Another great week of live music in the Bay Area. Here are some suggestion for the week..

Monday March 5th

Mr. Tipples 39 Fell St, San Francisco 7:00 PM-10:00 PM Showtime Le Hot Jazz.. The spirit of Django is alive and well in San Francisco. This is a great ensemble. Highly recommended!! N/C

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 9:30 PM-12:30 AM Showtime
Mike Olmos Presents The Sessions Mike is a such a great trumpet player. He leads his all star Sessions for a great night of jazz.. N/C

Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell St, San Francisco 8:00 PM Showtime Marmozets Super Unison Two really good bands. The Marmozets were recently called the most exciting young band in Britain. Great energy and great writing as they bring their chaotic live show to the Rickshaw. A favorite local band Unison opens the show. Highly recommended!! $15 Cover Charge

Tuesday March 6th

Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell St, San Francisco 8:00 PM Showtime Palm The Spirit of the Beehive Unity Three good bands led by the totally chaotic Palm which is firmly attached to the physicality of rock, but not as much its tone; their instruments tend to sound like any number of things at any given time. I really like what I’ve heard so far from The Spirit of the Beehive Should be a good time. $15 Cover Charge..

The Independant 628 Divisadero St, San Francisco 8:00 PM Showtime Talib Kweli The Brooklyn-based rapper earned his stripes as one of the most lyrically-gifted, socially aware and politically insightful rappers to emerge in the last 20 years. His travels around the globe as one of rap’s most in-demand performers combined with his conversations with political activists and his genre-straddling work with Idle Warship and others caused Kweli to realize that he was limited in a sense, a prisoner of sorts of his own success as one of the world’s best rappers with something significant to say. A great venue to see Talib.. $25 Cover Charge

Verdi Club 2424 Mariposa St, San Francisco 9:00 PM-11:30 PM Showtime Steve Lucky & The Rhumba Bums is one of the fun bands in the Bay Area performing vintage jazz, pounding boogie woogies, sultry ballads, and funky-swinging New Orleans R&B. Tonight they focus on giving you the beat to move your feet. Highly recommended!! $15 Cover Charge

Ashkenaz 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, 8:00 PM-11:00 PM Showtime Mitch Polzak and The Royal Deuces are unquestionably the premier rockabilly band in the Bay Area performing from music from the late ’50’s Sun Records era, guitar instrumentals from influences such as Joe Maphis, Merle Travis, and Chet Atkins, to a wide a range of Bakersfield Honky Tonk and Truck Driving music. Mitch also adds the 5 String Banjo to the show, bringing in the influence of Earl Scruggs and Ralph Stanley. Les James on drums and Hank Maninger on bass round out the lineup. Highly recommended $15 Cover Charge

Wednesday March 7th

Pier 23 Pier 23 The Embarcadero, San Francisco 6:00 PM-9:00 PM Showtime Mike Lipskin Trio. One of the greatest stride pianists in the universe is performing along with Leon Oakley on Trumpet and Dinah Lee on vocals. This will be a great three hours of hot jazz at a great venue and No Cover Charge!!! Highly recommended!!

Swedish American Hall 2174 Market St, San Francisco 7:00 PM Showtime Lucy Rose is a wonderful singer/songwriter from Warwickshire, England. Originally, Rose began playing drums in her school orchestra. When that didn’t sHer fragile, emotive songs have drawn comparisons to Joni Mitchell and Neil Young’s music. This should be a really special performance. Highly recommended $18 Cover Charge

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM Bay City Blues featuring Chris Cain is a weekly showcase of world class Blues music and superb instrumental talent. This event is a celebration of the Blues in all its forms and an adventure into the depth of a national genre. Hosted by the nationally recognized Chris Cain & his All-Star cast of Musicians, every week they invite a new special guest to accompany them on stage and present new, upcoming, & old talent from the blues world! Bay City Blues is our tribute and exploration into the Blues genre, it is a special event in which we all get to help, share, & “Preserve the Blues.” Highly recommended!! $20 Cover Charge

Thursday March 8th

Revolution Cafe 3248 22nd St, San Francisco 8:30 PM-11:30 PM Showtime Banda Sin Nombre is an outstanding five-piece street band performing folk music from around the world. Mixing rich vocal harmonies with acoustic instruments including guitar, fiddle, charango, cajon, and bass, the band’s inspirations range from Peruvian Chicha to Catalan Rumba and Appalachian old time to Cumbia. This is one of the best live performance bands in the Bay Areas!! N/C

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM Kyle Rowland Blues Band is keeping the tradition alive and sticking with the roots, of boisterous Chicago and swampy Texas blues with a pinch of West Coast swing. Kyle was voted Blues harmonica player of the year and his band is dynamite and brings freshness to the blues scene! $20 Cover Charge

Cigar Bar and Grill 850 Montgomery St, San Francisco, 9:00 PM-Midnight The Juniper Jazz Band is another really good ensemble playing 1920s-40s traditional jazz and swing. Great venue to see this wonderful band. N/C

SF Masonic 1111 California St, San Francisco, 8:00 PM Showtime Walk Off The Earth is the chart-topping viral hit-makers who have extended the boundaries of what a 21st century band can bring to pop music and pop culture. The multi-platinum selling Canadian quintet, has already established a significant global following when their cover of Gotye’s “Somebody I Used To Know,” ignited the blogosphere, eventually garnering 164 million views, and landing the band a recording contract with Columbia Records. $35-$55 Cover Charge..

