January 19th, Sunday Afternoon
Internationally Acclaimed Jazz/Multilingual Vocalist- Jackie Ryan, with Larry Vuckovich & Jeff Chambers @ Wunderman House in Mountain View
Jackie Ryan’s first appearance at the Wunderman House in March of 2019 was sold out. She is called by Jazz Times "One of the outstanding vocalists of her generation, and possibly of all time." This is her return performance to the Wunderman House in Mountain View. As always, she will be singing her amazingly diverse program of swinging standards, Latin/Brazilian classics including beautiful boleros, sambas plus blues, soulful selections, and her beautiful romantic ballads. This trio combination with pianist Larry Vuckovich and bassist Jeff Chambers, showcases close musical chemistry. They have been performing since the 90s and have developed a powerful presentation. Don't miss this special program in this unique, former speakeasy, which now is a comfortable residential home with an excellent acoustical concert venue. Refreshments including various wines and cheeses are available.
Venue: Wunderman House 655 Eunice Avenue Mountain View, CA 94040
Admission: $25 donation suggested
Time: 3PM-5PM
Tickets/Information: Ilona Obrien- konailona@gmail.com
Featuring: Jackie Ryan, vocals / Larry Vuckovich, piano / Jeff Chambers, bass
February 8th, Saturday
First Annual BDDS Fundraiser (Douglas Beach House) with Larry Vuckovich All-Stars: Blockbuster Lineup of Bay Area/International Greats: Jamie Davis, Jackie Ryan, Noel Jewkes, Rob Roth, Kai Lyons, Jeff Chambers, Doug Miller, Akira Tana, Jason Lewis and Larry Vuckovich & Douglas Beach house, Half Moon Bay
An exciting evening honoring the founder, Pete Douglas, one of the all-time finest jazz presenters. The evening starts off with appetizers, wine tasting of award-winning wines, three-course dinner, followed by dessert.
Pete Douglas created this amazing venue over 50 years ago, featuring some of the greatest names in jazz including Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Carmen McRae, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, Count Basie orchestra, and many others. This evening's fundraiser will open with a concert. The first set will be a concert, and after intermission some tables will be cleared for dancing. I'm happy to say that Pete and I had a close musical relationship going back to 1970. Whenever I came up with a creative idea, Pete being musically respectful and knowledgeable, always accepted it and those performances were very successful. At the Bach bandstand wall, Pete is displaying a stained-glass artwork featuring the images of Lester Young and Charlie Parker. For five years in a row. Pete accepted my idea of paying tribute to the great Pres, where every August at the end of month, during Lester Young's birthday, we played the music of Lester Young, Count Basie and Charlie Parker. Birthdays of those 3 greats are at the end of each August. This benefit performance concert opens honoring Pete and start off with the music of Lester Young. The first set will feature and highlight all the Bay Area greats listed above in various combinations. The second set, presents swinging music, which will be all jazz suited for dancing.
Venue: The Douglas Beach House 311 Mirada Road Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Admission: $350: Including Three-Course Dinner starting off with great Appetizers, Wine tasting, and jazz concert
Time: 5:30 PM
Tickets: (650) 726-4143
Featuring: Larry Vuckovich, piano /Jamie Davis, vocals/Jackie Ryan, vocals/Noel Jewkes, tenor/ Rob Roth, tenor /Kai Lyons, guitar/ Jeff Chambers, bass /Doug Miller, bass/Akira Tana, drums/Jason Lewis, drums
February 14th, Friday
Blockbuster Valentine’s Romantic/Swinging Presentation: Featuring Two Exceptional Vocalists – Jamie Davis & Charity Goodin-Sanen with the Larry Vuckovich All-Star Quartet, February 14th, Friday, 7pm @ Oakmont Berger Center, Santa Rosa – Count Basie alumni vocalist Jamie Davis and Charity Goodin Sanen are two of Bay Area's Top Line Vocalists An alumni of the Count Basie orchestra, Grammy nominee Jamie Davis, performs for the first time at the Oakmont's Berger Center. Besides authentic down-home/swinging blues, Jamie specializes in romantic ballads doing the repertoire of Johnny Hartman/John Coltrane songbook. Exceptional vocalist Charity Goodin - Sanen has sung with the Santa Rosa Symphony and has a wide ranging repertoire including the Great American Songbook, plus the famous international songs. She sings in foreign languages, and also has a strong feeling for jazz and improvisation. She will present some beautiful romantic songs, as well as the Latin/Brazilian and swinging selections. Superb tenor saxophonist Steve Heckman, will do the role of John Coltrane, complimenting Jamie Davis with some beautiful, melodic backgrounds. Pianist Larry Vuckovich, having played throughout the years with so many jazz greats, which includes accompanying such vocalists as Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Jon Hendricks, Anita O'Day, has gained a special ability for accompanying singers. His Powerhouse Trio with the master bassist Jeff Chambers, and the seasoned tasteful drummer, Jason Lewis will be the backing trio for the day. This will be a night, not to be missed! Please contact your friends since this type of music doesn't occur in this area very often.
