Rogers/Harwood/Guerin/Simas Jazz Collective

The Rogers/Harwood/Guerin/Simas Jazz Collective brings together four contemporary jazz composers and instrumentalists with deep roots in both the Bay Area and Northeast Ohio, weaving together elements of traditional, modern, and avant-garde jazz with influences from popular, experimental, and singer-songwriter music.

Saxophonist George Rogers leads this quartet, fresh from winning the 2025 Vandoren Emerging Artist Award in Jazz. Rogers has performed alongside Wynton Marsalis and members of the SFJAZZ Collective at venues including Dizzy's Club and SFJAZZ. Joining him are pianist Isaiah Harwood, bassist Graeham Guerin, and drummer Max Simas—three of whom grew up playing together in Berkeley, where they debuted to a sold-out audience in January 2024.

Their sound synthesizes traditional jazz foundations with experimental elements, creating music that draws from multiple genres while maintaining a distinctly contemporary jazz identity. The collective has already performed at notable Bay Area venues including the Back Room, Libretto, and the Stowaway, building a reputation for dynamic performances that range from intimate house concerts to packed clubs.

Adding a special dimension to this already compelling quartet, vocalist Lorin Benedict is expected to join the group for several numbers. Benedict's "scat from Mars" style of vocal improvisation promises to elevate an evening already primed for musical exploration. Rogers and Benedict recently performed together at the West Oakland Sound Series, where their musical chemistry was captured in recordings that showcase their adventurous collaborative spirit.

Bird & Beckett's intimate Glen Park setting provides the perfect backdrop for this blend of compositional sophistication and improvisational freedom. The collective's music represents a new generation of Bay Area jazz—one that honors tradition while pushing boundaries, creating an evening where anything might happen within the framework of expertly crafted songs.