Pianist Bliss Rodriguez began his professional career playing with guitarist and singer Jose Feliciano while still in high school. He went on to study with jazz pedagogue John Mehegan and pianist Lenny Tristano, as well as completing music degrees at Mannes College of Music and Harpur College.

Important musical influences include John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Paul Bley, Richie Beirach, Bobo Stenson, Clare Fischer and Keith Jarrett.

In the 60’s and 70’s he worked regularly in New York City, both as solo pianist, and as accompanist to many singers, such as Roseanne Vitro. Since moving to San Francisco in 1986 he has continued to work with singers like Laurie Antonioli, Sherri Roberts and Robin Gregory, as well as instrumentalists such as trumpeter Graham Bruce, and to perform solo piano. In 2001, he toured Japan for 3 months with singer Tressa Lewis.


Ron Crotty was the bassist in the Dave Brubeck Trio of the late 1940s and early ’50s, that included drummer Cal Tjader, and the quartet that Brubeck and Paul Desmond formed in 195l.

After a lengthy career hiatus, he began performing at the Oakland Museum cafe in 2002, with pianists including Terry Rodriguez, Brian Cooke, Laura Klein, and Bliss Rodriguez, and valve trombonist Frank Phipps.

Joined by guitarist Tony Corman, they recorded as Crotty Corman and Phipps.

Ron continued to play the Oakland Museum gig until a few weeks before his death in 2015.


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