Goldstar

Milla Molojkovic evokes the feeling of the old-time alto vocalists, eminating the class and elegance of Ella Fitzgerald and the playfulness of Peggy Lee. Milla's song selection conveys both a love for the classics of Porter and Ellington and the daring to re-create lesser-known musical gems. Her current CD release is called Prelude. Learn more...

Realistic Orchestra is composed of many of the Bay Area's best musicians. Collectively, their studio and live credits range from Ratdog and Santana to Zion:I and Lyrics Born. The band has performed at many top music venues and the SF Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, Fillmore Jazz Festival and North Beach Jazz Festival. Vocalist Kim Nalley joins the orchestra at Pearl's. Learn more...

Jazz bassist and vocalist Harley White has been enchanting audiences for ages. He has performed with Frank Sinatra, Anita O'Day, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Dizzy Gillespie, Jon Hendricks, John Handy, Sonny Stitt, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, George Coleman, Ernestine Anderson, Bill Eckstine and Linda Ronstadt. Learn more...

The Collective West Jazz Orchestra is a 12-piece big band that plays delightful, high-energy jazz. Their repertoire includes a full range of big band styles, from Count Basie classics to straight-ahead ballads and burners to challenging contemporary numbers. The orchestra is led by dynamic saxophonist Fil Lorenz. Vocalist Danny Grewen is the guest artist. Learn more...

New Orleans native Kenny Washington has jazz, blues and gospel in his blood. With an expressive voice and remarkable scat-singing ability, he's sung around the world with U.S Navy Band, served as featuring vocalist at the Top of the Mark in the Mark Hopkins Hotel for eight years, and is in constant demand as a performer around the Bay Area. Learn more...

Linda Kosut is a moving and entertaining performer, best known for her unique interpretations of jazz standards and pop tunes and her evocative and compelling interpretive skill with lyrics. Kosut comes to Pearl's to perform Long as You're Living, her joyous and moving tribute to the great Oscar Brown, Jr., backed by an ebullient ensemble. Learn more...

Frank Jackson is a giant of the Bay Area jazz scene. For more than 50 years, he has been serving up his impeccable, elegant piano style, smooth warm vocals and unique phrasing. Jackson's place in San Francisco jazz history was recently solidified even more visibly, as he was prominently featured in Harlem of the West, the recent best-selling book about the Fillmore Street jazz era. Learn more...

One of the most exciting young tenor sax players and composers in the Bay Area and called a "must-see" artist by the New York Times, Dayna Stephens is a fluid, vigorous soloist with a warm, soulful sound. While at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at USC, he studied and played with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, John Scofield, Mark Turner and more. Learn more...

Mad & Eddie Duran have been delighting audiences together for more than a decade, playing familiar and not-so-familiar modern jazz standards, Latin, Brazilian, bebop and their own compositions. Eddie has played and recorded with Vince Guaraldi, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, George Shearing, Benny Goodman, Pearl Bailey and more; two of his albums have been nominated for Grammy Awards. Learn more...

For years, accomplished San Francisco jazz vocalist Pamela Rose has thrilled audiences with her infectious brand of swinging jazz. Her rich, mellifluous vocals, electrifying stage presence and warm relationship with her audience have made her a local favorite. Learn more...

Bassist Marcus Shelby is often called a "Renaissance musician," earning well-deserved acclaim as a bandleader, bassist, composer and arranger. The Marcus Shelby Orchestra performs a dynamic repertoire of original tunes and the works of great jazz composers including Ellington, Basie, Strayhorn and Gershwin. Shelby and the group will also perform some of their original music from their new CD, Harriet Tubman. Learn more...

Guitarist and bandleader Josh Workman has earned his name as one of the Bay Area's most fiery, versatile jazz/swing players. He's toured across the U.S. and Europe with Indigo Swing during the swing dance craze, cracked the rhythms of the Django Rheinhardt-styled Hot Club of San Francisco, led his own straight-ahead jazz ensembles and more! Learn more...

