Cyrus Chestnut
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
A masterful jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut balances his lithe technical skill with a robust, soulful style that speaks to his deep gospel roots and love of swinging hard bop. Raised in the church, he learned how to infuse his swinging, classically trained style with a warm gospel sound. Every set he plays is unique, as he reads the audience and the space to create a singular musical experience.
Art Lande Quartet
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
UnStandards – The Art Lande Quartet is comprised of highly experienced musicians who have developed distinctive voices on their instruments and know how to listen and connect to each other. The focus of this project is Art's UnStandards — reworking music familiar to the ear and bringing it to a fresh, present moment while honoring the history. Mixing meters, re-harmonizations, adding new sections and changing the whole mood of these old songs are some of the ways that Art fabulized the music during his months in Arizona last winter. This band promises to bring both surprises and consistency to these performances of new music in familiar packages. Come and taste the flavors.
Maria Muldaur
Celebrating the release of her 44th album "One Hour Mama – The Blues of Victoria Spivey," Maria Muldaur will be performing a special intimate acoustic concert of swingin' Vintage Naughty Bawdy Blues and Jazz tunes from the '20s and '30s, accompanied by the amazing young piano virtuoso Neil Fontano.
Carmen Staaf
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
"Sounding Line" Album Release Preview
Taking cues from two uncompromising geniuses of the piano, pianist/composer Carmen Staaf presents a fabulous contemporary accounting of the importance of Mary Lou Williams and Thelonious Monk in the lineage of jazz on her new recording, Sounding Line (Sunnyside, September 2025). For this preview performance, she is joined by some of the illustrious musicians from the album - Ben Goldberg, Dillon Vado, and Hamir Atwal - for a set of duos, trios, and quartets exploring music by Williams and Monk, as well as originals. "A consummate jazz pianist" - Herbie Hancock.
Roni Ben-Hur & Larry Vuckovich
Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur and pianist Larry Vuckovich have developed a close musical chemistry, both having an affinity for showcasing their prowess in bebop, as well as various styles within World Music. They will treat the audience to a wide-ranging and exciting set of tunes, including selections honoring the great Charlie Parker just two days after what would have been his 105th birthday.
Alan Broadbent & Harvie S
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Piedmont Piano Company is proud to welcome back Alan Broadbent and Harvie S for their third performance on our stage. With decades of musical collaboration between them, Broadbent and Harvie S share a rare and intuitive connection that brings their performances to life. This seasoned duo will present a captivating evening of jazz standards and original compositions, all delivered with their signature style and remarkable interplay.
Ali Ryerson Quartet
Internationally renowned jazz flutist, Ali Ryerson, is excited to return to Piedmont Piano Company with her longtime colleagues, Steve Rudolph on piano, John Wiitala on bass, and Akira Tana on drums. Their repertoire features beautifully arranged jazz and Brazilian classics. The quartet comes to Oakland directly following their weeklong residency at Hidden Valley Music Seminars on the Monterey Peninsula, where Ryerson conducts her annual jazz flute masterclass.
Jorge Luis Pacheco
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Jorge Luis Pacheco is known for his technical virtuosity on the piano and his electrifying performances. In his solo concerts, he uses a loop station to create complex accompaniments that allow him the freedom to improvise. Also an excellent vocalist with great sensitivity, he always pays tribute to the Buena Vista Social Club with some of their most famous songs. Pacheco reinterprets Latin and Cuban jazz, fusing diverse traditional and contemporary genres to create his own unique style, while maintaining a deep connection with his Cuban heritage.
Winnie Cheung & Friends
Pianist Winnie Cheung is excited to share the stage with her musical brother in combat, Bandoneonista C.C. Lee, this time in the US! Don’t miss these two powerhouses joining forces in a program celebrating a two year collaboration with tango musicians in Taiwan. Their combined love and knowledge of tango has knitted together their local communities. The Tango with Winnie Collective will perform tango classics of Troilo, Pugliese, and Gobbi alongside tango composers of today, with special guest Teresa Tam.
Alex Taite
SONGS & STORIES SERIES
An accomplished singer, pianist, educator, conductor, and composer, Alex Taite will share songs and stories from his multifaceted career, working in various musical genres and styles, and creating and producing his one-man show, an in-depth exploration of the Negro Spiritual. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.
