VIRGINIA MACDONALD | TODD MARCUS

Juno Award-winning clarinetist Virginia MacDonald has established herself as a rising star of her generation. Known for her lyrical and soulful clarinet playing. As a highly in-demand bandleader, sidewoman, and composer, Virginia keeps a regular performance schedule across Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Todd Marcus is one of the few artists worldwide to focus on the bass clarinet as a main instrument in modern jazz with his small and large ensembles. His straight-ahead playing and compositions swing with fiery intensity balanced with delicate introspection.  His music offers a strong melodic sensibility, draws from elements of his community work, and often incorporate the Middle Eastern influences of his Egyptian-American heritage.
Todd Marcus | Clarinet
Virginia MacDonald | Clarinet
Bruce Barth | Piano
Blake Meister | Bass
Eric Kennedy | Drums

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The Jazz Voyager

There is no better time to sit by the bay and take in the Golden Gate Bridge before taking in an evening of jazz. Goodbye Grosse Pointe, hello San Fran, it’s good to be back. Located in the North Beach neighborhood of the city, Keys Jazz Bistro is situated in the same building that was once home to the 1950’s club The Matador. The performance space gives one the feeling of intimacy even with a capacity of one hundred and twenty seats.

In the audience the Jazz Voyager will be taking in a new venue and configuration of musicians in a quartet setting. Having heard Bob Mintzer, the founding member of the Yellowjackets, but have never had the pleasure of experiencing the trio in person, I am looking forward to hearing drummer Peter Erskine, pianist Alan Pasqua and bassist Darek Oles this evening.

The venue is located at 498 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133. For more information visit https://keysjazzbistro.com.

CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION

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YASUKO NAKAMURA

Live @ Alfie’s CD release party!!! Seventh in a series of popular live recordings set at Alfie’s, a long-established jazz club in Roppongi, Yasuko Nakamura is an authentic jazz singer reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Her voice is rich in expression as she expresses the emotions of the moments in which she lives, and we hope you will listen to her fascinating live performances where her personality is on full display.

Track List: 1. But Beautiful | 2. Round Midnight | 3. For All We Know | 4. Body and Soul | 5. When October Goes | 6. House is Not a Home | 7. At Last | 8. Day In Day Out  | 9. PS I Love You

The Performers: Yasuko Nakamura ~ vocal | Lynn Heitetsu ~ piano | Yutaka Yoshida ~ bass | Hiroshi Murakami ~ drums

Cover: ¥4950

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HIBIKI ENOMOTO QUARTET

Pianist and composer Hibiki Inamoto was born in Osaka, Japan in 1977. At the age of 3, he began piano lessons and at age 5 he made his stage debut with his clarinet musical father. He started his musical studies at age 18 where he gained the techniques of pianist master Alfred Cortot and interwined his own reform movement. During his studies, his European tour received high appraisal from Germany’s major newspapers.

Upon his return to Japan, he met concert tuner master Yu Takagi with whom a specialized piano (New York Steinway (Steinway & Sons)) was prepared which Hibiki transports wherever city he tours. He has performed with world top members in the renowned Berlin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and secured foremost applaud from the classic world.

As composer and music director, he has extended his great recognition in major Japanese films as “Nagai Sanpo” (A Long Walk) which received a Grand Prix Award at the Montreal World Film Festival, “Hoshi Mamoru Inu” (A Dog’s Star Protection), “Ikigami” ((from Manga Living God), etc. His creativity has also extended to his own inventions including a piano tinbre (piano mute) patent (No. 4572092) where it became possible to play various tinbre (instrumental sounds) as bass, cembello, and percussion on one piano.

The Band: Hibiki Enomoto ~ piano | Kosuke Sugiuchi ~ guitar | Junichi Sato ~ bass | Hiroshi Kimura ~ drums

Cover: ¥4950

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SAKI OZAWA

Born in Tokyo, Saki Ozawa began learning classical piano from the age of three, later inspired by Gene Harris’s album “Tribute to Count Basie” at the age of 15. She studied jazz piano at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, trained by Yuki Arimasa and started her professional career in the Tokyo area, appearing at a number of jazz festivals, then after graduation began regularly appearing as Saki Ozawa trio at the historical jazz club “Alfie” in Roppongi, Tokyo.
In September 2022, the piano solo performed live at the Hamacho Dining & Bar SESSiON, a restaurant established by Blue Note Japan, was quickly fully booked and she appeared at the grand-opening reception for the press of Ebisu’s BLUE NOTE PLACE, which is currently a hot spot. Since then Ozawa has continued to perform regularly at the club with her own trio.
In March 2023, she performed with sax player Adam Pieronczyk at the Polish jazz club Vertigo. Then in June 2023, the debut album “Cheers!” mainly composed of original songs was released by ReBorn Wood Label and in August 2023, the live performance at Cotton Club Tokyo met with great success.

The Trio: Saki Ozawa ~ piano | Yutaka Yoshida ~ bass | Jun Yamazaki ~ drums

Cover: ¥4950

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