Alan Jones is a 21 year-old Bassist and Composer from Denver, Colorado dedicated to honoring the legacy of Black American Music through performance and composition. He has shared the stage with greats such as Matt Wilson, David Sanchez, Ed Simon, Christopher Clarke, Carmen Bradford, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Kristen Strom, and Keith Oxman. He currently studies with Matt Brewer and Scott Pingel at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Tomoko Funaki was born in Japan into a musical family. Following in the footsteps of her parents, both musicians, she studied classical violin and flute. A move to New York exposed her to a broad range of musical genres but she found herself increasingly drawn towards jazz. After moving to San Francisco in 2002, she began studying upright bass and quickly immersed herself into the San Francisco jazz scene, studying and performing with luminaries including Ray Drummond, Rodney Whitaker, Rufus Reid, the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Andrew Speight, Vince Lateano, Mark Levine, Donald "Duck" Bailey, Allan Harris and Denise Perrier. She has also been involved in jazz education programs such as ‘Stanford Jazz Workshop’ and SFSU ICA ‘The Generations Jazz Project’ in recent years.

tomoko-funaki.com

Mike Olmos has become one the most in demand jazz musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area while maintaining a frequent national and international performance/touring schedule. In the Bay, Mike has been performing with various bands such as the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Pete Escovedo, Wil Blades, Eddie Roberts, Jubu and Legally Blynd. ​

When in town he can be found hosting and joining jam sessions at local clubs.

​He has had the privilege of performing with Rosemary Clooney, Etta James, Michael Buble and many other great talents.

He can be heard on late legendary Blues/R&B singer Etta James' Grammy nominated final album "The Dreamer" as well as many others.

Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing Fog City Swing! The bay area's newest and hottest swing band featuring an electrifying three horn front line, stellar crooning vocals, and a swing till you drop rhythm section. This seven piece ensemble will transport you to the 1940’s, it is truly the world’s smallest big band!

Fog City Swing is co-led by saxophonist Greg Johnson and trumpeter Daniel Herrera.

McCall, Hawaii’s first lady of jazz is a multi-award winning vocalist. She is heir to the vocal tradition of Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Ella Fitzgerald. Her warmth and sense of humor fuel every interpretation. After releasing her first CD ‘Body and Soul’ she was asked by the great bassist Ray Brown to be his vocalist on tour. Of course, she accepted, beginning an incredible jazz journey – school was in! Soon after, Azure became the first singer to work with Freddie Hubbard’s band. Additional collaborators include Frank Morgan, Tennyson Stephens, Joe Lovano, Geoffrey Keezer, Curtis Lundy, Dizzy Gillespie and many more. In 2008, President Barack Obama asked her to perform at his pre-election party. “That’s why he won,” Azure says (smiling). Azure became the ‘Jazz Diva’ for Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Cruises. She has traveled to more than 50 countries including, Greece, Germany, Russia, and Italy- just to name a few.

Le Jazz Hot (the Quartet/Trio of the Hot Club of San Francisco)  is an ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Hot Club de France. The ensemble borrows the all-string instrumentation of violin, bass and guitars from the original Hot Club, but breathes new life into the music with innovative arrangements of classic tunes and original compositions from the group’s superb lead guitarist Paul Mehling. Hearing the ensemble live, or on any of their eleven albums, carries the listener back to the 1930’s and to the small, smoky jazz clubs of Paris or the refined lounges of the famous Hotel Ritz. Often called gypsy jazz, the music of Le Jazz Hot has entranced audiences around the globe for over 30 years. Critics have hailed the group’s playing as “intricate, scorching and often brilliant…” Acoustic Guitar. From festivals in Mexico and France to concert halls across North America, Le Jazz Hot keeps this historic music fresh and alive.

www.LeJazzHot.biz

Fault Line Trio is one of the Bay Area’s most dynamic and innovative crossover jazz projects! Swing, R&B, and sophisticated grooves. Featuring Jay Sanders - piano and keys, Lukas Vesely - bass, and Brian Fishler - drums.

Daniel Herrera is a professional musician who has called San Francisco his home for the past twenty years. Originally from Monterey, Ca, Daniel grew up in a rich musical environment and was a beneficiary of the robust mentorship program of the Monterey Jazz Festival educational program. He went on to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, Ma before moving back to the west coast to make the Bay Area his home.

Daniel has toured nationally and abroad and performed at some of the world’s most renowned Jazz and music festivals including Montreux Jazz Festival, Jazz A Vienne, and Monterey Jazz Festival to name a few. 