Friday March 9th

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:30 PM & 10:00 PM Showtime Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne There’s no boogie woogie-blues piano man out there today who pounds the 88s with the conviction of Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne. Hailed as “an artist bringing the piano back to the front ranks of contemporary blues,” multiple-award winning blues, boogie-woogie and jazz pianist Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne is called “Blues Boss” for a reason. He is at the forefront of modern day blues piano practitioners. This will be a great show..$24 Cover Charge

Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St, San Francisco, 9:00 PM Showtime Bayonics Vinyl Spectrum EAGLEWOLFSNAKE This should be a really good show led by one of my favorite local bands the Bayonics who have been rocking the San Francisco Bay Area and abroad with a unique blend of latin, reggae, funk music. Highly recommended!!! $15 Cover Charge

Brick and Mortar 1710 Mission St, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime Ian Moore the Austin based guitarist and singer/songwriter will be performing solo while on tour promoting his new album. His music contains elements of psychedelic rock, soul, folk, rock and roll, world music and blues, with deep literary influences. Should be a good show. $15 Cover Charge

Hemlock Tavern 1131 Polk St, San Francisco 8:30 PM-11:55 PM Showtime I really like this lineup. I really like The Rantouls upbeat 1960s like pop-oriented sound. New Faultlines is another local band with strong pop influences leading the way and hints of surf, punk, and maybe a little ’80s radio country sprinkled in. Odd Hope opens the bill and I like what I have heard so far. Highly recommended. $8 Cover Charge

Red Poppy Art House 2698 Folsom St, San Francisco 7:30 PM-10:00 PM Showtime Brian Andres and The Afro-Cuban Cartel present their own arrangements of compositions by well-known jazz drummers and Latin jazz percussionists, as well as original music. This is a really good group of players featuring Brian Andres – drumset Javier Cabanilas – congas Christian Tumalan – piano Aaron Germain – bass and Steffen Kuehn – trumpet’ Should be a very good show.. $20 Cover Charge

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 10:00 PM Showtime Lavay Smith & Her 8 Piece Little Band Lavay is the reigning Queen Of Classic Jazz & Blues in the authentic style of the 1940’s and 1950’s. She will be performing with her 8 piece little band. Lavay is one of my favorite singers. Highly recommended!! N/C

Revolution Cafe 3248 22nd St, San Francisco 8:30 PM-11:59 PM Showtime Tin Cup Serenade is one of the Bay Area’s most exceptional old time jazz band deeply rooted in the blues ragtime, New Orleans jazz, western swing with a little mariachi and calypso thrown in. I really love this band. Highly recommended!! N/C

If you live around Santa Cruz check out

Moes Alley 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz 9:00 PM Showtime Poor Man’s Whiskey the Bay Area’s great bluegrass, Americana and roots music will have the house rockin on Friday. This band is a Bay Area treasure. Highly recommended!! $15 Cover Charge

Kuumbwa Jazz Center 320 Cedar St # 2, Santa Cruz, CA 7:30 PM Showtime The Suffers are Houston’s award-winning 8-piece ensemble that have redefined the sound of Gulf Coast Soul. I saw them a while back on The Late Show with David Letterman and was blown away. This will be a great show. $30 Cover Charge

Saturday March 10rd

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM Showtime Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers is internationally recognized as The Queen Of Classic Jazz & Blues in the authentic style of the 1940’s and 1950’s as the band pays tribute to the swingin’ Kansas City tradition, featuring the music of Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing, Joe Williams, Helen Humes, Lester Young, Jay McShann, Walter Brown, Jimmy Witherspoon, Myra Taylor & Big Joe Turner! Highly recommended!! $24 Cover Charge

Pier 23 Pier 23 The Embarcadero, San Francisco 7:00 PM-10:00 PM Showtime Mitch Polzak and The Royal Dueces are unquestionably one of the great rockabilly bands around. The high-energy three piece ensemble performs Rockabilly from the late ’50s Sun Records era, guitar instrumentals from influences such as Joe Maphis, Merle Travis, and Chet Atkins, to a wide a range of Bakersfield Honky Tonk and Truck Driving music. Mitch also adds the 5 String Banjo to the show, bringing in the influence of Earl Scruggs and Ralph Stanley. Les James on drums and Hank Maninger on bass round out the lineup. Highly recommended !! N/C

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 10:00 PM-1:00PM Showtime Howell Devine is my favorite Bay Area blues band. They will have the house rockin at the Deluxe. N/C

