653 Chenery Street
in San Francisco's Glen Park neighborhood

1-415-586-3733
[email protected]

Open to walk-in trade and browsing
Tuesday to Sunday
noon to six

 

Live Streams every weekend!

Refresh your browser to catch a show in progress!
Visit our Facebook page or YouTube channel!
But nothing beats being in the room with the music & the musicians!

Friday, July 31 – 7:30pm
Andrew Stephens + Dexter Williams play trad to bop & beyond

Missed the show? You can view it and hear it here. Jump in at 5:40 and enjoy it. Up ’til then, it’s the logo and silence… This show was worth every penny! You’re indebted to the kind folks who donated to make it possible for these musicians to get a nice paycheck! Trumpeter Andrew Stephens & bassist Dexter Williams — two sets of trad, swing, bop & more. No audiences allowed in the shop these days, just the musicians and the proprietor, but thousands of you can listen & watch from home. If you can drop by for our live steam this Friday evening at 7:30, and you’re not squeezing every dime, please do donate so we can meet and exceed our guarantee to these musicians in a time when paying gigs are hard to come by — consider it your cover charge! Use the links below: View/Listen     …

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coronavirus considerations – the proprietor is in and out, taking orders and making deliveries, seven days a week.

Live music on the bookshop’s stage every Friday and occasional Saturdays & Sundays, live streamed to the world, without an in-store audience

5/5 update: Slow down, people! Just kidding, but really, the onslaught of orders is hard to handle. We’re in it for the long haul, so we need to slow it down. Twenty years and counting now… When the City announces that you can come to — though not into — the shop, we’ll ask you to grab a clipboard and an order form and a stubby little pencil to give us your order. We’re getting way too many emails to handle. That said, we’ll continue to do our best. Once you’ve placed an order, wait 24 hours for confirmation, then check on it. All you really need to say is, “checking on my order.” That’ll git it! Two days later, check on it again. With luck, and our diligence, it may already have arrived. Orders are mostly available three days after they’re placed — on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. We…

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Friday, July 24 – 7:30pm
jazz from the bookshop, live streamed to you!
Santiago/Cetto Duo
Javier Santiago, piano + Giulio Xavier Cetto, bass

Tune in for two sets of jazz classics & originals by two of the Bay Area’s stellar young musicians, captured for you by rising star Nico Mesa — the man who made our last live stream with this duo shine so brightly. Want to quickly get to the heart of the matter? Go to the 22 minute mark, and catch their treatment of Wayne Shorter’s “United” — you’ll be dazzled and ready for tonight’s show. Giulio Cetto / Javier Santiago duo Giulio Cetto / Javier Santiago duoThe bassist Giulio Xavier Cetto and the pianist Javier Santiago, both prominent figures on the San Francisco jazz scene, share an apartment here in San Francisco; fortunately, that cohabitating status allows us to book them as a duo for our live stream series, and we welcome them back! Posted by Bird & Beckett Books on Friday, May 29, 2020 For obvious reasons, pianist Javier…

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Wednesday, July 15 – 5:30 pm
Emily L. Quint Freeman, with her memoir
Failure to Appear: Resistance, Rebellion and Identity
a live stream

The New York Times, June 6, 1970   10 Foes of Draft Guilty in Chicago: Convicted of Burning Files — 3 Absent from Court On May 25, 1969, Linda Quint, now Emily L. Quint Freeman, with a number of others, broke into the South Side Chicago draft board office. dragging 40,000 files of draft-eligible young men into the street and destroying them by fire. She and two others walked away from their trial during a court recess and she spent the next 19 years underground. She has written a memoir, Failure to Appear, which traces her youth, development and maturity and addresses the complex of societal and personal factors that have accompanied her and shaped her in those intervening years.  

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Tammy Lynne Hall Duo with Mads Tolling on Friday, July 17
Karl Evangelista/Rei Scampavia Duo (Music of Alice Coltrane) on Sunday, July 19

Friday, July 17th at 7:30pm Rest in Peace, John Lewis the art of the duo Tammy Lynne Hall, piano Mads Tolling, violin watch it here Sunday, July 19th at 7:30pm The Music of Alice Coltrane duo explorations by Grex Karl Evangelista, guitar Rei Scampavia, keyboards watch it here   We cannot yet host in-store audiences for our events, and thus your donations are crucial and hugely appreciated so that we may adequately compensate the artists for their talents and their labors. Suggested “cover charge” for our music live streams: $20 for duos / $25 for trios for book events and talks, we suggest $10-20 ~~~sliding scale $0 to $100~~~ pay what you can but please don’t fail to pay something! drop a check or cash by the shop, or use Paypal at this link: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-B-and-B or use the Venmo app, sending your funds to @birdandbeckett Why patronize Bird & Beckett’s…

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Thursday, July 16 – 7:30pm live stream
Walker Brents III retells the story spun by Albert Camus in his 1947 novel, La Peste (The Plague)