The Quintet Features:

Jesse Levit - Alto Saxophone

Greg Jacobs - Piano

Jonny Kaminek - Bass

Isaac Schwartz - Drums

Ladies and Gentemen, introducing Fog City Swing! The bay area's newest and hottest swing band featuring an electrifying three horn front line, stellar crooning vocals, and a swing till you drop rhythm section. This seven piece ensemble will transport you to the 1940’s, it is truly the world’s smallest big band!

Fog City Swing is co-led by saxophonist Greg Johnson and trumpeter Daniel Herrera.

What do you get when you fuse the spicy grooves of Afro-Peru with that funky sound of Oaktown? A ground-breaking, new, energetic genre with distinctive rhythms and innovative melodies that will inspire you to hit the dance floor. Oaklando is the brainchild of SF native Patrick Morehead, the composer and keyboardist who’s played with such talents as Karl Perazzo, Steve Turre, Jerry Gonzalez, and Benny Valarde. Conceived at the Patio de Ochun Studios, with drummer Josh Jones (of Omar Sosa) bassist David Pinto (of Susana Baca) and cajon player Juan Medrano Cotito (of Susana Baca) Oaklando was engineered by multi-grammy winner, Greg Landau (of David Byrne fame), and became a recipient of the prestigious Music in Place Grant. Oaklando has regular performances at Local Edition, Lakehouse Jazz, Elevation LVK, and Zeitgeist. Along with Morehead, Cotito and Jones include Charlie Gurke (sax), Chloe Scott ( flute) Pedro Rosales (cajon/vocals) vocalist Marina Lavalle (Peru Negro) with guest appearances on the first recording ‘Lima Oakland’ by NY jazz phenom Yosvany Terry. Check out the newest single OAKLANDO on all platforms Oaklando is honored to present the highly acclaimed Dawn Club with its fusion of Afro-Peruvian rhythms and funky jazz dub.

At just 21 years of age, Graham is a young gun making a name for himself in the world of Jazz today. A dyed-in-the-wool bebop pianist, he seeks to uphold the tradition of Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Kenny Clarke, Hank Jones, and Barry Harris, among others, and treats their music equally as soul food and as ground as fertile for intellectual exploration as any of the great European masters of the last 400 years. 

Armed with a rigorous classical training, he has to quote one local great, "made a substantive contribution towards raising the 'mean tempo' of the tunes played within this sector of the S.F. jazz scene", though he feels just as at home on a contemplative ballad or a slow blues.

You may find him performing under either one of his apt pseudonyms, Dud Powell or Barely Harris. (inside jazz joke!)

Patrick Wolff is a saxophone and clarinet player with a long history in the jazz scenes of New York City and San Francisco. He has performed or recorded with Albert "Tootie" Heath, Matt Wilson, Grant Stewart, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Dena Derose, and many other jazz greats. Since moving to San Francisco in 2009, Wolff has played and recorded regularly in the bands of Marcus Shelby, Richard Sears, Graham Connah, Adam Shulman, and Diana Gameros. Outside of the jazz world, he has had an eclectic mix of work including long stints in West African pop/funk group Asiko, prog metal band Kayo Dot, and with fuji music legend Adewale Ayuba. With six albums released under his name, Wolff has made his mark as a bandleader with various groups playing his original compositions, and with classic jazz quartets and quintets focused on repertoire of the bebop and hard bop eras. His playing is characterized by a focus on lyricism and an embrace of the whole lineage of jazz styles.

Wolff is also a passionate jazz educator and advocate. For four years, he hosted and produced a weekly fearure show on KCSM 91.1FM ("Have You Heard"), exploring the work of emerging and underrated jazz artists, and continues to dj for the station on occasion. He was the Faculty Director at the Stanford Jazz Workshop from 2008-2013, and currently teaches jazz history, composition, and ensemble classes at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the College of San Mateo throughout the year, and at the Stanford Jazz Workshop in the summer.

"Jinx is a guitar virtuoso who seamlessly moves from rockabilly to jazz to twang and back again, sometimes in the same song. Those with a liner note obsession will remember Jinx’s playing on En Vogue’s “Free Your Mind.”

(San Francisco Chronicle)

Jinx Jones boasts a prolific career spanning from the 1990s, during which he has been a prominent figure in the San Francisco Bay Area jazz scene. His musical journey, deeply rooted in R&B and Soul collaborations with luminaries such as Solomon Burke and En Vogue, has laid a solid groundwork for his ventures into the realms of soul jazz and hard bop. Jones' distinctive approach to jazz is deeply influenced by the venerable traditions set forth by iconic guitarists such as Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, and George Benson.

