baron! We love our jazz musicians in this town, and we want them to meet the rent so they can stay on the scene!      

Come to the fundraiser at the bookshop this Thursday! Scroll down for details! You can also click here to donate on-line.   Q. R. Hand, a key poet here in the Bay Area for many decades, needs a hand as he battles the ravages of cancer with scant economic resources. Turn out at Bird & Beckett on January 9th to hear colleagues read in his honor and to raise funds to sustain and cheer him through this difficult period. Click here to donate on-line. Q. R. is a towering figure of the American beat culture, hailing from New York and published in 1968 in the groundbreaking anthology, Black Fire. The cd “We Are of the Saying” by the a cappella poetry ensemble wordWind Chorus, comprising Q. R., the late Reginald Lockett, Lewis Jordan and Brian Auerbach, was released in 2001, and a volume of Q. R.’s new and selected poetry,…

Jerry and Josiah fix trumpty in their sites as 2020 commences and the battle for sanity is waged. You can contribute in the open mic.  Kim Shuck, San Francisco’s Poet Laureate, presides. No charge, but bring a few bucks for the featured poets if you can.

Mystery writer Bevan Atkinson ~~perhaps better known to you as Susan McGowan, a Chenery Street neighbor for many years~~ presents The Hierophant Card the sixth in her projected 22-book series of “Tarot Mysteries” entertaining and intriguing with the Tarot as Sue Grafton has done with the alphabet & as Cara Black has done with the neighborhoods of Paris

$20 suggested donation; any amount appreciated   Modupue! Bay Area Blues Hall of Fame Jazz Group of the Year 2005 and 2010 Soulful, righteous and joyous, no one mobilizes such amazing musicians as Avotcja! Their devotion to her and her music and poetry speaks volumes. Avotcja, poetry and small multi-percussion Francis Wong, saxophone & flute

$20 cover charge; sliding scale available The supremely charming and talented vocalist Lavay Smith returns to Bird & Beckett with her merry crew of skillet lickers, Danny Armstrong on trombone, Ron Belcher on bass and Chris Siebert on piano, for two sets of small combo jump blues and hot jazz!

$20 suggested donation; any amount appreciated   Keith Saunders, piano Ollie Dudek, bass Myron Cohen, drums horn player tbd

As the solstice leads to the new year, may we all find the kindness to love those we meet along the way. Photos by Michael Hacker, Los Angeles, December 13, 2013