Venue: Berger Center 6575 Oakmont Drive, Santa Rosa, CA
Admission: $30 at the door
Time: 7:00 PM
Information/tickets: call 707-537-7720
Featuring: Jamie Davis, vocals/Charity Goodin-Sanen, vocals/Larry Vuckovich, piano/Steve Heckman, tenor saxophone/Jeff Chambers, bass/Jason Lewis, drums
February 16th , Sunday Afternoon
Top Level Vocal Artistry: Charity Goodin Sanen with Larry Vuckovich and Doug Miller, Sunday February 16th, 4 PM @ Piedmont Piano/Sunday Afternoon
Vocalist Charity Goodin Sanen is creating exciting jazz waves on the Bay Area music scene with her magnificent voice. When she sang in the summer with Larry Vuckovich at Yoshi’s, the management at this noted venue immediately upon hearing her for the first time, requested that she comes back with a booking. Charity is one of the most dynamic vocalists to have appeared on the Bay Area scene in years. Her vocal resonance is very appealing, projecting a warm, clear, soulful sound. Her repertoire includes originals, special standards, blues, Latin/Brazilian and exciting improvisations including the music of Horace Silver, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter & more. Larry Vuckovich and Charity have a close musical rapport and will present a wide ranging repertoire which includes swinging bebop, jazz classics, funky Boogaloo sounds and more. Bassist Doug Miller, has the distinction of performing with the Count Basie orchestra at an early age of 20. He is one of the most authentic and swinging bassists on the scene today. You’re in for an exciting experience!
Venue: Piedmont Piano New Oakland Store 18th and San Pablo, Oakland, CA
Admission: $25
Time: 4:00 PM Sunday Afternoon
Information: (510) 547-8188
Tickets: TicketTailor
Featuring: Charity Goodin Sanen, vocals / Larry Vuckovich, piano / Doug Miller, bass
May 20th, Wednesday
Year 2020 marks the 40th Anniversary of Larry Vuckovich’s Landmark LP 1980 recording of Blue Balkan, featuring Bobby Hutcherson & Eric Golub . The Blue Balkan Ensemble, now renamed Crosswinds: Global Jazz Journey comes to Yoshi’s on Wednesday, May 20th Celebrating this Pioneering Release, 8 PM @ Yoshi's Jack London Square
Original LP Release received ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ½ Stars in Down Beat; "Most convincing, most integrated combinations ever of ethnic music and straight ahead Jazz." Cadence magazine ; 2002 re-release in CD format with new music was praised as " being ahead of its time " prefiguring the releases of John Zorn and Dave Douglas. Additionally, esteemed New York critic, Gary Giddins chose this CD for his top list of 2002 in Village Voice.
Larry Vuckovich is recognized as a pioneer, being the first in America to fuse Balkan ethnic with American jazz in 1980. The frontline instrumentation of marimba and violin, creates a unique, original sound. Bobby Hutcherson's playing on the Blue Balkan LP is considered as some of his best playing in the 1980s decade. Master violinist Eric Golub is still around, performing in top form. The current, renamed crosswinds: global jazz journey ensemble includes the master Middle Eastern percussionist Vince Delgado on dumbek/Egyptian tambourine/bongos and his wife, Coralie Russo on oud. Veterans Jeff Chambers on bass and Akira Tana on drums will round out the rhythm section. Going beyond Balkan and Middle Eastern material, this new ensemble presents swinging contemporary jazz – Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Randy Weston & more. Also, the ensemble plays Afro-Cuban Latin, Brazilian, tango jazz, funky Boogaloo rhythms, boleros & more. This is a concert not to be missed!
Venue: Yoshi's Jack London Square 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, Oakland, CA
Admission: $23 – $49 (meet and greet the artists)
Time: 8 PM
Tickets: Info coming soon
Featuring: Larry Vuckovich, piano /Eric Golub, violin/Tommy Kesecker, marimba/Coralie Russo, oud/Vince Delgado, dumbek, Egyptian tambourine, bongos/ Jeff Chambers, bass / Akira Tana, drums