“You've heard fretboard prestidigitator Jinx before: he lent studio guitar and bass to En Vogue's hit, "Free Your Mind." Professionally impressive as it is, though, that credit does not represent his own chosen styling. Jinx's headlong endeavors draw freely and unto satiation from classic rocka-billy, vintage jazz, and spartan honky tonk….” D. C. Larson, Crackerjack Magazine, UK

In recent times, Jinx Jones has achieved international acclaim with the release of his latest solo jazz album, "Blue Gardenia." This album showcases his guitar artistry, striking a perfect balance between delicacy and energy, reminiscent of the soulful and profound styles of the genre's legendary masters.

“Jinx Jones is out there. Four or five nights a week, the great guitar player with the immaculate pompadour can be found at various Bay Area venues, working the stage, doing his thing. The Colorado native came up serving as a sideman to rock ’n’ roll royalty, playing with the likes of Chuck Berry and Solomon Burke.”

Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle

Sheldon Alexander is a professional drummer, educator, and composer from the bay area that specializes in Jazz, R&B, Funk, Soul and other Afro-Rooted genres. With his strong musical background, he received his undergraduate degree from the prestigious California Jazz Conservatory in Berkley, California. Through dedication, passion, and an unwavering commitment to his craft, Sheldon has carved out a place for himself in the Bay Area music.

Ladies and Gentemen, introducing Fog City Swing! The bay area's newest and hottest swing band featuring an electrifying three horn front line, stellar crooning vocals, and a swing till you drop rhythm section. This seven piece ensemble will transport you to the 1940’s, it is truly the world’s smallest big band!

Fog City Swing is co-led by saxophonist Greg Johnson and trumpeter Daniel Herrera.

McCall, Hawaii’s first lady of jazz is a multi-award winning vocalist. She is heir to the vocal tradition of Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Ella Fitzgerald. Her warmth and sense of humor fuel every interpretation. After releasing her first CD ‘Body and Soul’ she was asked by the great bassist Ray Brown to be his vocalist on tour. Of course, she accepted, beginning an incredible jazz journey – school was in! Soon after, Azure became the first singer to work with Freddie Hubbard’s band. Additional collaborators include Frank Morgan, Tennyson Stephens, Joe Lovano, Geoffrey Keezer, Curtis Lundy, Dizzy Gillespie and many more. In 2008, President Barack Obama asked her to perform at his pre-election party. “That’s why he won,” Azure says (smiling). Azure became the ‘Jazz Diva’ for Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Cruises. She has traveled to more than 50 countries including, Greece, Germany, Russia, and Italy- just to name a few.

The N. T. B. Collective is a Bay Area based jazz fusion group merging sounds and styles from all over the world.

The N.T.B. trio, which will be featured for this event, is comprised of drums, bass, and piano. Each musician is highly accomplished; coming together to generate a unique musical energy. N.T.B. has been playing various venue residencies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for over 3 years.

Drummer/Vibraphonist/Saxophonist Smith Dobson V has been performing in the Bay Area for nearly twenty years. Originally from Santa Cruz, Ca., Dobson is a member of an important Jazz family. His father, the late Smith Dobson IV, was a world renown Pianist and director of the Jazz series at the Garden City in San Jose for over twenty years, where he accompanied artists’ like Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Bobby Hutcherson, Harold Land, Chet Baker, Red Norvo, Tal Farlow, and Lee Konitz, to name a few.

Also in the family, Grandfather Smith III is a Jazz Accordionist, Grandmother Norma, Mother Gail, and Sister Sasha are all Jazz Vocalists. The family often performed as a group at the Garden City, and other venues, as well as many local schools and workshops. As a child, Smith V had the opportunity to study with legendary Jazz Drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath, who said of his pupil, “He has the talent, determination and persistence as a musician, combined with the dedication necessary to succeed… improvisational skills totally advanced, excellent sensitivity, both solo and as an accompanist… my most talented student!”

Smith has had the honor of working with some of the great Jazz artists, locally and internationally, such as Bobby Hutcherson, Red Rodney, John Handy, Sheila Jordan, Red Holloway, Pete and Conte Condoli, Phillip Harper, Hal Stein, Noel Jewekes, Ben Goldberg, Graham Connahs’ Sour Note Seven, Darren Johnstone, Will Bernard, and Kenny Brooks.

