Jazz Express Performing JB’s Cafe

So back in the day when I was performing  a lot with my local San Francisco Bay Jazz Quartet known as “Jazz Express”, we’d normally do Sunday brunches at local restaurants in the Bay Area. We were hired by a young chef to play at his establishment –  John Bradley Café also known as J.B.’s Café in downtown Concord CA.

We played standard jazz selections like “Take  The A Train: and “Take Five”. We played every Friday evening 6-9p.m. outside. Big crowds would gather. The Jazz Express Quartet consisted of local Bay Area musicians.

One Friday night John Bradley said – here is your last check!  No more live music because the BMI/ASCAP crew paid a visit and measured out his square footage and said he would need to pay about $2000 in royalty fees which will be distributed to all the composers of the different jazz standards we performed  by great composers as Duke Ellington, George Benson, Coltrane, Jobim and etc. I told John in one week each band member will compose 5 original compositions and we will perform all originals.

And that’s how J.B.’s Café came to life. Enjoy a listen