Vibraphone legend Bobby Hutcherson was born on this day in 1937. I first heard Bobby live in an SFJAZZ concert in 1999 celebrating three generations of vibraphonists featuring the great Milt Jackson and young lion Stefon Harris. It was an incredible night of music. I had the opportunity years later to ask Stefon Harris his thoughts on that evening and he was still mesmerized from that great night of music.

I most recently heard Bobby at Yoshi’s San Francisco for his pre-birthday concert. Bobby has had some health challenges in recent years but this night he was on fire. He played a 90 minute set of original compositions and standards including “I Thought About You”, “S’Wonderful” and a reflective rendition of “I’ll Be Seeing You.” In addition to being a fine musician, Bobby has a great sense of humor. There was even a moment during “S’Wonderful” when Bobby sang some of the lyrics. His stellar band included fellow vibraphonist Warren Wolf, Anthony Wilson on guitar, Glenn Richman on upright bass, Joe Gilman on piano, and Bobby’s son, Barry Hutcherson held down the drum chair which was previously held by drummer great Eddie Marshall who passed away last year.

Happy Birthday, Bobby! Please keep bringing us your wonderful music!

Photo Credit: James Knox

Vocalist Carmen Lundy will be releasing her 12th album, Changes, on February 7. The promo video above tells us what to expect from her new release and I am very excited. I got to see Carmen in concert last summer at Yoshi’s Oakland and she and her band were amazing. In addition, there will also be a reissue of her Night and Day album next month.

The month is moving by so quickly and I have seen so much great music this month include the Bayview Music Festival, Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Impulse Mondays, Wynton Marsalis & Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Carmen Lundy, Monty Alexander, Valerie Troutt, Rhonda Benin, and Hugh Masekela. Summer is here and there is great music coming our way.

Just announced, Natalie Cole is coming back to the Bay Area from August 25-28. She will play two show nightly at Yoshi’s San Francisco (8/25-26) and two shows nightly at Yoshi’s Oakland (8/27-28.) Tickets are on sale for all shows.

My Picks for the Weekend:

Hugh Masekela @ Yoshi’s Oakland w/ shows at 8 and 10 pm tonight – I went last night and was totally mesmerized.
Rhonda Benin will be singing soul, blues and jazz with John Turk @ Duke’s R&B – 201 Broadway Street in Downtown Oakland – 8-11 pm tonight – I stopped through last night and she was groovin’.
Maya Kronfeld & Valerie Troutt “Two Shoes Shouting” voice & piano duet @ Red Poppy Art House – 2698 Folsom Street, San Francisco – 8:30 p.m. tonight – This is such a cool, cozy, and intimate place to see a show.
Dayna Stephens @ Birdland Jazz – Berkeley – 11:30 pm tonight – Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the Bay Area’s finest sax players.
Generations in Jazz with Eldar Djangirov & Pat Martino @ Yoshi’s Oakland – June 25 & 26 – This should be a really great show!
Joe Bataan @ Yoshi’s San Francisco – June 25 – Shows at 8 and 10pm. – Don’t miss this incredible singer’s rare visit to the Bay Area.

Other Notables:

Stanford Jazz Festival kicks off tonight with Allen Toussaint. The festival lineup includes Bill Charlap, Renee Rosnes, Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Clairdee, Joe Lovano, Gary Burton, and The Heath Brothers. The festival runs through the first week on August.
Laurel District Summer Solstice Festival – Oakland – Saturday – 9am-8pm
Berkeley Juneteenth Festival – Berkeley – Sunday – 10am-6pm
Kim Nalley Sings Nina Simone – “She Put A Spell On Me” is in its 5-week run at The Rrazz Room in San Francisco.
Impulse Mondays! – The last concert of this series celebrates the music of Oliver Nelson featuring The Jazz Mafia and special guests. Yoshi’s SF – Monday 8 pm

Next Week:

Kurt Ribak – Yoshi’s Oakland – Monday – 8 pm
Junius Courtney Big Band with Denise Perrier @ Yoshi’s Oakland – Tuesday – Shows at 8 and 10 pm – “Quite Quincy” – Celebrating the music of Quincy Jones
John Handy – Legends of Fillmore, Volume II – Yoshi’s San Francisco – Tuesday – 8 pm
Rene Marie – Yoshi’s Oakland – Thursday – 8 pm – Celebrating her new release, Voice of My Beautiful Country
Fillmore Jazz Festival – Fillmore Street, San Francisco – July 2&3 – 10 am-6 pm each day

Photo of Hugh Masekela at Yoshi’s Oakland by James Knox

Happy Black Music Month!!!