The Hogan Brothers - Steve (bass), Colin (keyboards), and Julian (drums) - are a jazz fusion trio based in Oakland, California. Their influences, while rooted in American styles such as Jazz, Funk, R&B, and Pop, are also informed by many international styles such as Timba, Tango, Gamelan, Highlife, Soukous, Afro-pop, North Indian Classical music and much more. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, the brothers credit their parents (Jim & Maddie) for their diverse musical upbringing, exposing them to a plethora of international musical styles at young ages. They were fortunate not only to take advantage of the wide variety of excellent music programs available in the Bay Area (Berkeley High Jazz, Young Musicians Program, Cal State East Bay Music, UC Berkeley Ethnomusicology), but also had the opportunity to study internationally with master musicians in such countries such as Indonesia, Cuba, Ghana, and Brazil. The brothers are collectively involved in many projects and have performed extensively throughout the US and internationally (Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Barbados). They have performed with many great artists/projects such as: James Moody, Hugh Masekela, Peter Erskine, Tommy Igoe, Larry Graham, Bob Brookmeyer, Roy Ayers, Josh Jones, Goapele, Maria Schneider, Bobby Brown, Evan Rachel Wood, Keith Terry, Victor Wooten, Latoya London, Dave Chappelle, Crosspulse, Dynamic, Adam Theis, Jazz Mafia, and O-maya. The Hogan Brothers continue to perform and study internationally, always seeking to broaden their audience and sound.

Eric Markowitz is a jazz bass player in the bay area. He grew up in New Jersey not far from the jazz mecca of New York City, where as a kid, he was fortunate to see some of the best jazz musicians perform on a regular basis. Markowitz went to college in St. Louis, but soon realized academics took a backseat to his love of jazz music. Good fortune led him to meet his mentors: drummer and Grant Green alum Joe Charles and Saxophonist / Composer Jimmy Sherrod. He spent the next 10 years playing and recording as a top bassist in the St. Louis jazz scene. 

In 2003, he moved to the bay area and quickly established himself as a first call bassist in the local jazz community. On any given day you can find him playing with local greats Vince Lateano, Andrew Speight, Patrick Wolff, Adam Shulman, Jay Standards, Jeffrey Burr, Smith Dobson, Keith Saunders, Tony Johnson and more. He has also had the great fortune to work with jazz legends when they come to town. This has included Jimmy Heath, Harold Mabern, Dina Derose, Joe Magnorelli, Grant Stewart, Ralph Moore, and Richie Cole.

Ladies and Gentemen, introducing Fog City Swing! The bay area's newest and hottest swing band featuring an electrifying three horn front line, stellar crooning vocals, and a swing till you drop rhythm section. This seven piece ensemble will transport you to the 1940’s, it is truly the world’s smallest big band!

Fog City Swing is co-led by saxophonist Greg Johnson and trumpeter Daniel Herrera.

Collectivity is a jazz/funk, psychedelic soul band originally formed in Shanghai, China and now based in the SF Bay Area. We're talking about blistering energy and genre blending from an ensemble of world class musicians with a focus on exploration through collective improvisation. Upbeat grooves, soulful guitar work and tight arrangements are things to expect from a collectivity show. They draw on influences from jazz/funk, gospel and psychedelic soul. 

With their high energy stage performances, this band has recently opened for Larry Graham at Shanghai Arena, performed in Mongolia at Ulanchabo Stadium, toured in Europe, and headlining festivals across the States, and has been turning heads touring throughout Asia and the US.

In addition to the guitar wizardry of bandleader Ben Misterka, the level of musicianship in this band is off the charts. The two horn players have played with Etta James, Boz Scaggs and The New Mastersounds! Bassist Uriah Duffy is one of the most loved on the scene, working with everyone from Christina Aguilera, Whitesnake, Too Short, The Family Stone to name a few. Keys wizard Kevin Wong is one of the most in demand in the Bay and Tokyo. You may have seen James Small on the drums touring the world with Fantastic Negrito. We can't wait to witness firsthand why Collectivity is renowned across several continents.

Silver Bell Jazz Band inspires dancers and listeners all over the Bay Area. The band specializes in ragtime, blues, swing, and dixieland from the early 20th century. They’re known for their authenticity and dedication to the craft as well as their foot-tapping energy.

Jazz vocalist, arranger and songwriter Emily Day has been performing jazz since the age of 16. As “one of the major singers in her field” (Scott Yanow, Syncopated Times), Emily's voice carries the history of American music. On stage, she combines her deep knowledge of jazz with her whiskey-tinged timber and vocal acrobatics — simultaneously wild and precise.

She currently leads the San Francisco-based swing band Cosmo Alleycats, a group that celebrates the Great American Songbook and the bygone style of songwriting endemic to it. 

Before relocating to San Francisco in 2012, Emily taught for several years at New England colleges and Universities. She holds a BFA in Jazz Voice from The New School in New York and an MA in Popular Music Studies from the University of Liverpool in England. 

