Friends of the Golden Gate Library

The Friends of the Golden Gate Library is excited to announce our 2026 Jazz On Sunday concert series is coming this July and August! A fabulous line up of Jazz musicians awaits you! A total of 9 concerts!

We receive great support from the Oakland Public Library and the City of Emeryville. But in order to continue Jazz On Sunday we need your help too!

Established over 30 years ago by the celebrated drummer Donald "Duck" Bailey, Jazz On Sundays has featured many great Jazz musicians and also provided stage experience for many young and upcoming Jazz musicians. Please support our 2026 Jazz On Sunday program now!

The Michael Jones Quartet provided a Holiday performance today at the Emeryville Senior Center! The band featured Ranzel Merritt (tenor sax); Spencer Allen (piano); Michael Jones (bass); and Randy Ranzel Merritt (drums). This Friends of the Golden Gate Library performance was sponsored by the City of Emeryville.

Friends Of The Golden Gate Library is preparing our 2026 July & August Concert Series. Grants are scarce! Please consider making a donation to our GoFundMe!

Donate to Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!, organized by Michael Jones The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

Friends Of The Golden Gate Library are preparing our 2026 Jazz On Sunday Concert Series for this July & August. Grant funds are scarce this year. Please consider donating to our GoFundMe!

Donate to Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!, organized by Michael Jones The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

The Michael Jones Quartet provided a Holiday performance today at the Emeryville Senior Center! The band featured Ranzel Merritt (tenor sax); Spencer Allen (piano); Michael Jones (bass); and Randy Ranzel Merritt (drums). This Friends of the Golden Gate Library performance was sponsored by the City of Emeryville.

After a little technical glitch our Jazz On Sundays fundraiser is now back up running again and awaits your kind donations!

Donate to Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!, organized by Michael Jones The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

Donate to Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!, organized by Michael Jones The Friends of the Golden Gate Library Jazz On Sundays program is an important… Michael Jones needs your support for Jazz On Sundays Urgently Needs Your Help!

Jazz On Sunday's 2025 Summer Jazz Concert series ended with a bang! Our grand finale was provided by the Geechi Taylor Quartet featuring Geechi Taylor (trumpet); Glen Pearson (piano); Ron Blecher (bass); and Howard Wiley (drums). Geechi's set included the Sinatra favorite The Best Is Yet To Come;
Nat King Cole’s Nature Boy (Geechi, vocals); Gigi Gryce’s Minority; Sam River’s Beatrice (performed by Glen Pearson);
When You Wish Upon A Star (performed by Ron Blecher and also song by the audience); and God Bless The Child (sang by Geechi's father John Taylor). A great performance before a full house! The band was introduced by Friends of the Golden Gate Library president Michael Jones. Special thanks to FGGL volunteer Esther Green and Golden Gate Branch Library's Anna. Photos by Tim Burgess. 08-24-25.

The final Jazz On Sunday Youth Jazz Performance this year was the multi talented Young Musicians Choral Orchestra's Jazz Combo featuring Lukas Levine (13 yrs) bass; Luna Levine (10 yrs) vocals; Margret Kariuki (15 yrs) vocals & alto sax; Max Nguyen (17 yrs) piano & vocals; and Nimah Rowden (21 yrs) drums. According to their music instructor Geechi Taylor these young musicians each play many different instruments. The YMCO Jazz Combo's set included Blues By Five (Lukas, Maggie, Max and Nimah solos); Stolen Moments (Margret, sax); So What (Lukas & Max solos); Fly Me to the Moon (Luna vocals); Night and Day Max vocals); and Autumn Leaves (Luna vocals). The band was introduced by Friends of the Golden Gate Library president Michael Jones. Special thanks to FGGL volunteer Esther Green and Golden Gate Branch Library's Anna. Photos by Tim Burgess 08-24-25.