Join longtime friends and musical collaborators pianist Hannah Mayer, bassist Aidan McCarthy, and drummer Jayla Hernández for an intimate performance featuring Hannah’s original compositions and arrangements of favorites ranging from showtunes to Brazilian popular music.
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“A first-call accompanist and collaborator for the vocal elite, and a conceptualist who's crafted smartly arranged musical love letters to everything from steampunk sci-fi to the City of Los Angeles as part of his ongoing Discovery Project, Nelson is a creative force to be reckoned with.” –Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
Melissa Lam, a talented cellist with the San Francisco Choral Society Orchestra, and Eric Tran, pianist-composer and teacher with an MM from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, present a performance featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff's Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 19, and Felix Mendelssohn's Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58.
Night Music
Ten musicians from the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, along with longtime San Francisco Opera music staff member and pianist Robert Mollicone, take the stage at the piano store to perform intimate works by Claude Debussy, Astor Piazzolla, Eugene Bozza, George Frideric Handel, Ludwig van Beethoven and Maurice Ravel, among others.
Mads Tolling and John R. Burr met back in 2015, and in 2023 released their first album together, Ramblin’ on Blue Coast Records. The album features creative arrangements of songs from all corners of the music world, including Toto, Lennon/McCartney, Victor Young and John McLaughlin. Tunes from Ramblin’ will be part of the set list this evening, along with songs from the Great American Songbook and originals by John and Mads.
Howard Levy is a virtuoso pianist, harmonicist and composer, originally from New York, based in Chicago. Winner of two Grammy Awards, he has performed and recorded with a wide array of artists including Béla Fleck and The Flecktones, Paquito D’Rivera, Donald Fagen, and many more. He tours extensively as a solo artist, presenting an adventurous blend of original jazz piano compositions flavored with Latin and World Music. And of course, expect a few tunes where he plays piano and harmonica simultaneously.
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Lynne Arriale, piano
Alon Near, bass
Alon Benjamini, drums
Featuring protean pianist Myra Melford, galvanizing bassist Mark Dresser, and supremely musical drummer Matt Wilson, Trio M brings together three visionary jazz artists with extensive track records in adventurous ensembles. Unbound by piano trio conventions, the leaderless project erases distinctions between frontline and accompanist, requiring each player to shape the music’s flow as it unfolds. The resulting sounds can be fierce and beatific, playful and rigorous, earthy or abstract, extravagantly joyous or quietly introspective.
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California-born soprano Mary Ellen Callahan sings a collection of songs that includes her favorites, as well as a few she learned to love. She’ll talk about her international career as a recitalist and soloist, sorting the differences between performing a program curated by herself and being hired to sing pieces chosen by someone else. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.
Sudamericanto’s unique brand of latin-american music combines Brazilian jazz with South and Central American folk rhythms, taking audiences along a journey through traditions from South America and the Caribbean with a Brazilian jazz twist. Featuring multi-faceted Puerto Rican vocalist/interpreter Madeleine Zayas and high caliber Bay Area musicians/educators coming together to play fresh compositions of Brazilian Jazz tunes, in addition to original arrangements of carefully selected Latin American classics from Argentina, Chile, Perú, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
Pianist Vince Guaraldi’s main claim to fame are his Charlie Brown/Peanuts compositions, but he was much more than that, excelling in various musical styles. Being his only student and later joining his two-piano quartet, Powder Keg, pianist Larry Vuckovich knows Guaraldi’s music firsthand. Presenting the true side of Vince Guaraldi, Larry plays some of Guaraldi’s favorite repertoire that spans various genres, with Kai Lyons (guitar), Doug Miller (bass), and Hector Lugo (Latin percussion).
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Hard bop pianist Benny Green – who has played with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the Freddie Hubbard Quintet, and the Ray Brown Trio – returns to the piano store for an evening of solo piano that will include standards and originals.
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Documentary Screening and Solo Performance
Join us for a special night of the Bay Area debut of Omar Sosa's 88 Well-Tuned Drums, a feature-length documentary on the life and music of Cuban-born pianist, composer, and multiple Grammy-nominee Omar Sosa. The film follows Omar's story from early childhood and conservatory education as a percussionist in Cuba, military service in Angola, a stint in Ecuador writing commercial jingles, and his fateful move to San Francisco. The screening will be followed by a solo performance not to be missed!
