FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore Valley Arts
Contact: Andrew Kracht (925) 583-2314
The Inaugural Club Bankhead Jazz Series,
Debuting this Summer Onstage at The Bankhead
Livermore, CA – (July 10, 2026) – A new performance series to discover this season, Livermore Valley Arts invites audiences to join us for our inaugural Club Bankhead Jazz Series featuring national and local jazz artists. As members of the audience, ticketholders will be seated on the stage with the performers as we recreate an intimate club space inside The Bankhead. Kicking off this thrilling new series at LVA on Friday, August 7, Marty Isenberg’s The Way I Feel Inside blends the whimsical, offbeat charm of Wes Anderson’s iconic mixtapes and cinematic language with his own personal story in a soundtrack to the wonder, loneliness, and nostalgia of life in the modern world—presented as a concert that unfolds like a movie, with theatrical storytelling and Isenberg at the center of the frame. A few weeks later at Sinatra Saloon: A Tale & A Tune, Oakland-based vocalist Jefferson Bergey will share songs you know and stories you don’t, in a musical and storytelling tribute to the music of Frank Sinatra with a little bit of Dean Martin, on Friday, September 4. Livermore Valley Arts is excited to satisfy both jazz lovers and music lovers who just adore perfect vibes, in an unforgettable Tri-Valley setting this summer. To foster that jazz club vibe, tickets will be very limited—interested patrons are encouraged to purchase early so they do not miss the chance to experience great jazz up close, the way it’s meant to be. Both of these fabulous, affordable nights of music will be onstage at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
Bassist, composer, and bandleader Marty Isenberg brings his celebrated project, The Way I Feel Inside to California for a four-city tour this August, including a performance at the Bankhead Theater on August 7. The ensemble — featuring Sami Stevens on vocals, Alicyn Yaffee on guitar, Nitzan Gavrielli on piano, and Rodrigo Recabarren on drums — will bring its one-of-a-kind theatrical jazz concert to audiences across the state. The Way I Feel Inside, Isenberg’s debut album as a leader, was released on Zaccai Curtis’ Truth Revolution Recording Collective in 2023 has garnered widespread acclaim since its release, earning a rare 4.5-star review in Downbeat Magazine and surpassing 200,000 streams. The project has grown into a national touring act, with prior performances at Birdland and Joe’s Pub in New York City, Dazzle in Denver, and venues from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast. Returning to California for their second ‘Wes’ Coast tour, the project continues to grow its audience, bringing its singular blend of cinematic storytelling and live jazz to new cities and new listeners across the state. Downbeat Magazine’s glowing review called this show “pitch perfect,” and Vintage Guitar Magazine raves, “It’s a fascinating concept, executed splendidly.” Join us for this thrilling Club Bankhead kick-off, where audiences will have the chance to experience the music of Wes Anderson’s films like never before, a vibrant, jazz-infused tribute blending nostalgia with fresh, inventive arrangements.
“If you like music, tales, and pizazz, this is it” (The Sound Room, Oakland), a show bringing great tunes along with stories of tales and drama. For the last 13 years Oakland-based vocalist Jefferson Bergey has been zig-zagging through multiple genres of music and comedy. Now he’s taking on his most challenging musical costume yet in Sinatra Saloon: A Tale & A Tune, covering arguably the greatest singer of the 20th Century, Frank Sinatra. Sinatra may have been the greatest singer, but he was far from a perfect man. An insightful show of Sinatra’s music, interspersed with tales about the real man behind the legend, Bergey pulls no punches as he tells sordid stories of the singer’s life against the musical backdrop of some of the best-known songs of the Great American Songbook. When asked why Sinatra, Bergey says “There’s something so classic and timeless about the songs and the way that he sang them. But then I started to learn about his life, and that sent me down a rabbit hole that I’m still digging deeper into, and I’m eager to share the stories and my discoveries with an audience.” He also warned that this is not a classic, note-for-note tribute. “I’m not doing a Frank Sinatra impression. I won’t be wearing a fedora or tuxedo. If I quote him, it will be in the context of a story I’m telling about the man, and these will not be well-known stories! I’m singing his songs, but I’m also telling tales that are not the normal, bland fanfare and publicist-approved points that would introduce him on a prime time television show in the 60’s. This show will present both the bright accolades and the dark sins of a nuanced artist while showcasing the songs that make him undeniable for any generation.” It’s not only Sinatra that the stories revolve around. Bay Area vocalist Meredith McHenry is a vital part of the ensemble not only as a featured vocalist, but as the voice of the woman chronicled in the show, which has included Mia Farrow, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Shirley MacLaine, and, of course, Ava Gardner. Bergey has written six unique Sinatra Saloon shows, each featuring different tales and tunes centered on a central theme. He’s performed these shows quarterly at The Sound Room in Oakland. He’s also expanded to numerous sold-out Candlelight Concerts in Portland and the historic Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. His annual Sinatra Holiday show has become a tradition for Pure Soul Presents at the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento, now in its fourth year. At this must-see, exciting continuation of the Club Bankhead series on September 4, Bergey will be backed by some of the best of the Bay Area including Andrew Dixon on tenor sax, John Gove on trombone, Don Beck on trumpet, Jon Herrera on bass, Jason Zucker on keys, and Julian Hogan on drums of The Hogan Brothers.
Tickets for shows in the 2026—2027 Club Bankhead Series and the 2026—2027 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling 925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit LivermoreArts.org.
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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies, over 40 studio artists, and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: Marty Isenberg’s The Way I Feel Inside: Inspired by Wes Anderson Date/Time: Friday, August 7, 2026, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $40 General Seating, $50 Table Seating
Show: Sinatra Saloon: A Tale & A Tune
Date/Time: Friday, September 4, 2026, at 8:00pm
Tickets: $40 General Seating, $50 Table Seating
Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org
