The Orrin Keepnews Memorial Concert

Celebrate the legacy of Orrin Keepnews (1923-2015) and contribute to the future of jazz at a memorial concert benefiting the Orrin Keepnews Scholarship Fund at the California Jazz Conservatory.

The history of jazz in the second half of the 20th Century would have been a lot different, and a lot less rich, without Orrin Keepnews.

A prolific and respected record producer and writer, Keepnews worked with Thelonious Monk, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner and numerous other jazz immortals.

The list of classic albums he supervised for his Riverside, Milestone and Landmark labels is a virtual mini-history of modern jazz.

He knew how to bring out the best in musicians – whether by placing them in challenging musical environments, by helping them choose sidemen or repertoire, or simply by creating a comfortable environment and leaving them alone to create without interference. He was, as he himself liked to put it, a catalyst – and he was one of the best jazz has ever known.

He was widely respected for his multiple contributions as a producer, writer and an advocate for jazz. He received four Grammy Awards, a Trustees Award for lifetime achievement from the Recording Academy and he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Come and join Orrin’s family and an all-star band led by saxophonist Dave Ellis in a celebration of his life and work, with special guests including the Kronos Quartet, Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill and many celebrated Bay Area jazz musicians.