Hard Bop Quintet

The Hard Bop Quintet channels the fiery energy of early 1960s New York jazz, fusing hard bop with boogaloo, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and bebop. Led by trombonist Scott Larson and trumpeter Jay Sanders — longtime friends who co-founded the group — the quintet has been a fixture on the Bay Area scene for over a decade, bringing classics and original compositions to life with a sound that evokes the era of Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, and Kenny Dorham.

Expect a night of head-nodding grooves and bluesy swing. The quintet's repertoire includes Larson's original compositions alongside fresh interpretations of hard bop standards, all delivered with the propulsive rhythms and tight horn interplay that define the genre. The group's longtime lineup — featuring pianist Keith Saunders, bassist Eric Markowitz, and drummers Evan Hughes and Smith Dobson — creates a locked-in rhythm section that drives the music forward with bebop precision and blues-soaked soul.

Hard bop emerged in the mid-1950s as a progression from bebop's frenetic tempos, embracing blues, gospel, and Latin influences. The Hard Bop Quintet honors that tradition while keeping it contemporary, seamlessly blending Afro-Cuban percussion, boogaloo grooves, and down-home blues into their sound. It's music built for movement — swinging, syncopated, and designed to get your head bobbing and feet tapping.