Upcoming Shows
January Bay Area Jazz & Groove Calendar
Thu Jan 15 — Mr. Tipples — Martin Diller Group (Modern / Classic Jazz) — 7:00 & 8:45 PM — All ages
https://mrtipplessf.com/calendar/aaron-germain-trio/
Fri Jan 16 — Mr. Tipples — Rob Mitzner Quartet (Global Jazz) — 6:00 & 7:30 PM — $15–$30 — All ages
https://mrtipplessf.com/calendar/rob-mitzner-quartet/
Sat Jan 17 — Blue Heron Boathouse — Kai Lyons ft. Ernesto Mazar & Josh Jones (Latin Jazz) — 7:30–9:30 PM — $40 — All ages
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lakehouse-jazz-tickets-74499918261
Sat Jan 17 (late) — Keys Jazz Bistro — Simon Rowe Organ Trio (Bebop & Blues) — 10:30 PM — $15 — All ages
https://keysjazzbistro.com/event/simon-rowe-organ-trio-6/
Sun Jan 18 — Bird & Beckett — Vince Lateano (Bebop) — 5:00–7:00 PM — $20 cash/Venmo — All ages, BYOB
Fri Jan 23 — Meyhouse Jazz (Palo Alto) — Ritmo y Voz Quartet (Son, Bolero, Jazz & Changüí) — 5:00 & 8:00 PM seatings — ~$40–$50 — All ages
https://www.meyhousejazz.com/event-details/a-night-in-havana-einar-tito-leliebre-nunez-1-23-5pm
Sat Jan 24 — Blue Heron Boathouse — Adam Klipple Organ Group (Pop / Jazz / Classical) — 7:30 PM — $40 — All ages
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lakehouse-jazz-tickets-74499918261
Mon Jan 26 — SFJAZZ Joe Henderson Lab — Kasey Knudsen Jamtet — 7:00 PM — FREE — All ages
https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/25-26/education/sfjam/blues-rhythm-changes-kasey-knudsen/
Fri Jan 30 — Keys Jazz Bistro — Wil Blades Trio ft. Otis McDonald (Soul & R&B) — 7:00 & 9:00 PM — $40 — All ages
https://keysjazzbistro.com/event/wil-blades-trio-ft-otis-mcdonald/
Sat Jan 31 — Keys Jazz Bistro — Wil Blades Trio ft. Otis McDonald (Soul & R&B) — 7:00 & 9:00 PM — $40 — All ages
https://keysjazzbistro.com/event/wil-blades-trio-ft-otis-mcdonald/
About
Kai Lyons is from the Excelsior District of San Francisco and was surrounded by music and community from an early age. He completed his studies at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in 2012 as the first to graduate from the acclaimed Classical Guitar Program, directed by Scott Cmiel. From 2012-2014, on full scholarship, Kai attended the prestigious jazz program at William Paterson University of New Jersey, directed by Mulgrew Miller. He studied with Vincent Herring, Gene Bertoncini, Harold Mabern, Rich Perry, and Hal Galper. Kai received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from San Francisco State University where he studied with Andrew Speight, Michael Zisman and Hafez Modirzadeh.
Ever since returning to the Bay Area in 2015, he has freelanced extensively and also traveled frequently to New York City, New Orleans, Brazil, Cuba and the Caribbean on music trips. In 2018 he participated in Master Class: Orff-Afrique 2018 in Ghana, Africa.
Besides working with his own trio, Kai has performed with Mike Clark and Donald Harrison of Herbie Hancock’s Original Headhunters, The San Francisco Ballet and the 2024 production of Carmen composed by Arturo O’Farrill, Karl Perazzo, John Santos, award-winning organist Wil Blades and Larry Vuckovich.