Hemlock Tavern 1131 Polk St, San Francisco 8:30 PM-11:55 PM Showtime This is an outstanding lineup with The Chuckleberries, my absolute favorite Bay area cover band headlining. But they are not your typical cover band. These guys must have some serious record collections because the songs they play span the spectrum, from the fairly well-known Byrds classic “Mr. Spaceman” to the lesser known Turtles ass-kicker “Outside Chance”. Best of all, they always include a Rutles song or two. Opening are caveman rockers The Ogres and Gravy’s Drop drawing sounds from all across the rock and roll spectrum including the Everly Brothers, The Beach Boys, Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Flamin’ Groovies, GRAVYS DROP brings back the fun feeling of music from the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, and gives listeners a great excuse to get their asses shakin! This will be a great show.. Highly recommended!! $8 Cover Charge

If you are down the peninsula near Palo Alto check out

Bing Concert Hall 327 Lasuen St, Stanford, CA 7:30 PM Showtime Danny Elfman Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Guest conductor John Mauceri, “a doyen of musical theatre,” (Gramophone) leads the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and guest violinist Sandy Cameron in Oscar-nomiated composer Danny Elfman’s new concerto for violin and orchestra Eleven Eleven. The 40-minute work, which premiered in June at the Prague Proms, was jointly commissioned by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Stanford Live, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. SSO Music Director Paul Phillips conducts works by Bernstein and William Walton to round out the program. $15-$65 Cover Charge..

If you live in the North Bay check out

Sweetwater Music Hall 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley 8:00 PM Showtime The Travelin’ McCourys are the sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury on mandolin and Rob McCoury on banjo, fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Alan Bartram the ensemble is loved and respected by the bluegrass faithful. But the band is now combining their sound with others to make something fresh and rejuvenating. They recently played with the Allman Brothers at Wanee Fest and then brought the house down at Warren Haynes’ Annual Christmas Jam, an invitation only Southern Rock homecoming. They are a great band. Highly recommended!!! $30 cover Charge

Rancho Nicasio 1 Old Rancheria Rd, Nicasio 8:30 Showtime Steve Lucky & The Rhumba Bums are one of the fun bands in the Bay Area performing vintage jazz, pounding boogie woogies, sultry ballads, and funky-swinging New Orleans R&B. Tonight they focus on giving you the beat to move your feet. Highly recommended!! $15 Cover Charge

Sunday March 11th

Great American Music Hall 859 O’Farrell St, San Francisco 8:00 PM Showtime The Suffers are Houston’s award-winning 8-piece ensemble that have redefined the sound of Gulf Coast Soul. I saw them a while back on The Late Show with David Letterman and was blown away. This will be a great show. $19 Cover Charge

The Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison St, Berkeley 7:00 PM Showtime Rita Coolidge’s career spans over 4 decades, studded with charted hits, Grammy awards, and over a dozen albums. From her origins singing jingles, demos, and background vocals in Memphis, to touring with major names like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan, Rita’s voice and songwriting can be found throughout pop music history. To this day, Rita Coolidge’s impact is undiminished—her voice as pure, sweet and powerful as ever and her ability to get inside a song honed by experience and overview. This should be a great show.. $40

If you live in the North Bay check out

Sweetwater Music Hall 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley 7:00 PM Showtime Wake The Dead are the world’s only Celtic all-star Grateful Dead jam band. They are a romp that flows seamlessly from rock grooves to hot Irish reels, and from haunting airs to achingly beautiful melodies familiar to Deadheads everywhere. “Sugaree” in waltz time, bracketed by an ancient harp tune and infused with a poignant Celtic longing. “Bertha” thundering out of “China Cat” on a mandolin tidal wave. The eerie lilt of the uilleann pipes, giving a glow to “Bird Song” as if it was always meant to be there. Groove jams to keep the tie-dye swirling. Vocal harmonies that float like clouds. The music takes off, and the band follows, grinning all the way. These aren’t worlds colliding-they’re worlds meshing, coalescing creating a whole new world of possibility, and true to the spirits of the Grateful Dead and the eternally hopeful Celts. Highly recommended $22 Cover Charge

If you are down the peninsula near Palo Alto check out

Bing Concert Hall 327 Lasuen St, Stanford, CA 2:30 PM Showtime Danny Elfman Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Guest conductor John Mauceri, “a doyen of musical theatre,” (Gramophone) leads the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and guest violinist Sandy Cameron in Oscar-nomiated composer Danny Elfman’s new concerto for violin and orchestra Eleven Eleven. The 40-minute work, which premiered in June at the Prague Proms, was jointly commissioned by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Stanford Live, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. SSO Music Director Paul Phillips conducts works by Bernstein and William Walton to round out the program. $15-$65 Cover Charge..

Video Pick of the week

Untitled Bill Graham/Fillmore East Documentary Directed by Leon Gast, Amalie R. Rothschild. This documentary exploring legendary promoter Bill Graham’s impact on the modern rock music business, and its transformation from an idealistic youth social movement into a cutthroat industry.