Ricardo Peixoto, Marcos Silva, Brian Rice
Ricardo Peixoto and Marcos Silva, both originally from Rio de Janeiro and currently based in the Bay Area, are joined by honorary Brazilian Brian Rice. All three have been fixtures of the Bay Area’s Brazilian and Jazz music scenes for decades and have collaborated in many groups and recordings. Silva and Peixoto’s collaborations date back to the 1980’s as part of Airto and Flora Purim’s group as well as Silva’s Steps of the Imagination, and Peixoto’s Terra Sul, while Rice and Peixoto have been part of The Berkeley Choro Ensemble for over 10 years. Join us for a dynamic performance featuring original compositions as well as a wide range of Brazilian classics.
Roger Glenn & Rob Dehlinger
Roger Glenn (saxophones, clarinet, vocals) and Rob Dehlinger (trumpet, vocals) celebrate the music and legacy of Louis Jordan, Louis Prima, & Louis Armstrong. “Louis, Louis, & Louis” isn’t just a concert, it’s a time machine powered by rhythm, soul, and sheer showmanship, with Roger and Rob channeling the spirit of the music not only through their horns, but also through their voices. They will be joined by Ron Sfarzo (piano), Marcus Shelby (bass), Vince Littleton (drums), Wayne Wallace (trombone), Eddie Pasternak (guitar), and Maryann Sfarzo (vocals).
Kenny Werner
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Kenny Werner has been a world class pianist and composer for over 40 years and is the author of the landmark book Effortless Mastery: Liberating The Master Musician Within. The New York Times has called him a “virtuoso,” the Boston Phoenix has called him “an extraordinary gifted artist,” and his prolific compositions and recordings have won National Endowment for the Arts grants, a Grammy Award nomination and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Alex Stabile
Alex Stabile is an engineer and award-winning pianist based in San Francisco, presenting a program of Bach, Ravel, and selections from Rachmaninoff’s mighty Études-Tableaux Op. 39. Alex is a Rachmaninoff specialist, back from performing Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto with the Orchestre de la Garde Républicaine in Paris last year. As a non-professional operating outside the usual world of classical music, he works to achieve an eclectic, unvarnished style to connect with a wide range of audiences, without sacrificing exactitude.
Rachel Breen & Sergey Belyavsky
Classical pianist Rachel Breen returns for her annual Bay Area appearance. She will be joined by Sergey Belyavsky for a program that will include Schumann's Carnaval op. 9, Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka, Moritz Rosenthal's Carnaval de Vienne, and more.
Amy D. – POSTPONED
*POSTPONED FOR A LATER DATE*
SONGS & STORIES SERIES
Vocalist, songwriter, and educator Amy D. shares her songs and elaborates on her musical foundation rooted in jazz, followed by formal classical training, and talks about the creation of her band Heart Matter. She’ll be accompanied by vibraphonist and fellow collaborator Dillon Vado. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.
Edward Simon
Edward Simon, a native of Venezuela, has made a name for himself over decades in America as a jazz improviser, composer-arranger and band leader, with his profile heightening in recent years as he has explored the commonalities jazz can have with the folkloric sounds of Latin America.
Charles Chen
Album Release Party!
Charles Chen celebrates his freshly released latest album, Building Characters (recorded with Bob Sheppard, Randy Brecker, Adam Nussbaum, Mike Richmond, released May 15, 2025). This show features a classic sextet playing originals and arrangements from classic repertoire, Building Characters, and a special sneak peek of his next album. The songs and arrangements will be a range of different styles from the golden age Blue Note era (think Art Blakey Messengers, Horace Silver, Benny Golson).
Spaghetti
Spaghetti is an electrifying instrumental quartet of Bay Area musicians featuring Latin Grammy-nominated accordionist and pianist Sam Reider, guitarist Jim Campilongo, drummer Scott Amendola, and bassist Mat Muntz. Original compositions by Reider and Campilongo collide with tunes by Duke Ellington, Astor Piazzolla, Hank Williams and beyond.
Dred Scott
Pianist Dred Scott and his band present music from his latest album, Cali Mambo. Inspired by George Shearing’s latin jazz records, this project marks Scott’s much-anticipated return to the vibrant world of jazz clubs and highlights his passion for the pulsating rhythms of latin jazz. He will be joined by NYC vibraphonist Tom Beckham, legendary latin jazz drummer Josh Jones, and bassist Sam Bevan.