FivePlay is a San Francisco Bay Area jazz quintet that plays original, melodic, modern jazz. Our members are Bay Area stalwarts who have played and recorded with such luminaries as the Full Faith and Credit Big Band, Jimmy Witherspoon, John Dankworth and the San Francisco Symphony, Rebecca Paris, and numerous others.

Our name, yes, well, it’s a single-entendre that derives from Victor Borge’s inflationary language. Our music is fresh, rooted in the best jazz traditions while drawing on modern harmonies, rhythms, and tone colors. In performance we seek to delight and entrance our listeners with new tunes and inspired improvisation. Hard to describe, better to listen or even watch. Debut CD available early 2009.

[Click the logo above to go to our MySpace page.]

Photos! Band photos from the wonderful portrait photographer G Paul Bishop. Click the thumbnail to see the original, full-size photo.

Subscribe! Please subscribe to the FivePlay email list! To subscribe, email fiveplay-request@tonycorman.com with subject "subscribe" (omit the quotes).

Our personnel:

Tony Corman (gt): ex-Full Faith and Credit, Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Celia Malheiros, many others. Most recently arranger/producer/guitarist on vocalist Jenny Ferris' tribute to Johnny Mercer.

Laura Klein (pno): played and/or recorded with John Dankworth and SF Symphony, Jenny Ferris, Triceratops, etc.

Dave Tidball (reeds): played and/or recorded with Jimmy Witherspoon, Paula West, Warren Gale, Threedom, others. Faculty member at summer Sierra Jazz sessions.

Paul Smith (bs): touring with Dan Hicks, played with Willie Bobo, Moacir Santos, recordings with Sheila Smith, many others.

Alan Hall (ds): Jazzschool faculty, played and/or recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Harris, Paul McCandless, Art Lande, and many others. Former Berklee faculty member.

Here's a video of us live at Anna's in 2007, playing Bright Golden Sunshine


Next show:

Anna's Jazz Island Thu Sep 4, 2008 from 8 - 11 PM

Feel free to contact us about the band at 510 845-6619 or