Rhonda Sauce

About

not merely a custodian of the jazz tradition, but an artist carrying it forward.. Rhonda Sauce is an Oakland-based vocalist, composer, arranger, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader whose original music reminds us that the tradition is still being written. Rooted in jazz while drawing from soul, blues, Brazilian music, folk traditions, and the broader Afro-diasporic musical lineage, her songs blend rich storytelling, adventurous improvisation, and fearless emotional honesty.Praised by vocalist and educator Dr. Kim Nalley as having "the special voice, firmly rooted in the jazz greats while still oozing her special unique style," Rhonda has become one of the Bay Area's most compelling emerging original voices. Her recent body of work has been featured in a live Studio 91 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_f1XCh2QD8&t=481s performance and interview on KCSM 91.1 FM, profiled by the East Bay Express https://eastbayexpress.com/rhonda-sauce-sings-her-whole-self/ and the Mercury News https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/07/31/bay-area-getting-a-good-taste-of-singer-rhonda-sauce/ , and presented on stages including the San Francisco International Arts Festival https://www.sfiaf.org/sfiaf2026_rhonda_sauce , Fillmore Jazz Festival https://www.fillmorejazzfest.com/ , and Levitt VIBE Oakland https://www.blackculturalzone.org/levittvibe . For this performance at The Sound Room, Rhonda is joined by an exceptional quartet anchored by pianist Adam Klipple, with Dan Feiszli on bass and Deszon Claiborne on drums. Together, they bring Rhonda's original compositions to life with lyrical interplay, deep grooves, and fearless improvisation.