When “you” becomes “we” is where absurdity transitions into meaning. Facts are cold; truth is warm. Such literary masterpieces as The Plague, by Albert Camus, offer our human souls awareness of this. And so, as if to answer a demand of the age, Walker Brents III offers a re-telling, composed before your listening eye, of this profound tale.  *  *  *  *  * No in-store audience is allowed due to the pandemic, but you can find the facebook live stream link by clicking here. Scroll down to find the video screen with the red “live” rectangle. Refresh your screen if you don’t see it–you might just be a little early to the party! You can, and we hope will, reward Walker for his prodigious intellectual investigations by sending $5 or $10 or $20 his way via PayPal at this link. or by Venmo @birdandbecket

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Sunday, July 12 — 2pm
WAKE UP AMERICA!
If not now, when?
14 poets convene in a live stream

Wake Up America Poetathon, Part II IF NOT NOW, WHEN? Live Stream, Sunday, July 12 at 2pm Poetry that speaks to Freedom, Love, Peace, Equality for All via ZOOM   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8615962043  Meeting ID: 861 596 2043 OR one tap mobile +16699006833 (CA) ,8615962043# US (San Jose) +13462487799 (TX) ,8615962043# US (Houston) OR facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/271042350933245 POETS: Dr. Kim McMillon, organizer and host Paul Corman Roberts Ayodele Nzinga Michelle Allison Safi wa Nairobi Tarika Lewis Briana Muñoz Tureeda Mikell Lucinda Clark Kim Shuck devorah major Karla Brundage Michael Young Necola Adams Rich Ferguson

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Friday, July 10
Vic Wong / Daniel Fabricant duo

Two peas in a jazzpod, Daniel Fabricant and Vic Wong live in the same building not far away, where Dan & his wife tend to their young baby, who’s getting an early introduction to roots and fifths from Dan’s serenades & lullabies on bass, while Vic posts a daily morning cup of jazz guitar to his youtube channel from the garage below. This evening, they’re traveling over to Bird & Beckett to work through a passel of tunes from the catalog Vic’s been building during these pandemic times.   Catch their B&B performance here.

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Friday, July 3rd – 7:00pm
live streamed jazz from the bookshop!
TonaLaura Duo
pianist Laura Klein & guitarist Tony Corman

  TonaLaura Jazz Duo is the musical marriage of the husband-and-wife team, pianist Laura Klein and guitarist Tony Corman.Laura’s unique, lyrical harmonic sense and Tony’s extraordinary arranging skills bring a rare richness to the duo format.  For this special performance, they’ll be playing a wide selection of tunes drawn from the Great American Songbook, bebop, Brazilian bossa nova and samba, and their own originals.   Stop by our facebook page this Friday at 7pm for a lovely evening of music. Here’s where to view the live stream:  https://www.facebook.com/pg/bird.and.beckett/videos/?ref=page_internal Here’s where to donate via Paypal: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-B-and-B To donate by Venmo: Use the Venmo app and send your donation to @birdandbeckett Give $20 if you’re able, more if you’re flush. Any amount is appreciated. No one turned away for lack of funds. Donate what you can to help our valued musicians survive, thrive and perform during this time when they’re facing a dearth…

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Sunday, June 28th – 7 pm
Classical guitarist Lyle Sheffler plays solo
for a Bird & Beckett live stream on facebook

We’re pleased to present classical guitar soloist Lyle Sheffler this Sunday evening. As a performer, Lyle is an integral part of the San Francisco music community, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. He also maintains a thriving teaching studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Besides classical guitar, Lyle is proficient on double bass, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, and lute. He looks forward to a future of sharing his love for the guitar with his audiences and students, alike. Lyle began playing classical guitar at the age of seven and made his first public appearance at the age of eight. Acclaimed for his artistry, warm tone, and captivating programs, he has played at such esteemed venues as Carnegie Hall, Freight & Salvage Stadium, the Tilles Center, and the Hanoi Opera House, as well as numerous other concert halls around the globe. In addition to solo recitals, Lyle has…

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Friday, June 26th – 7pm
jazz pianist Keith Saunders
a live stream concert on facebook
jazz in the bookshop every Friday since 2002

Keith Saunders is in the very top echelon of great jazz players in the region, with decades on the scene in New York, decades more in San Francisco and environs, many years leading his own quintet back east, a deeply felt bebop ethos and a vast knowledge of the music in all its forms. He’s a go-to pianist for all the great horn players plying their trade in these parts, and many a vocalist as well. Plus, he’s a beautiful cat. Come to Bird & Beckett by way of our live stream on facebook to hear him play two sets of solo piano jazz for your Friday evening pleasure. Make yourself comfortable in your own living room, and enjoy your time with the music under the fingers of its great perfomers. Stop by our live stream on facebook for what promises to be a swingin’ and boppish foray into the…

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Thursday, July 25th – 7:30pm
Zan Stewart: Jazz Musician, Writer, Raconteur
talking about jazz & wailing on sax
a Bird & Beckett live stream via facebook