The Fair Weather Band was created by Jules Rowell, Bay Area trombonist-arranger, to highlight and pay respect to the compositions of Kenny Dorham, jazz trumpeter and composer. Rowell currently resides in the Bay Area where he plays trombone and makes the best arrangements for many different groups such as The Kronos String Quartet, The Mike Vax Orchestra, Teo Macero, Louie Romero and Masacote, Pete Escovedo and Francisco Aguabella. Learn more...

Recently garnering a Grammy Award for his work on Eddie Palmieri's star-studded release Listen Here, Doug Beavers Rovira has become known for his meticulous attention to detail, natural-born leadership and his unbridled enthusiasm for music. These endearing qualities have earned him the opportunity to perform throughout the world with prominent figures in jazz and Latin music, including Eddie Palmieri, Rosemary Clooney, Giovanni Hildago and Mingus Big Band. Learn more...

Jazz at Pearl's presents a rare appearance by Spider Saloff, Chicago's premiere jazz vocalist, featuring pianist Ken Muir and the CD release of Cole Porter Live at Maxim's. Heard worldwide as the co-star and co-creator of the internationally syndicated radio series Words and Music on PBS, Saloff has received international critical acclaim. Learn more...

The Johnny Nocturne Band, a finely-honed, 9-piece jump blues and swing group led by wailing tenor sax man John Firmin, propels audiences into the swirling cauldron of some seriously ferocious swing. They've been charging that beat since the '80s, when they were front and center at the vanguard of the whirlwind vintage swing revival. Don't miss this special one-time reunion with Kim Nalley at Pearl's. Learn more...

Singer Lua Hadar (co-founder of the girl trio The Kitchenettes) interprets jazz standards and show tunes with power, grace and fine comic timing. She mixes Great American Songbook tunes with international flavors, so songs range from the familiar to the exotic, but always with Lua's earthy, soulful spin. Learn more...

Kim Nalley's musical tribute to Nina Simone is interpersed with historical commentary and unabashed delivery of the more controversial songs of Simone's repertoire. "She Put a Spell on Me" has enjoyed four sold-out runs at various venues; the CD was shortlisted for a Grammy. Nalley, nominated as one the Bay Area's 10 most influential African Amercians, will be backed by a quartet led by pianist Tammy Hall. Learn more...

Every once in a while a true giant of jazz comes along. Houston Person is one of those giants, with an identifiable original sound and fierce jazz integrity. Whether playing blues, ballads, bebop or boogaloos, this tenor saxophonist is instantly recognizable for his big, beefy tone and his alternately tender and tough attack. Learn more...

Swinging singer Jonathan Poretz's new CD, "A Lot of Livin' to Do," is a celebration of the style and spirit of Frank Sinatra and the grand Rat Pack days--yet Poretz makes that spirit his own. Backing Poretz is a great band featuring Noel Jewkes on sax, Lee Bloom on piano, Jeff Neighbor on bass and Vince Lateano on drums. Learn more...

This sulty torch singer belts lovelorn standards like no one else, singing jazz standards and moody soul classics from the '50s and '60s, plus a handful of her own original blues numbers. The sexy and playful Klaus conjures up a sultry vibe equal parts raucous juke joint and smoky jazz cabaret, with just a dash of camp to lighten things up! Learn more...

Barbara Morrison, a perennial favorite of Goldstar's members, celebrates her 30th year in the music industry. Over the past three decades she has performed with a virtual "who's who" of the jazz and the blues worlds, and appeared on over 20 recordings. Now she's coming to Jazz at Pearl's. Learn more...

The Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel was formed in 2007 by drummer Brian Andres and carries on the San Francisco Bay Area tradition of world class Latin Jazz. Bringing together some of the most proficient musicians in the Latin and Jazz communities of the Bay Area, the Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel performs with one foot standing solidly in the traditions of Afro-Cuban Jazz while the other reaches for the future. Learn more...

Ronda Benin has earned her reputation as a versatile performer and a vocalist blessed with a voice like sultry caramel. It's no surprise that she is enjoying a very full and versatile musical career. She started out as a member of the Los Angeles based jazz trio "Sound of Soul" which won the prestigious Hollywood Bowl's Battle of the Bands. Rhonda went on to be featured as a background vocalist in over 100 recordings. Learn more...

