Past Shows

The Bay Area’s Queen Songstress will groove you through the holiday season and propel you into the New Year. Never before have the sounds of the season been so funky, fun, and fresh. Featuring all original arrangements of seasonal classics, this unique ensemble delivers a soul-steeped holiday celebration with their own flair. Join this legendary vocalist, her all-star trio, and her string quartet for an evening of holiday magic!

“The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol can turn the most mundane situation into a celebration. Come the holiday season, she’s the angel topping the tree, the rum in the eggnog, the cousin who makes sure everyone feels welcome at the gathering. Faye Carol delivers a soul-steeped program of seasonal jazz, blues, and R&B standards, tailored to her exacting standards.” – Andrew Gilbert, East Bay Express

Faye Carol – Vocals

Joe Warner – Piano & Musical Director

Dante Roberson – Drums

Heshima Mark Williams – Bass

Christina Walton – violin

Yeri Caesar – violin

Nansamba Ssensalo – viola

Byron Hogan – cello

Immerse yourself in the electrifying world of “Ritmo y Voz”, where the deep-rooted traditions of Afro-Cuban jazz meet the power of dynamic vocals. This high-energy performance features an all-star lineup, including guitarist Kai Lyons, percussion master Ernesto, bassist Mazar, and the incomparable Einar Leliebre Nuñez, whose fiery rhythms and soaring voice bring the soul of Santiago de Cuba to life. Drawing from the rich traditions of Rumba, Timba, Changüí, and Batá, the group weaves a tapestry of sound that pulses with history, spirit, and innovation. Their collective experience includes collaborations with legendary artists like Omar Sosa, John Santos, and other torchbearers of the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz traditions.

Einar “Tito” Leliebre – Vocals, Percussion

Ernesto Kindelan Mazar- Bass

Kai Lyons-Guitar

In a career that has spanned over 65 years, international jazz vocal legend Mary Stallings has earned a unique place in modern jazz. After decades of performing around the globe alongside a who’s who of talented collaborators, while quietly accumulating a series of thoughtful and well respected recordings, she still continues to challenge her boundaries and creative potential. Yet it is her deep connection to her roots and the community that nurtured her talent that reveal her artistry. Utilizing a wide and diverse repertoire, Stallings music expresses a profound spiritual essence combined with a love for that community that supported her. “This music is deep. lt is a life force. lt is a history of people’s lives and struggles. It is not just a bunch of notes., she explains. For this historic  debut performance at Keys, Mary returns to the Neighborhood where she first began her artistic journey, decades ago.

After 25 years as the lead vocalist for Santana, Tony Lindsay has garnered 11 Grammy awards, traveled on numerous world tours and recorded on seven Santana CDs: Milagro (1992), Supernatural (1999), Shaman (2002), Ceremony (2003), Food for Thought (2004), Ultimate Santana (2007), Multi-Dimensional Warrior (2008). In addition to many Grammy Show performances, Tony’s time with Santana included a 2003 pre-game performance at Super Bowl XXXVII where they were joined onstage by Beyonce. In 2015, Carlos Santana decided to change personnel in his band and set the wheels in motion for Tony to start on his 5th solo CD “Something Beautiful”. His previous solo albums are “Different Moods” (1995), “The Message is Love” (1997), “Tony Lindsay” and “Memoirs” (2014).

Referred to as “a fighter for social justice wielding music as a balm,”(Grammy.com) DARA STARR TUCKER melds her presence as a jazz singer-songwriter with her growing notoriety as a social media commentator on race, cultural equity, music, and film
As a songwriter, Tucker teamed up with Blues & Americana artist Keb Mo’ and earned her first Grammy credit as she co-wrote the title track to Mo’s 2020 GRAMMY-winning Best Americana Album, Oklahoma. Tucker is a Woodshed Network Fellow, selected for the prestigious program founded by jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater; she has toured and recorded with acclaimed guitarist Charlie Hunter; and  Tucker was also silver medalist at the American Traditions Vocal Competition where she additionally won the Johnny Mercer Award and the Ben Tucker Jazz Award prizes. Her most recent three albums, (Dreams of Waking, Dara Starr Tucker, Time Wouldn’t Wait) have all placed in the top 50 on JazzWeek’s national radio charts and have been included on Apple Music’s Jazz Vocal Essentials,  Spotify’s Best Jazz Vocals 2023 and Amazon Music’s Vocal Jazz playlists, further cementing her status as a rising voice in modern jazz.

Patrick Wolff is a jazz saxophone and clarinet player with a long history in the jazz scenes of New York City and San Francisco. His playing has been characterized by a focus on lyricism and an embrace of the whole lineage of jazz styles. Wolff’s bands have spent hundreds of gig honing a quirky repertoire focusing on overlooked gems of the bebop era and great American songbook in weekly residencies at Club Deluxe and the Redwood Room. For this special show, Wolff and a top-shelf rhythm section are joined by a frequent collaborator, the Bay Area’s grandmaster of jazz tenor, Noel Jewkes, in a mutual admiration society evoking the great two-tenor tradition popularized by pairings like Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons and Al Cohn and Zoot Sims.

Patrick Wolff and Noel Jewkes -saxophones

Adam Shulman- piano

John Wiitala- bass

Sylvia Cuenca- drums

Cosmo Alleycats have been a favorite of the San Francisco music scene since the band’s 2010 beginning, bringing to the stage a potent mix of swing and vintage jazz with a dynamic, soulful delivery. Led by vocalist Emily Day (“one of the major singers in her field” – Scott Yanow), Cosmo Alleycats draws from several decades of exhilarating American music, along with inspired originals, to deliver a fun and engaging performance.

With fifteen years’ experience performing together, Cosmo Alleycats is a well-oiled machine. But however polished their performance may be, it’s their sense of playfulness that holds the door open for the unexpected. This dynamic is evident in their 2022 album, Old Sweet Songs, a collection of Tin Pan Alley and American Songbook favorites accompanied by their original compositions, inspired by bygone styles of songwriting.

Emily Day – vocals

Steve Height – bass

Mike Burns – drums

Charles Chen – piano

Mike Olmos – trumpet

Pete Cornell – sax

Tiffany Austin is a vocalist, composer, educator, and Berkeley Law Juris Doctor. She has performed with luminaries such as Pharoah Sanders, Roy Ayers, John Handy, Cyrus Chestnut, and Doug Carn. Her soulful delivery and musical storytelling has brought her to stages at Birdland and Dizzy’s Den in NYC, Walt Disney Concert Hall in her native Los Angeles and the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco. Beyond California, she has performed in Europe, Asia, and Australasia, as well as on nationally televised programming in the United States. 

Keys favorite Kenny Washington always brings concert thrills and spills to Keys. Don’t miss out on one of our very own world class bay area artists!Kenny Washington has thrilled audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and inventive scatting. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington appeared in 2013 with Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, alongside vocalists Gregory Porter and Paula West. 

Jazz Mafia’s Holiday Heist featuring Trance Thompson (vocals), Nataly Michelle Wright (vocals), Adam Theis (trombone & bass), Tommy Occhiuto (sax), Kevin Wong (keys), and Darian Gray (drums)

‘Tis the season—for a heist. Jazz Mafia’s Holiday Heist is a holiday show for people who don’t usually like holiday shows. Blurring the lines between jazz, soul, funk, and the unexpected, the band dives deep into genre-bending arrangements that turn familiar melodies inside out and spotlight lesser-known holiday gems rarely heard on stage.

