Frank Tusa Trio

John Klopotowski, guitar
Frank Tusa, bass
Akira Tana,drums
w/guest Rich Crandall, piano

$15 suggested donation.

Frank Tusa, bassist, composer, educator, has had a wide variety of recording and performing experiences with such diverse artists as Art Blakey, Buddy Montgomery, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Bobby Hutcherson, Johnny Griffin, Art Farmer, Randy Brecker, Freddie Hubbard, John Abercrombie, and many other great jazz artists. His early recordings are with jazz legends Paul Bley and Don Cherry. Frank was one of the original members of Dave Liebman’s critically acclaimed group “Lookout Farm.” In 1980, Frank relocated to San Francisco after spending many years learning and working through the ranks of his native New York City scene. After arriving in San Francisco, he very quickly became known as one of the finest musicians in the Bay Area and has been in constant demand for his solid rhythmic anchoring and eloquent melodic lines. He has also been very active in music education teaching and lecturing at various universities.

Born and raised in California, Akira Tana earned degrees from Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music. Akira has worked with many jazz masters, like Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt and Zoot Sims, to name a few. Early on, Akira recorded frequently as a sideman, and began releasing albums as a leader in the 1990s. He formed a group, TanaReid, with Rufus Reid, and added Kei Akagi on occasion to form the Asian-American Jazz Trio.  He has also performed and recorded  with Benny Golson, Jim Hall, Jimmy Heath, Lena Horne, J.J. Johnson, Warne Marsh, Tete Montoliu, James Moody, Spike Robinson, Jimmy Rowles, Cedar Walton, and Frank Wess.  He has recorded 150 albums throughout his career.

John Klopotowski is one of the most sought-after guitarists in the Bay Area.  In 1980, John met jazz bassist Sonny Dallas, and they formed a friendship and association that continued until Sonny’s death in 2007.  “Sonny was a great catalyst in my continuing development as a jazz player,” says John. Sonny led John to meet and study with tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh.  He began studying improvisation with Marsh in New York in 1982, continued studying with him until 1984. In June of 1988 John relocated to the bay area and since has been a pure treasure to the jazz community.  His solo and melodic lines can be heard on Lee Konitz’s Subconscious Lee, a tune on his first album as a leader, “Project 59.”