Some bands chase heat; The Cookers shape it—transforming velocity into design and treating their repertoire as a living lab for risk. On this night at Miner Auditorium, the seven-piece didn’t rely on memory. They played in the present tense, with charts that encourage lift, turn, and smooth landings, the way only a seasoned band with deep trust can deliver. The premise was simple and powerful: craft a set that breathes, then push until the edges feel new again.

A brief pre-show note raised the stakes: Eddie Henderson was ill, and Mike Rodriguez—best known locally through the SFJAZZ Collective—stepped in on trumpet, making him the youngest musician on stage. The substitution reshaped the frontline and emphasized the group’s promise of continuity despite change.

They opened with George Cables’ “The Mystery of Monifa Brown,” a tune that establishes a hard-bop foundation and leans toward freer expression. The four horns delivered the theme tight and focused; Craig Handy’s alto soared first, with quick, dynamic angles; David Weiss responded with lyrical lightness; Cables infused gospel color into a sharp attack, while Billy Hart and Cecil McBee kept the groove lively. The piece was intense but never chaotic, showcasing clarity under pressure.

“Blackfoot,” another Cables composition, dropped straight into a deep pocket. Hart’s ride set the pressure and direction while McBee’s line made the harmony buoyant. Rodriguez took the first turn, crisp and centered. Azar Lawrence leaned forward with tenor fire. Cables closed with a solo that balanced lift and bite. You could hear the band’s arranging intelligence: voicings that punch, bloom, and give each soloist a clear sky.

Cecil McBee’s “Peacemaker” transformed the atmosphere. Its lyrical melody and rich harmony fostered patience. Handy’s solo started tense and then simmered down, while Weiss followed with composed shapes. McBee took the lead with a bass solo that revealed his dual roles here—anchor and storyteller. In a set that valued tension, this was the moment that made the later sprints meaningful.

They maintained that poise for McBee’s ballad “Close to You Alone.” The lights dimmed. Hart moved to the mallets and brushes. Handy’s solo passage received cheers. Cables shaped the silence around the melody, while McBee’s bass resonated within the texture rather than underneath it. The performance emphasized intentional softness—focused timing at low volume, a skill this rhythm section masters.

Then the fuse: Freddie Hubbard’s “The Core.” The selection meant more than homage. The Cookers draw their name from The Night of the Cookers (Blue Note Records), and this season marks that album’s 60th year—a reminder that hard-bop’s fiercest lessons still teach in real time. Rodriguez led, Lawrence roared, and Hart detonated an extended solo as the band cleared the deck, with Cables tossing two-note sparks in reply. The set capped with Billy Harper’s “Priestess,” a final charge that drew a standing ovation.

The encore, Weiss’s “Three Fall,” delivered the evening’s most direct statement of identity. Hart played with maximum intensity without crowding the bar lines. McBee held the rhythm firmly, the four-horn front line swelled like a small orchestra, then narrowed so each voice could stand out. It felt like design in motion—ensemble strength used to create space for improvisation. Another ovation followed.

Why does this band hold together so convincingly? Start with the book. Weiss curates pieces that “work” live—forms with enough structure to carry heat and enough openness to invite risk. The musicians know where the walls are and how to lean on them. Hart’s ride cymbal acts as both a governor and an accelerant. McBee provides time and a harmonic foundation as Cables toggles between velvet and voltage. Within that frame, the horns shift between one voice and many, and the music builds without the edges blurring.

Weiss’s philosophy shifts the focus of music from repertoire to purpose. He avoids the “all-star” label because it suggests ceremony rather than intention. His goal is intent: select material that keeps the set flexible, then trust the musicians to be most authentic within it. “It’s a living, breathing thing… it still swings and grooves,” he says, capturing the approach they’ve refined through years of touring. The result is music that feels both learned and spontaneous.

Personnel details matter because they reveal the ingredients’ sound. Cables provide the ballast and lift. McBee writes melodies that anchor and sing. Hart is a storyteller who controls temperature with cymbal color and springy time. Up front, Handy’s alto carves quick, angular lines. Lawrence pushes the air with tenor strength. Rodriguez, the night’s youngest voice, is tightly focused within the fabric with a clear, ringing tone. Together, they form an engine that reaches the red line without losing momentum.

Pacing shaped the experience. The band avoided lengthy speeches or nostalgia. They made the sequence feel like a composition. Open with focus. Build intensity. Breathe. Sprint. That approach did more than manage energy—it showcased the band itself: bring together elders who created the language with a player who learned it on their shoulders, fill the folder with flexible tunes, and let trust turn risk into form. The ovations felt earned and genuine rather than automatic.

The Cookers’ front line. Photo: Steve Roby

In conversation, Weiss calls the Bay Area “the most fun place to play,” and the music sounded natural in this space. The Miner acoustics revealed texture—the snap of Hart’s ride, the bass depth, the horn center—so the band’s choices came through with extra clarity. You could hear how the rhythm section’s modern precision keeps their mid-’60s fire from sounding retro, and how the four-horn format turns a septet into a small orchestra without losing street feel.

The night’s real focus was continuity. The Cookers have a style that once defined tomorrow and still feels current. They present avant-bop as a craft learned on bandstands and renewed through innovative material and collective nerve. As the applause faded, the music’s meaning became clearer: this is what a tradition sounds like when the people who built it keep testing it. Expect more of that work—new charts entering the book, familiar pieces seen from fresh angles, and a band dedicated to making the future swing.

Program Notes

Venue: Miner Auditorium (SFJAZZ Center)

Location: San Francisco, California

Date/Showtime: October 17, 2025 – 7:30 p.m.

Stage announcement: Ross Eustis, Director of Digital for SFJAZZ

Personnel: David Weiss (trumpet), Mike Rodriguez (trumpet), Craig Handy (alto saxophone), Azar Lawrence (tenor saxophone), George Cables (piano), Cecil McBee (acoustic bass), and Billy Hart (drums).

Setlist: “The Mystery of Monifa Brown (George Cables),” “Blackfoot(George Cables),” “Peacemaker (Cecil McBee),” “Close to You Alone(Cecil McBee),” “The Core (Freddie Hubbard),” and “Priestess (Billy Harper).”

Encore: “Three Fall (David Weiss).”

Bonus: Read a feature article about The Cookers here.

The Cookers Carry Hard-Bop Forward At Miner Auditorium

Christian McBride & Brad Mehldau: The Sound of Shared Memory