Fronted by Trance Thompson and Nataly Michelle Wright, the group strikes a perfect balance between adventurous instrumental explorations and soulful, powerhouse vocals. This isn’t background music for wrapping presents—it’s a reimagined holiday soundtrack from one of the Bay Area’s most inventive ensembles.

Now celebrating 25 years of fearless creativity, Jazz Mafia continues to twist traditions into something new, dynamic, and delightfully unpredictable.

Best known as the leader of the Bay Area’s acclaimed swing and jump-blues band Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums, Steve Lucky brings his signature energy and showmanship to the The Hammond Cheese Combo. Drawn to the soulful sound of the Hammond B3, Lucky began playing organ in 1995 and quickly discovered a natural affinity for the instrument. His soulful, blues-infused approach anchors the Combo’s vibrant soul-jazz sound. Lucky is joined by guitarist and vocalist Carmen Getit, whose distinctive guitar work and captivating vocals have earned wide recognition from critics and audiences alike. The ensemble also features tenor saxophone phenom Kamrin Ortiz and drummer Greg Wyser-Pratte, known both for his dynamic performances and his TED Talk appearance on the art of improvisation. Together, the quartet delivers a delightfully engaging blend of original compositions, groovy soul-jazz, and unexpected musical twists, keeping audiences smiling and swinging.

Christian Sands, NORTH AMERICA GRAMMY®, nominated pianist’s new Mack Avenue concept album journeys through heartbreak and healing Jazz history is filled with stirring torch songs and ballads — brilliant expressions of suffering after love has gone awry. The jazz record shelf even contains some classic album-long explorations of melancholy. But it’s hard to find precedent in pianist CHRISTIAN SANDS’ new Embracing Dawn, his fifth full-length effort for Mack Avenue Records.

Sands’ LP is nothing less than a cinematic narration of the stages of grief, crafted by one of jazz’s finest young composers. It’s a “breakup record,” to be sure — composed while Sands was experiencing the hurt that only a sudden absence of love can deliver — but it’s so much more. In its thoughtfully assembled nine tracks are a group therapy session, a guide to healing, and an understanding that Sands’ deeply personal angst could apply to any person who has lost a partner, a job, a loved one, an opportunity, the list goes on. In other words, Embracing Dawn is for everyone.

Roger Glenn, master multi-instrumentalist, composer and entertainer on the flute, sax, clarinet and vibraphone, is the son of the late Tyree Glenn, one of 57 notable jazz musicians pictured in the historic photo “A Great Day in Harlem,” and who worked with jazz icons including Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong.

Roger entered the jazz scene at an early age and has worked and recorded with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Mongo Santamaria, Rosemary Clooney, Herbie Mann and Pete Escovedo. His flute playing is featured on the Grammy-award winning album “La Onda Va Bien” with Cal Tjader, as well as many notable recordings by Donald Byrd, Peaches and Herb, ConFunkShun, and Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues Band. Roger has recently released his long-awaited album as a leader with “My Latin Heart” to high acclaim, and currently #31 on the JazzWeek charts.

His greatest passion is Latin Jazz, but his musical horizons extend broadly into jazz, classical, and popular styles. ROGER GLENN JAZZ ORGAN TRIO performs music from some of the classic jazz organ trios and was instrumental as the opening band for Steely Dan in 2015.

Wayne De La Cruz performing sideman, leader, composer, arranger began his musical endeavors at the age of 9 with a set of drums and playing along with records and the radio. While in Jr. High his father bought him a used vibraphone that he began playing in the school jazz band. While in High school at the age of 14 he made the move to the keyboard and began playing organ and piano. He settled on keyboards as his main instrument and got his first Hammond organ when he was 16. Because of his passion for the Hammond organ, after many years of compromising the Hammond sound using a variety of keyboards, in 2003 he decided to bring the Hammond B-3 back to the forefront. As a result he is now performing on it more than ever in the classic and modern organ trio style.

Drummer Mark Lee has a wealth of experience performing on the San Francisco / Bay Area music scene instrumentally, musical theater. He has also backed vocalist Ernestine Anderson, Freda Payne, Charles Brown, Mary Lou Henner, Stephanie Powers, The Pointer Sisters and many more. 

Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers have performed at many of the top festivals and concert venues in the US, Europe, Japan and Canada.  They have headlined at Jazz At Lincoln Center on New Year’s Eve, and were featured at the official Oscars after-party in Hollywood.  Performing classics and obscure gems from the golden age of jazz, blues and R&B, Lavay and her all-star band serve up soulful candy for your ears and an instant recipe for dancing and good times.

PAULA WEST is an American jazz and cabaret singer known for her rich, powerful contralto voice and for her highly nuanced interpretations of an extraordinarily eclectic selection of songs that range from the Great American songbook to reinterpretations of songs by artists such as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Johnny Cash.

Ms. West has performed predominantly in clubs in San Francisco and New York, with additional performances in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and select European cities. For ten years she held a one-month residency at the Empire Plush Room at the York Hotel in San Francisco. She has had recurring engagements at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Mezzrow in New York as well as SF Jazz, Feinstein’s at The Nikko, and Yoshi’s in San Francisco. Her nights at the Algonquin Hotel’s famed Oak Room earned her three straight New York Magazine Nightlife Awards as “Outstanding Female Jazz Vocalist.” The New York Times has been particularly vocal in their praise for Ms. West, singling out her “thickly textured voice [that] has ripened into a driving expressive force” and an “ever-deepening feel for the blues.” She has also performed at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis, The White House, and Maison de la Musique in Paris.  

This ensemble will be creating fresh arrangements of jazz standards and modern tunes in the tradition of the Keith Jarrett trio. 

Grant Levin is a jazz pianist and composer based in San Francisco. Born in San Diego, California, he began studying the piano at age 5. He attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree. After graduation, he joined the faculty of the music department at California State University, Chico, where he taught for 3 years.

Levin has performed at notable venues such as: SFJAZZ Center, Mildred Owen Concert Hall, Yoshi’s, and Cafe Stritch. He has also appeared at the San Jose, Stanford, Cotati, Benicia, and Fillmore Jazz Festivals.

Grant Levin- Piano

Aaron Cohn- double-bass

Geechi Taylor- drums

“This was the most joyful holiday celebration I can remember attending. If there’s a band or album that’s more pure fun than Mr.Wilson’s, I am not even sure I want to know about it.”

-Will Friedwald, NY SUN (2024 show review at Dizzy’s-Jazz at Lincoln Center)

“Wonder and innocence, gaudiness and cheer: can it be any surprise that the jazz drummer Matt Wilson thrives around the holidays?”

“An ambassador of good feeling.”

-Nate Chinen, New York Times

The year 2024 marked the 60th birthday of the beloved drummer, composer, and bandleader Matt Wilson. It also celebrates the 15th anniversary of one of Matt’s acclaimed ensembles, the Christmas Tree- O, featuring multi-reed legend Jeff Lederer and revered bassist Paul Sikivie.

The band performed their first concert on December 9, 2009, in Brooklyn, NY. They then recorded their seminal album, Matt Wilson’s Christmas Tree-O, at Maggie’s Farm studio on a snowy May day in 2010. The album was released in the fall of 2010 by Palmetto Records.

Since then, the band has performed extensively across the United States and Canada. Their annual sold-out engagements at the Jazz Standard (now held at Dizzy’s) have become a New York City holiday tradition. The band has featured a range of music legends as guests, including Bill Frisell, Jason Moran, Joe Lovano, Kurt Elling, Aaron Diehl, Christian McBride, Marshall Allen, Esperanza Spaulding, Nels Cline, Camilla Meza, and Cecile McLorin Salvant.

