Keys draws inspiration from the past, present, and future of live music in San Francisco and will acknowledge the timeless traditions of iconic music and nightlife venues around the world.
Keys is located in the same building that was once the home of El Matador, the 1950s nightclub run by the legendary Barnaby Conrad and presented the biggest names in jazz.
Keys Jazz Bistro or “Keys” will present music and dinner four nights a week with two sets and two seatings, three sets on Friday and Saturday. The intent of Keys Jazz Bistro is to create and celebrate community around the artform and culture of jazz music, to support artists at all stages of their pursuits, and to create a sanctuary – a secular church – where artists and listeners connect in the moment as they share music, food and drink together.
Simon Rowe
Owner
The former Executive Director of The Brubeck Institute and Founding Executive Director of the Roots, Jazz and American Music program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Dr. Simon Rowe is a distinguished entrepreneur, educator and pianist. He leads the Simon Rowe Trio and the Simon Rowe Organ Trio and he has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Mintzer, Marvin Stamm, and Dianne Schurr. Dr. Rowe holds a doctorate of musical arts in performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and has held appointments in higher education in the Minnesota State University System. He established jazz venues at the Hotel Donaldson in Fargo, ND and, in Stockton, CA at ‘Take Five Jazz at the Brew’ a partnership between The Brubeck Institute and Valley Brewing Company.
Eric Vance
General Manager
General Manager Eric Vance is a 15-year-veteran within the hospitality industry and comes from Ted’s Bulletin and Bartaco in Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Boulder, CO. Vance will create menus and marketing, he hand picks and trains the best teams to ensure a seamless experience for guests whether it is a quick cup of coffee or a full dining experience.
Matt Mullenweg
Owner
Co-owner Matt Mullenweg is co-founder of the open-source publishing platform WordPress, which now powers over 43% of all sites on the web. He is the founder and CEO of Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Tumblr, WordPress VIP, Day One, and Pocket Casts. Additionally, Matt runs Audrey Capital, an investment and research company. He has been recognized for his leadership by Forbes, Bloomberg, Businessweek, Inc. Magazine, TechCrunch, Fortune, Fast Company, Wired, University Philosophical Society, and Vanity Fair.