StorySlam Oakland is Oakland's longest-running true storytelling show, where people tell short and true stories from their lives. Or just listen and laugh. How it works:The hosts will encourage audience members to shout out ideas for themes. It could be a theme you have a story about, or a theme you want to hear some true stories about. We'll write them down and then the fun begins. You can also take your time between now and the show and craft a story on our pre-announced theme, which is Naughty. Put your name in the hat for a chance to tell your story. We usually have time for about 10 storytellers.We live in some alarming times, no doubt. Sometimes shady stuff is funny, stometimes it's serious. Any story is good as long as it's true, about you, and five to six minutes long. We'll have a timer to keep you on track. Remember, no notes or reading allowed. You'll tell it like you're telling friends around the dinner table. Hosted by creator Julie Soller & comic Inanc Ino. Tickets at StorySlam Oakland
We start with Jules Leyhe & The Family Jules. Jules is one of the world’s foremost blues slide-guitar players—so much so that even Premier Guitar magazine called his music “the best blues slide licks since Derek Trucks, maybe even Duane Allman.” His band is also top-notch - featuring Ian McArldle on paino, Isaac Schwartz on drums and renowned bassist Matt Roades. Then we add a special guest to create something new and exciting! This month the featured guest is Adam Levy. Chalking up an enviable career to luck is characteristic of the soft-spoken Levy, whose humility is echoed in his musical voice. Much as he chooses his words wisely, Adam is tactful and tasteful in his guitar playing, never stepping into a solo spotlight without something meaningful to add to a song. One great example is his guitar work on the Norah Jones hit “Come Away with Me.” Understated but memorable, Levy’s solo draws on elements of jazz and country to reflect perfectly the simple, earnest sentiment of the composition. Making music with Norah Jones was just one experience in a string of elite gigs for Levy. A few years prior he had met Tracy Chapman, who enlisted him to play on her mid-’90s masterpiece, New Beginning. Levy’s guitar earns the limelight in the bluesy “Give Me One Reason,” which won Best Rock Song at the 1997 Grammy Awards. More recently, he has worked with Ani DiFranco, Rosanne Cash, Jamestown Revival, and Allen Toussaint. Tickets at Jules Leyhe & The Family Jules with Adam Levy
Experience an unforgettable evening of genre-bending brilliance with Two-Time Grammy Award–winning violinist Mads Tolling and acclaimed accordionist and pianist Sam Reider in their captivating program, Django to Tango. Journey from the fiery swing of Django Reinhardt’s gypsy jazz to the sultry rhythms of Argentine tango and beyond. Blending virtuosity with playful improvisation, Tolling and Reider reimagine classics and unveil original works that bridge continents and centuries. Django to Tango celebrates the joy of musical storytelling—filled with rhythm, romance, and spontaneity. Mads Tolling is the 2016 winner of DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Violin Award, and SF Classical Voice 2023 and 2025 Jazz Performer. Mads is a former long-time member of bassist Stanley Clarke's Band, and the Turtle Island Quartet. Recently he toured and recorded three albums with the late great, Bob Weir. Sam Reider is a Latin Grammy-nominated pianist, accordionist, composer, and educator. He has performed and recorded with a range of artists including Jon Batiste, Laurie Lewis, Paquito D’Rivera, and Jorge Glem, with whom he appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desktop. Joining Mads and Sam this evening is bassist Sam Bevan, whose presence brings depth, groove, and a strong sense of interplay to the trio. Mads Tolling (violin), Sam Reider (accordion, piano), Sam Bevan (bass) Tickets at Mads Tolling & Sam Reider: Django to Tango
Steve Lucky's Hammond Cheese Combo brings the soulful, funky, and sometimes swingin' '60s sounds! Trio tonight, with Ms. Getit on guitar and some vocals, Steve Lucky on the organ + Leslie, and Greg Wyser-Pratte on drums. Friday May 29th Steve Lucky's Hammond Cheese Combo Where: Jupiter 2181 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704 Showtime: 7 pm until 10 pm. No Cover, beer garden, dining, all ages. https://www.jupiterbeer.com/ https://www.jupiterbeer.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExa0ZlWTRTTHdQQzRwMHNqeXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6VkeaN80oqMG83OIj2HJSumoYFqZNkXlWWz69p_5vOLU8iTi0gUJH1I7f_Rg_aem__FjlOFDM2zWsYitb0lw-yA Venue phone: 510.843.8277 www.luckylounge.com https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.luckylounge.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExa0ZlWTRTTHdQQzRwMHNqeXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6gxMGmipLTn5lyNKYl0-PAjuifBkQGTThKx5TFZVCKoG59mJZvKdAqcd-5cw_aem_b0EF0t8AaUfDlws1-erybQ&h=AUB57Ss2Gd4KFF2n5VnGH0rHS-t7LMtrAOXBxh8QugEsn6gGMClvKWYfLoIH9uAeTfyeLWZMe7o5gQmjXN777OMRzIxX7xJQJztkqd1JGqg_PTseQEroBGgv4f4SBXD7MC6pP2Ap5UjkCW89bxo&__tn__=q&c[0]=AUAk-tOhrkdOBiC8ekeYv79NMqWrUZQp_2acUyYma0qlTdhNxwsIhEc_SX5rIKaTM1WQ00FqVsL6pO6ik9hqp-85w-mUY7uhlzblQ7ydFBHrhHUtLeDqdcroC3dtAjo5YQNcRzdnq3jFs-symAVOAWxchbNNiBmQ0CQ