In June 2024, the trio traveled through icy highways to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to record their second album, Tree Jazz: The Shape of Christmas to Come. A week later, after the thaw, they welcomed the Treedom Singers—Mary LaRose, Audrey Wilson, and Gregory Rodriguez—to add their vocal magic to the recording.

Kick off the holiday season with a dazzling evening of holiday classics, modern twists and rare holiday gems.

Known for her deep and thoughtful interpretations of the Great American Songbook, San Francisco Bay Area native Lori Carsillo was raised on a healthy diet of Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and other jazz greats, augmented by an early and enduring exposure to classical music. Her unique phrasing and less-is-more sound has led her to perform at such renowned venues as SFJAZZ, Yoshi’s, Albuquerque’s The Outpost, as well as international events such as the Fillmore Jazz Festival and Santa Fe Music Collective Jazz Series.

As a master songstress and storyteller, Carsillo has released five diverse albums and a multitude of singles to date. She continues to delve into songwriting and the worlds of theater, video production and film. As an artist—one with an insatiable desire to create—she is driven to bring her unique flavor of jazz to brand new audiences, and take it to bold new heights.

7pm: Kev Choice Trio ft. Howard Wiley

9pm & 10:30pm: Howard Wiley ft. Martin Luther McCoy

Howard Wiley presents a celebration of soul-jazz, funk, gospel, and R&B steeped in West Coast flavor, combining Wiley’s hard-driving originals with a funkified selection of classics.

Wiley has been a standout on the Bay Area music scene since he was a teenager in the mid-1990s, and he’s taken on the mantle of mentor, sage, and prophet of jazz. More specifically, jazz as a populist art form that thrives best when its shared roots with blues, funk, R&B, soul, hip-hop, and gospel live close to the surface.

Based out of San Francisco, California The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, was founded in 2007, by guitarist/songwriter Anthony Paule. Inspired by authentic Soul and Blues recordings of the ‘60s and ‘70s, this dramatic horn driven extravagant act took shape. Known for having great, authentic singers, APSO invites newest member, the incomparable vocalist Willy Jordan into the organization. Having worked with Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio (which garnered him two Grammy Award nominations), John Lee Hooker among others, Willy holds court from a throne previously occupied by Wee Willie Walker, Frank Bey, and Terrie Odabi. Jordan’s commanding vocals and unpretentious stage presence, give audiences an honest, fresh, heartfelt experience.

Anthony Paule – guitar & vocals

Willy Jordan – vocals & vocals

Timm Walker – bass & vocals

Derek James – trombone

Bowen Brown – drums

Richard Benitez – trumpet

Anthony Lufrano – organ, piano & vocals

Rob Zuckerman – tenor sax

Immerse yourself in the electrifying world of “Ritmo y Voz”, where the deep-rooted traditions of Afro-Cuban jazz meet the power of dynamic vocals. This high-energy performance features an all-star lineup, including guitarist Kai Lyons, percussion master Ernesto, bassist Mazar, and the incomparable Einar Leliebre Nuñez, whose fiery rhythms and soaring voice bring the soul of Santiago de Cuba to life. Drawing from the rich traditions of Rumba, Timba, Changüí, and Batá, the group weaves a tapestry of sound that pulses with history, spirit, and innovation. Their collective experience includes collaborations with legendary artists like Omar Sosa, John Santos, and other torchbearers of the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz traditions.

Einar “Tito” Leliebre – Vocals, Percussion

Ernesto Kindelan Mazar- Bass

Kai Lyons-Guitar

Chris Siebert brings an all-star group of San Francisco Bay Area legends to Keys Jazz Bistro for an evening of soulful, swingin’ jazz.  Featuring legendary Ray Charles alumnus Jules Broussard (alto and tenor saxophones), Marty Wehner (trombone), Ron Belcher (bass) and Howard Wiley (drums).  Chris is the longtime bandleader for Lavay Smith, and he and the rest of his band have toured the world for over three decades as members of Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers.

Jules Broussard (alto & tenor saxophones)

Marty Wehner (trombone)

Chris Siebert (piano & Hammond organ)

Ron Belcher (bass)

Howard Wiley (drums)

Pianist/composer Michael Wolff and drummer/composer Mike Clark met in the 70’s in San Francisco when they were in their teens. They began playing together and immediately felt a musical and personal bond. They are still playing, recording and touring together in 2025. Their resumes are huge and each of them have played and recorded with the greats of jazz; Herbie Hancock, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, and about 200 more.

Wolff & Clark play their own compositions as well as jazz standards and occasionally even a Prince or Beatles tune. Wolff & Clark present a combination of experience and freshness that is unique in music today. The music is exciting and soulful, and gorgeous. It takes you on a trip. Individually Michael and Mike have new albums out right now-Mike Clark’s is STANDARD DEVIATIONS & Michael Wolff’s is SUNNY DAY

Also, Michael Wolff has written a memoir, ON THAT NOTE.

Wolff & Clark have made two albums together which were each in the top 10 of jazz Radio: WOLFF & CLARK EXPEDITION 1 followed by WOLFF & CLARK EXPEDITION 2.

Together with Leon Dorsey they made an album dedicated to the great jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans called A LETTER TO BILL EVANS.

Come hear them live and say hello. They might even buy you a drink.

A staple of the Bay Area scene since 2013, Atta Kid is an all-star crew that reaches into the swampy lilt of New Orleans and the razor-sharp precision of the East Bay at the same time. Led by Daniel Casares (sax and vocals)and Max Cowan (B-3, keyboards and vocals), Atta Kid will take you on a round-trip from Oakland to the bayou in every set. Listen for a reimagined Lee Morgan tune or a Stevie Wonder ballad turned upbeat funk. But come for their original compositions, where they showcase a sound that has become truly their own. With deep roots in Bay Area music and an imagination of infinite locale, Atta Kid is a band not to miss.

Daniel Casares (Robben Ford, Lauryn Hill)- Sax and vocals, Max Cowan (Zigaboo Modeliste, Eric Krasno) – Keyboards and vocals, Ronnie Smith – Drums,Jackson Allen (Narada Michael Walden) – Guitar and vocals,Mike Olmos (Etta James) – Trumpet,Jason Muscat (Otis McDonald) – Bass

Ray Obiedo- Guitar

Roger Glenn- Flute

Murray Low- Piano

Steve Hogan- Bass

Derek Rolando- Percussion

Colin Douglas- Drums

Kate Lamont crafts original music with emotional depth that grooves. A frequent vocalist with the Jazz Mafia family, Kate’s reputation as a genre-fluid vocalist keeps audiences guessing as to what she’ll do next. Her collaborative nature has produced a wide variety of arrangements (and a TED talk you can find on her website, katelamont.com ) giving each song a unique jumping off point. A creative interpreter, Kate uses spacious arrangements to cover some of her favorite artists like Joni Mitchell and Nancy Wilson, and Michael Jackson.

Kate will be joined by Mike Blankenship (keys) Miguel Castuera (bass) and some key members of Jazz Mafia, Darian Gray (drums) and Tommy Occhiuto (saxophone).

After going through a whirlwind of life changes, the San Francisco based singer-songwriter, Liz Kennedy, has come to see songwriting not as a choice but something she has to do. She says music sustains her and offers a way forward. Her decade plus as a critically acclaimed recording artist has brought her confidence in her ever-unfolding identity as a quirky, often humorous and ever insightful storyteller committed to honesty and finding something unique to say.

Kennedy describes herself as honest and observant and adds, “I sure hope I can easily laugh at myself.” Her songcraft – where the lyrics always follow the music – perfectly reflects that thoughtful self-assessment. The fascinating part of the process is not knowing just where the inspiration will come from. “It’s strange how emotional pain and joy can equally send you racing to the piano to capture something … whether it’s a butterfly or a heavy brick.

