A performance of "Straight Ahead" Be-Bop, featuring the compositions of John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Miles Davis, John Lewis, as well as Standards by Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and others. Pianist Dick Whittington will be joined by John Wiitala (bass), Vince Lateano (drums), and special guest Andrew Speight (saxophone).

Mitch Woods celebrates his release of Friends Along The Way. Garnering world wide acclaim, it features duets with many of the greats in the blues world, including Van Morrison, Taj Mahal, Marcia Ball, and many more. It has been nominated for 2 Blues Music Awards (Piano Player of the Year, and Best Acoustic Album). Come and celebrate this momentous time and enjoy what Mitch is known for worldwide: boogie woogie, blues, jazz, and entertaining piano and vocals.

Vocal quintet EQV come together for their second appearance, offering a program of diverse and vibrant music that spans eras and genres. Joined by special guest Joel Chapman, these colleagues hail from some of California’s finest vocal ensembles (Volti, LA Master Chorale, SF Symphony Chorus, Cappella SF, and more). EQV are Yuhi Aizawa Combatti, Colby Smith, Sharmila G. Lash, Tim Silva, and Peter Dennis.

JAZZ SEARCH WEST is the Bay Area’s Annual Jazz Talent Search for instrumentalists and vocalists (15 and up). Five exciting weekly events, open to the public, are held during March and April and culminate in a Semi-Final and Grand Finale.

Marian McPartland, pianist, composer, author,educator, and radio host, was one of the most beloved figures in jazz. At a time when female instrumentalists were marginalized, she achieved wide recognition and always championed her fellow jazzwomen. An all-star group of Bay Area women will celebrate her 100th birthday by performing Marian's gorgeous but rarely heard original compositions, as well as other music associated with her. Featured guest artist, saxophonist/flutist Mary Fettig, recorded and performed extensively with Marian.

This sixth annual free chamber music event will include movements from the Brahms Piano Quartet in C minor, Mozart's "Kegelstatt" Trio, Henk Badings' Trio for Two Oboes and English Horn, a Vivaldi Violin Concerto, Ravel's ethereal "Introduction and Allegro" for Winds, Strings and Harp and more surprises! We are pleased to announce that pianist Roy Bogas will be taking part in this performance.

Péter Tóth is regarded as one of the most significant Liszt interpreters of his generation. His first CD recording, an all-Liszt program, was released in 2005. In 2006 his recording Liszt Late Piano Works won the Grand Prix International Liszt du Disque award of the Budapest Liszt Society. In a couple of weeks Peter will embark on a European concert tour, where he is going to perform the Chopin and Liszt pieces you will hear this afternoon.

An evening of Brazilian guitarist and composer Ricardo Peixoto’s original music, including material from his soon to be released CD. The music is grounded both in the jazz and Brazilian music traditions, but always ventures well beyond their borders, combining rich melodies, sophisticated harmonies, and the traditional rhythms of Brazil. Ricardo will be joined by Bob Afifi on flute, Ken Cook on piano, Cliff Hugo on bass, and Kendrick Freeman on drums.

JAZZ SEARCH WEST is the Bay Area’s Annual Jazz Talent Search for instrumentalists and vocalists (15 and up). Five exciting weekly events, open to the public, are held during March and April and culminate in a Semi-Final and Grand Finale.

Jazz vocalist Ed Reed celebrates his 89th birthday with a collection of tunes made popular by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Turner, Frank Sinatra and many others. Ed has always cherished songs of love and romance, and will feature the tunes he has loved from his earliest memories but never sang in performance. He will be joined by his trio, both swinging and sublime, featuring pianist Adam Shulman, bassist John Wiitala, and drummer Lorca Hart.

Contemporary pianist, composer, and Grammy winner Laurence Hobgood joins hands and voice with Rhiannon for an unforgettable evening of songs you know and songs invented just for this night. Jazz times calls Hobgood “One of the finest pianists out there. Period.” And NYC Jazz Record says “Sometimes words just simply fall short — If you have never heard Rhiannon you have not fully lived.”

