Keystone Korner's 45th Anniversary
To Be Marked July 7-8
By 3 Bay Area Shows
Hosted by Former Keystone Proprietor
Todd Barkan
To Be Marked July 7-8
By 3 Bay Area Shows
Hosted by Former Keystone Proprietor
Todd Barkan
Charles McPherson, Gary Bartz, Azar Lawrence
Among Those in the All-Star Lineup
Set for Performances in
Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, & San Francisco
Among Those in the All-Star Lineup
Set for Performances in
Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, & San Francisco
May 26, 2017
The great pianist/composer Mary Lou Williams referred to Keystone Korner as "the Birdland of the Seventies." Art Blakey, Miles Davis, and Stan Getz all agreed that Keystone Korner was "the best jazz club in the world." Producer and former Keystone proprietor Todd Barkan feels strongly that "the club most definitely had a transformational effect on the jazz scene of its day. The consistent inspiration and intensity of the classic live recordings made there continue to provide a living legacy we can all be proud of."
On Friday and Saturday, July 7 and 8, Barkan
will host an all-star Bay Area Celebration of the 45th Anniversary of
the iconic North Beach jazz club Keystone Korner in Santa Cruz (Kuumbwa Jazz Center), Half Moon Bay (Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society), and San Francisco (Pier 23 Café).
Charles McPherson, Gary Bartz (pictured left),
Azar Lawrence, Benito Gonzalez, Mel Martin, Denny Zeitlin, Ray
Drummond, Kenneth Nash, Juini Booth, Calvin Keys, singer Kenny
Washington, Akira Tana, and Atsuko Hashimoto are among the artists who
will be featured during the three performances.
Photographers Brian McMillen, Tom Copi, and Kathy Sloane are preparing a special Keystone Korner slide show to be enjoyed at all three venues.
"Keystone Korner was a place that I really liked to play, especially
because it was a real jazz club operated by a clubowner who actually
loved the music," remembers the legendary saxophonist Charles McPherson (right).
"It makes all the difference in the world in terms of setting the
proper tone, vibe, and intimate and relaxed relationship between the
musicians and the audience." McPherson worked regularly at the Keystone
during its storied eleven-year run (1972-1983) and headlined its final week from July 6-11, 1983, along with the George Cables Trio.
"It's all about remarkable crossings," reflects bassist Ray Drummond, who played an integral role in opening the new North Beach jazz club on July 7-8,
1972, as an anchor of the Michael White Quartet with Ed Kelly and
Kenneth Nash. "I met Susan, my wife of over 44 years, there. Keystone
Korner was -- much like Bradley's back in New York City -- an absolutely
indispensable part of the true jazz community. All kinds of musicians
from all over the world looked forward to playing there. A very magical
time and place, a big part of my life in this music."
As a 25-year-old piano player, Todd Barkan (left)
tried in late June 1972 to get a gig at the original Keystone Korner
for the Latin jazz band he was working with at the time, Kwane & The
Kwan-ditos. Then-clubowner Freddy Herrera told him that "I really don't
think your group will work for this room, but I am trying to sell this
little joint and buy a much bigger rock venue in Berkeley. Why don't you
buy this place so you can hire your own band?"
Barkan recalls that "I only had a little over $8,000 to my
name at that time, but, to make a long story much shorter, I wound up
buying the club for $5,000 down plus $400 a month until the total of
$12,500 plus interest was paid off. It cost another $750 to transfer the
beer license to my name. Two major benefit concerts at the Oakland
Paramount Theater later -- first with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, McCoy Tyner,
Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, and Elvin Jones, then with the
bands of George Benson and Grover Washington, Jr. -- and we managed to
buy a hard liquor license and a little full-service kitchen with which
we could well serve all ages of jazz lovers."
From its humble origins as a rock 'n' blues bar serving keg beer next to a police station, Keystone Korner
became a home away from home for a full spectrum of creative jazz
players ranging from Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Dexter Gordon, Johnny
Griffin, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Randy Weston, Miles Davis, Max
Roach, Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones, George Benson, Art Blakey, Sonny
Stitt, Jack DeJohnette, McCoy Tyner, Azar Lawrence, Illinois Jacquet,
Betty Carter, Stan Getz, Horace Silver, Pat Martino, Jimmy Smith, Eddie
Harris, Joe Henderson, Mongo Santamaria, Les McCann, Grover Washington
Jr., Milt Jackson, Ray Brown, Phil Woods, George Coleman, Billy Higgins,
Esther Phillips, Tete Montoliu, Flora Purim & Airto, and Toots
Thielemans, to Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Gary Bartz & NTU Troop, Tony
Williams Lifetime, John Abercrombie, Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil Taylor,
Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Henry Threadgill, Arthur Blythe, Sun Ra,
and The Art Ensemble of Chicago.
"The fact that I was able to share so many bright moments
with the Bay Area's jazz community is one of the most wonderful
blessings of my life in this music," Barkan continues. "I could not any
more deeply appreciate the generous opportunity that Tim Jackson, Barbara Douglas Richling, and Flicka McGurrin
and all the participating artists are providing for me to try and share
a bit more with one of the best audiences that ever graced our music."
Friday, July 7, 7:00 pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center
320 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz
Tickets: $30/35
Saturday, July 8, 2:00 pm, Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society
311 Mirada Drive, Half Moon Bay
Advance: Adults $45/35, Students $25 (25 & under with ID)
Door: Adults $50, Students $30
Door: Adults $50, Students $30
On the Embarcadero at the foot of Greenwich, San Francisco
No advance tickets / $10 cover charge
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| Keystone Korner Slide Show with "Rhythm-a-ning" performed at Keystone (1976) by Dexter Gordon, Max Roach, Bobby Hutcherson, & George Cables. |
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