Join us for a romantic evening with the Lara Louise Sextet. This ensemble brings their fresh interpretations of beloved songs from the Great American Songbook as well as some classic French standards. 

Lara Louise, a Dutch-born vocalist, started singing at a young age. After moving to California in 2020, she started recording and performing with producer and multi-instrumentalist Gawain Mathews. Their shared love for ’60s folk and pop music strongly influences their renditions. Their debut album, Alone Together, was an eclectic blend of folk and jazz, ranging from Leonard Cohen to Sidney Bechet, whereas their new album Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars primarily features jazz standards.

Piano: Gene Wadsworth

Guitar: Gawain Mathews

Bass: Dan Feiszli

Drums: Brian Fishler

In a career that has spanned over 65 years, international jazz vocal legend Mary Stallings has earned a unique place in modern jazz. After decades of performing around the globe alongside a who’s who of talented collaborators, while quietly accumulating a series of thoughtful and well respected recordings, she still continues to challenge her boundaries and creative potential. Yet it is her deep connection to her roots and the community that nurtured her talent that reveal her artistry. Utilizing a wide and diverse repertoire, Stallings music expresses a profound spiritual essence combined with a love for that community that supported her. “This music is deep. lt is a life force. lt is a history of people’s lives and struggles. It is not just a bunch of notes., she explains. For this historic  debut performance at Keys, Mary returns to the Neighborhood where she first began her artistic journey, decades ago.

This special concert celebrates 25 years of Jazz Mafia’s futuristic jazz roots, revisiting the music that shaped the collective’s identity in its earliest days. Drawing from the first five years (2000–2005) of Jazz Mafia’s evolution—with material from Realistic Orchestra, Shotgun Wedding Quintet, and other formative projects—the ensemble reconnects with the sounds that defined its foundation. Expect adventurous compositions, richly layered grooves, and inventive improvisation, all anchored by the singular voice of Dublin and a few surprise guests from across the Mafia’s musical family. Featuring Adam Theis (trombone, bandleader), Mike Olmos (trumpet), Tommy Occhiuto (tenor sax), Mario Ramirez (baritone & alto sax), Matt Clark (piano), Sam Bevan (upright & electric bass), Eric Garland (drums), and Dublin (vocals)

For more than 30 years, two-time Juno Award winning pianist/composer Andy Milne has  demonstrated boundless versatility, collaborating with dancers, film makers, authors, visual  artists, poets and musicians spanning multiple genres. With UNISON Milne returns to his  first love, exploring the intimacy of the piano trio. The synchronistic relationship Milne enjoys  with his bandmates represents the complimentary threads within the fabric of Milne’s piano  trio philosophy — the intersection of texture and groove. Unison’s 2024 Sunnyside Records  release “Time Will Tell” was nominated for a 2025 Juno Award and was included on numerous  “best of 2024” lists. Their 2020 debut, “The reMission” [Sunnyside Records] won the 2021  JUNO Award for Jazz Album of the Year: Group and received widespread media praise. 

The emotionally complex album that came out of that session owes much to the  single-minded focus of the three players as they moved fluently through Milne’s  dynamic compositions. 

Downbeat Magazine 

A former student of Oscar Peterson, Milne has collaborated with a range of artists including  Ralph Alessi, Ravi Coltrane, Andrew Cyrille, Sekou Sundiata, Avery Brooks, Bruce Cockburn,  and Cassandra Wilson. During his early career in the 1990s, he was at the center of the M BASE Collective as a core member of saxophonist Steve Coleman’s bands and became a  distinct and respected voice at the heart of New York’s creative jazz scene. Milne has  released 12 recordings as a leader or co-leader, and is actively composing for orchestra,  chamber ensembles, and scoring for film and television. His credits include two films for Emmy Award winning director Michèle Stephenson, as well as seven films by acclaimed  actor/director William Shatner. In 2024 Milne premiered a piano quintet with the Isidore  String Quartet, commissioned by the Banff International String Quartet Competition. He is  a Yamaha Artist and sought-after educator, currently a full-time assistant professor of music  at The University of Michigan.

Andy Milne & Unison • Bio Release 

John Hébert, originally from New Orleans, has been a highly sought-after New York bassist  since the mid-1990s. A former student of Rufus Reid, Hébert has collaborated extensively  with pianists Fred Hersch and Andrew Hill, appearing on celebrated recordings from each  pianist. He has also performed with Lee Konitz, Paul Bley, John Abercrombie, Kenny  Wheeler, Paul Motian, Uri Caine, Bill Stewart, Mary Halvorson, Tomasz Stanko, David  Liebman, and Toots Thielemans, among many others. An accomplished bandleader, Hébert’s  2015 Sunnyside release with his quartet Rambling Confessions — his quartet featuring Milne  — received critical acclaim, including 4.5 stars from Downbeat. Over the past decade, he  has been named multiple times as a “Rising Star Acoustic Bassist” in Downbeat’s Critics Poll 

and has received multiple Grammy nominations. 

Drummer Kush Abadey has cultivated an eclectic and fast-moving career, known for his  versatility across jazz, rock, and electronica. At age 16, he joined the band of Grammy  Award-winning trumpeter Wallace Roney, and has since performed with leading artists  including Ravi Coltrane, Chris Potter, Melissa Aldana, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Ethan Iverson,  Wayne Krantz, Nicholas Payton, Tomasz Stanko, Gilad Hekselman, Seamus Blake, Dee Dee  Bridgewater, Frank Lacy, Wynton Marsalis, and Buster Williams. 

A few standout milestones include performing for Michelle Obama at the White House and  becoming the youngest artist ever chosen for the Strathmore Artist-in-Residence program.  In 2009, he earned a Presidential Scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music, where he  studied with Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson, and Darren Barrett. 

After two years at Berklee, Kush moved to New York City in 2012 and quickly became a  sought-after drummer on the jazz scene. Known for his dynamic style and creative  adaptability, he continues to perform, tour, and record internationally with a wide range of  respected artists and ensembles.

Saxophonist Patrick Wolff Patrick Wolff is a jazz saxophone and clarinet player with a long history in the jazz scenes of New York City and San Francisco. His playing has been characterized by a focus on lyricism and an embrace of the whole lineage of jazz styles. Drummer Matt WIlson is widely recognized as one of the great drummers and bandleaders in jazz, and is a veteran of the bands of Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden, Dena Derose, and more. United in their passions for the B side tunes, obscure musician’s musicians, and in their commitment to explore and swing hard at the boundaries of post bop jazz. Wolff and Wilson have shared the stage at numerous venues over the last 15 years, from Smalls in NY to the Stanford Jazz Festival. This particular lineup has been playing together for three years, and has become a Keys Jazz Bistro tradition. 

Sax- Patrick Wolff

Drums- Matt Wilson

Piano- Keith Saunders

Bass- Eric Markowitz

The sensitive and sophisticated vocal stylings of Carla Helmbrecht are the perfect complement to the soulful, blues- and swing-influenced style of the Brad Leali ensemble. Not only do they explore classic jazz standards and original materials, but they are able to infuse historical and modern components to their unique arrangements. This dynamic duo will be backed tonight by a world class trio with Adam Shulman (piano/organ), Brian Fishler (drums), and Matthew Montgomery (bass).

