Soul Stream Posted July 10, 2005 Report Posted July 10, 2005 I'll be in downtown San Francisco from July 17th through 21 and want to hit one of the best jazz spots in town a night or two... Any suggestions??? Quote
BFrank Posted July 10, 2005 Report Posted July 10, 2005 Here are some references: JazzWest KCSM - Jazz Datebook Jazz at Pearl's Quote
dsgtrane Posted July 13, 2005 Report Posted July 13, 2005 If you have access to a car, I'd recommend Yoshi's in Oakland. Quote
Guy Berger Posted July 13, 2005 Report Posted July 13, 2005 If you have access to a car, I'd recommend Yoshi's in Oakland. ← Yoshi's is the best (and most expensive) spot, though they occasionally have some smooth crap there. Pearl's used to be great, but I haven't been there since the renovation. (Might still be great.) Bruno's in SF is worth checking out. Too bad SS, you are arriving just as I'm leaving. Man I love California! Guy Quote
BFrank Posted July 13, 2005 Report Posted July 13, 2005 If you have access to a car, I'd recommend Yoshi's in Oakland. ← That goes without saying ... Yoshi's Quote
Soul Stream Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Posted July 13, 2005 Thanks for the advice. Pearl's, Bruno's and Yoshi's in Oakland. Anything Organ stuff that anybody know of in San Francisco? Quote
nathan Posted July 13, 2005 Report Posted July 13, 2005 Soulstream, Those are good suggestions for (mostly) mainstream jazz in the bay area above. Unfortunately, Bruno's is currently closed for renovations. I would recommend going to Yoshi's on Monday...not only is it cheaper, but the fine saxophonist John Ellis is playing that night with a really good quartet (Aaron Goldberg, Jason Marsalis & Roland Guerin). I wouldn't miss that...if only i wasn't going to be in NYC that week. Dig the Yoshi's unagi too. There's a good, creative jam session run by the fine local saxophonist Mitch Marcus Wednesday nights at Amnesia -- over in the Mission at 853 Valencia, between 19th & 20th. See http://www.amnesiathebar.com/ Definitely a good hang, and Mitch is great. As for organ stuff, if you don't mind driving out of town a bit, and you're still in town the night of the 21st, I would highly recommend going up to the very nice Zebulon Lounge in Petaluma to see guitarist Will Bernard with the great young organ player Wil Blades. Blades is a Dr. Lonnie Smith protege, and very good. Bernard is an outstanding local guitarist who plays with Dr. Lonnie a lot himself these days (among many others). see: http://www.zebulonslounge.com/ I don't know where your tastes run, but there is always a lot of interesting more "out" stuff going on around here. If you're interested, check out http://www.bayimproviser.com/calendar.asp Enjoy! Quote
Jim R Posted July 13, 2005 Report Posted July 13, 2005 For info on all things organ-related, I would strongly recommend contacting Pete Fallico (a very nice cat, BTW). http://www.doodlinlounge.com/ His e-mail link is toward the bottom of the main page. Quote
nathan Posted July 13, 2005 Report Posted July 13, 2005 Coincidentally, the organist (Wil Blades) i recommended in my post is the current "Featured Artist" on the Fallico site Jim R. recommends above... Quote
mr jazz Posted July 13, 2005 Report Posted July 13, 2005 You can take the bus to the ferry from San Francisco to within two blocks of yoshis. going back, it's about a $3 buck cab ride to the BART which runs until midnight. I used this method a few weeks ago when I went to see Dave Holland's big band-very easy and a fun ride across the bay if the weather is good or sit inside and watch the commuters down the cocktails. Yoshis has a good Japanese restaurant as well. Quote
Soul Stream Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Posted July 13, 2005 Thanks for all the great help all... Quote
trane_fanatic Posted July 24, 2005 Report Posted July 24, 2005 Pearl's is in San Francisco... http://www.jazzatpearls.com/ Also... http://www.rasselasjazzclub.com/ - San Francisco http://www.shanghai1930.com/ - San Francisco http://www.kimballs.com/ - Emeryville Quote
BFrank Posted July 24, 2005 Report Posted July 24, 2005 Uh, Trane........I think SS has already come and gone. Quote
Soul Stream Posted July 24, 2005 Author Report Posted July 24, 2005 Yeah Trane, already came and went but thanks anyway. I'll keep it on file for my return trip! Hope to return, really enjoyed it but my trip didn't seem to coincide with much jazz I was interested in seeing. Next time I'll time it better. Quote
trane_fanatic Posted July 25, 2005 Report Posted July 25, 2005 (edited) Oops... Edited July 25, 2005 by trane_fanatic Quote
BFrank Posted July 25, 2005 Report Posted July 25, 2005 Yeah Trane, already came and went but thanks anyway. I'll keep it on file for my return trip! Hope to return, really enjoyed it but my trip didn't seem to coincide with much jazz I was interested in seeing. Next time I'll time it better. ← So, no music, CD shopping......nuthin'?? Quote
Brandon Burke Posted July 25, 2005 Report Posted July 25, 2005 That's too bad. Unlike Austin, San Francisco is flooded with good used LP shops. Quote
Soul Stream Posted July 25, 2005 Author Report Posted July 25, 2005 That's too bad. Unlike Austin, San Francisco is flooded with good used LP shops. ← ...no, I made it to Amoeba. A friend was doing an in-store there, so we hung and I picked up a couple of things. Great store. Quote
