Howard Wiley

Tenor saxophonist and SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director Howard Wiley brings his fiery, muscular tone and trademark musical mashups to Keys Jazz Bistro for an intimate celebration of soul-jazz, funk, gospel, and R&B with distinctly West Coast flavor. The evening blends Wiley's hard-driving originals with a funkified selection of classics.

Wiley has sustained a nearly 30-year career as a standout on the Bay Area music scene since he was a teenager in the mid-1990s. Known for his deep reverence for both jazz history and the Black church tradition that shaped his musical foundation, he's taken on the mantle of mentor, sage, and prophet of jazz as a populist art form. As critics note, Wiley believes jazz "thrives best when its shared roots with blues, funk, R&B, soul, hip-hop, and gospel live close to the surface."

Wiley's performances are renowned for their dynamic energy and genre-blending creativity. His recent SFJAZZ show featured what one reviewer described as "trademark mashups" — seamless meldings of Duke Ellington, Jefferson Airplane, and Oakland hip-hop that had the dance floor packed by the end of the night. His ability to weave together disparate musical threads into cohesive, groove-heavy experiences has made him a sought-after collaborator with artists from Miss Lauryn Hill to Christian McBride.

The intimate setting of Keys Jazz Bistro creates the perfect environment to experience Wiley's full range — from his "often profane patter between tunes" to his serious commitment to the music and culture that emerges from the Black American tradition. Expect an evening where soul meets sophistication, where reverent tradition meets irreverent innovation, and where West Coast jazz gets the funky, gospel-infused treatment it deserves.