With a unique style and sound that echo the influences of his past, Brad Leali is one of the most notable saxophonists of current times. Leali toured and recorded with numerous jazz greats, including several years with Harry Connick, Jr. and later with the Count Basie Orchestra. Leali was a standing member of the Kennedy Center Honors Band and performed for President Obama’s first inaugural celebration. He tours and is a featured soloist with the Grammy-winning musician and actor, Lyle Lovett. Brad is currently the Professor of Jazz Saxophone at the University of North Texas

“Saxophonist Brad Leali was among the most soulful and exciting I’ve heard recently.” – New York Times

“His solos are sparkling and Cannonball Adderley influenced.”
- Evening Standard (London, England)

Grammy-nominated singer/song-writer, Carla Helmbrecht, began her love affair with music at a young age. Her recording ONE FOR MY BABY earned a prominent position on Gavin’s Jazz Chart, while BE COOL BE KIND debuted as “the most added jazz record on radio in the nation” and received three Grammy nominations. Carla is a featured artist on numerous other recordings, television and major motion picture films. She lives in San Francisco and tours nationally and internationally

“… imaginative…poetic and sophisticated…She’s hip without being frenetic, laid-back without sounding haphazard, and best of all, the lady swings without sweating…the lyric writer’s best friend.”   -Harvey Siders, JazzTimes

“She exudes warmth in spades…An unusually gifted vocalist, impeccable phrasing…steeped in a swinging jazz sensibility that reminds me of Mel Torme….” -Carol Archer, R & R Magazine

Tiffany Austin is a vocalist, composer, educator, and Berkeley Law Juris Doctor. She has performed with luminaries such as Pharoah Sanders, Roy Ayers, John Handy, Cyrus Chestnut, and Doug Carn. Her soulful delivery and musical storytelling has brought her to stages at Birdland and Dizzy’s Den in NYC, Walt Disney Concert Hall in her native Los Angeles and the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco. Beyond California, she has performed in Europe, Asia, and Australasia, as well as on nationally televised programming in the United States. 

Keys favorite Kenny Washington always brings concert thrills and spills to Keys. Don’t miss out on one of our very own world class bay area artists!Kenny Washington has thrilled audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and inventive scatting. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington appeared in 2013 with Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, alongside vocalists Gregory Porter and Paula West. 

PAULA WEST is an American jazz and cabaret singer known for her rich, powerful contralto voice and for her highly nuanced interpretations of an extraordinarily eclectic selection of songs that range from the Great American songbook to reinterpretations of songs by artists such as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Johnny Cash.

Ms. West has performed predominantly in clubs in San Francisco and New York, with additional performances in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and select European cities. For ten years she held a one-month residency at the Empire Plush Room at the York Hotel in San Francisco. She has had recurring engagements at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Mezzrow in New York as well as SF Jazz, Feinstein’s at The Nikko, and Yoshi’s in San Francisco. Her nights at the Algonquin Hotel’s famed Oak Room earned her three straight New York Magazine Nightlife Awards as “Outstanding Female Jazz Vocalist.” The New York Times has been particularly vocal in their praise for Ms. West, singling out her “thickly textured voice [that] has ripened into a driving expressive force” and an “ever-deepening feel for the blues.” She has also performed at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis, The White House, and Maison de la Musique in Paris.  

Sundra Manning is a highly sought after Grammy Nominated musician/Pianist, Keyboardist, Hammond B3 Player and Producer. She is a Grammy Nominated musician/producer respected for her wide ranging musical versatility. She has toured around the world with many artists sharing her lovely gift of music and has produced music for major film and television. She creates music that inspires all. Sundra brings a funky, fresh and gritty approach to the Hammond B3 Organ, Piano and Keyboards that is unique and special. 

Sundra Manning Hammond Organ/Piano

Ron Belcher Bass

Malachi Whitson Drums

Rhonda Sauce Vocals 

Leon Joyce Jr., a native of Meriden, Connecticut, received his musical training through private instruction under John Oblon and Jimmy Rozelle. While still in high school, he toured Connecticut and Massachusetts with the Greater Hartford Community College Theater Group, performing the Broadway musical “Hair”. Although Leon’s musical career began in high school, it really was shaped and nurtured when he joined the Marine Corps in 1976. In the years that followed, he served as a field band musician in Marine Corps Bands in San Diego, CA – Iwakuni, Japan – Camp Lejeune, NC – New Orleans, LA – Parris Island, SC – Okinawa, Japan – El Toro, CA and Albany, GA. He graduated from the Intermediate Course at the Armed Forces School of Music in 1987. Gunnery Sergeant Joyce reported to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band as Percussion Section Leader in April, 1990. He was promoted to his present rank in August, 1990. In August, 1991, he was appointed to the position of Drum Major. Leon retired from the Marine Corps in June of 1997 from Marine Corps Logistic Base Albany, GA.

Gunnery Sergeant Joyce’s military awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Naval Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, second award, Good Conduct Medal, fifth award, the National Defense Medal & the Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, second award.

As a drummer Leon has worked for a wide variety of top artists. A short list would include Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Teena Marie, Howard Hewitt, Norman Connors, Tom Browne, Ann Hampton-Callaway, Yve Evans, Monty Alexander, Barry Harris, James Carter, Clark Terry, Conte Condoli, Ellis Marsalis, Larry Coryell, Gary Bartz, Billy Harper, Pete Fountain, Barbara Morrison, Patti LaBelle & Mary Wilson. Leon is a regular with the Leon Joyce Trio, Quartet and Quintet, the Jamie Davis Quintet, Nicholas Beard, Rhonda Benin, Destiny Muhammad, and Tiffany Austin. He also freelances with numerous other artists in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. As a percussionist, he has performed under the direction of Carmen Dragon, Claude T. Smith, Dr. Larry Curtis, Cooleridge Taylor-Perkinson & Bill Russo.

As a clinician, Leon has led many clinics in Chicago and the United States at various educational institutions and music programs.

Leon has appeared at many of the top International Jazz Festivals, including Montreaux & Lugano Jazz Festivals in Switzerland and the Villingen Swing/Jazz Festival in Germany. Nationally, he has appeared in the Monterey Jazz and Blues, Playboy Jazz and JVC Jazz Festivals in California, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in Louisiana, JVC Jazz Festival in Colorado, Chicago Jazz, the South Shore Jazz and the Heritage Festivals in Illinois. He has also appeared in the Dijon, Leon and Paris Blues Festivals in France, the Luzern Blues Festival in Switzerland, the Zacatecas and Oaxaca Blues Festival in Mexico and the Rhythm & Blues cruise.

Called a “composer with great vision” (All About Jazz) and a “flute virtuoso” (The Boston Globe),and praised for his “most beautiful, pure sound” (JazzThetik) and “stunning virtuosity”(JazzTimes), flutist / composer Christian Artmann is passionate about conveying "a perspective beyond boundaries – a singular story capable of including us all (All About Jazz). While deeply centered in contemporary jazz, his compositions reflect his roots in European classical and Eastern European folk music, his love of prog rock and Brazilian music, as well as his Buddhist faith. For this date, Artmann is joined by long-term collaborators and friends Laszlo Gardony (piano), Jeff Denson (bass), Yoron Israel (drums) and Elena McEntire (vocals). Together they will bring you an evening of dynamic interplay and exciting new music, without borders.

