Live Jazz in SF Bay

A masterful vocalist and “the superman of the Bay Area jazz scene” ( SF Chronicl e), Kenny Washington is easily among the most beloved and soulful singers working today. A native of New Orleans, Kenny grew up singing gospel music in church and playing saxophone in the school band. He continued his music studies at Xavier University where he became interested in various styles ranging from traditional and contemporary jazz, to classical, to rhythm-and-blues and pop. Joining the U.S. Navy Band in 1986, Kenny performed and toured nationally and internationally through out the U.S., Asia, Russia, and Australia. After nine years in the Navy, Kenny made his home in the San Francisco Bay Area where he established himself as a top vocalist. While performing with the Michael O’Neill Quintet at the Douglas Beach House, Kenny met vibraphonist Joe Locke who happened to be in the audience. This led to an invitation to perform with Joe at Dizzy’s; Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC). Since then he has been a featured artist at JALC for over ten years where he has appeared with Joe Locke, Eric Reed, Eric Alexander, Joe Lavano, Branford Marsalis, Roberta Gambarini and Wynton Marsalis. With Wynton, Kenny has performed both in small groups and large including numerous times with the "Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.” In 2013 Kenny was featured in Wynton’s oratorio: "Blood On The Fields" which also included vocalist Gregory Porter. Kenny has headlined performances in Japan, Russia, Scotland, Shanghai, Denmark, Mongolia and many other countries. He has performed at top Jazz Festival including the Monterey Jazz Festival, Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival and the San Jose Jazz Festival. Kenny is a jazz vocalist virtuoso. Emulating the classic styles of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and infusing colors of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, Kenny's free, playful approach, with over a four-octave range is awe inspiring. His tone on ballads is liquid and his scat singing - informed by his saxophone playing - is rapid-fire, passionate, melodious and inventive. His intonation is so precise that it becomes noticeable if the piano wasn’t tuned that day. Kenny is considered by many to be the premiere male vocalist on the planet today. This man is a must-see. Tickets at Kenny Washington Quartet

Experience a soul-stirring afternoon at the Rootstock Center in North Oakland. Starting at 2:00 p.m the legendary Saint John Coltrane Church leads a vibrant gathering filled with the transformative power of spiritual jazz, global music and collective positive vibration. This is more than just an event; it is an opportunity to honor the 100 year centennial of John Coltrane's birth, learn about the story of the Coltrane Church, and the power of their unifying message at this pivotal moment. Join us for the joyful uplifting of their enduring legacy, bringing us together to celebrate the spiritual jazz legacy of John Coltrane. 2:00 - Doors Open 2:30pm - South Asian Raga Tribute to John Coltrane (Prasant Radhakrishnan, Sameer Gupta & Siddique Ahmed 4:00pm - 5:00 - Social hour with Coltrane Church 5pm - Destiny Muhammad Trio 6pm - Collaborative Cross-Genre Jam Session 7pm - Event ends.

Join us at Wyldflowr Arts in Oakland, CA, for an intimate live performance by the Pedro José Pastrana Trio on Sunday, May 31st 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Pedro José Pastrana presents his second album “Lo que nos llevamos” (What we bring with us), a project full of vulnerability and intention. Showcasing music that enriches the latin jazz tradition by drawing inspiration from his roots as a musician from the Puerto Rican diaspora. The Pedro José Pastrana Trio is a dynamic instrumental ensemble known for its innovative approach to Latin Jazz centered around Puerto Rico’s national instrument the “Cuatro”. Seamlessly blending intricate melodies and groove-driven rhythms with folklore and improvisation. Tickets: wyldflowrarts.com/events https://wyldflowrarts.com/events

