Friday February 22nd

August Hall 1706, 420 Mason St, San Francisco 8:30 PM Showtime.. Time to get your brass off!! The Soul Rebels are is town.. This eight piece brass ensemble was recently described as the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong. The Rebels are one of the great bands out of New Orleans. Their special guest is the “Queen of Bounce” New Orleans based rapper and bounce music ambassador Big Freedia. This show will rock. Highly recommended!!!! $35 Cover Charge..

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM Showtimes.. The Dave Keller Band has earned the respect as one of the new torchbearers of blues and soul music, and one of the finest bands of this generation. Band members include Dave Keller on vocals and guitar, Gary Lotspeich on bass, Brett Hoffman on drums and Ira Friedman on Hammond organ. This band is the real deal and should be checked out. Highly recommended!!!! $20 Cover Charge..

SF Jazz 201 Franklin St, San Francisco 7:30 PM Showtime. Jazz diva Dianne Reeves and her masterful band including Brazilian guitar genius Romero Lubambo and special guest Ivan Lins present the world premiere of her new project devoted to the music of Brazil. Highly recommended!!!! $40/$60/$80/$95 Cover Charge..

The Chapel 777 Valencia St, San Francisco.. 9:00 PM Showtime.. La Dame Blanche music is an explosive mix of hip hop, cumbia dancehall and reggae. The Cuban singer, flautist and percussionist Yaite Ramos Rodriguez, aka La Dame Blanche delivers a powerful and compelling sound which summons the spirits. She is a great performer.. Highly recommended!!!!! $20 Cover Charge..

The Fillmore 1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco 8:30 PM Showtime.. ALO is more than a band. It’s a musical relationship that has endured for over two decades, with band members Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz on guitar & vocals, Steve Adams on bass & vocals, Zach Gill on keyboards, ukele and vocals and Dave Brogan on drums and vocals playing in numerous projects together and apart. ALO is not a band that dwells in the past. They are always moving forward. Always striving to discover new ideas and always looking to go on new adventures. Bluegrass mavericks Horseshoes & Hand Grenades rounds out the bill. This should be a really good show.. Highly recommended…. $25 Cover Charge..

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 6:00 PM-9:00 PM Showtime.. Nashville Honeymoon is another Bay Area band I really love. Their music is a modern reworking of the classic country sounds of the 50s and 60s. Their songwriting draws on country, rockabilly, and honky-tonk traditions. Highly recommended!!! N/C

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 10:00 PM-1:00 AM Showtime.. Portland based Tumbledown House, a self described modern speakeasy, saloon jazz, parlor pop and Tom Waits in a cocktail dress ensemble. I really like what I have seen on youtube and look forward to seeing them this evening. Highly recommended!! N/C

Mr.Tipples 39 Fell St, San Francisco 9:00 PM-11:30 PM Showtime.. Robert Dehlinger & The Alpha Rhythm Kings influences range from vintage lounge music, 1940s R&B, swing, and boogie-woogie. This is a swinging fun band led by Robert’s vocals and superb trumpet playing. Highly recommended!!! N/C

Bottom Of The Hill 1233 17th St, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime. A fun night of rock and roll with three really good local bands. Headlining tonight is a gritty rock and roll quartet Down and Outlaws. Trash rock and roll in your face Alvie & The Breakfast Pigs and the Black Sabbath influenced trio Sweetwater Black round out a great night of music. Highly recommended!!!! $12 Cover Charge.

1015 Folsom Nite Club 1015 Folsom St, San Francisco 10:00 PM-3:00 AM Showtime. Hip-hop inspired bassist & music producer Hayden Jerome Kramer, better known by his stage name Herobust is on tour promoting his new single “WT” off his latest EP. Highly recommended!!! $20 Cover Charge…

Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison St, Berkeley 8:00 PM Showtime.. Lunasa is one of the great traditional Irish groups in this known universe. Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lunasa is indeed a gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland. Its members have helped form the backbone of some of the greatest Irish groups of the decade including bassist Trevor Hutchinson guitarist Donogh Hennessy, Ed Boyd on flook, fiddler Sean Smyth, Kevin Crawford on flute and piper Cillian Vallely. They are great performers. Highly recommended!!!! $30 Cover Charge..

Point Richmond Jazz 201 Martina Street, Point Richmond 7:30 PM Showtime.. Le Hot Jazz. The spirit of Django is alive and well in San Francisco. This is a great ensemble. Highly recommended!!!! $18 Cover Charge…

The UC Theatre 2036 University Ave, Berkeley 9:00 PM Showtime.. One of the great American funk, afrobeat and jazz ensembles on the planet The Motet puts on one hell of an energetic live show. Led by the great drummer Dave Watts, The Motet fuses fiery funk, simmering soul, and improvisational inventiveness. Joining Watts on drums are guitarist Ryan Jalbert, bassist Garrett Sayers, keyboardist Joey Porter, trumpeter Parris Fleming, vocalist Lyle Divinsky, and saxophonist Drew Sayers. John Medeski’s Mad Skillet was born of a late night show in New Orleans. Thjs quartet lays down a deep New Orleans groove steeped in jazz, blues, psychedelic rock, and R&B. Band members include keyboardist John Medeski of Medeski Martin & Wood, Grammy nominated guitarist/bandleader Will Bernard of Medicine Hat and New Orleans natives sousaphone player Kirk Joseph and drummer Terrence Higgins both of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. This will be a great show.. Highly recommended!!!!! $30 Cover Charge..

If you live in and around the North Bay you may want to check out

Blue Note 1030 Main Street, Napa 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM Showtimes. Combining his roots in Blues and Jazz with a crossover pop rock sensibility “Mr. Room 335” Larry Carlton‘s unmistakeable sound is marked by his signature warm tone, bright melodies and soulful guitar solos. Four time Grammy® winner and legendary guitar great Carlton is one of the most influential, prolific and original guitarists in the industry. Utterly unique, he has set a standard for artistry that spans three decades and two centuries.Highly recommended!!!!! $55-$75 Cover Charge..

Saturday February 23rd

The Fillmore 1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco 3:00 PM Showtime.. ALO‘s Family Funtime Fillmore Sing A Long combines story telling, interactive puppets, surprise guests, classic sing alongs and ALO’s original music to create a fun and creative event for the whole family. Dancing, singing and laughing are all encouraged! This is a great annual tradition… $13.50 Showtime..

The Fillmore 1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco 8:30 PM Showtime.. ALO is more than a band. It’s a musical relationship that has endured for over two decades, with band members Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz on guitar & vocals, Steve Adams on bass & vocals, Zach Gill on keyboards, ukele and vocals and Dave Brogan on drums and vocals playing in numerous projects together and apart. ALO is not a band that dwells in the past. They are always moving forward. Always striving to discover new ideas and always looking to go on new adventures. San Francisco’s favorite four piece jam band Tea Leaf Green rounds out a great night of music. Highly recommended!!!! $25 Cover Charge..

Club Deluxe 1511 Haight St, San Francisco 6:00 PM-9:00 PM Showtime… Mitch Polzak is a master guitarist and he and The Royal Deuces has been one of the premier Rockabilly bands since staring in 1999. I am a huge fan. Highly recommended!! N/C

Biscuits and Blues 401 Mason St, San Francisco 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM Showtimes.. Earl Thomas is a sensational blues, jazz, and gospel singer and his live performances have become legendary. I got to see Earl once and his voice literally shook the rafters. Highly recommended!!! $24 Cover Charge..

SF Jazz 201 Franklin St, San Francisco 7:30 PM Showtime. Jazz diva Dianne Reeves and her masterful band including Brazilian guitar genius Romero Lubambo and special guest Ivan Lins present the world premiere of her new project devoted to the music of Brazil. Highly recommended!!!! $45/$65/$85/$105 Cover Charge..

Bottom Of The Hill 1233 17th St, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime. A fun night of music with three really good local bands. Headlining tonight and celebrating their 20 year reunion is psychedelic rockers JoJo-American Girl. Garage pop rockers Capsule and bubble-gummy power pop rockers Red Planet round out a fun night of music.. Highly recommended!!!! $10 Cover Charge…

Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell Street, San Francisco 9:00 PM Showtime… Tonights show features two band that are successfully pushing the envelope. The duo known as RKCB‘s music is a blend of electronic and alternative r&b and indie pop. Electronic-based pop/r&b performer Shoffy masterfully fuses guitar and vocals into a unique sound. Highly recommended!!!! $17 Cover Charge..

Revolution Cafe 3248 22nd St, San Francisco 5:00 PM-8:30 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

The Back Room 1984 Bonita Ave, Berkeley 8:00 PM Showtime….. Wendy Burch Steel & Redwood play a unique cross-section of genres incorporating all the good and sweet aspects of folk, old-time, country, bluegrass and blues. Wendy’s voice is a joy to listen to. I highly recommend checking this group out. Highly recommended!!! $15 Cover Charge

The Fox Theatre 1807 Telegraph Ave, Oakland 8:00 PM Showtime.. Neal Schon founding member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted band Journey, is proud to present ‘Neal Schon’s Journey Through Time’ along with two time Rock and Roll hall of fame inductee and former Journey and Santana band-mate Greg Rollie along with Deen Castronovo, Marti Frederiksen, Marco Mendoza & Chris Collins. Highly recommended!!!! $45-$65 Cover Charge.

If you live in and around the North Bay you may want to check out

Green Music Center 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park 7:30 Showtime.. Since 1962, The Chieftains have been lauded for their contemporary take on traditional Irish music. With six Grammy® Awards, their ability to transcend musical genres has made them one of the most revered Irish bands. Never afraid to shock purists and push boundaries, their music remains as fresh and relevant as when they first began. Highly recommended!!!!! $35-$85 Cover Charge..

Blue Note 1030 Main Street, Napa 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM Showtimes. Combining his roots in Blues and Jazz with a crossover pop rock sensibility “Mr. Room 335” Larry Carlton‘s unmistakeable sound is marked by his signature warm tone, bright melodies and soulful guitar solos. Four time Grammy winner and legendary guitar great Carlton is one of the most influential, prolific and original guitarists in the industry. Utterly unique, he has set a standard for artistry that spans three decades and two centuries.Highly recommended!!!!! $55-$75 Cover Charge..

Sunday February 24th

Swedish American Hall 2174 Market St, San Francisco 7:00 PM Showtime.. Drew & Ellie Holcomb are a husband and wife Americana duo from Nashville, TN. Shortly after their marriage in 2006, the couple began touring together with Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors. The band has supported many national touring acts including Ryan Adams, The Avett Brothers, Don Henley, and Willie Nelson. This should be a special night and I am really looking forward to this show.. Highly recommended!!!!! $28-$103 Cover Charge..

Feinstein’s At The Nikko 222 Mason St, San Francisco 7:00 PM Showtime.. Nellie McKay is one of my very favorite singer song writer performers. I love Nellie because she is so eclectic. Her music is not only relevant to pop/rock, but to cabaret, traditional pop, and vocal jazz. Her influences range from Tin Pan Alley, Kurt Weill, Cole Porter, Annie Ross, Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday to Randy Newman, The Beatles and hip-hop as well. She is great lyricist with songs that are cynical and sarcastic as well as dark-humored. But like Randy Newman and Cole Porter, Nellie knows how to laugh at the world even when she’s complaining about how screwed up it is — and she can be incredibly clever and witty. I am a big fan.. Highly recommended!!!! $25-$50 Cover Charge

SF Jazz 201 Franklin St, San Francisco 3:00 PM Showtime. Jazz diva Dianne Reeves and her masterful band including Brazilian guitar genius Romero Lubambo and special guest Ivan Lins present the World Premiere of her new project devoted to the music of Brazil. Highly recommended!!!! $40/$60/$80 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

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. Highly recommended!!!! N/C

Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society 311 Mirada Rd, Half Moon Bay 4:30 PM Showtime..The revolutionary ensemble Terrence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective thrives off the perfect mixture of Blanchard’s genius and the innovations of the four young musical pioneers in the quintet. It was while recording scores for Spike Lee films that Blanchard first dreamt of a band that layered grooves teeming with funk, R&B, and blues colors. The E-Collective includes Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Charles Altura on guitar, Fabian Almazan on piano, David Ginyard, Jr. on bass and Oscar Seaton on drums. Highly recommended!!!!! $35-$45 Cover Charge..

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

Kuumbwa Jazz 320 Cedar St # 2, Santa Cruz 7:30 PM Showtime. Lunasa is one of the great traditional Irish groups in this known universe. Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lunasa is indeed a gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland. Its members have helped form the backbone of some of the greatest Irish groups of the decade including bassist Trevor Hutchinson guitarist Donogh Hennessy, Ed Boyd on flook, fiddler Sean Smyth, Kevin Crawford on flute and piper Cillian Vallely. They are great performers. Highly recommended!!!! $15- $30 Cover Charge..

Video Pick Of The Week

Mardi Gras is coming up next week so I wanted to recommend The Order of Myths. The first Mardi Gras in America was celebrated in Mobile, Alabama in 1703. In 2007, it is still racially segregated. Filmmaker Margaret Brown, herself a daughter of Mobile, escorts us into the parallel hearts of the city s two carnivals. With unprecedented access, she traces the exotic world of secret mystic societies and centuries-old traditions and pageantry; diamond-encrusted crowns, voluminous, hand-sewn gowns, surreal masks and enormous paper mache floats. Against this opulent backdrop, she uncovers a tangled web of historical violence and power dynamics, elusive forces that keep this hallowed tradition organized along enduring color lines.