Jose Andrés Rodriguez & Kai Lyons
2026-05-24 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bird & Beckett, 653 Cheney St, San Francisco, CA, 94131, United States
Grammy Winner Jose Andres Rodriguez – “El Sinsonte”, Changüí master singer and musician from Guantanamo Cuba, in duo performance with Kai Lyons on Tres Cubano, exploring the funky, folkloric, 19th-century music of Eastern Cuba.
$20 cover charge / students $10

Innuendo
2026-05-24 17:00 - 19:00
French popular tunes from many decades.
Big Lou, accordion; Kit Robberson, viola da gamba; David Golia, guitar; Bing Nathan, bass.

$20 cover charge / students $10

Kata - Vento Reunion Concert
2026-05-23 19:30 - 20:30
Kata-Vento Reunion Concert: Music of Carlos Oliveira. Original tunes inspired by northeastern Brazil, featuring three flutes, guitar, and percussion.
Carlos Oliveira, guitar and compositions; Chloe Scott, Rebecca Kleinmann, and Sonia Caltvedt, flutes; Brian Rice, percussion.
$25-30 sliding scale cover charge / students $10

Tony Johnson's 230 Jones Street Band
2026-05-22 19:30 - 21:30
The 230 Jones Street Band is Bird & Beckett’s legacy combo, with its roots in the Chuck Peterson Trio’s weekly Friday happy hour that kicked off jazz in the bookshop as a regular feature starting 24 years ago. Tony’s one of the mainstays of a generation of players that came up when bebop was America’s hottest commodity! The players that remain never cease to swing, and love navigating the changes that Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charlie Christian and confreres innovated in mid-20th century America. Bebop Lives at Bird & Beckett!

Charlie McCarthy, saxophone;
Sam Cady, piano;
Chuck Bennett, bass;
Tony Johnson, drums.

Vince Lateano Trio
2026-05-17 17:00 - 19:00, 2026-04-19 17:00 - 19:00
Ben Stolorow, piano; Peter Barshay, bass; Vince Lateano, drums. Part of the Bird & Beckett Jazz in the Bookshop (Sundays 5–7pm). Seating is limited — reservations recommended: 415-586-3733. Suggested contribution: $20–30; students $10–15; younger kids free.

Patrick Wolff Quartet
2026-05-16 19:30 - 21:30
The Patrick Wolff Quartet plays classic jazz in Bird & Beckett. With Keith Saunders, Eric Markowitz and Smith Dobson.

Scott Foster Quartet
2026-05-15 19:30 - 21:30
The Scott Foster Quartet is a jazz ensemble led by San Francisco-based guitarist and educator Scott Foster.
Jim Peterson, saxophone;
Scott Foster, guitar;
Dan Seamans, bass;
Tom Hasset, drums

Ray Skjelbred & the Hot Corner
2026-05-13 19:30 - 21:30
Ray Skjelbred & the Hot Corner plays at Bird & Beckett. The jazz ensemble led by pianist Ray Skjelbred that specializes in “Chicago style” jazz, a sound rooted in the 1920s with a focus on blues and swing rhythms.

Nashville Honeymoon
2026-05-10 17:00 - 19:00
Lynne Maes, rhythm guitar & vocals.
Hank Maninger, lead guitar & vocals.
Tim Wagar, bass guitar.
Paul Revelli drums.
You’re in for two sets in honky tonk heaven. Mainstays of the Bay Area Americana scene, and the Bird & Beckett bandstand, for nearly a decade, Nashville Honeymoon has traversed country, rockabilly, bluegrass, and pop across four albums, writing songs that uplift the tangled mess of day-to-day life and investigate universal themes of love and loss – often at the same time. Their latest album, Sidewinder, is true to its title, offering a collection of songs that are grounded in classic country while edging into different sounds, genres, and themes that run through American pop music. This is some of the sweetest, sauciest, and most sincere country music you’ll ever hear.

The Tom Griesser 3
2026-05-09 19:30 - 21:30
The Tom Griesser Trio at Bird & Beckett with Tom Griesser on saxophone, Kurt Ribak on bass, and
Dan Foltz on drums.
Tom notes: “I’m really excited to revive the Tom Griesser 3, a trio that had a weekly Friday night gig at the old Burritt Room from 2013 to 2017. Bird & Beckett is both one of my favorite live music venues and one of my favorite bookstores.”

Eric & The In Crowd
2026-05-08 19:30 - 20:30, 2026-04-10 18:00 - 20:00
Eric Shifrin, piano/vocal; Heath Proskin, bass; Mark Lee, drums. Part of the Bird & Beckett Jazz in the Bookshop / Happy Hour series (Fridays 6–8pm). Seating is limited — reservations recommended: 415-586-3733. Suggested contribution: $20–30; students $10–15; younger kids free.

Jam Session hosted by Vince Lateano Trio
2026-04-26 17:00 - 19:00
Open jam session hosted by Ben Stolorow, piano; Peter Barshay, bass; Vince Lateano, drums. Part of the Bird & Beckett Which Way West? / You Name It! series (Sundays 5–7pm). Seating is limited — reservations recommended: 415-586-3733. Suggested contribution: $20–30; students $10–15; younger kids free.

