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Jazz Festival lineup 11/9/09 11:57 AM

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The S.F. Jazz Festival lineup

Aidin Vaziri, Chronicle Pop Music Critic
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Muscle building miracle discovered

What makes the 27th annual San Francisco Jazz

How to make money running an online
Festival special? It's easy - the music knows no
kids store
boundaries. From Ornette Coleman's head-spinning
free-jazz flights to 24-year-old Esparanza Spalding's
soulful meditations, this season promises to inspire with every beat. Meet the players.

Eric Reed, 8 p.m. Saturday, War Memorial Green Room: The dynamic pianist celebrates what would
have been Thelonious Monk's 92nd birthday by delving deep into his back catalog.

Omara Portuondo, 8 p.m. Oct. 20, Palace of Fine Arts: On her first U.S. tour since 2004, the Buena
Vista Social Club star revisits Afro-Cuban favorites.

Jake Shimabukuro, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, Davies Symphony Hall: Expect the Hawaiian native to defy
expectations with his genre-bending ukulele compositions.

Eddie Daniels Quartet and Jim Rothermel Swingtet, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, Herbst Theatre. The
clarinet virtuoso and his backing band offer Benny Goodman a centennial salute.

Omar Sosa Quartet featuring Tim Eriksen, John Santos Sextet, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22, Herbst
Theatre. The leading lights of Afro-Caribbean music come together for a soulful summit.

Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quintet, 8 p.m. Oct. 23, Herbst Theatre: Piano virtuoso Rubalcaba and his band
put a youthful spin on Cuban jazz classics.

Melody Gardot, 8 p.m. Oct. 23, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre: The popular 24-year-old singer on tour
behind her swanky second album, "My One and Only Thrill."

Henry Butler, 8 p.m. Oct. 24, San Francisco Conservatory of Music: The blind New Orleans native
carries on in the rowdy tradition of Crescent City greats such as Jelly Roll Morton and Professor Longhair.

Poncho Sanchez, 8 p.m. Oct. 24, Herbst Theatre: The conga king is not only a Latin-jazz icon but
throws one hell of a party.

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The S.F. Jazz Festival lineup 11/9/09 11:57 AM

Gal Costa with Oscar Castro-Neves, 7 p.m. Oct. 25, Herbst Theatre: One of the great Brazilian
vocalists, making her first Bay Area appearance in eight years with guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves.

Mark Murphy with Vinny Valentino, 2 p.m. Oct. 25, Florence Gould Theatre, Legion of Honor: The
77-year-old Murphy, one of the early male jazz vocalists, backed by guitarist Valentino.

Alfredo Rodríguez, 7 p.m. Oct. 25, San Francisco Conservatory of Music: A young Cuban pianist,
endorsed by Quincy Jones, making his Bay Area debut.

Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre: A
tantalizing meeting of the minds - and instruments - featuring maestros of the banjo, bass and, yes, tabla.

Cindy Blackman's Another Lifetime, 8 p.m. Oct. 28, Great American Music Hall: The mighty
drummer, best known for her frequent appearances with retro-rocker Lenny Kravitz, pays tribute to the
late Tony Williams.

Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29, Davies Symphony Hall: The sitar icon,
sharing the stage with his daughter, Anoushka - the one that's not Norah Jones.

Yasmin Levy, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29, Herbst Theatre: A seductive Israeli singer, performing vibrant music
that crosses borders and eras.

Nicholas Payton and Don Byron, 8 p.m. Oct. 30, Grace Cathedral: Two revered soloists - Payton on
the trumpet, Byron on the saxophone - playing reverent sets as part of the SFJAZZ Sacred Space series.
Czech vocalist and violinist Iva Bittová will also duet with Byron on several songs.

Dee Dee Bridgewater, 8 p.m. Oct. 30, Herbst Theatre: Tony and Grammy Award-winner Bridgewater
offering tribute to Billie Holiday, whom she portrayed in the 1987 London musical "Lady Day."

James Cotton and Superharp Band with Hubert Sumlin, 8 p.m. Oct. 31, Herbst Theatre: One of
the greats of the blues harmonica and his band, joined by the immeasurably influential guitarist Sumlin.

