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

Monday January 14th

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 6:00 PM-9:00 PM Showtime…The High Tide Trio is a sensational super instrumental band featuring Mitch Polzak on guitar and bass, Hank Maninger on guitar and bass, and Les James on drums. Les will not be playing guitar. Hank and Mitch will switch off on guitar and bass. Mitch and Hank will not be playing the drums. The band plays all sorts of interesting guitar instrumentals, including surf, country, jazz, bluegrass, and movie and TV show themes. 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

Amnesia Bar 853 Valencia St, San Francisco 9:00 PM-11:55 PM Showtime.. The Bow Ties are back at the Amnesia playing great traditional bluegrass. Highly recommended. N/C

If you live in and around Santa Cruz you might want to check out

Kuumbwa Jazz Center 320 Cedar St # 2, Santa Cruz 7:00 PM Showtimes.. Pamela Rose presents Blues Is A Woman. Rose and her ensemble featuring saxophonist Kristen Strom, pianist Tammy Hall, guitarist Pat Wilder, bassist Ruth Davies and drummer Daria Johnson celebrate women in the Blues from Ma Rainey to Bonnie Raitt. Live music and theatrical storytelling transport the audience back to the early roots of the America’s most enduring art form and travel through the decades to celebrate the outspoken, audacious women of the blues. This show will appeal to all ages, families, blues devotees, and has been described as musically revealing, educationally illuminating, and emotionally exhilarating. Highly recommended!!!! $31.50 Cover Charge..

Tuesday January 15th

Bar Fluxus 18 Harlan Pl, San Francisco 9:00 PM-1:30 AM Showtime. Vibrason is another great band out of the Bay Area. Very reminiscent of some of the Cal Tjader bands. Highly recommended $10 Cover Charge.

Yoshis 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM Showtimes… Don McClean is one of America’s most enduring singer-songwriters and forever associated with his classic hits “American Pie”, “Vincent (Starry Starry Night)”, “Castles in the Air”, “And I Love You So” and “Crying”. Since first hitting the charts in 1971, Don has amassed over 40 gold and platinum records world-wide and, in 2004, was inducted into the title Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. His songs have been recorded by artists from every musical genre, most notably Madonna‘s No. 1 recording of “American Pie”. Highly recommended!!!!! $84 Cover Charge..

Wednesday January 16th

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 6:00 PM-9:00 PM Showtime.. Lulu & The Rent Party.. One of my favorite bay Area bands. They play an eclectic selection of jazz, latin, and pop tunes. They are really fun. Highly recommended!! N/C

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 9:30 PM-12:30 AM Showtime. The Patrick Wolff Bebop Quartet is deeply rooted in the bebop tradition established by Bird, Clifford Jordan and Dexter Gordon. Patrick is absolutely my favorite Bay Area tenor player and he leads an outstanding group of musicians..N/C.

Local Edition 691 Market St, San Francisco 8:00 PM-Midnight Showtime… Steve Lucky and the Rumba Bums perform vintage jazz, pounding boogie-woogie rhythms, sultry ballads, and funky-swinging New Orleans R&B. This band simply gives you the beat to move your feet. This will be a fun show. N/C

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM Showtimes.. Alvon is one of the most versatile musicians singers and entertainers on the music scene today. Known as the “Ambassador of the Blues”, Alvon travels the world singing and swinging jazz standards and sharing his love and respect for the American art form with enthusiastic audiences all over the world. Highly recommended!! $20 Cover Charge

Stanford Bing Concert Hall 327 Lasuen St, Stanford 7:30 PM Showtime…. One of the very best jazz ensembles The Branford Marsalis Quartet will be in performance this evening. The quartet includes Branford on saxophones Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Justin Faulkner on drums. Highly recommended!!!! $42.72 Cover Charge..

If you live in and around San Jose you may want to check out

The Ritz 400 S 1st St, San Jose 7:00 PM Showtime.. A great night of blues music with two amazing blues guitarists Ana Popovic & Tommy Odetta teaming up for a great night of music.. Highly recommended!!!!! $25 Cover Charge…

Thursday January 17th

SF Jazz 201 Franklin St, San Francisco 7:30 Showtime.. One of the very best jazz ensembles The Branford Marsalis Quartet will be in performance this evening. The quartet includes Branford on saxophones Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Justin Faulkner on drums. Highly recommended!!!! $35/$50/$70/$85 Cover Charge..

