Longtime musical associates Scott Amendola and Wil Blades have been playing as a duo for over 20 years as "Amendola Vs. Blades." They play a genre bending blend of Funk, Bebop, Afro Beat, Avant Garde and more. Their shows have been lauded for their ability to sound like a huge band, even though they are only two musicians. For this special one off Bay Area date, they will be joined by special guests Kasey Knudsen on sax and Ryan Schaeffer on guitar.

The Long Way Home is pianist Charles Chen's upcoming album, recorded in New York with nonagenarians, bassist Bill Crow (98) and drummer Steve Little (91), along with guitarist Félix Lemerle. On the album, the band plays standards, and Charles interviews Bill and Steve about their legendary careers in jazz. Félix will be joining Charles this evening, as well as bassist Nico Martinez and drummer Brian Fishler.

Jazz pianist Luther S. Allison brings his trio for a debut performance at the piano store, featuring all new original works by Luther, exemplifying his compositional prowess and seamless blending of soul, swing, gospel, and the blues. 

Pianist Michael Wolff returns to the piano store to present a solo set of his own compositions that hold deep meaning to him, offering insight into their history and how he came to compose them. He will also play some standards and Beatles songs, as well as share stories from his memoir, On That Note, recalling his days of growing up in Berkeley in the 60's, his experiences in the Bay Area music scene, and how they influenced him.

Virtuosic pianist and 5x-Grammy nominated composer and arranger Shelly Berg presents an exciting and highly informative 'History of Jazz Piano' concert that showcases and explains iconic styles such as stride, block-chord, and bebop by legendary pianists…

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.

Internationally renowned jazz flutist Ali Ryerson celebrate the release of her latest CD, "The Ali Ryerson Quartet", recorded with Ali's east coast quartet and released on ACR Music (2026). For this special event, Ryerson will be joined her longtime colleagues, Steve Rudolph on piano, John Wiitala on bass, and Akira Tana on drums. 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.

WAA SHOWCASE – The refreshingly old-fashioned Cosmo Alleycats present "Old Sweet Songs", a show celebrating enduring melodies, a bygone style of songwriting, and original songs that contend for placement in the Great American Canon. The group, led by jazz vocalist Emily Day, “one of the major singers in her field” (Scott Yanow), endears audiences with their inviting musicality and playful improvisation, making quick converts of the jazz-curious, while still nodding to the serious aficionados.

WAA SHOWCASE – The innovative and virtuosic pianist ELEW will release his new album 'ELEW Plays Sting' in the summer of 2026, featuring Sting and other luminaries, including Ron Carter, and inspired by his tour as Sting’s opening act.

Genre-bending acoustic guitarist, composer, and inventor Jack West creates highly rhythmic, modern acoustic music with his innovative percussive approach. He celebrates the release of his album ‘Guitars on Life’ (January 2026), praised as "Deliciously funky" (AllAboutJazz), "Riveting, exhilarating” (TheAbsoluteSound), "A jaw-dropping joyride" (Downbeat), and "Bracingly creative" (AllMusic.com).