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Vocalist, multi-faceted musician, and new music champion Sidney Chen shares his journey through the pandemic with his DIY hand-crank music boxes, as well as his perspective on ensemble music-making as essential practice for empathetic and compassionate living with others. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.
"Poetry of Jazz" is where the spoken word gets its groove. Allan Harris, Harlem’s own modern-day troubadour, takes classic poetry — from Shakespeare’s sonnets to Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance — and drops it into the deep pocket of jazz. With his velvet vocals and magnetic presence, he flows between swinging rhythms and soulful recitations, backed by a razor-sharp jazz trio: Freddie Bryant (guitar), John Wiitala (bass), and Sylvia Cuenca (drums). This concert is a vibe, a conversation between past and present, where jazz and poetry riff, improvise, and redefine cool.
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Internationally acclaimed pianist and composer Taylor Eigsti returns to the piano store for a rare solo performance, just off the heels of winning a 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his latest album Plot Armor.
While touring the US with a trio, Bokani Dyer embarks on a solo performance – on the West Coast presented exclusively at Piedmont Piano Company – playing reimagined works from previous albums, unheard material, and some covers of songs he enjoys performing. Dyer will explore a soundscape featuring the piano, vocals, and electronics, build the songs from nothing, then deconstruct to silence. Expect the unexpected, infectious rhythms, melodic explorations hailing back to the rich and various African traditions, groove, and virtuosic, innovative piano playing.
TWO SHOWS 5:30pm & 8pm
9-time Grammy Nominee Tierney Sutton returns with pianist Tamir Hendelman for an intimate and swinging evening of songs about SPRING. Sutton is heralded for her abilities as a jazz storyteller and her ability to use her voice as an instrument. Hendelman is known for his sense of swing, imaginative arranging, sensitive touch and his work with vocalists from Natalie Cole to Barbra Streisand.
This 13th annual free chamber music event will include movements from Schubert’s Iconic “Trout Quintet", Mozart’s elegant Flute Quartet, a rarely heard Piano Trio by Amy Beach as well an original oboe quartet by Vincent Russo. We are pleased to announce that Britt Day will be taking part in this performance.
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with Jeremy Cohen and Quartet San Francisco
This concert is a world premiere of a number of works written by Bill Cunliffe for violinist Jeremy Cohen and the Quartet San Francisco. Bill has had a long relationship with Jeremy, having performed with him a number of times at the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles in the ’90’s and ’00’s. These new pieces are for string quartet and piano, and all feature jazz improvisation, both by Bill and members of the quartet. Works performed include pieces composed by Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, two of Bill’s main musical influences.
Featuring Alexandra Ridout
In his "Ode To The Piano," Gabriel Schillinger-Hyman presents his arrangements of some of the most moving yet chronically underplayed masterpieces of Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Thelonious Monk, Dr. Don Shirley, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea and more. Joining him is an all-star band consisting of his identical twin brother Eytan Schillinger-Hyman (bass), Alexandra Ridout (trumpet), and Michael Mitchel (drums).
Thembi Dunjana, a jazz pianist from South Africa, draws inspiration from her musical heroes McCoy Tyner and Moses Molelekwa in a solo piano set that explores her own compositions and reimagined jazz standards. This solo performance explores the parallels between African and American jazz music through rhythm and harmony. Expect infectious rhythms and familiar yet reinterpreted melodies.
Pioneers in the use of four-hands piano in jazz, Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi have earned widespread success with their original arrangements of classics from the stride piano, ragtime, and boogie woogie traditions, as well as from the Swing Era. In recent projects, they have focused on the repertoire of the Golden Age of Broadway and Hollywood. They will present their arrangements on two pianos and on one piano four-hands.
The Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (OPC) is thrilled to announce an exclusive Valentine's Day Jazz Masterclass featuring the talented duo, vocalist/saxophonist Camille Thurman and drummer Darrell Green. The masterclass will provide an engaging educational opportunity for music enthusiasts and aspiring musicians alike. This event is an essential part of OPC's "Brick by Brick, Note by Note" campaign, which aims to build a state-of-the-art music facility in Old Oakland. All proceeds from the event will contribute to the campaign, supporting the creation of a vibrant hub for music education, performance, and community engagement.
