Vibe: Retro Jazz Lounge | Sophisticated & Social | Urban Speakeasy
Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club — often referred to by its full name, Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio — is a centerpiece of the Civic Center jazz scene. It channels the feel of a mid‑century recording studio, blending industrial‑chic details with a warm, retro atmosphere. The room walks a careful line between serious listening space and lively social lounge, making it equally welcoming for deep‑in jazz heads and friends just out for a night in the city.
Live Music & Atmosphere
Music runs nightly with a rotation of top Bay Area players, from straight‑ahead bebop trios to modern, more experimental quartets. The room layout supports both listening and conversation: a front bar area for socializing and a dedicated seating section closer to the stage for those who want to focus on the performance. Sightlines are good, the sound is tuned for intimacy, and sets tend to feel tight rather than background.
The Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee Quintet appears at Mr. Tipples. Born and raised in Oakland, California, saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee embodies a striking mix of sounds deriving from improvised, vocal, blues, and jazz traditions. He is a graduate of The New School’s Jazz and Contemporary Music program, where he studied with luminaries such as Melissa...
The Tristan Cappel Quintet appears at Mr. Tipples. Adam Hersh | Piano Brian Juarez | Bass Myles Martin | Drums Tristan Cappel | Reeds Tickets: $15-30
The Tristan Cappel Quintet appears at Mr. Tipples. Adam Hersh | Piano Brian Juarez | Bass Myles Martin | Drums Tristan Cappel | Reeds Tickets: $15-30
Contemporary jazz pianist, keyboardist, composer and longtime Jazzschool faculty member Peter Horvath appears at Mr. Tipples. Born in Budapest, Hungary, he attended the Bela Bartok Conservatory of Music before relocating to the US in 1983 and studied at the Berklee College of Music. He has since performed, recorded and toured nationally and worldwide with a...
The Jazzschool Advanced High School Workshop Winner of the 2026 Downbeat Student Music Award for Small Jazz Ensemble/Combo at Mr. Tipples. Sai Ray | Trumpet Victor Taraboukhine | Tenor Max Roston-Saul | Piano Levi Friedman | Bass Benjamin Gleason | Drums Tickets: $15-30
Kevin Gerzevitz brings a deeply rooted and refreshingly offbeat piano trio to Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio, joined by Ari Munkres on bass and Tim Bulkley on drums. Gerzevitz came up listening to Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, and Thelonious Monk, before his college advisor pointed him toward the stride and boogie of Jelly Roll Morton, James...
Kevin Gerzevitz brings a deeply rooted and refreshingly offbeat piano trio to Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio, joined by Ari Munkres on bass and Tim Bulkley on drums. Gerzevitz came up listening to Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, and Thelonious Monk, before his college advisor pointed him toward the stride and boogie of Jelly Roll Morton, James...
Anthony Wonsey and Billy Edwards bring a New York-seasoned jazz sensibility to Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio, joined by Ivan Polyanskiy on alto sax and Sylvia Cuenca on drums. Wonsey, a Berklee graduate who has played alongside Elvin Jones, Clark Terry, and Kenny Garrett, pairs with Edwards, a Bay Area native who has spent the past...
Anthony Wonsey and Billy Edwards bring a New York-seasoned jazz sensibility to Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio, joined by Ivan Polyanskiy on alto sax and Sylvia Cuenca on drums. Wonsey, a Berklee graduate who has played alongside Elvin Jones, Clark Terry, and Kenny Garrett, pairs with Edwards, a Bay Area native who has spent the past...
The Tony Peebles Quintet is a straight-ahead jazz ensemble appearing at Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio, featuring Tony Peebles on saxophone, Erik Jekabson on trumpet, Greg Jacobs on piano, Josh Thurston-Milgrom on bass, and Mike Quigg on drums. The quintet brings together some of the Bay Area's most accomplished jazz voices for an evening of melodic,...
The Tony Peebles Quintet is a straight-ahead jazz ensemble appearing at Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio, featuring Tony Peebles on saxophone, Erik Jekabson on trumpet, Greg Jacobs on piano, Josh Thurston-Milgrom on bass, and Mike Quigg on drums. The quintet brings together some of the Bay Area's most accomplished jazz voices for an evening of melodic,...
The Ayo Brame Experience performs at Mr. Tipples. Ayo Brame is an 18yr old Tenor/Soprano saxophonist from Oakland Ca. He is known for his soulful and expressive style of playing, drawing influences from jazz legends such as John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner and Sonny Rollins. Discovered by his mentor Kev Choice, Ayo is dedicated to preserving...