Rhonda Benin

Rhonda Benin – Keys Jazz Bistro July 10, 2025″Love Letters Make Me Misty Blue”San Francisco Bay Area jazz, blues, and soul powerhouse Rhonda Benin delivers a dynamic blend of rich vocals, captivating stage presence, and deep musical artistry. Benin seamlessly weaves classic jazz, heartfelt blues, and soulful grooves into every performance. Rhonda brings authenticity, warmth, and unforgettable energy to the mic.Rhonda will be joined by-

John R. Burr- piano

Ron Belcher- bass

Leon Joyce, Jr.- drums

Geechi Taylor- trumpet

Rhonda Benin is a distinguished jazz, blues, and soul vocalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, originally from Los Angeles’s Crenshaw district. Her voice is often described as “sweet, sultry, like caramel sweetened with honey, with a “coolly hip vocal, with a bit of hush and sugar and an undercurrent of big booming power” A founding member of Linda Tillery’s Grammy-nominated Cultural Heritage Choir—where she performed for over two decades—Benin has toured internationally with the ensemble and recorded on seven of their CDs She’s shared stages and studios with legendary artists like Taj Mahal, Al Green, Santana, Patti Austin, Janis Ian, Odetta, Wilson Pickett, and Hugh Masekela among many others In 2006, Benin showcased her talents as a bandleader with her solo CD A Matter of the Heart, blending jazz, blues, and soul As a solo artist, she’s headlined notable Bay Area venues—SF Jazz, Yoshi’s, MoAD, and the Calistoga Jazz Festival—and internationally, including a 3-month stint at Hangzhou’s JZ Jazz Club and as a headliner at the Kigali Up Music Festival in Rwanda Beyond performing, Benin is a passionate producer and advocate for women in music. She founded the Just Like A Woman concert series—now in its 12th year—a Women’s History Month tribute celebrating Bay Area female musicians. Benin is also a treasured teaching artist working with Cal Performances, Living Jazz, Oakland Public Conservatory of Music and The Jazz School.

Tickets: $30 per show