Articles by Roy Strassman
Linda May Han Oh Quintet at Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society
by Roy Strassman
Linda May Han Oh Quintet Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society Half Moon Bay, CA January 28, 2024 Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society is a fantastic seaside venue for enjoying gemütlich hospitality and late Sunday afternoon jazz. On this Sunday, the tides rolled in Linda May Han Oh and her formidable quintet. Linda May is a remarkable bassist and has an enchanting presence. Attired in a full-length Hawaiian grass--type skirt, she played--or should I ...
read moreJohn Zorn at 70 at Great American Music Hall
by Roy Strassman
Zorn at 70 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA August 30-September 3, 2023 Day One, August 30, 2023 “Breaking Ground" with John Medeski and Dave Lombardo Last night, the intergalactic Starship John Zorn descended from New York into San Francisco for a five- night residency at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall to celebrate Zorn's 70th birthday. Zorn, a legendary avant-garde composer and saxophonist whose Promethean and prolific output of ...
read moreWilliam Parker New Heart Trio at The Chapel
by Roy Strassman
William Parker New Heart Trio The Chapel San Francisco, CA May 15, 2023 William Parker is a free jazz phenom, as his current New Heart Trio heartedly demonstrated. Accompanied by the legendary William Hooker on the drum set and firebrand Isaiah Collier on tenor saxophone and hand percussion, Parker, attired in a Tophi (Fez-like Indonesian cap) and knee-length variegated striped smock, began the set with a free-jazz crash and swing motif, Collier's horn ablaze. His ...
read moreDave Holland Trio Live At Yoshi's
by Roy Strassman
Dave Holland Trio Yoshi's jny: Oakland, CA February 20, 2023 The David Holland trio swung into Yoshi's in Oakland after kicking off the initial week of its present tour at NYC's Village Vanguard. His trio during this stint consisted of the notable musicians Kevin Eubanks on guitar and Eric Harland on Drums (Obed Calvaire handled the drums in NY). Holland began the set by introducing the musicians, stating that he would not ...
read moreFred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding at Yoshi's
by Roy Strassman
Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding Yoshis jny: Oakland, CA January 27, 22023 Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hersch graced Yoshi's patrons with their presence last Thursday and Friday. Dressed in a black outfit and white “Life Force" t-shirt, Spalding presented a counterpoised contrast to Hersch, who was conservative in appearance and avuncular in affect. They seemed like an unusual match made in heaven, in some jazz galaxy far away. While it was known that ...
read moreMyra Melford Fire and Water Quintet at SFJAZZ Center
by Roy Strassman
Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet SFJAZZ Center San Francisco, CA November 6, 2022 The Free jazz pianist and composer Myra Melford made the trip across the Bay Bridge to the SFJAZZ Joe Henderson Lab to bring her Fire and Water Quintet to an eagerly expectant audience. The quintet's name derives from the abstract artist Cy Twombly's “For the Love of Fire and Water retrospective at MOMA. The musicians are all creative forces in their ...
read moreThe Azar Lawrence Experience at Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society
by Roy Strassman
The Azar Lawrence Experience Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society Half Moon Bay, CA July 31, 2022 Azar Lawrence's most recent incarnation of The Azar Lawrence Experience brought its energetic presence to grace Half Moon Bay's Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society on July's final afternoon. The “Experience" featured a unique front line consisting of two horns, a guitar, and a vocalist. Somehow, the group's very presence evoked a feeling of freshness and inspiration. The ...
read moreJuan De Marcos and his Afro Cuban All Stars at SFJAZZ Center
by Roy Strassman
Juan De Marcos and his Afro Cuban All Stars SFJAZZ Center jny: San Francisco, CA July 22, 2022 Juan De Marcos and his Afro-Cuban All-Stars returned to the Miner Auditorium of the SFJAZZ Center for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 Virus. Previously, his two daughters—clarinetist Laura and vibraphonist Gliceria were band members, but due to necessary Covid re-alignments, they could not attend. Sporting a dark lavender beret atop his ...
read moreChief Adjuah at Yoshi's
by Roy Strassman
Chief Adjuah Yoshi's jny:Oakland, CA June 23, 2002 Chief Adjuah 's six-seat magic carpet landed for its two-day sojourn at Yoshi's on Thursday night, and what an enchanting performance it was. At first, only five band members took the stage, and the Chief, aka Christian Scott, commenced the stretch-spasm-music spiritual feast with a solo on a customized gold-plated ngoni-type 12-string instrument of his own design. Its sound ranged over the heavens of kora, kalimba, and ...
read moreJésus Diáz Y Su Afro-Cuban Ensamble at Yerba Buena Gardens Esplanade
by Roy Strassman
Jesus Diaz Yerba Buena Gardens Espanade Summer Kickoff Concert San Francisco, CA May 7, 2022 Yerba Buena Gardens enlists and supports many musical artists on its Esplanade. It is a beautiful and spacious urban oasis where everyone can boogie and enjoy the sunshine. Jesús Díaz is a Havana-born Bay Area treasure who has done much to propagate Cuban music locally and beyond. Long known for his QBA band, he assembled his “Habana Afro-Cuban Ensamble"—a ...
read more
Giveaway
Days remaining: 3