This once in a blue moon experience will be unforgettable with Pamela Parker stripped down acoustic with just a piano! She will share songs from previous albums Beautiful Day, Evolutionary Process, The Fantastic Machine as well as her album MotherStar, plus songs never heard before. Few people know piano was Pamela’s first instrument at the age of 5 and she often writes many of her songs starting on piano. This concert will be the life & journey of music through the piano with Pamela Parker.
Don’t miss this rare evening with three legendary jazz masters: Steve Turre on trombone and shells, Jon Faddis on trumpet, and drummer Roy McCurdy. These celebrated jazz musicians come together for an exclusive appearance in the Bay Area, providing a unique chance for jazz enthusiasts and historians to witness the collaboration of these iconic artists. The event marks the inaugural performance of OPC’s "Catch the Vibe Concert Series," which aims to raise funds for the “Brick by Brick, Note by Note” campaign to construct a new state-of-the-art facility in Old Oakland.
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Vocalist and poet Amy Fogerson sings songs that represent the different hats she has worn as a singer: student, chorister, soloist, teacher, lyricist. There will be music by Alan Chapman, Reena Esmail, and Dante de Silva, as well as songs composed by 5th graders and women experiencing houselessness in Los Angeles, accompanied by pianist Paul McCurdy. She’ll share stories about making a living as a non-famous singer, her work with LA-based nonprofit organization Street Symphony, and collaborating with composers as a poet. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.
The Brian Charette Organ Trio plays modern Jazz/Funk music with Charette's memorable compositions and Jazz Organ classics from Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, and Larry Young. Charette is currently #2 on the Downbeat Critic's Poll for Organ and #6 for Keyboards. The trio has been called "The future of organ trios" by the Huffington Post. Joining him are Jeff Burr on guitar and Smith Dobson on drums.
Hearing the Chester CT Thompson Organ Quartet is an experience like no other. With over twenty-six years playing with the Carlos Santana Band, preceded by ten years with the great Tower of Power, CT brings pure excitement and an unleashed groove to the bandstand. His sound is deep in the pocket and can range from smooth to thunderous in a matter of minutes, always with the incomparable bass work coming from his left hand and left foot. With Howard Wiley (sax), Drew Zingg (guitar), and Deszon Claiborne (drums).
Critically-acclaimed vocalist Ben Jones and Grammy® Award-winning pianist, composer, and arranger Laurence Hobgood come together for an unforgettable evening that celebrates their shared love of music ranging across the Great American Songbook: Broadway, Classic Jazz, Pop, and Classic and Prog Rock. Their shared backgrounds and passions ignite a thrilling musical chemistry, infusing every song with vibrant, innovative interpretations. Jones and Hobgood will deliver fresh takes on genre-spanning classics – songs by Billy Strayhorn, Joni Mitchell, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stevie Wonder, Adam Guettel, Carole King, and even the Bee Gees – with unexpected twists and turns. Together, they create an evening of unparalleled artistry.
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Celebrate the release of Dust (E2/ Edition Records), the new solo piano album by Grammy®-nominated pianist and composer Romain Collin. Collin, who has been praised by NPR as a "visionary composer" and hailed by the Boston Globe as one of the "leading lights of a new breed of jazz players", will perform originals, as well as covers, with his unique and emotive pianistic approach. This special live performance coincides with the opening of an art exhibition at Oakland's Fourth Wall Gallery. This art show, conceived in collaboration with filmmaker Matthew Palmer, was created as a complement to the music of Dust. While the gallery show features 11 music films shot in the California desert, this intimate solo piano concert focuses on the music. Limited-edition vinyl copies of Dust will be available for purchase at the event.
Otonowa, led by Akira Tana, was founded in 2013 to tour and raise funds for the communities devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011. The project pays homage to the victims of the natural disaster by presenting traditional and pop Japanese songs that Tana and Otonowa completely transform into modern American jazz instrumentals. Otonowa is Akira Tana (leader/drums), Masaru Koga (reeds and shakuhachi), Art Hirahara (piano), Ken Okada (bass), and special guest artist Jimi Nakagawa (taiko).
