Yoav Konig Quartet with Flora Sullivan, Spencer Tantameng, Simon Aks

This group is a collection of the Bay Area's most talented young Jazz musicians. Yoav Konig was seeking an innovative new sound to convey his compositional ideas. He arranged this group with friends who are back home from college for the summer. A quartet featuring bass, drums, vibraphone, and guitar creates a unique sonic texture that blends rhythmic drive with rich harmonic color. The absence of traditional piano or horns opens up more space, allowing each instrument to shine and interact more freely. The shimmering tones of the vibraphone paired with the guitar’s versatility make for an innovative and modern take on the jazz quartet format.

Yoav Konig is a dynamic young bass player who is setting new ground on the instrument. Currently a senior at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. Yoav is a composer and arranger who is a member of the SFJazz High School All-Stars and the CJC Advanced Combo, led by Peter Horvath. He has studied under the greats: Reuben Rogers, Ben Williams, Or Bareket, Marcus Shelby, Jeff Denson, and Cole Davis. His compositions earned him a Downbeat student award, and he is off to tour Italy in July.

Flora Sullivan, a gifted drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area, has been named the 2024 recipient of Berklee College of Music’s prestigious Jimmy Lyons Scholarship. Sullivan studies professional performance at Berklee. “Flora is an outstanding musician who, in addition to being a talented drummer, writes songs and plays piano and guitar in addition to singing,” says Damien Bracken.

Simon Aks is a San Francisco-based guitar player who graduated from the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and attends college at UCLA. While initially in the Global Jazz Studies program for guitar performance, he is now pursuing a BS in Electrical Engineering. In high school, he participated in the SFJazz High School All Stars Big Band, the SFCM Roots, Jazz, and American Music ensemble, the CJC Advanced Jazz Workshop I, the Brubeck Summer Jazz Institute, and the Stanford Jazz Workshop. He loves to frequent legendary venues such as SFJazz and Black Cat. Simon has multiple records coming out this summer.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door general admission; $15 for students with ID. Children under 12 are free. Advance tickets are available here, or if the show is not sold out, you may purchase your tickets at the door before the show.

Doors open 30 minutes before show time. We accept cash or Venmo only at the door.

The Back Room is an all-ages, BYOB (for those 21+) space, dedicated to (mostly) acoustic music of all kinds. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages. The venue is ADA accessible. If you need more information or have any questions, please call us: #510-381-1997.

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Please refrain from using your phone during performances, and if you use your camera or video, please disable the flash.

Although masks are no longer required, we strongly encourage their use to keep everyone safe in our intimate space.