Christian Artmann, flutes – “stunning virtuosity” (JazzTimes), “a model of what is possible with jazz flute” (the Flutist Quarterly), “crystalline tone, fluid technique and engaging compositional style” (Jazziz)

Laszlo Gardony, piano – Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, “great pianist” (Dave Brubeck), “formidable improviser who lives in the moment” (JazzTimes)

Jeff Denson, bass – “exceptional musician and composer, always thinking outside the box” (Lee Konitz), “master of the jazz bass” (SF Chronicle), “tour de force” (NPR)

Yoron Israel, drums – “an important voice” (Jack DeJohnette), “masterful” (Downbeat), “MVP drummer” (JazzTimes), Head of Percussion at Berklee College of Music

Elena McEntire, vocals – “appealing dusky sound, smooth from the bottom to its powerful top” (Houston Chronicle), “perfect for conveying emotional power” (AllAboutJazz)

Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers have performed at many of the top festivals and concert venues in the US, Europe, Japan and Canada.  They have headlined at Jazz At Lincoln Center on New Year’s Eve, and were featured at the official Oscars after-party in Hollywood.  Performing classics and obscure gems from the golden age of jazz, blues and R&B, Lavay and her all-star band serve up soulful candy for your ears and an instant recipe for dancing and good times.

Dublin Soul is a project led by keyboardist/ singer/ songwriter Eamonn Flynn. Fresh off a European tour where they headlined Porretta Soul in Italy and Howth Blues and Roots in Ireland, they are bringing their unique blend of funky soul music to Keys for a special Halloween show.

Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, pianist/ organist and vocalist Eamonn Flynn first came to prominence playing Hammond organ and piano on the 14 million-selling soundtrack of The Commitments, a film about a Dublin soul band. After moving to San Francisco in 1997 he went on to record and tour with Michael Franti & Spearhead, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, Pink, Elvin Bishop, Pee Wee Ellis, Chris Cain, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, Curtis Salgado, Maria Muldaur, and a decade-long stint with Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste. When he’s not touring he can be found playing Gospel organ and piano at San Francisco’s legendary Glide Memorial Church. He’s released three albums of original songs: ‘The Irish Channel’, ‘Black Coddle’ and ‘Anywhere But Home’ and two solo piano albums: ‘King Of The Cats’ and ‘Meeting Of The Waters’. 

It was during his time with Zigaboo Modeliste that Flynn started playing with bassist Darryl Anders (Tower of Power/Booker T etc…). For this special one-off show Eamonn and Darryl will be joined by another two pillars of Bay Area funk and soul –  guitarist Jeff Tamelier (Tower of Power, Average White Band) and drummer Kevin Hayes (Robert Cray, BB King)… for a set of funky New Orleans infused music with Irish flavours! The show will draw from the music of The Meters, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Professor Longhair and James Booker as well as Eamonn’s funky originals. Costumes are encouraged!

Eamonn Flynn: Vocals, piano and B3

Darryl C Anders: Bass

Jeff Tamelier: Guitar

Kevin Hayes: Drums

Contemporary jazz pianist, keyboardist and composer, Peter Horvath has been perfecting his craft since the age of six when he began taking classical piano lessons. Born in Budapest, Hungary, he attended the Bela Bartok Conservatory of Music. At age 17, he won the National Jazz Combo Competition in Hungary and two years later moved to Austria to attend the Vienna Conservatory of Music. In 1983, Peter moved to the United States,where he studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has since performed, recorded and toured nationally and worldwide with a long line of world-class artist, including jazz greats Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson,Richie Cole, Ernie Watts, Eddie Henderson, Charles McPherson, Benny Maupin, the Victor Bailey Group, Lenny White, Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Marcus Miller, Pee Wee Ellis Funk Assembly, Bob Mintzer, Bob Sheppard, Craig Handy, Tiger Okoshi, Lalah Hathaway, Melba Moore,Ledisi, Keith Washington, Rosie Gaines, Ray Obiedo, Pete Escovedo and the Oakland Symphony. Peter composed for and performed with David Garibaldi for his critically acclaimed Warner Brothers video/CD series and recorded the tracks for Aretha Franklin’s performance of the National Anthem at the 1993 World Series.Peter Horvath’s first solo recording, “

Guitarist Liberty Ellman has been performing on the international jazz scene for many years, having with worked with the likes of Joe Lovano, Greg Osby, Jason Moran, Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, Myra Melford, Wadada Leo Smith, JD Allen, and standout vocalists Somi, and Ledisi among others. Performed faculty concerts with Dave Liebman, Mark Turner and Terri Lyne Carrington. Mr. Ellman is perhaps best known for his 20 year tenure with Henry Threadgill’s groundbreaking ensemble Zooid. Their recording “In For a Penny, In For a Pound” was awarded a Pulitzer prize in 2016. Liberty was voted #1 Rising Star in DownBeat magazine’s 2016 Critics Poll, and he was also honored in the 2015 Jazz Times expanded critics poll, as one of the four guitarists of the year alongside Bill Frisell, John Scofield and Julian Lage. As a composer and bandleader Mr. Ellman has produced five critically acclaimed recordings of original work: Orthodoxy (Red Giant Records), Tactiles, Ophiuchus Butterfly, Radiate, and Last Desert (Pi Recordings). Ellman’s compositional style has been described as “At once highly controlled and recklessly inventive,” and “quite original and subtle.” Ben Ratliff of the New York Times wrote: “Mr. Ellman’s ballads are special, exotic things: their melodies are memorable.” Playing a combination of original music and songs from the classic repertoire, Mr. Ellman will be joined by some of the Bay Area’s best: Matt Clark on piano, Jeff Denson on bass, and Jaimeo Brown on drums.

Vocalist & songwriter Suzanna Smith brings elegance, soulful swing, sharp lyricism, and heartfelt storytelling to every performance. Drawing from timeless influences such as Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn and Helen Merrill, Smith delivers in a style that’s pure and unadorned. Her appearances also harken back to the days of great show hosts and entertainers — the sparkle and humor of Lucille Ball, the wit of Carol Burnett and a world where Ms. Maisel could sing you the songbook.

Suzanna is joined by a world-class rhythm section in what promises to be an unforgettable evening of classic jazz and entertainment at its finest.

“There are relatively few contemporary female vocalists who evoke Peggy Lee, at least not genuinely. Suzanna Smith numbers among that rare ilk. That Smith sounds like Lee — slightly breathy and warmly sensual with a hint of huskiness — is undeniable, but the parallels extend much further. Lee’s ability to not just caress a ballad but smother it in mink has seldom been matched. She was also a sage swinger — never too much, never too little — as well as a first-rate songwriter. Smith checks all those boxes.”  — Christopher Louden, Jazz Times

Suzanna Smith — vocals
David Udolf — piano
Dan Feiszli — bass
Jason Lewis — drums

Jazz Mafia brings their long-running Stevie Wonder tribute to Keys, celebrating over two decades of interpreting Stevie’s music through their unique blend of jazz, funk, and improvisation. The band explores all corners of his iconic catalog—from deep cuts and B-sides to reimagined classics—delivering a dynamic night of music that goes far beyond the usual favorites.

Featuring: Trance Thompson (vocals), Adam Theis (trombone), Mike Olmos (trumpet), Tommy Occhiuto (sax), Colin Hogan (piano), Joshua Thurston-Milgrom (bass), Henry Plumb (drums)

A staple of the Bay Area scene since 2013, Atta Kid is an all-star crew that reaches into the swampy lilt of NewOrleans and the razor-sharp precision of the East Bay at the same time. Led by Daniel Casares (sax and vocals)and Max Cowan (B-3, keyboards and vocals), Atta Kid will take you on a round-trip from Oakland to the bayou in every set. Listen for a reimagined Lee Morgan tune or aStevie Wonder ballad turned upbeat funk. But come for their original compositions, where they showcase a sound that has become truly their own. With deep roots in BayArea music and an imagination of infinite locale, Atta Kid is a band not to miss!

