Archive for March 2015

Gerald Beckett – flute Gary Zellerbach – guitar Trevor Murphy – bass Greg German – drums   Originally from Texas, flutist Gerald Beckett is now a stalwart of the San Francisco music scene. Eight years of classical training at the San Francisco Conservatory, combined with extensive jazz studies with some of the leading teachers in…

Mean to Me resurrects jazz of the 1920s through 1940s–sometimes twisted by the more modern stylings of Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and Ahmad Jamal–and an eclectic variety of soul-jazz and latin-jazz. This mix reflects the interests of its three core members: Judy, who trained as a cabaret singer but whose love is for soul music; Ben,…

Heshima Mark Williams presents The Ways & Means Committee, a tight quintet that delves deep into a book of straight-ahead jazz influenced by Herbie Hancock, Jerry Gonzalez, Buster Williams, and Fort Apache Band. For their Bird & Beckett date, this “boppish collective” comprises Gary Bean, cornet; Michael C. Bush, tenor sax; Sam Cady, piano; Joe McKinley, bass;…

Chuck Peterson, who leads his quintet on tenor sax and flute this evening, started this ball rolling over twelve years ago… six hundred fifty Fridays ago! And not once since that start in late 2002 has Bird & Beckett been without the sounds of live jazz on a Friday night. We feel that’s quite an…

On the second Saturday of every month, pianist Grant Levin assembles a quartet, choosing players from the ranks of San Francisco’s most talented jazz musicians. Tonight, enjoy Grant’s in-the-moment collaboration with tenor sax player Jonathan Bautista, bassist Chris Amberger and drummer Pepe Jacobo. Grant’s compositions are exceptionally lovely and exciting, his improvisational skills superb.  And…