Pete Escovedo has been at the forefront of Latin jazz for three decades. In addition to his own band, he has recorded and performed with Tito Puente (his original inspiration), Herbie Hancock, Bobby McFerrin, Anita Baker, George Duke, Boz Scaggs, Al Jarreau, Ray Obiedo, Dionne Warwick, Marlena Shaw, Barry White, Arturo Sandoval, Poncho Sanchez, Chick Corea, Gerald Albright and many more. Escovedo's concerts are always energizing and truly memorable. Learn more...

Kim Nalley combines a beautiful sound and compelling sense of swing with just enough old-school razzle dazzle to create an instant rapport with her audience. She has sung at jazz festivals around the world and won San Francisco's Best Jazz & Blues Vocalist Award. Expect a swinging evening of standards in the tradition of Billie Holiday, Joe Williams, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. Learn more...

The Mitch Marcus Quintet has a unique sound ranging from post-apocalyptic jazz to scintillating trance hypnotism. Comprised of some of the Bay Area's finest musicians, this dynamic collective features the extended compositions of saxophonists Marcus and Sylvain Carton and the "rumbling opuses" of drummer Ches Smith. Learn more...

Andrew Speight is a clear-toned, hard driving alto sax player, one of the Bay Area's most exuberant and lyrical exponents of straight-ahead, joyous jazz. A native of Sydney, Australia, Speight came of age playing with American stars like Percy Heath, Nat Adderley and Benny Carter as they passed through town. Speight has been in the U.S. since the early '90s, blowing the doors off of every joint lucky enough to have him on the bandstand. Learn more...

For their Jazz at Pearl's rhythm-fest, Sonando will perform their intriguing tribute to the music of Stevie Wonder. Mixing the rhythmic intricacy of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles with the brilliance of Stevie Wonder's chord progressions and melodic ideas, Sonando provides a night of crackling, fun-filled music that's sure to please jazz, Latin and R&B connoisseurs alike. Learn more...

The acoustic string group Café Americain draws from the bohemian sounds of European café music, romantic gypsy jazz, elegant Brazilian Choros and Bossa Novas, and the Great American Songbook. The group is the brainchild of internationally respected guitarist Ned Boynton. He is joined by renowned musicians Jason Vanderford, guitar; Simon Planting, bass; and Michael Zisman, mandolin. Learn more...

Faye Carol is one of the Bay Area's most creative female vocal stylists, with a husky alto voice honed to a remarkable level of intensity. She's toured with Marvin Gaye, and performed with Ray Charles, Albert King, Charles Brown, Bobby Hutcherson, and more. Learn more...

One of San Francisco's most dynamic new cabaret singers, Amanda King has a style that has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald and Ann-Margret with her collection of sizzling jazz classics from the '30s to the '60s. Now she's taking the stage at Jazz at Pearl's. Learn more...

Pete Fallico's Doodlin' Lounge presents a different slamming Hammond organ master every Thursday at Jazz at Pearl's. These are the best and bluesiest organ groups around. Check the listing for more details on who will be appearing. Learn more...

Marcus Shelby, well known as the leader of the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, is often called a "Renaissance musician," earning acclaim as a bandleader, bassist, composer and arranger. Now at Pearl's, the Marcus Shelby Quartet, featuring Howard Wiley (tenor sax), Matt Clark (piano) and Darrell Green (drums), brings together four of the fiercest bop players in the Bay Area. Learn more...

A cross between Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page, with a singing style influenced by Billie Holiday, Lavay Smith is today's diva of swing. Her second CD with her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing!, won a 4 1/2 Star review from Down Beat and stayed on the Billboard charts for 20 straight weeks. Learn more...

Pianist Gini Wilson, known as "The Duchess", brings her San Francisco ChamberJazz Quartet to Pearl's for an evening of literate, surprising jazz. The quartet's influences range from Wayne Shorter to Erik Satie, Bach and Nuevo Tango. Learn more...

Trombonist Wayne Wallace's skills as a musician, bandleader, composer and arranger are so revered by his Bay Area musical brethren that he's known, simply, as "the Doctor." In addition to his work with jazz ensembles, R&B bands and funk groups throughout the Bay Area, he also has an affinity for Latin jazz. Don't miss Wayne Wallace with his explosive Latin Ensemble at Jazz at Pearl's. Learn more...