Daniel Casares (Robben Ford, Lauryn Hill)- Sax and vocals, Max Cowan (Zigaboo Modeliste, Eric Krasno) – Keyboards and vocals, Ronnie Smith – Drums,Jackson Allen (Narada Michael Walden) – Guitar and vocals,Joel Behrman – Trombone/Trumpet,Jason Muscat (Otis McDonald) – Bass

Guitarist Ray Obiedo was born and raised in San Francisco Bay Area, At the outset of his career, Obiedo regularly shifted between Jazz and R&B, later touring or recording with a variety of artists including Herbie Hancock (1978-79 Tour), George Duke, Sheila E, Lou Rawls, Grover Washington Jr and most recently, Bob Mintzer’s R&B Big Band. Obiedo made his solo debut on Windham Hill Jazz with 1989’s Perfect Crime, followed two years later by Iguana; with 1993’s Sticks and Stones, he reached the Top Ten on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz charts. After 1995’s African-influenced “Zulaya”, he resurfaced two years later with “Sweet Summer Days”. Ray has released 5 CD’s on his own label Rhythmus Records, 2015’s “There Goes That”, “Latin Jazz Project Vol. 1” in 2017, “Carousel” in 2019, “Latin Jazz Project Vol. 2” and most recently 2024’s “Twist”.

Lilan Kane is a vocalist rooted in jazz and soul. Often noted for her distinct vocal timbre and musicality, she has captured audiences in the Bay Area for years selling out venues like SFJAZZ and Yoshis and playing various festivals. With one full length album, Love, Myself and two EPS, she has shared the stage with many notable performers including Pete Escovedo, Jazz Mafia, Ray Obiedo, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Hall & Oates, Morgan James, and many more.

Pianist and Composer Dahveed Behroozi is a San Francisco Bay Area based musician. His focus is in jazz, classical, and new music.  Behroozi’s expansive musical palette comes from a wide array of places that almost seem endless.  His group will be featuring world renowned tenor saxophonist Dayna Stephens for an incredibly rare and exquisite display of sonic virtuosity and depth.

Dahveed Behroozi – piano

Dayna Stephens – tenor sax

Andrew Mell – bass

Tim Bulkley – drums

This ensemble will be creating fresh arrangements of jazz standards and modern tunes in the tradition of the Keith Jarrett trio. 

Grant Levin is a jazz pianist and composer based in San Francisco. Born in San Diego, California, he began studying the piano at age 5. He attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree. After graduation, he joined the faculty of the music department at California State University, Chico, where he taught for 3 years.

Levin has performed at notable venues such as: SFJAZZ Center, Mildred Owen Concert Hall, Yoshi’s, and Cafe Stritch. He has also appeared at the San Jose, Stanford, Cotati, Benicia, and Fillmore Jazz Festivals.

Grant Levin-Piano

Aaron Cohn-  double-bass

Alcide Marshall- drums(brushes feature)

Internationally renowned violinist, composer and two-time Grammy Award-winner Mads Tolling is a former member of the Turtle Island Quartet and The Stanley Clarke Band. As a current member of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, Mads has appeared on three record releases and performed at over a hundred concerts.

Mads Tolling & The Mads Men bring a fun and exciting program that is as nostalgic as it is contemporary, with re-imagined classic songs from 1960s television, film and radio. Mads takes us back to the 60s serving up fun-filled nostalgia, exciting arrangements of familiar tunes and fresh takes on standards and the not-so-standard – pushing the boundaries of where a violin can go. The Mads Men will perform tunes from their critically acclaimed release, Playing the 60s, ranging from “A Taste of Honey” and “Meet the Flintstones” to “Good Vibrations” and “Georgia on my Mind.” 

So how did a Danish classical violin student growing up in Copenhagen in the 1980s discover his passion for the 1960s? When Mads was fourteen, his father gave him a Miles Davis cassette tape that changed his life. Mads was hooked. He found a sense of intimacy and freedom in the 1960s sounds of jazz, soul and early R&B, which inspired him to explore the possibilities of how to get there with his violin. The result is an exhilarating and thrilling musical adventure.

Joining Mads on this journey are his Mads Men—world-class musicians Adam Klipple on piano, and Hammond B-3, Gary Brown on bass, and Eric Garland on drums.

We are sad to announce that due to unforeseen circumstances, Mary Stallings will be unable to join us this Saturday, October 18th. The magnificent Jamie Davis will now appear with Bruce Forman, uniting two jazz legends. We hope that you will join us for this amazing show, but we will be happy to honor your ticket(s) for another Keys performance if you or to refund your ticket if preferred.

“Bruce Forman is one of the great lights of our age.” Barney Kessel, Jazz Times

A hectic touring schedule; twenty-one recordings as a leader,  countless sideman recordings including Ray Brown, Bobby Hutcherson, Roger Kellaway; soundtrack performances on three of Clint Eastwood’s distinguished films—most notably Academy Award-winning Million Dollar Baby; raconteur, arranger, acclaimed educator, in residence at USC’s Studio/Jazz Guitar Dept., when does Bruce Forman rest?

Please join us as we celebrate the music of Tania Maria, Joe Sample and Randy Crawford, Al Jarreau, Grover Washington,Phyllis Hyman, Azymuth, Ramsey Lewis, George Duke, Airto and Flora Purim, Spyro Gyra- all artists featured on KBLX from 1979 to the early 90’s. Ashley Jemison, Alto Sax; Gary Brown, Bass; Deszon Claiborne, Drums; Michaelle Goerlitz, Percussion and Tammy L Hall, Piano and Vox.

Immerse yourself in the electrifying world of “Ritmo y Voz”, where the deep-rooted traditions of Afro-Cuban jazz meet the power of dynamic vocals. This high-energy performance features an all-star lineup, including guitarist Kai Lyons, percussion master Ernesto, bassist Mazar, and the incomparable Einar Leliebre Nuñez, whose fiery rhythms and soaring voice bring the soul of Santiago de Cuba to life. Drawing from the rich traditions of Rumba, Timba, Changüí, and Batá, the group weaves a tapestry of sound that pulses with history, spirit, and innovation. Their collective experience includes collaborations with legendary artists like Omar Sosa, John Santos, and other torchbearers of the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz traditions.

Einar “Tito” Leliebre – Vocals, Percussion

Ernesto Kindelan Mazar- Bass

Kai Lyons-Guitar

Patrick Wolff is a jazz saxophone and clarinet player with a long history in the jazz scenes of New York City and San Francisco. His playing has been characterized by a focus on lyricism and an embrace of the whole lineage of jazz styles. For this special show, he is joined by Mike Rodriguez, one of the most virtuosic and accomplished jazz trumpet players in the world, whose associations run from Gonzalo Rubalcaba to Carla Bley and Chick Corea, for some fresh takes on classic hard bop repertoire with a killer rhythm section of the bay area’s finest.

Patrick Wolff- saxophones

Mike Rodriguez-trumpet

Keith Saunders- piano

Eric Markowitz- bass

Smith Dobson V- drums

Vocalist Rhonda Benin breezes in with a jazzy/soulful take on the tunes of Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers, along with classic standards and Rhonda’s original tunes. “Rhonda Benin is a tremendously assured singer who inhabits the celebratory zone where jazz, soul and blues fraternize freely.” Joining Rhonda will be 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.

Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers have performed at many of the top festivals and concert venues in the US, Europe, Japan and Canada.  They have headlined at Jazz At Lincoln Center on New Year’s Eve, and were featured at the official Oscars after-party in Hollywood.  Performing classics and obscure gems from the golden age of jazz, blues and R&B, Lavay and her all-star band serve up soulful candy for your ears and an instant recipe for dancing and good times.

