Terrance Tony on alto at Bird & Beckett — backed by Aaron Cohn on bass and Vinnie Rodriguez on drums.
photo by Angie Bennett

Alto player Terrance Tony assembles the band each 4th Saturday of the month, drawing on some of the stellar players around the Bay Area.  Tonight, pianist Grant Levin, bassist Aaron Cohn and drummer Vinnie Rodriguez are on the gig!

Two years ago, Terrance came out from Houston – where he was born and raised – and immediately gained everyone’s attention with his fleet bebop chops.  “Houston’s a great place to be from,” he says.  We’re lucky to have him call Oakland home!

But it was In Houston and Dallas where he became the musician he is today — under the direct influence and bandstand tutelage of some true giants, including Texas tenors Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb, Don Wilkerson and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Dallas titans James Clay and Marchel Ivery.

Terrance toured with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1989 in the stellar line up that included Benny Green, Donald Harrison, Javon Jackson and Frank Lacy, playing on a swing from New Orleans up through NYC and a spate of European festivals.

He’s an important addition to the San Francisco jazz scene and a joy to hear, and we’re fortunate to present him regularly at Bird & Beckett in our Saturday night “jazz club” series, on the 4th Saturday every month.