Pearl's presents Masha Campagne & Caminhos Cruzados. One of the most talented, assured interpreters of Brazilian jazz working today, Masha was born in Moscow and now resides in the Bay Area. She performs classic South American melodies with pianist Weber Iago and Caminhos Cruzados. Learn more...

Jeff Massanari is one of the most fascinating guitarists in the Bay Area. His latest CD, "Groovework," proves the point, with an inspired sojourn to the intersection of high-energy jazz and greasy funk. Massanari's last visit to Pearl's filled the house to bursting with electrifying music and riveted fans. Now he's back with his crackling ensemble Groovework, featuring fiery organist Wil Blades, bassist Jason Muscat and drummer Wally Schnalle. Learn more...

Bay Area saxophonist and clarinetist Jeff Sanford and his orchestra play tunes by Raymond Scott, whose madcap 1930s music--a comic mix of Ellington, jungle jazz, Jewish Klezmer, classical music, and more--was a prime ingredient of the soundtracks for the classic Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. Sanford released a CD last year, "Live at Pearl's." Learn more...

Endowed with a clear, beautiful voice, a sure sense of swing, and a seemingly innate sense of the nuances of jazz phrasing, Hale Baskin is certainly a singer of great promise. But more than that, Hale is already a musician whose artistry can be enjoyed in the here and now. Hale Baskin is not just a singer with a future. She's a singer with a presence! Learn more...

Lady Mem'fis gained early success in the New Orleans R&B scene of the early '60s, and put down roots in the explosive San Francisco jazz scene of the late '60s. Blessed with a beautiful voice, Lady Mem'fis sings with depth, soul and swing, and with a style that resonates back through her deep Southern roots. Learn more...

Following her recent standing-room-only debut in Los Angeles, Mindi Hadan brings her unique blend of jazz, blues and country to Jazz at Pearl's. With a style that's one part Ella Fitzgerald, one part Patsy Cline and one part Connie Francis, Hadan delivers a crowd-pleasing, knockout performance. Learn more...

Whether you have a heartache or you're head-over-heels, Kim Nalley has created a musical valentine that beats the best box of chocolates you ever had: She performs an evening of your favorite love songs. Nalley is known for that swinging genre of jazz in the tradition of Count Basie vocalists, Joe Williams, Billie Holiday and Helen Humes. Learn more...

Jazz at Pearl's presents a CD release event and show with singer-songwriter Alexa Weber Morales, who combines clarion vocals, high-voltage rhythm and emotive power in one package. Fluent in four languages, she fearlessly crosses borders with lush, acoustic jazz, boleros, salsa and samba. She will be backed by a sensational band. Learn more...

Sandy Cressman and the Homenagem Brasileira band take the audience on a musical journey through the world of Brazilian jazz. Cressman and her critically acclaimed band pay tribute to the great Brazilian composers Ivan Lins, Dori Caymmi, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Toninho Horta and many others by interpreting their music the way it was intended: intimate and melodic, or fiercely rhythmic. Learn more...

Alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, a New Orleans native, is one of the most important musicians of the new millennium. He is the originator of the Nouveau Swing style which merges acoustic swing with modern R&B, second-line, hip-hop, Mardi Gras Indian music (New Orleans African American roots culture) and reggae rhythms. His smooth jazz recording, The Power of Cool, went to the top of Billboard's Smooth Jazz and R&B charts and is considered a classic. Learn more...

Yes, he is the son of that Modesto Briseno! This third generation musician has been a long time fixture on the jazz scene as a sought-after sideman. This year, however, Briseno ups the stakes with his debut CD as a bandleader. This seven piece band has the tight lyrical arrangements of a big band while retaining the smoothness of a smaller combo. Learn more...

A supremely gifted singer-entertainer who is fluent in soul, jazz and R&B stylings, Nicholas Bearde has been compared to vocal icons like Lou Rawls, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway and Jon Lucien. All of the considerable talent of this Bay Area-based vocalist will be on display during his engagement at Jazz at Pearl's. Learn more...