A staple of the Bay Area scene since 2013, Atta Kid is an all-star crew that reaches into the swampy lilt of New Orleans and the razor-sharp precision of the East Bay at the same time. Led by Daniel Casares (sax and vocals) and Max Cowan (B-3, keyboards and vocals), Atta Kid will take you on a round-trip from Oakland to the bayou in every set. Listen for a reimagined Lee Morgan tune or a Stevie Wonder ballad turned upbeat funk. But come for their original compositions, where they showcase a sound that has become truly their own. With deep roots in BayArea music and an imagination of infinite locale, Atta Kid is a band not to miss.

Daniel Casares (Robben Ford, Lauryn Hill)- Sax and vocals, Max Cowan (Zigaboo Modeliste, Eric Krasno) – Keyboards and vocals, Ronnie Smith – Drums, Jackson Allen (Narada Michael Walden) – Guitar and vocals, Mike Olmos (Etta James) – Trumpet, Jason Muscat (Otis McDonald) – Bass

Keys favorite Kenny Washington always brings concert thrills and spills to Keys. Don’t miss out on one of our very own world class bay area artists!

Kenny Washington has thrilled audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and inventive scatting. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington appeared in 2013 with Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra to perform Blood On The Fields, alongside vocalists Gregory Porter and Paula West.

Robert Kennedy is a Hammond organist, pianist, accordionist, vocalist, and composer born and raised in the American South and calling the San Francisco bay area his home since 1988. He has released two albums as a leader of organ-centered jazz combos, and appears as a sideman on recordings of straight-ahead and acoustic / hot-club jazz, rock, fusion, and pop.

Robert’s Jazz Organ Trio is built around the soul jazz and hard bop of the middle 20th century, drawing from players like Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, and of course the greats of the Hammond organ: Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Charles Earland. Among his living inspirations Robert counts Billy Childs, Larry Goldings, Kenny Barron, and Tony Monaco.

A performing musician since childhood, Robert ventured into jazz as pianist for the Stanford University Jazz Band and as a private jazz piano student of the great pianist, band director, and educator Bill Bell. Later Robert performed as pianist with the SFJAZZ Monday Night Band and held the accordion chair in Mission Hot Club. He has had the pleasure of playing venues such as Yoshi’s, the Broadway at Music Circus pit orchestra, the Boom Boom Room, Mr. Tipple’s, San Francisco International Arts Festival, Doc’s Lab, Keys Jazz Bistro, the Blue Note Napa, and Sweetwater Music Hall. He has shared stages and recorded with renowned players such as Nancy Wright, Calvin Keys, Howard Alden, Jules Broussard, Howard Wiley, Ned Boynton, Will Weston, Terrence Brewer, and Connie Champagne.

His 2015 debut Hammond organ combo release Big Shoes spent nine weeks on the CMJ charts, peaking at #11, and his 2018 album Closer to Home peaked at #5 on NACC’s jazz chart, #1 on RMR’s jazz chart, and #32 on JazzWeek’s Top 50.

In addition to his freelance work on piano, Hammond organ, and accordion, Robert plays accordion as a member of Bistro Moustache, of The Vivants, and of The No-Mads.

Bay Area multi-instrumentalist Smith Dobson continues the Horns of SF series   at Keys Jazz Bistro on the saxophone, with his long-running quartet, featuring Keith Saunders on piano, Eric Markowitz on bass, and Tony Johnson on drums. The quartet, which held court every Tuesday for nearly a decade at the now defunct Club Deluxe, will be exploring material from the great American songbook, as well as bebop classics and originals. 

Hilary Gardner and The Lonesome Pines make their San Francisco debut at Keys Jazz Bistro on October 5. Fresh from appearances at NYC’s Dizzy’s Club (Jazz at Lincoln Center) and Birdland and a summer tour to the Rochester International Jazz Festival and stages in London and Venice, the group brings its evocative sound—singing to the heart of the nostalgic American West—to San Francisco for one night only.  

Alaska-raised, New York City-based vocalist Hilary Gardner and her band, The Lonesome Pines, transport audiences to the nostalgic heart of the American West. The group has performed to sold-out houses in some of New York City’s most esteemed venues, including Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center and Birdland.

Their debut album, On the Trail with The Lonesome Pines (Anzic Records), was produced by Eli Wolf (Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson, Willie Nelson), and features songs by jazz and film composers like Johnny Mercer, Frank Loesser,  Benny Carter, and other stalwarts of the Great American Songbook. On the Trail won the 2025 Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Traditional Western Album and was #7 on The Times (U.K.) list of the 20 Best Jazz Albums of 2024.

The group’s live shows paint high spirited and harmonious soundscapes of the archetypal cowboy’s life on the trail—replete with pale dawns, purple hills, and the high lonesome feeling of camping out beneath a vast, star-filled sky. Says Gardner, “These songs remind us that the answers to many of life’s big questions can be found in contemplative solitude, the beauty of the natural world, and the arms of a loved one.”

Personnel: Hilary Gardner (vocals); Justin Poindexter (guitar, vocals); Sasha Papernik (accordion, vocals); bass and drums TBC

After 25 years as the lead vocalist for Santana, Tony Lindsay has garnered 11 Grammy awards, traveled on numerous world tours and recorded on seven Santana CDs: Milagro (1992), Supernatural (1999), Shaman (2002), Ceremony (2003), Food for Thought (2004), Ultimate Santana (2007), Multi-Dimensional Warrior (2008). In addition to many

Grammy Show performances, Tony’s time with Santana included a 2003 pre-game performance at Super Bowl XXXVII where they were joined onstage by Beyonce. In 2015, Carlos Santana decided to change personnel in his band and set the wheels in motion for Tony to start on his 5th solo CD “Something Beautiful”. His previous solo albums are “Different Moods” (1995), “The Message is Love” (1997), “Tony Lindsay” and “Memoirs” (2014).

Love-Centric. Soul-Crafted. Groove-Infused.

AgapeSoul fuses soul, funk, jazz, and R&B into a sound that’s undeniably soulful and deeply uplifting. Led by bassist and visionary Darryl Anders, the band delivers tight rhythms, rich harmonies, and infectious feel-good energy.

Fronted by powerhouse vocalists Fred Ross and Sonya Distel, and anchored by an electrifying rhythm section—Anders on bass, George Jackson on drums, Mike Wynar on guitar, and Immanuel Junaedy on keys—AgapeSoul crafts music with a message and a groove that can’t be denied. This is more than a band—it’s a soulful experience.

Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing Fog City Swing! The bay area’s newest and hottest jazz and swing band featuring an electrifying three horn front line, stellar crooning vocals, and a swing till you drop rhythm section. Enjoy an evening of swing, hard bop, and even some classic pop favorites performed only the way they can! This seven piece ensemble will transport you to the 1940’s and beyond, it is truly the world’s smallest big band!

“The Jimmy Grant Trio performs primarily in the style of Django Reinhardt, infusing swing era pieces, original work, and traditional gypsy tunes with the jazz guitar pioneer’s crunchy rhythms and hot harmonies. Jimmy Grant was recently a finalist in the John Lennon songwriting competition for his original song “Insomnia,” and also had an interview with Guitar World for his “5 in 5″ project, in which he wrote five different songs in five days. His style synthesizes a rich blend of Russian folk, bluegrass, celtic and classical music while remaining true to Django’s innovative guitar technique. The Jimmy Grant Ensemble will bring together two guitars, bass, and violin in an intimate yet energy-charged performance.”

Jimmy Grant: Guitar

Jordan Samuels: Guitar

Simon Planting: Bass