Tomoko Funaki was born in Japan into a musical family. Following in the footsteps of her parents, both musicians, she studied classical violin and flute. A move to New York exposed her to a broad range of musical genres but she found herself increasingly drawn towards jazz. After moving to San Francisco in 2002, she began studying upright bass and quickly immersed herself into the San Francisco jazz scene, studying and performing with luminaries including Ray Drummond, Rodney Whitaker, Rufus Reid, the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Andrew Speight, Vince Lateano, Mark Levine, Donald "Duck" Bailey, Allan Harris and Denise Perrier. She has also been involved in jazz education programs such as ‘Stanford Jazz Workshop’ and SFSU ICA ‘The Generations Jazz Project’ in recent years.

tomoko-funaki.com

Adam Klipple, who has been described as "a standout pianist who has gone to school on McCoy Tyner and Cecil Taylor and earned his degree," plays piano, Hammond organ, sampler, and a variety of vintage keyboards. He currently is a member of the legendary jazz rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears. He also currently performs and records with jazz phenom Veronica Swift.

Adam has recorded and performed onstage with the likes of Ghostface Killah, Lauryn Hill, Graham Haynes, the Sun Ra Arkestra, Craig Harris, Joe Bowie's Defunkt, Sekou Sundiata, Marc Ribot, John Medeski, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Carla Cook, Dave Fiuczynski, David Gilmore, Josh Roseman, Peter Apfelbaum, Jay Rodriguez, Groove Collective, and Smokey Robinson. He has appeared at renowned venues including the Blue Note, Iridium, the Jazz Standard, Blues Alley, and the Knitting Factory, and at jazz festivals around the world.

Also a composer and arranger, Adam has earned grants from Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Arts International, Meet the Composer, and the U.S. Department of State, enabling him to tour and teach master classes in southeast Asia, the Pacific Rim, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.  

Ladies and Gentemen, introducing Fog City Swing! The bay area's newest and hottest swing band featuring an electrifying three horn front line, stellar crooning vocals, and a swing till you drop rhythm section. This seven piece ensemble will transport you to the 1940’s, it is truly the world’s smallest big band!

Fog City Swing is co-led by saxophonist Greg Johnson and trumpeter Daniel Herrera.

In a career that has spanned over 20 years, Victor Little has established himself as a consummate professional electric bassist, displaying impeccable time, taste, technique, and tone while playing in a wide spectrum of styles-from blues and jazz to Indian and flamenco music-with a long list of luminaries that includes Patti Austin, Billy Preston, Angela Bofill, James Carter, Charlie Musselwhite, and Booker T. Jones. 

Victor, a Chicago native, grew up surrounded by musicians and music. His father was a saxophonist, and Victor, like other members of his family, played in church. On the radio, icons such as Aretha, Sly, Coltrane, Miles, James Brown, the Jackson 5, Kool and the Gang, P-Funk, Elton John, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Rush gave him his first taste of pop music. Victor’s first instrument was trumpet, but by high school he had switched to electric bass and fallen under the spell of bass players such as James Jamerson, Bernand Edwards, Chuck Rainey, Verdine White, Stanley Clarke, Anthony Jackson, Jaco Pastorius, John Paul Jones, and Billy Cox. He continued his formal studies in college.

At just 21 years of age, Graham is a young gun making a name for himself in the world of Jazz today. A dyed-in-the-wool bebop pianist, he seeks to uphold the tradition of Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Kenny Clarke, Hank Jones, and Barry Harris, among others, and treats their music equally as soul food and as ground as fertile for intellectual exploration as any of the great European masters of the last 400 years. 

Armed with a rigorous classical training, he has to quote one local great, "made a substantive contribution towards raising the 'mean tempo' of the tunes played within this sector of the S.F. jazz scene", though he feels just as at home on a contemplative ballad or a slow blues.

You may find him performing under either one of his apt pseudonyms, Dud Powell or Barely Harris. (inside jazz joke!)

After studying drums with Tony Williams in San Francisco, André performed around the world with various artists including Dayna Stephens, Ambrose Akinmusire, Mike Olmos, Stacy Dillard, Julian Lage, George Kontrafouris, Perico Sambeat and Albert Sanz. After a stint back in his native Finland and some years in Spain, André returned to the Bay Area in 2015.

His first album, “Kaira” earned him a Finnish “Jazz-Emma” award, and he has subsequently released three albums as a leader, and five as a co-leader with various artists. Sumelius is a regular on the San Francisco jazz scene, and he can frequently be seen playing with a variety of local and international artists.

We’re honored to have André and his band with us at the Dawn Club!