The Finnish Heritage Society and Outsound Presents Rent Romus https://www.bayimproviser.com/artist/97/rent-romus , Heikki Koskinen https://www.bayimproviser.com/artist/393/heikki-koskinen 's The Otherworld Ensemble play SOUL BIRD SUITE + ZELE, Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble’s East Bay community chorus Rent Romus https://www.bayimproviser.com/artist/97/rent-romus , Heikki Koskinen https://www.bayimproviser.com/artist/393/heikki-koskinen and The Otherworld Ensemble will present Soul Bird at the iconic Berkeley Finnish Hall , a musical odyssey of mythic bird stories. The spark originally came from the stories of the Siberian Jay, also known in Finland as ‘kuukkeli’, which is found throughout the Arctic regions of the world. In Finland, as well as in other Finno-Ugric cultural myths, this small, brave and charismatic bird is considered to be the carrier of human souls to and from the afterlife of Manala (the Underworld). OTHERWORLD ENSEMBLE: Rent Romus - alto & soprano saxophones, c-flute, bird calls Heikki Koskinen - e-trumpet, piano, tenor recorder, ocarina, birch bark horn, bird calls Elihu Knowles - drums, frame drum, piano, bird calls Joshua Marshall - tenor & soprano saxophones, c-flute, melodica, bird calls Safa Shokrai - double bass, bird calls Joseph Noble - alto, bass, & c-flutes, bird calls ZELE, Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble’s East Bay community chorus, is now in its 22nd season. This vibrant women’s choir sings folk tunes and choral pieces from Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Caucasus regions. The music is steeped in the richness and diversity of women’s ancient a cappella singing traditions bursting with odd rhythms and dissonant harmonies. Its vocalists revel in the joy and transformative powers of group singing and community song sharing. kitka.org/zele-community-chorus https://www.kitka.org/zele-community-chorus Doors 6:30 PM Music 7:00 PM $15/20 Advance Tickets @Eventbrite or at the Door https://www.eventbrite.com/e/otherword-ensemble-zele-tickets-1985695210829

Swing Dance Party with Big Cheese and The Jive Rats featuring Reid Whatley at Alameda’s most happening venue, Park Station, 1200 Park St. Come dance or hang out and enjoy the fun as The Jive Rats play your favorite swing dance songs and hits by Louis Jordan, Slim Gaillard and more. There is no cover, a spacious dance floor, 30 beers on tap, and food by Southie. BIG CHEESE AND THE JIVE RATS are keeping alive the jump swing tradition of Slim Gaillard, Louis Jordan, Louis Prima and the vout-oreenie generation. This high-energy, frenetic novelty bebop show has band and audience alike clucking like chickens, barking like dogs, eating potato chips out of The Big Cheese's hand, laughing in rhythm, and dancing up a storm. This combination of talent and savoir-faire is rarely found in one performer yet The Big Cheese has cleverly stumbled upon the magic recipe. His outfits are in a clash by themselves and his show guarantees memories to last a lunchtime.

Gabriel Schillinger-Hyman is a Steinway & Sons Teacher and Educational Partner and 2X performer & arranger at Carnegie Hall, Gabriel is known for showcasing a catalogue of originals and arrangements of works by Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington and more, and honors the history of these master pianists with performances that are both soulful and hard-hitting. Gabriel can be found touring and/or performing in NYC with internationally renowned jazz artists including CHRISTOPHER MCBRIDE (GRAMMY-winner), LUCAS PINO (Artistic Director at Brubeck Jazz Summit), TIM GREEN (sax for Michael Bublé and GRAMMY nominee), TYREEK MCDOLE (Sarah Vaughan Competition 1st place), APRIL VARNER (Ella Fitzgerald Competition 1st place), ERENA TERAKUBO (Kenny Barron Quartet, Jon Faddis All-Star Big Band...etc), Ben Solomon (Chick Corea, Wallace Roney, Aaron Parks), Emmanuel Michael (Aaron Parks, Ambrose Akinmusire) and more. Gabriel performs at jazz venues around the U.S. and is grateful to have music take him across the world, as far as Norway and Iceland. He has been honored to have performe d at the French and Czech Consulates in NYC, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. Gabriel has established himself as a significant force in education and is recognized for combining jazz performance with storytelling, touring multiple multimedia projects including "Invisible Jazz Giants," "Jazz on the Silver Screen," and "The Topography of Jazz: Revolutions in Sound Up, Down, and Around NYC" across the country Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim is an award-winning jazz vocalist based in Los Angeles, proudly a first-generation American with a mother from Germany and a father from Mozambique, whose artistry reflects a vibrant mix of cultural heritages. Her rapid ascent on the international stage is marked by major honors and extensive global touring, including winning the 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition—an accolade previously conferred on artists such as Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, and Samara Joy. In April 2023, she received an Outstanding Achievement Bistro Award for Jazz Vocalist following her “stunning” debut at Birdland Jazz Club in November 2022, as noted by Gerry Geddes. In 2024, she expanded her international presence with an 18-country European tour and three U.S. tours with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, alongside three additional tours including a Florence debut at the Teatro Niccolini with Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. Her performance experience spans major concert halls, international touring circuits, and intimate venues worldwide. As All About Jazz observed in 2022, “Tawanda seems to go from zero to belonging in the esteemed company of Veronica Swift, Cecile McLorin Salvant and Cyrille Aimée in negative time, if that could be measured (All About Jazz, 2022). ” Personnel :Gabriel Schillinger-Hyman, piano. Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, vocals. Michael Mitchell, drums. Nico Martinez, bass Tickets at The Gabriel Schillinger-Hyman Trio featuring Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim