2025-26 Season | JHL: Oct 23-26
Oct 26, 2025
Joe Henderson Lab
PLEASE NOTE:
This page is an archive of a past production
Please visit our calendar for all upcoming SFJAZZ shows.
Original show description below.
Sam Wilkes is a Los Angeles-based bassist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer whose genre-bending artistry has made him a central figure in the city’s vibrant jazz scene. Known as a bandleader and collaborator with Sam Gendel and Louis Cole, Wilkes performs with his current quartet for this concert.
Born in Connecticut and raised by a creative family—his father is renowned photographer Stephen Wilkes—Sam began playing electric bass as a child, drawn early on to the improvisational spirit of bands like Phish and The Grateful Dead. He honed his craft at the USC Thornton School of Music, studying under legends like Patrice Rushen and Leon “Ndugu” Chancler, and forging a key partnership with saxophonist Sam Gendel.
Wilkes’ solo work and collaborations, particularly with Gendel and drummer and multi-instrumentalist Louis Cole, are celebrated for their fluid blend of jazz, ambient, indie rock, and chamber pop, earning critical acclaim for their emotional depth and sonic curiosity.
His debut solo album, Wilkes, and projects like Music for Saxofone & Bass Guitar have become touchstones of new LA jazz, marked by lo-fi textures and fearless improvisation. His most recent projects have included a trio project with drummer Craig Weinrib and guitarist Dylan Day, the live 2024 quintet release iiyo iiyo iiyo, and a 2025 electro-acoustic session with guitarist Gregory Uhlmann and saxophonist Josh Johnson for the International Anthem label.
A central figure in Los Angeles’ vibrant jazz scene, bassist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Sam Wilkes is known as a bandleader and collaborator with Sam Gendel and Louis Cole. He performs with his current quartet for this concert.
SFJAZZ MAGAZINE
› Playlist: SFJAZZ Debuts We Can't Wait To Hear
An explorer and a chameleon, reconfiguring his band from a cast of L.A. jazz and rock stalwarts for each successive project
Pitchfork on Sam Wilkes
An explorer and a chameleon, reconfiguring his band from a cast of L.A. jazz and rock stalwarts for each successive project
Pitchfork on Sam Wilkes
Personnel
Sam Wilkes bass
Will Graefe guitar
Benny Bock keys
Craig Weinrib drums
Bassist Sam Wilkes is known in jazz inner circles for the beauty of his instrumental sound
All About Jazz
Personnel
Sam Wilkes bass
Will Graefe guitar
Benny Bock keys
Craig Weinrib drums
Bassist Sam Wilkes is known in jazz inner circles for the beauty of his instrumental sound
All About Jazz
Lo-Fi Oyster Co. & SFJAZZ Co-Present
For this special co-presentation SFJAZZ partners with Bay Area-based experimental music and oyster service platform Lo-Fi Oyster Co. for their 'Aural Estuary' concert series. 'Aural estuary' refers to the soundscape of an estuary, a place where saltwater from the ocean mixes with freshwater from rivers and streams. These unique environments, often called "nurseries of the sea", are known for their high productivity and rich biodiversity, supporting a wide range of plants and animals. The sounds within these environments can be diverse and contribute to a fuller understanding of the ecosystem.
Lo-Fi Oyster Co. and Colombian soul-food restaurant Pacifico will be collaborating on a special seafood focused menu inside the SFJAZZ Center prior to the show. Join us at Pacifico for dinner and a post-reception concluding this curatorial collaboration.
Founded in 2023, Lo-Fi Oyster Co. lives at the intersection of experimental, ambient, straight-ahead jazz, and oyster service focusing on bridging the gap between music, visual art, wine making, & culinary communities as well as providing a gateway for these networks to reach and embrace new audiences, friends, and patrons.
This partnership is powered by The Svane Family Foundation dedicated to the revitalization of downtown San Francisco.
Lo-Fi Oyster Co. & SFJAZZ Co-Present
For this special co-presentation SFJAZZ partners with Bay Area-based experimental music and oyster service platform Lo-Fi Oyster Co. for their 'Aural Estuary' concert series. 'Aural estuary' refers to the soundscape of an estuary, a place where saltwater from the ocean mixes with freshwater from rivers and streams. These unique environments, often called "nurseries of the sea", are known for their high productivity and rich biodiversity, supporting a wide range of plants and animals. The sounds within these environments can be diverse and contribute to a fuller understanding of the ecosystem.
Lo-Fi Oyster Co. and Colombian soul-food restaurant Pacifico will be collaborating on a special seafood focused menu inside the SFJAZZ Center prior to the show. Join us at Pacifico for dinner and a post-reception concluding this curatorial collaboration.
Founded in 2023, Lo-Fi Oyster Co. lives at the intersection of experimental, ambient, straight-ahead jazz, and oyster service focusing on bridging the gap between music, visual art, wine making, & culinary communities as well as providing a gateway for these networks to reach and embrace new audiences, friends, and patrons.
This partnership is powered by The Svane Family Foundation dedicated to the revitalization of downtown San Francisco.
Watch & Listen
Sam Wilkes Trio
Standing in the Doorway
sam wilkes trio
I'll Find a Way (To Carry It All)
Sam Wilkes Trio
Standing in the Doorway
sam wilkes trio
I'll Find a Way (To Carry It All)