Kamrin Ortiz & His Knock Outs

Tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Kamrin Ortiz brings his hard-swinging approach to jump blues and rhythm & blues with His Knock Outs, delivering original compositions and arrangements that channel the energy of 1940s and '50s jazz and R&B. Known for his loud, commanding sound inspired by Coleman Hawkins and tough-toned Texas saxophonists like Herschel Evans and Illinois Jacquet, Ortiz leads this six-piece powerhouse through music that captures the drive and grit of the postwar era.

The Knock Outs lineup typically features trumpet, baritone sax, piano, bass, and drums alongside Ortiz's vocals and tenor saxophone, creating a full-bodied sound that honors the classic jump blues tradition while showcasing original material. This is swing with attitude — the kind of hard-driving rhythm & blues that filled dance halls and kept audiences moving in the golden age of American jazz.

Ortiz has become a regular fixture at Local Edition, performing his brand of vintage-inspired originals in the atmospheric former newsroom of the San Francisco Examiner. The band's repertoire draws from the deep well of American roots music, filtered through Ortiz's contemporary sensibility and the collective energy of seasoned Bay Area musicians who understand how to make classic styles feel immediate and alive.