There is some spectacular music happening in the Bay Area this weekend but before we get started, I wanted to mention the following upcoming concerts:

Carmen Lundy – Yoshi’s Oakland – June 16 & 17 – Shows at 8 and 10pm – Come see Carmen in a rare Bay Area performance. She is a wonderful musician and her voice is truly gift.
Rachelle Ferrell is coming back to the Bay Area this fall at the intimate Rrazz Room – November 3-6. This room is intimate and cozy so tickets will definitely sell out fast.

My Picks for the Weekend:

Healdsburg Jazz Festival – The ‘One Voice: An Afternoon of Vocal Jazz Concert today and Latin Jazz All-Stars Concert on Sunday have been moved to the Jackson Theater (4400 Day School Pl., Santa Rosa.)
Hiromi @ Yoshi’s San Francisco through Sunday – 8 and 10pm
Joey DeFrancesco @ Yoshi’s Oakland through Sunday – 8 and 10pm
Larry Smith @ The Jazzschool – Saturday @ 8 pm
SFJAZZ – Lee Ritenour with Dave Grusin – Herbst Theatre – Sunday @ 7 pm
IMPULSE! Mondays John Coltrane featuring Marcus Shelby Trio featuring Mel Martin and Howard Wiley – Yoshi’s SF will host concerts on Mondays through the month of June celebrating the 50th anniversary of Impulse Records.

Other Notables:

Little Brown Brother @ Birdland Jazz – Saturday @ 8:30 pm
Craig Horton Blues Band, with Gee Gee Amos @ Birdland Jazz – Saturday @ 11 pm
Eric Swinderman Quartet @ 57th Street Gallery Oakland – Saturday @ 8-11 pm
Kenny Hawkins Latin Groove Project @ 57th Street Gallery Oakland – Sunday @ 7-10 pm
Blue Monday Jazz Jam Session with Calvin Keys and Khalil Shaheed @ 57th Street Gallery – Monday – 7-10 pm

Next Week:

The Jazzschool Young Musicians Program Celebration at the Freight & Salvage! ($10.50 advance, $12.50 at the door) – Monday, June 06, 8:00 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm)
Jazz and Democracy Project Fundraiser – Infusion Lounge – 124 Ellis Street – SF – 6-9:30 pm – The Jazz and Democracy Project, under the direction of Dr. Wesley Watkins IV, brings jazz education to students around the Bay Area. In a time where the support for music and arts are drying up in our schools, Jazz and Democracy is very vital and keeps jazz alive.
Supper and Song Series – St Alban’s Parish Hall, 1501 Washington Ave, Albany – Wednesday – 6:45 pm – This month featuring Frank Jackson, Lisa Lindsley, Marscha, and Barry Warren performing Great American Songbook standards, originals and re-discovered gems.
STILL BLACK, STILL PROUD – An African Tribute to James Brown – Featuring Pee Wee Ellis, Vusi Mahlasela, Cheikh Lo – Yoshi’s Oakland – June 9 & 10 – Shows at 8 and 10 pm.

Photo of Oakland Skyline from Lake Merritt by James Knox. All rights reserved.

Hope you and yours have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Have you checked out Birdland Jazzista Social Club yet? It is very hip, cozy, funky place to hear good music.

My Picks for the Weekend!

Howard Wiley Trio – 57th Street Art Gallery Oakland – Friday 8-11 pm
Mary D’Orazi Trio – Birdland Jazzista Social Club in Berkeley – Friday @ 11 pm
Muziki Roberson Quartet – 57th Street Art Gallery Oakland – Saturday 8-11 pm
Nicholas Payton XXX – Yoshi’s San Francisco @ 8 & 10 pm

Other Notables:

Hiroshima – Yoshi’s Oakland – thru Sunday
John Calloway & The Latin Jazz Refugees – Disco Volante Oakland – Friday @ 9:30 pm
SF Carnaval Parade – San Francisco – 10 am – It starts at 24th and Bryant Streets in the Mission District.