BFrank Posted July 25, 2005 Report Posted July 25, 2005 That's too bad. Unlike Austin, San Francisco is flooded with good used LP shops. ← ...no, I made it to Amoeba. A friend was doing an in-store there, so we hung and I picked up a couple of things. Great store. ← Did you happen to be there on Wednesday? This from the gossip column in today's Chron: Tim Sullivan tells me that Robert Plant, formerly of Led Zeppelin, went shopping at Amoeba Music on Haight Street on Wednesday. The store's Naomi Salazar confirmed this, saying several folks from his record label who accompanied him kept their eyes on him from afar, allowing him to browse alone. When one Amoeban sang one of Plant's songs in spontaneous tribute, the rocker smiled and said he couldn't sing it himself anymore. Plant bought what was described as "a lot'' of music, told workers he liked the store, and then went hippity-hopping out to Haight Street. Quote
blake Posted January 29, 2006 Report Posted January 29, 2006 Very useful thread. I'll be in San Francisco (downtown) on business a couple of times during last two weeks of February. I'd appreciate recommendations for: 1. Alternative/Rock/Pop venues along the lines of Bottom Of The Hill 2. Used CD shops (in the event Amoeba doesn't provide enough of a fix) Thanks in advance. Quote
BFrank Posted January 29, 2006 Report Posted January 29, 2006 For those music venues, check out the listings in the SF Bay Guardian and the SF Weekly. Used CDs - Aquarius on Valencia St and Streetlight (2 locations: Market St & 24th St) Quote
ep1str0phy Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 You can take the bus to the ferry from San Francisco to within two blocks of yoshis. going back, it's about a $3 buck cab ride to the BART which runs until midnight. I used this method a few weeks ago when I went to see Dave Holland's big band-very easy and a fun ride across the bay if the weather is good or sit inside and watch the commuters down the cocktails. Yoshis has a good Japanese restaurant as well. SPRING FOR THE CAB. I cannot even begin to stress how unsafe the Oakland area is. Embarcadero is just moderately safer than the 'hoods (it doesn't hurt that there's a police station in the area). Yoshi's is a pretty haute establishment, but man--I mean, I almost got mugged a couple of days ago (somewhere near MacArthur). I got lucky and was able to talk myself out of it--but man, the beter part of Oakland is not a place to hang. Quote
BeBop Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 SPRING FOR THE CAB. I cannot even begin to stress how unsafe the Oakland area is. Embarcadero is just moderately safer than the 'hoods (it doesn't hurt that there's a police station in the area). Yoshi's is a pretty haute establishment, but man--I mean, I almost got mugged a couple of days ago (somewhere near MacArthur). I got lucky and was able to talk myself out of it--but man, the beter part of Oakland is not a place to hang. Interesting. I grew up in (probably) Oakland's worst neighborhood and went to (almost certainly) its roughest high school. I've never for a minute felt unsafe or threatened. And Jack London Square.....? Quote
ep1str0phy Posted January 31, 2006 Report Posted January 31, 2006 SPRING FOR THE CAB. I cannot even begin to stress how unsafe the Oakland area is. Embarcadero is just moderately safer than the 'hoods (it doesn't hurt that there's a police station in the area). Yoshi's is a pretty haute establishment, but man--I mean, I almost got mugged a couple of days ago (somewhere near MacArthur). I got lucky and was able to talk myself out of it--but man, the beter part of Oakland is not a place to hang. Interesting. I grew up in (probably) Oakland's worst neighborhood and went to (almost certainly) its roughest high school. I've never for a minute felt unsafe or threatened. And Jack London Square.....? No, Jack London is pretty safe... it's just the outskirts that are dangerous (I mean, move some blocks in either direction). Maybe I've just been incredibly unlucky, but one thing is for sure: you've gotta watch your back at nights. Almost everything is fairly safe during the day, but most concerts start past sundown... as for your case--well, I'm from LA. I'm sure you're far more acclimated to the atmosphere here, but travellers have a more difficult time playing the part (or getting around, for that matter). Just like anywhere else, foreigners can be easy prey (talk to my dad--immigrated from the Philippines in the late 70's, spent about 8 years alone in downtown LA... he's had to deal with some bad shit). Quote
BeBop Posted January 31, 2006 Report Posted January 31, 2006 No, Jack London is pretty safe... it's just the outskirts that are dangerous (I mean, move some blocks in either direction). Maybe I've just been incredibly unlucky, but one thing is for sure: you've gotta watch your back at nights. Almost everything is fairly safe during the day, but most concerts start past sundown... as for your case--well, I'm from LA. I'm sure you're far more acclimated to the atmosphere here, but travellers have a more difficult time playing the part (or getting around, for that matter). Just like anywhere else, foreigners can be easy prey (talk to my dad--immigrated from the Philippines in the late 70's, spent about 8 years alone in downtown LA... he's had to deal with some bad shit). Having given it a bit more thought, I'd say you're right. Heading West from JLS isn't something I'd do. And hanging out at 13th/14th and Broadway other than at mid-day might not get you killed/robbed, but it might well get you hassled. I'm pretty immune to hassles, but not everyone is. My bottom line advice: do enjoy Oakland. Don't worry too much, but do worry enough. Quote
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