4 & More is an exciting new jazz quartet made up of bicoastal drumming legend Mike Clark, as well as the Bay Area’s most respected players with years on the New York scene, Peter Barshay on bass, Mike Zilber on sax, and Keith Saunders on piano. The group is dedicated to a fresh take on the powerful New York-based swing exemplified by the mid-60s Miles Davis group and the Coltrane quartet, mixed with the beauty and contemplative music more commonly found on the West Coast.

For over ten years, Grupo Falso Baiano has delighted audiences with their energetic blend of instrumental Brazilian choro, samba, and jazz. This project, featuring Brazilian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Francisco Marques, explores samba de raiz – the authentic roots samba of Rio de Janeiro. Grupo Falso Baiano and Francisco Marques are one of the few groups bringing this swinging, celebratory sound to the U.S.

Jazz pianist Amina Figarova will perform a combination of free improvisation, jazz standards, and original compositions from her albums Night Train, Blue Whisper, September Suite, and Come Escape With Me.

World renowned pianist and composer Alejandro Ziegler from Buenos Aires, Argentina will present his compelling, sensual and romantic Tango music with an exciting newly formed international Quartet, featuring Charles Gorczynski (bandoneon), Ishtar Hernandez (violin), and Daniel Fabricant (bass). Do not miss his last concert in the Bay Area this week, dedicated to St. Valentine’s!

Dynamic is a Danish jazz band with four singers plus guitar, bass and drums singing close-harmony arrangements of classic and progressive jazz tunes. Their current repertoire focuses on vocal arrangements of instrumental tunes by some of the Giants of Jazz, including Miles, Monk, Dizzy, and more, as well as original songs with a sprinkling of funk and soul.

Vocalist/guitarist Adam Blankman returns to Piedmont Piano with a fresh approach to the iconic songs of Peter Gabriel. Music will range from Gabriel’s early years with progressive rock band Genesis through his multi-decade solo career. The band will feature Walter Bankovitch (piano), Stacy Starkweather (bass), Dave Rokeach (drums), Michael Gill (synthesizer), and other special guest instrumentalists and vocalists.

Guitar virtuosos Howard Alden joins violinist Kit Eakle in a program of music by Thelonious Sphere Monk and Django Reinhardt and more. Kit Eakle’s DjangoSphere project illuminates the connections between Monk and Django’s music. The program will include standards by Duke Ellington and others who influenced both composers, as well as originals inspired by them. Rory Judge, nephew of the legendary drummer Jake Hanna, will keep the group swingin' on drums along with veteran Bay Area bassist, Don Bennett.

We are pleased to welcome Luca Fazioli, Fazioli piano Brand and Factory Project Manager, and son of founder Paolo Fazioli. Join us for a glass of wine and see a presentation on the latest from the Fazioli company in Sacile, Italy, followed by a solo performance by Austin Phillips, featuring works of Bach and Chopin.

Vocalist Rhonda Benin breezes in with her unique combination of jazz, blues, and soul with a show featuring the tunes of Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers, along with 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 Tammy Hall (piano), Ron Belcher (bass), Rob Rhodes (drums), Geechi Taylor (Trumpet).

The organ trio Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing includes blues/jazz guitarist Little Charlie Baty (former leader of Little Charlie and the Nightcats), organist/ keyboardist Lorenzo Farrell, and drummer Jason Hansen. Skronky Tonk, their latest release on the Eller Soul label, earned a 4 star review from Downbeat Magazine. It showcases their bluesy approach to jazz and also demonstrates their willingness to expand the scope of an organ trio to Brazilian choro music and gypsy jazz. Come enjoy an evening of bluesy jazz.

Free Dive has been performing and recording original compositions and arrangements together since 2003. The groove-based quintet features Jeff Cressman (trombone), Bryan Dyer (vocals), Cecilia Engelhart (vocals, percussion), Steve Hogan (bass, beatboxing), and Keith Terry (drums, body music). The absence of a chordal instrument gives Free Dive their fresh sound -- open, transparent, cinematic, evocative.