Tupelo 1337 Grant Ave, San Francisco 9:00 PM-1:00 AM Showtime.. If you don’t know Johnny Z and the Camaros you should. They are such a fun rock and roll band. They will have Tupelo rockin’ out. N/C

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM Showtimes.. . Artur Menezes is a high-energetic guitarist performing traditional blues with expertise and respect while mixing in modern blues with other styles. Highly recommended!!!! $20 Cover Charge..

Bottom Of The Hill 1233 17th St, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime. A fun night of music with three really good bands including the punk power pop rockers from Philadelphia Remember Sports headlining the bill.. Indie rockers Pllush and a personnel favorite San Francisco’s power pop rockers The Total Bettys rounding out the night.. Highly recommended!!!! $12 Cover Charge….

Hotel Utah 500 4th St, San Francisco 8:00 PM Showtime.. A really good show tonight featuring Joseph Morganfield the youngest son of Muddy Waters. Joseph began his career following in his father’s footsteps as a young boy singing in the church choir but decided to pursue his basketball scholarship instead. After taking up music again, he began to play with his father in the many clubs in Chicago, closing out many of Muddy’s shows. Mojo is a regular on the Chicago blues scene and tours a lot with his brother. Joseph is an accomplished Blues singer and musician who is also an Ambassador and Inductee to the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame. Also on the bill is Hopi Bluesband a traveling group of the most eclectic musicians from around the country playing everything blues to funk, country and rock n roll.. Americana singer/songwriter Rachel Oto opens the show. Highly recommended!!!! $20 Cover Charge..

The Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison Street Berkeley 8:00 PM Showtime.. Runa has been enchanting audiences by pushing the boundaries of Irish folk music into the Americana and roots music formats since their formation in 2008. Interweaving the haunting melodies and exuberant tunes of Ireland and Scotland with the lush harmonies and intoxicating rhythms of jazz, bluegrass, flamenco and blues, they offer a thrilling and redefining take on traditional music. Highly recommended!!!! $20 Cover Charge..

Ivy Room 860 San Pablo Ave, Albany 8:30 PM Showtime..Three really good local bands will rock the Ivy Room tonight. Headlining are the Helltones whose music walks the line between the sultry and the savage and incorporates elements of surf rock, soul, and country into an entirely fresh dish of sound. The LoFi Satellites sound revolves around gritty melodies, controlled feedback squeals, pulsating bass and a thundering drumbeat. the Tet Holiday balances bittersweet introspection with anthemic, crushing rock ‘n roll. Highly recommended!!! $8 Cover Charge…

If you live in and around Santa Cruz you might want to check out

Kuumbwa Jazz Center 320 Cedar St # 2, Santa Cruz 7:00 PM Showtimes.. Recognized as the world’s foremost exponent of solo jazz guitar playing, British-born Martin Taylor has enjoyed a musical career spanning over thirty years. A child prodigy who began to play at the age of four, Taylor’s self-taught style was inspired by gypsy guitar great Django Reinhardt, as well as pianists Art Tatum and Bill Evans. Despite his connection to the great Reinhardt, he has developed a solo guitar style that is uniquely his own through his melding of influences including Chet Atkins, Lenny Breau and Joe Pass. He is a great guitarist and a perrsonnel favorite. Highly recommended!!!!! $33.60 Cover Charge…

Friday January 18th

SF Jazz 201 Franklin St, San Francisco 7:30 Showtime.. One of the very best jazz ensembles The Branford Marsalis Quartet will be in performance this evening. The quartet includes Branford on saxophones Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Justin Faulkner on drums. Highly recommended!!!! $40/$60/$80/$95 Cover Charge..

Bird & Beckett 653 Chenery St, San Francisco 5:30 PM-8:00 PM Showtime.. The Scott Foster Quartet has been performing regularly for the last several years and compiled a large repertoire. Joining Scott will be Dave Scott (Trumpet), Surya Prashanka (Drums), and Aaron Germain (Bass) led by Scott (Guitar). Scott is a great jazz guitarist and this band really cooks. Highly recommended!!! $10 Cover Charge

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 9:30 PM-12:30 AM Showtime. Cosmo Alleycats is one of my favorite Bay Are jazz ensembles. The Alleycats are so good and so much fun and one of the better jazz bands in the Bay Area. Highly recommended. No Cover Charge..

