The San Francisco Jazz Quintet
The San Francisco Jazz Quintet delivers hard bop traditions in Bird & Beckett's intimate bookshop setting. Drawing from the classic Blue Note and Prestige era repertoire, the quintet performs compositions by hard bop masters Sonny Clark, Lee Morgan, Tadd Dameron, Kenny Dorham, and Clifford Brown alongside Great American Songbook standards.
Trumpeter Joel Behrman leads the group with his crisp, bluesy tone that conveys both technical precision and emotional depth. Raised in the St. Louis jazz tradition and trained at the University of Miami, Behrman has performed with jazz luminaries like Jimmy Cobb, Chris Potter, and Helen Sung, as well as R&B stars including Sheila E. and K.C. and the Sunshine Band. His 2012 debut album Steppin' Back was praised by The Jazz Page for its "tight song arrangements" and the "synchronicity" between Behrman and his rhythm section.
Tenor saxophonist Tod Dickow brings over four decades of contemporary jazz experience, with influences spanning from John Coltrane to Michael Brecker. His resume includes performances with Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra Jr., plus recordings with Charged Particles and the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra.
The rhythm section features pianist Matt Clark, a key player in the Bay Area scene who studied at Oberlin and has performed with Bobby Hutcherson, Joshua Redman, and Benny Golson; bassist Jeff Saxton, who blends jazz with blues and Americana influences; and drummer Greg Gotelli, who leads the San Francisco Sextet specializing in Blue Note-era hard bop.
Expect a "dynamic, horn-driven sound" that captures the excitement of the hard bop genre's golden era. The quintet's performance is part of Bird & Beckett's long-running Friday night jazz series, supported by Jazz in the Neighborhood, a nonprofit focused on providing fair wages for Bay Area jazz musicians. The intimate bookshop setting, with its live streaming capability and browsable vinyl collection, creates a unique atmosphere where literature and jazz converge in San Francisco's Glen Park neighborhood.