Marco Benevento, 9 p.m. Oct. 31, YBCA Forum: An experimental jazz keyboardist who has gained
notoriety for his left-field interpretations of songs by the likes of Neil Young, Led Zeppelin and Beck.

SFJAZZ High School All-Stars, 3 p.m. Nov. 1, YBCA Forum: For this family matinee, the award-
winning youth ensemble digs into the Duke Ellington songbook.

John Handy, 7 p.m. Nov. 1, Herbst Theatre: The recipient of this year's SFJAZZ Beacon Award for
lifetime achievement, the Bay Area alto saxophonist plays a career-spanning set with many of his former
collaborators.

Marc Cary Focus Trio, 2 p.m. Nov. 1, Koret Auditorium, de Young Museum: The New York pianist, who
has collaborated with everyone from Betty Carter to Erykah Badu, plays an acoustic set that merges East
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The S.F. Jazz Festival lineup 11/9/09 11:57 AM

has collaborated with everyone from Betty Carter to Erykah Badu, plays an acoustic set that merges East
Indian, West African and Native American musical traditions.

Giovanni Allevi and Patrizia Scascitelli, 7 p.m. Nov. 1, YBCA Forum: A summit of popular Italian
pianists who refuse to play by the rules.

Trio 3 with Lake, Workman and Cyrille, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4, Swedish American Hall: A collaboration
of veteran sidemen, featuring World Saxophone Quartet altoist Oliver Lake.

Jesús Diaz, Scott Amendola and Jaz Sawyer, 8 p.m. Nov. 4, Great American Music Hall: Part of the
Backyard Alchemy series, putting the spotlight on three Bay Area rhythmatists.

Esperanza Spalding, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre: The 24-year-old jazz singer and
bassist has played with Stanley Clarke and Pat Metheny, served on the faculty of the Berklee College of
Music in Boston and won over David Letterman. After seeing her, you'll know why.

Sara Tavares, 8 p.m. Nov. 6, Herbst Theatre: A soulful World Music chanteuse, singing in the Cape
Verdean creole language of Criolu.

Pat Martino Quartet featuring Tony Monaco, Larry Goldings Trio, 8 p.m. Nov. 6, Palace of Fine
Arts Theatre: An evening of deep-shag funk, centered around rippling Hammond B-3 organ flights.

Savion Glover, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Palace of Fine Arts: The star of the musical "Bring in 'da
Noise, Bring in 'da Funk" Glover is a tornado of musical and story-telling talent, raining rhythm from
dreads to toe, tapping the stormy history of jazz and the blues into the 21st century with his band The
Otherz.

Milton Nascimento, 8 p.m. Nov. 7, Nob Hill Masonic Center: A Brazilian superstar with one of the most
distinctive voices on the world-jazz circuit since 1968.

Carolina Chocolate Drops, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 8, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre: A young trio with an
old soul, this string band from Durham, N.C., revives music traditions of the black Piedmont.

John Abercrombie with Mark Feldman, Drew Gress and Anthony Pinciotti, 2 p.m. Nov. 8, Florence
Gould Theatre, Legion of Honor: An all-star ensemble led by venerated jazz guitarist Abercrombie.

Ornette Coleman, 8 p.m. Nov. 8, Davies Symphony Hall: One of the last jazz giants, the alto
saxophonist and composer continues to inspire - in performance with a quartet that features two bassists
and his son, Denardo, on drums.

Keb' Mo' and Solomon Burke, 8 p.m. Nov. 21, Paramount Theatre: The crossover Delta star Keb' Mo'
sharing the bill with Grammy-winning Burke's stage-sagging blues outfit. {sbox}

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The S.F. Jazz Festival lineup 11/9/09 11:57 AM

The 27th Annual SFJAZZ Festival: From Oct. 10 to Nov. 21 at various venues. Check Web site for
schedule and ticket information. (866) 920-5299, www.sfjazz.org.

E-mail Aidin Vaziri at avaziri@sfchronicle.com.

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