Bottom Of The Hill 1233 17th St, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime. A really hard rockin’ fun show tonight with a group of melodic hardcore punk rockers from Chicago 88 Fingers Louie headlining.. Rounding out the show are hard hard rockers Decent Criminal and Sub Dio. Highly recommended!!!! $20 Cover Charge…

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:30 PM & 10:00 PM Showtimes.. . The J.C. Smith Band are true seasoned players with one goal in mind, keeping the Blues alive. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area J.C. is an outstanding performer noted for his energy and charisma. Prior to playing guitar, he was the drummer for the Back to Back Blues Band. In 2000, he emerged from behind his drums, armed with a Gibson 335. J. C. attacks the Blues as if he is being guided by the masters like title T-Bone Walker, title Albert King, and title Johnnie Guitar Watson. Joining J.C. are Gene Reynolds on trombone, Abraham Vasquez on sax, Tommy Maitland on trumpet, Todd Reid on keyboards, Robert “Jay” Green on bass and Donnie Green on drums. Highly recommended!!! $24 Cover Charge…

Slims 333 11th St, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtimes. Metalachi is the world’s first and only metal mariachi band and one of the great heavy metal bands in the known universe. This should be a great show. Highly recommended!!! $17 Cover Charge..

The Fillmore 1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco 8:00 PM Showtime.. The Infamous Stringdusters are one of the great bluegrass/Americana bands in the universe. High energy and great performers, The New York Times described the Dusters “as having a nod to the past and a firm foot down on the gas toward the future, not leaving bluegrass behind but stretching the gendre from within”. Americana/folk country band Midnight North opens the show.. Highly recommended!!!!! $25 Cover Charge..

The Independant 628 Divisadero St, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime. Sonny & The Sunsets are a beautiful West Coast thing. Birthed from the sand, the surf, and twilight campfires down in Ocean Beach, Sonny & the Sunsets’ busted beach-pop songs spark recollections of doo wop’s otherworldly despair, a dose of goofball humor from the Michael Hurley school, and positive possibilities exuded by Jonathan Richman. Lead by the singer/songwriter Sonny Smith, The Sunsets have featured a revolving door lineup that have included Shayde Sartin, Ryan Browne, Kelley Stoltz and Tahlia Harbour. Adopting a range of sounds Smith’s sardonic, laid-back style is interwoven throughout his compelling songwriting and vocals. Americana/country blues guitarist Dick Stusso and The Gonks round out a fun night of music..Highly recommended!!!! $18 Cover Charge…

Feinstein’s at the Nikko 222 Mason St, San Francisco 5:00 PM Showtime..Two of Broadway’s most endearing leading ladies Andrea McArdle and Donna McKechnie celebrate two of America’s most beloved musical theatre composers Stephen Sondheim and Marvin Hamlisch. Highly recommended!!! $55-$95 Cover Charge.

Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music 2367 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley 8:30 PM Showtime… The Americosmic, bluegrass, punk folk, country and Celtic music ensemble known as Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe is one of my favorite Bay Area bands led by the iconic baseball renaissance man himself Tim Flannery.. Singer/songwriter John Courage rounds out a great night of music.. Highly recommended!!!! $24 Cover Charge..

The Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison Street Berkeley 8:00 PM Showtime.. Mark Hummel’s Southern Blues Harp Blowout started on a Sunday night in 1991 at Ashkenaz in Berkeley. Over the next five years it grew to become a multi venue event around California and included bigger names like William Clarke, Norton Buffalo and Paul DeLay. Since then it’s become a who’s who of older and younger players, black, white, male and female, national and international.  Year after year Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout continues to play festivals nationally and internationally as well as sold out venues coast to coast. The harpfest features Mark Hummel, Bobby Rush, Kenny Neal, James Harman, Johnny Sansone and the Golden State Lone Star featuring Ansen Funderburg. Highly recommended!!!!! $34 Cover Charge…

Yoshis 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM Showtimes.. Talib Kweli is the Brooklyn-based MC who has earned his stripes as one of the most lyrically-gifted, socially aware and politically insightful rappers to emerge in the last 20 years. Kweli stands as one of the world’s most talented and most accomplished Hip Hop artists. Whether working with Mos Def as one-half of Black Star, partnering with producer Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal, releasing landmark solo material or collaborating with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Just Blaze, J Dilla, or Madlib, Talib commands attention by delivering top-tier lyricism, crafting captivating stories and showing the ability to rhyme over virtually any type of instrumental. Highly recommended!!!! $44-$99 Cover Charge..

