Have Saxophone, Will Play

I’m Michael Gold, a Berkeley-based jazz saxophonist. I play in some great groups—trios, quartets, quintets, and big bands—with a bunch of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most creative and talented musicians. I’d love to share our music with you.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
  • December 1, Club 1220 (Walnut Creek), 5 to 7:30 pm, with Dave Schroeder (guitar), Dan Callaway (bass), Andrew Benzie (drums), Michael Gill (keyboard), Bruce Reingold (trumpet), Michael Gold (sax).
  • December 7, Bernal Heights Library (SF) Winter Open House, 2 to 4 pm, Bernal Jazz Quintet: Jim Zimmerman (vibes), Michael Gold (sax), Derek James (trombone), Chuck Bennett (bass), Evan Williams (drums).
  • March 8, 2025, Bird & Beckett (SF), 7:30 to 9:30 pm, The Deep End: Gerald Beckett (flute), Michael Gold (sax), Ari Caprow (guitar), Ken Lenga (bass), Evan Williams (drums).

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Although live music is making a comeback, the pandemic still has prevented many of my regular music venues from resuming their programs. Below are a couple of modest substitutes for live music, virtual combo performances I put together after too many months of isolation from my playmates and our supportive listeners. I hope you enjoy these, as well as this site’s other sound clips and videos. And of course I hope to see you at one of our (still too scarce) in-person performances.

VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES

This is Dave Brubeck’s Upstage Rumba arranged for virtual big band by me and Paul Mindrup. I’m playing soprano, alto, and tenor saxes while Paul holds forth on piano, synthesized marimba and bass, plus a plethora of percussion.

Here’s an arrangement for virtual sax quartet of that great standard Alone Together.

PAST PERFORMANCES OF NOTE
2024
  • November 3, Warehouse416, The Deep End + 1: Ari Caprow (guitar), Gerald Beckett (flute), Michael Gold (sax), Derek James (trombone), Ken Lenga (bass), Evan Williams (drums).
  • October 20, Club 1220, with Derek Barber (guitar), Dan Callaway  (bass), Andrew Benzie (drums), Joe Finetti (trombone), Michael Gold (sax).
  • June 8, Bernal Heights Library Summer Stride Kickoff (SF), Bernal Jazz Quintet: Jim Zimmerman (vibes), Michael Gold (sax), Derek James (trombone), Chuck Bennett (bass), Evan Williams (drums).
  • March 10, Club 1220, with Dave Schroeder on guitar, Dan Callaway on bass, Andrew Benzie on drums, Michael Gill on keyboard, Michael Gold on sax.
2023
  • September 1, Club 1220, with Dave Schroeder on guitar, Dan Callaway on bass, Andrew Benzie on drums, Michael Gill on keyboard, Michael Gold on sax.
  • December 2, Bernal Heights Library (SF), Winter Open House (SF), Bernal Jazz Quintet: Jim Zimmerman (vibes), Michael Gold (sax), Derek James (trombone), Chuck Bennett (bass), Evan Williams (drums).
  • June 21, Bernal Heights Library (SF), Summer Solstice Celebration: Bernal Jazz Quintet with Jim Zimmerman on vibes, Derek James on trombone, Chuck Bennett on bass, Evan Williams on drums, Charlie Keagle on sax (subbing for Michael Gold).
  • March 5, 307 Cortland (SF), Deep End Quintet with flutist Beckett, guitarist Ari Caprow, bassist Ken Lenga, drummer Evan Williams, Michael Gold on tenor and soprano.
  • January 28, Bird & Beckett (SF), Gerald Beckett Quintet.
2022
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