This Thursday, 7/25, at 7:30pm, we present a live stream talk and performance by Zan Stewart — decades in the jazz journalism business and decades more as a jazz saxophonist and composer. He has stories to tell about the greats he encountered in his writing career, and notes to blow by way of illustration, tribute and self-expression. Stop by our live stream on facebook for what portends to be a fascinating, illuminating and beautiful evening. Here’s where to view the facebook live stream:  https://www.facebook.com/pg/bird.and.beckett/videos/?ref=page_internal Here’s where to donate via Paypal: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-B-and-B To donate by Venmo: Use the Venmo app and send your dough to @ bird and beckett (no spaces) Give $20 if you’re able, more if you’re flush. Any amount is appreciated. No one turned away for lack of funds. But do what you can to help a guy survive the downturn in gigs & revenues!    

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Sunday, June 21st – 2pm:
Wake Up America! If Not Now, When?
The first of two live streamed readings
taking place 6/21 & 7/12
Poets address the core issues of racism, oppression and struggle

A formidable roster of poets assembles this Sunday and three Sundays later for a reading addressing the searing moment, its long time coming and its crucial path forward. We are proud to be associated with this monumental gathering of voices at this pivotal moment in time Read at the link below an extensive piece prepared by organizer and host Kim McMillon to learn about, and from, the participating poets, each a seasoned and impassioned artist, all sharing a sense of urgency that we must heed. https://www.narrativepathsjournal.com/ guest-column-wake-up-america-part-i-by-kim-mcmillon/ https://ninaserrano.com/black-lives-matter-in-the-revolution-of-the-heart/

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Friday, Juneteenth – 7pm
Walter Earl, jazz pianist
a solo live stream

Jazz in the bookshop, every Friday! Jazz in America, and around the world, every minute of every day since the turn of the last century… and who can say when it really started. But jazz as we know it? It’s here now! This week, we present a return engagement by pianist Walter Earl — performer, composer, arranger, bandleader. Stop by our live stream on facebook for a beautiful solo performance this Friday evening, from 7 to 8:30pm. Here’s where to view the live stream:  https://www.facebook.com/pg/bird.and.beckett/videos/?ref=page_internal Here’s where to donate: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-B-and-B Give $20 if you’re able, more if you’re flush. Any amount is appreciated. The first $200 goes to Walter, the next $100 goes to the organization, and two-thirds of any donations beyond that point go to Walter. If you love Walter and his music, then help him out; if you just think musicians shouldn’t work for peanuts, then have the…

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Thursday, June 18 – 7pm
Noel Jewkes 80th Birthday Live Stream
join us for a duo jazz date at the bookshop

reed player Noel Jewkes at Bird & Beckett Books

The Elegance of Noel Jewkes Saxophonist Noel Jewkes has been a revered and well loved figure on the San Francisco jazz scene for five decades plus, and he’s turning 80 today! We’ll celebrate in the bookshop with a duo concert featuring Noel and pianist Keith Saunders. Be sure to have some cake on hand at home! Here’s where to view the live stream:  https://www.facebook.com/pg/bird.and.beckett/videos/?ref=page_internal Here’s where to donate: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-B-and-B Give $20 if you’re able, more if you’re flush.

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SUPPORT BIRD & BECKETT - DONATE TODAY!

Your donation to the Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project helps us pay for a multitude of operating expenses necessary to present, promote and preserve local music, poetry, and more.

Help us keep the arts alive and thriving!

The Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project was created in 2007 "to present, document and archive the creative work of significant living writers and musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area, for a neighborhood audience and future generations," continuing the work we began when the store was established in 1999.

We continue to present a full slate of programming of live music and poetry readings, and produce a literary journal and poetry chapbooks, and we seek and welcome your continued financial support by way of donations.

Click on "donate" in the navigation bar above. Better yet, make a check out to the “Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project” and drop it off or mail it to:

Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project
653 Chenery Street
San Francisco, CA 94131

Call us at (415) 586-3733 to find out how else you might lend your support.

____________

We're immensely appreciative of Jazz in the Neighborhood for having stepped in as our temporary fiscal sponsor for a few months, while we straightened out some paperwork to get nonprofit status restored to the BBCLP. We're happy to say that's been done, and all past, present, and future donations made directly to the BBCLP are fully tax-deductible!

TAKE OUR SURVEY

To take our SURVEY, click here, and help the BBCLP get to know you better! As Duke Ellington always said, we love you madly...

The Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project

Our events are put on under the umbrella of the Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project (the "BBCLP"). That's how we fund our ambitious schedule of 300 or so concerts and literary events every year.

The BBCLP is a [Read More ]

 


The Independent Musicians Alliance

Gigging musicians! You have nothing to lose but your lack of a collective voice to achieve fair wages for your work!
The IMA can be a conduit for you, if you join in to make it work.

https://www.independentmusiciansalliance.org/

Read more here - Andy Gilbert's Feb 25 article about the IMA from KQED's site

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