Bing Studio/Stanford 327 Lasuen St, Stanford 7:00 & 9:00 PM Showtimes.. Over the last decade jazz pianist Fred Hersch and his trio has been one of the most influential and innovative creative forces who has shaped jazz as an improviser, composer, educator, bandleader, collaborator, and recording artist. He is a great musician and I highly recommend seeing Fred. Highly recommended!!!!! $75 Cover Charge…

Bing Concert Hall/ Stanford 327 Lasuen St, Stanford 7:30 PM Showtime.. To some people, Bobby McFerrin will always be the guy who sang “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” epitomizing joy in music-making, creativity, and spontaneity. Performing with Bobby are the ensemble Gimme5. Highly recommended!!!!! $35-$115 Cover Charge..

Saturday January 19th

The Fillmore 1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime.. Since its inception in 1995, innovation and creativity have defined Ozomatli. Hailing from Los Angeles, the group found a way to represent the city’s eclectic culture through music that appeals to the local community and the world beyond. Ozomatli’s success is exemplified in an impressive variety of genres from classic to modern Latino, urban, hip-hop and other world styles. The “Dioses del Baile,” or “Gods of Dance,” have created one of the most exciting, captivating and flat-out fun live shows touring today. They continue to harness their musical instincts by conceiving new concepts and forging new sounds that keep fans on their toes and the world dancing. They put on a great performance…. Opening the show is Bang Data, the beloved SF Bay Area based band led by singer/emcee Deuce Eclipse. This is one show not to be missed. $26.50 Cover Charge

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 10:00 PM-1:00 AM Showtime.. Barrio Manouche is a great Bay Area ensemble performing a repertoire of original instrumental compositions with a unique sound that it’s difficult to classify but instantly recognizable deeply influenced by a range of musical traditions, from the swing of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet, to the hot jazz of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, the gypsy soul of eastern europe, the flamenco of Paco de Lucía to the avant-garde sounds of Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane…Highly recommended!!!!! No Cover Charge

SF Jazz 201 Franklin St, San Francisco 7:30 Showtime.. One of the very best jazz ensembles The Branford Marsalis Quartet will be in performance this evening. The quartet includes Branford on saxophones Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Justin Faulkner on drums. Highly recommended!!!! $40/$60/$80/$95 Cover Charge..

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM Showtimes. Tony Lindsay & The Soul Soldiers is a powerhouse soul band also features Allen Leong on keyboards, David Shul on guitar David Jones on bass and Deszon Claiborne on drums. Highly recommended!! $24 Cover Charge.

Feinstein’s at the Nikko 222 Mason St, San Francisco 5:00 PM Showtime..Two of Broadway’s most endearing leading ladies Andrea McArdle and Donna McKechnie celebrate two of America’s most beloved musical theatre composers Stephen Sondheim and Marvin Hamlisch. Highly recommended!!! $55-$95 Cover Charge.

Bird & Beckett 653 Chenery St, San Francisco 7:30 PM-10:00 PM Showtime.. The great Scott Amendola will be performing with is trio Karl Evangelista on guitar and Jason Hoopes on bass. Highly recommended!!!! $20 Cover Charge…

Revolution Cafe 3248 22nd St, San Francisco 5:00 PM-8:00 PM Showtime.. Westside Jazz Club, lead by the wonderful tenor saxophonist Scott Silverberg, is a collective of innovative jazz musicians performing jazz standards, challenging modern compositions and freshly-updated classics. I have seen this ensemble a number of time and they never dissapoint.. Highly recommended!!! N/C

Ashkenaz 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley 8:00 PM-Midnight Showtime.. The Zydeco Flames have gained a reputation as the West Coast’s premiere Zydeco band. The Flames consistently pack the house in venues ranging from contemporary clubs to major festivals and traditional dancehalls. Their sizzling roots rhythms are timeless and the execution of them relentless, with a stunningly powerful groove. The Flames’ sixth CD release “Fire It Up”, provides fans with hot Zydeco in the tradition of masters like Clifton Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco and Queen Ida. Highly recopmmended!!!! $18 Cover Charge…

The UC Theatre 2036 University Ave, Berkeley 8:00 PM Showtime.. The Revolution is the band behind the music icon, Prince. Merging funk, rock n’ roll, rhythm and blues, pop and psychedelia genres, the band is considered to be one of the most successful music acts of all time. Highly Recommended!!!!!$26-$52 Cover Charge..

The Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison Street Berkeley 8:00 PM Showtime.. Mark Hummel’s Southern Blues Harp Blowout started on a Sunday night in 1991 at Ashkenaz in Berkeley. Over the next five years it grew to become a multi venue event around California and included bigger names like William Clarke, Norton Buffalo and Paul DeLay. Since then it’s become a who’s who of older and younger players, black, white, male and female, national and international.  Year after year Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout continues to play festivals nationally and internationally as well as sold out venues coast to coast. The harpfest features Mark Hummel, Bobby Rush, Kenny Neal, James Harman, Johnny Sansone and the Golden State Lone Star featuring Ansen Funderburg. Highly recommended!!!!! $34 Cover Charge…

Yoshis 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM Showtimes..The legendary South African r&b jazz fusion singer-songwriter and guitarist Jonathan Butler will be making a rare Bay Area appearance. He is an amazing musician and performer. Highly recommended!!!! $34-$74 Cover Charge…

Bing Concert Hall/Stanford 327 Lasuen St, Stanford 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM Showtimes… New Breed Brass Band lives and breathes the culture of New Orleans, infusing funk, rock, jazz, and hip-hop into a custom-made enhancement of second-line brass band tradition. They have showcased their originality opening for such diverse bands as The Fray, Red Baraat, Dr. John, The Waterboys, and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Come ready for a funky, swingin’ time in the Bing Studio cabaret. Highly recommended!!!!! $20 Cover Charge…

Mystic Theatre & Music Hall 23 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma 8:30 PM Showtime..The Americosmic, blue grass, punk folk, country and celtic music endsemble known as Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe is one of my favorite Bay Area bands led by the iconic baseball renaissance man himself Tim Flannery.. Singer/songwriter John Courage rounds out a great night of music.. Highly recommended!!!! $23 Cover Charge…

Sunday January 20th

The Fillmore 1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco 8:00 PM Showtime.. The Revolution is the band behind the music icon, Prince. Merging funk, rock n’ roll, rhythm and blues, pop and psychedelia genres, the band is considered to be one of the most successful music acts of all time. Highly Recommended!!!!!$22.50 Cover Charge..

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM Showtimes.. A powerhouse from the Lone Star State, the Ally Venable Band has ignited excitement in the modern blues scene. Lead vocalists and guitarist, Ally Venable, started singing at an early age in church and then in recent years picked up the guitar and found her passion establishing herself as a Texas Blues Guitar Slinger. Ally’s songwriting and onstage performance, proves that she packs a punch. Highly recommended!!!!! $20 Cover Charge…

SF Jazz 201 Franklin St, San Francisco 7:30 Showtime.. One of the very best jazz ensembles The Branford Marsalis Quartet will be in performance this evening. The quartet includes Branford on saxophones Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Justin Faulkner on drums. Highly recommended!!!! $35/$50/$70/$85 Cover Charge..

Royal Cuckoo 3202 Mission St, San Francisco 7:30 PM Showtime.. Lavay Smith sings at the hippest bar in San Francisco, accompanied by Chris Siebert on the Hammond organ. You’ll love the vibe, the cocktails, and the world-class collection of vintage vinyl spinning for your listening pleasure. Highly recommended!!! N/C

Amnesia Bar 853 Valencia St, San Francisco 6:00 PM-8:00 PM Showtime.. The Hot Baked Goods are a band of young jazz musicians playing hot tunes of the 30’s. Most of the band members started as swing dancers, and became so infatuated with the music that they decided to make some themselves. I saw them at the Amnesia and this band really swings. N/C

The Lucky Horseshoe Bar 453 Cortland Ave, San Francisco 4:00 PM-7:00 PM Showtime.. Bernal Hillbillies.. A great three hours of bluegrass music at a really great venue reminiscent of the jams at the Old Paul Saloon many years ago. N/C

Yoshis 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM Showtimes..The legendary South African r&b jazz fusion singer-songwriter and guitarist Jonathan Butler will be making a rare Bay Area appearance. He is an amzing musican and performer. Highly recommended!!!! $34-$74 Cover Charge…

Video Pick of The Week..

Mike Judge Presents: Tales From The Tour Bus Season 2 returns for an all-new season chronicling the exploits of legendary music artists that focuses for the first time on funk-music greats including James Brown, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Rick James and others. Mike Judge serves as the series’ narrator, recounting, in his classic comically wry style, the raucous adventures of notorious musical talents, as told by those who knew them best. Hilarious and offbeat, the series features animated interviews with former bandmates, friends and other erstwhile associates, each of whom share uncensored anecdotes brought to life by animated reenactments, and woven together with live-action archival performance footage and behind-the-scenes photos. A love letter to musicians and all their wild, crazy and sometimes downright bizarre antics, Tales from the Tour Bus serves as an entertaining and enlightening look into a lesser-known side of music history, for music buffs and casual fans alike.