Next Week:

Veronica Klaus sings Peggy Lee for an encore performance @ The Rrazz Room – The Hotel Nikko – San Francisco – 5/31 and 6/1 at 8 pm each night

Festival Season Approaches:

Healdsburg Jazz Festival – June 3 -12 – This is one of the finest jazz festival of the season. More about jazz festivals around the Bay next week. Enjoy your music!

This is a quick post. I will make it pretty later.

Valerie Troutt is at The Jazzschool tonight at 8pm.
Oleta Adams is at The Rrazz Room through Saturday.
Goapele is at Yoshi’s San Francisco through Sunday.
Rachelle Ferrell is at Yoshi’s Oakland through Sunday.

It is another great weekend to go hear and support live music. You know what to do! Live music…be a part of it!!!

Photo of Valerie Troutt by James Knox

Over the next 8 days, I will see 9 music performers. I am very excited. Tonight, I am seeing the Ronnie Laws Quartet at Yoshi’s San Francisco in celebration of his new release, Voices in the Water. Below is a complete list of concerts:

02/20 Performance and Lecture: Jazz in the Gallery @ MoAD (Museum of African Diaspora) with Drummer Jaz Sawyer and his group, 3RIO – Join Jaz Sawyer in tracing the musical influence of the international port of New Orleans, the melting pot for creative music innovation and cultural exchange that is the wellspring of the American art form, jazz. Explore the African American experience of cultural resilience through dance, singing and drumming traditions that fused elements from various cultures with gospel, blues and the Latin tinge.

02/21 Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quartet at Yoshi’s Oakland – CD Release Celebration for To Hear From There

02/22 Vocalist Gregory Porter @ Yoshi’s Oakland – Celebrating Grammy Nomination for his new album Water

02/23 Vocalist Paula West @ The Rrazz Room in the Hotel Nikko San Francisco – The last few weeks of her phenomenal 8 week engagement at The Rrazz Room. This will be my second time seeing her during this engagement. If you have not seen her yet, what are you waiting for?

02/23 Joe Warner Trio @ Kaleidoscope SF – From Joe: “I lead the session at Kaleidoscope every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. I have a great group put together for this Wednesday featuring Lorca Hart on drums and Zach Ostroff on bass. Kaleidoscope is a cool arts venue in the Mission District and needs your support to stay alive. Come buy a couple drinks, listen to the music, and sit in on the second set. No cover!” Check them out!!!

02/24 Vocalist Rhonda Benin @ Freight and Salvage in Berkeley – In celebration of Black History Month (and her own birthday!) song stylist Rhonda Benin presents “Love Letters Make Me Misty Blue,” bringing to our stage music of the great unsung soul divas of the 1960s, like Martha Reeves, Ketty Lester, Gladys Knight, and Betty Everett.

02/25 Violinist Regina Carter with Oakland East Bay Symphony – Internationally renowned jazz violinist Regina Carter is soloist for a new violin concerto written for her by composer and jazz pianist Billy Childs. Carter, known for her passionate playing, brings audiences to their feet, whether on tour in Europe or in her hometown of Detroit, where this work received its world premiere in January. San Francisco Performances is proud to be a co-commissioner and to partner with the Oakland East Bay Symphony to bring this Concerto to our audiences.

02/26 Junius Courtney Big Band with Denise Perrier@ Freight and Salvage in Berkeley – With a brand new CD to release—Us—and a big dance floor to fill, there’s plenty to celebrate, and the Junius Courtney Big Band wants you in the house for a Saturday night party!

02/26 Terrence Brewer Trio @ 57th Street Art Gallery in Oakland – Terrence Brewer Trio concert celebrating Black History month with a concert at one of Oakland’s most amazing fine art/music galleries!

I cannot think of a better way to start off your Christmas than to see Clairdee’s 8th Annual Christmas Show at Yoshi’s San Francisco on Christmas Eve. This show sells out quickly so please get your tickets soon. See you there!!!