Next Bay Area All-Stars at Nick’s – Unkown at this time due to the Coronvirus pandemic.

When I moved to San Francisco in 1974 one of the first restaurants my wife and I visited was Nick’s Rockaway Beach in Pacifica, just 15 miles south of downtown on California Hwy 1. As soon as I walked in the front door and saw the large lounge with a spacious dance floor and a raised bandstand, I said to myself, “Someday I want to play here.” It took over 40 years, but I finally got the chance.

Sometime in 2010 the San Francisco Traditional Jazz Foundation needed a location for some sort of event that I can’t exactly remember the reason for, but I approached the owner of Nick’s, Chuck Gust, and asked if he would be willing to let a jazz band perform on a Monday night, generally a pretty slow night for both musicians and establishments. He seemed a bit reluctant, but agreed to try it, and we set a date. I sort of warned him that we would undoubtedly have a large crowd, but I suspect he did not really believe me. At any rate, a crowd of over 100 jazz fans showed up at that first event and basically overwhelmed both Chuck and the staff.

Because it was so successful, that first Nick’s night was soon followed by at least one more SFTJF event, then a fundraiser for Jim Rothermel followed, sadly, by a memorial for Jim in 2011. Since then I have organized a core group of musicians we call the Bay Area All-Stars that includes the great Pat Yankee (Chuck’s favorite!), for an irregularly monthly get together called “Nick’s Monday Jazz.”

 

 

The (very flexible) “core” group that comprises the Bay Area All-Stars is composed of:

• Bob Schulz on cornet;
• Jim Maihack originally on trombone, occasionally on tuba, and now on piano;
• Robert Young on bass sax;
• John Hunt now permanently on trombone; and
• Scott Anthony (me) on banjo and of course,
• Pat Yankee singing three tunes per set.

Occasionally Leon Oakley subs for Bob on cornet, and Clint Baker has shown up for cornet or tuba when the need has arisen and Marty Eggers and Jeff Hamilton occasionally fill in on piano. We take pride in each choosing the tune to play in a circular rotation around the band which keeps everyone on his toes. And, of course, Pat sings whatever she wants and we follow!

“Runnin’ Wild” Bay Area All-Stars, October 17, 2016 at Nick’s at Rockaway Beach

“Frankie and Johnny” Bay Area All-Stars, April 6, 2018 at Nick’s at Rockaway Beach

More… Just go to Youtube.com and search “Bay Area All Stars.” Thanks to Rae Ann Berry for all the videos of us!