Darren Johnston Project
2026-04-25 19:30 - 21:30
Darren Johnston, trumpet; Danny Lubin-Laden, trombone; Liberty Ellman, guitar; Mat Munz, bass; Tim Bulkley, drums. Part of the Bird & Beckett Jazz Club / When Lights Are Low series (Saturdays 7:30–9:30pm). Seating is limited — reservations recommended: 415-586-3733. Suggested contribution: $20–30; students $10–15; younger kids free.

Ricardo Peixoto & Carlos Oliveira
2026-04-11 19:30 - 21:30
Brazilian guitar duets featuring Ricardo Peixoto and Carlos Oliveira. Part of the Bird & Beckett Jazz Club / When Lights Are Low series. Seating is limited — reservations recommended by calling the shop at 415-586-3733. Suggested contribution: $20–30; students $10–15; younger kids free.

Fred Randolph Quartet
2026-04-10 20:30 - 22:00
Sheldon Brown, reeds; Matt Clark, piano; Fred Randolph, bass; Brian Fishler, drums. Part of the Bird & Beckett Jazz in the Bookshop / Nite Cap series (Fridays 8:30–10pm). Seating is limited — reservations recommended: 415-586-3733. Suggested contribution: $20–30; students $10–15; younger kids free.

Eric & the In Crowd
2026-03-13 18:00 - 20:00
Eric and The In Crowd bring classic soul‑jazz and groove to Bird & Beckett, turning the bookshop into a late‑night listening room. Expect deep cuts and familiar favorites from the Hammond‑B3 era including Everything Happens to Me and other songs starting with E. This is an intimate set made for close‑up listening: warm bass, tight rhythm section, and that relaxed North Beach–adjacent vibe where you can actually hear every note. Come early to grab a seat between the stacks, then settle in as the band eases from mellow organ grooves into hard‑bop burners and back again.

Eric Shifrin, Piano/Vocals
Daniel Fabricant, Bass
Mark Lee, Drums

Mitch Polzak & the Royal Deuces
2026-03-08 17:00 - 19:00
Get ready as Bird & Beckett Books and Records welcomes the “Real Deal” himself, Mitch Polzak. Whether he’s flat-picking a guitar or tearing through a banjo solo, Polzak brings a circus-sized energy (literally—he’s a Ringling Bros. descendant) to the most intimate bookstore stage in San Francisco.
The Performance
The Music: Mitch Polzak and the Royal Deuces are a powerhouse trio that blurs the lines between Rockabilly, Western Swing, and high-energy Bluegrass. Polzak, a 2024 Western Swing Hall of Fame inductee, is a virtuoso who performs with the “religious fervor” of Jerry Lee Lewis and the storytelling sincerity of Merle Haggard.
Special Guest: For this Sunday’s session, the band is joined by legendary pedal steel master Joe Goldmark. Expect shimmering, cosmic country textures to weave through Polzak’s sharp guitar leads.
The Atmosphere: This is a “listening room” in the purest sense. With a capacity of just 35 people, you aren’t just watching a show; you’re sitting in the middle of a high-fidelity jam session surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
The Setting
The Venue: Bird & Beckett is a Glen Park landmark. It’s a space where the scent of old paper meets the heat of a vintage Fender amp. The shop’s Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project ensures that serious musicians like Polzak have a home to preserve the “Old San Francisco” spirit of improvisation.
The Ritual: This is a BYOB environment. Grab a bottle from the neighborhood market and settle in for a neighborhood party vibe that feels more like a private salon than a public concert.

Saul Sierra Quartet
2026-03-07 19:30 - 21:00
The Saul Sierra Quartet takes the stage at Bird & Beckett Books and Records. Tucked away in the charming Glen Park neighborhood, this event offers a rare opportunity to hear world-class Latin Jazz in the most intimate of settings—surrounded by thousands of new and used volumes.
Saul Sierra (Bassist/Composer): Originally from Mexico City and a graduate of Berklee College of Music, Sierra is a cornerstone of the San Francisco jazz scene. Whether he is performing with the John Santos Sextet or leading his own quartet, his playing is defined by a deep, resonant tone and a sophisticated understanding of Afro-Cuban and world rhythms.
The Quartet: Sierra’s ensemble features some of the Bay Area’s most formidable improvisers. Expect a set that bridges the gap between technical jazz precision and the infectious, danceable energy of the Caribbean, showcasing original compositions and reimagined standards.
The Experience
The Setting: Bird & Beckett is more than a bookstore; it is a cultural sanctuary. The stage is simply a clearing among the bookshelves, putting the audience just feet away from the musicians. It is a listening room in the truest sense, where every pluck of the bass string is heard with crystal clarity.
The Stream: For those who can’t make it to Chenery Street, Bird & Beckett famously live-streams their performances on YouTube and Facebook, though nothing quite captures the magic of being in the room.
