San Francisco's GG Park featured, "A Love Supreme: A Tribute to John Coltrane" on September 21st Tem saxophonists (representing the entire family, from sopranino to bass) and a drummer performed a suite of Coltrane music arranged by the late Andrew White, a life-long Coltrane devotee. The event is a yearly labor of love brought together by Craig Bright's organization tranetraxx.org. Craig is an avid and passionate supporter of Jazz in all of its forms, and of KCSM as well. The saxophonists (left to right) included Lyle Link, Dave Salvator, Steve Nelson,Bob Kenmotsu, Charles McNeal, Jared Cruz, Jayn Pettingill, Dan Gonda, Doug Rowan, Michael Young. Drummer Deszon Claiborn kept it all inspired and Charles McNeal not only played but conducted. James Graves MC'd. Stay tuned for next year!

On Saturday night, June 15, The Dick Conte Quartet (Dick on piano; Steve Webber, bass; Steve Heckman, saxophones; Jimmy Hobson, drums) performed at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley during their annual concert to benefit the Dick Conte Piano Scholarship Fund which helps young jazz pianists.

The San Francisco Bay area has a vibrant jazz scene. I think of myself as a lifelong student of the music and of my instrument, the alto sax. Recently, a "Sun Ra" ensemble at the Jazz School in Berkeley needed an alto player and I was asked to play. All of the student ensemble concerts at semester's end are free and presented at Rendon Hall. It's always a fun evening of music from many styles, performed by students who are energized by their genre and eager to share what they've been collectively "about."

Roger Brenninkmeyer shares his journey from working in clothing retail, to microfinance, to corporate branding, to creating artwork from plastic waste. He explains the process of creating artwork from soft plastic waste, including sorting, cleaning, melting, and molding the plastic. He discusses the plastic crisis, the low recycling rates, and the increasing production of plastic, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and using creativity to address the plastics crisis. ● Using one's strengths and thinking sideways can lead to innovative solutions for environmental challenges. ● Artists and entrepreneurs should think sideways and use their skills and experiences to create meaningful solutions. ● Enabling others to participate in the Plastics Crisis Solution is key; involving the community in collecting plastic waste fosters a sense of ownership and engagement. ● Localization is important in creating circular economies and reducing environmental impact.

Program Description Coming Soon.