The Warren Wolf Quartet plays at the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society in Half Moon Bay.
Half Moon Bay’s renowned jazz music club, the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, is back with live jazz and classical music to provide Bay Area residents with renowned Sunday performances with a beachfront setting.
Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society is a nonprofit organization in Half Moon Bay presenting Sunday afternoon headliner jazz, classical and world music since 1964.
Located at the Douglas Beach House near Miramar Beach, the ocean view offers a unique pairing with the jazz club atmosphere. Barbara Douglas Riching, the daughter of founder Pete Douglas, now runs Bach as director following his passing in 2014. Since its opening, it has seen names like Betty Carter, Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Max Roach, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, Art Blakey, Etta James, Milt Jackson and Eliane Elias play. Around 75% of the performers are touring musicians, and about 25% are local artists. Performances can range from swing, modern, Latin, with different instruments mixed in.
“It is such a unique place. The concert room is all cedar walls, and you have views of the ocean. People come and hang out on the decks, bring their own food and wine, and listen to world-class music while watching the sunset,” Riching said.
Riching took over in Spring 2015 after her father passed away in July 2014. She grew up at Bach and helped her parents run it while living in a cottage in the back. She and her siblings helped her parents set up for performances, mop the floor, help with money and mailers. She was previously an accountant and self-described corporate weenie, where she had a traditional, stable, professional life before becoming the director. Despite the work involved with running operations, she took over because of her love for the family business and desire to see it continue.
“When the time came, I knew I couldn’t let it go. I just couldn’t. It’s a legacy, but I also love it myself,” Riching said.
The decades of performances have created a loyal base of fans from all over the Bay Area. The atmosphere and live music create a shared experience in an intimate setting.
“It’s like church. I always call Sunday my church at the Bach. It’s like a spiritual experience,” Riching said.
Riching and her sisters own the Douglas Beach House, where performances occur. In addition to jazz concerts, she uses the building for weddings and other events to help pay costs. Maintaining the business often comes down to building upkeep, which needs constant repairs due to its proximity to the beach and saltwater air.
Bach survived the pandemic by immediately doing live stream concerts on Facebook, with a boost from donations for equipment to improve the experience. Musicians were originally at home before eventually livestreaming from the club. She believes the club is still a year away from being back to regular pre-pandemic attendance and operations when it was packed. Some members of the public are still not ready to come back, and Riching continues to offer livestreaming available for most concerts. Livestream patrons watch the show via a link on one of their devices. Bach’s primary source of income is memberships and donations, but performances are open to the public.
“We have a great lineup. We have wonderful musicians, but we don’t have the attendance we did pre-COVID, so that part has definitely been difficult, but, on the flip side, we have wonderful patrons that have helped us,” Riching said.
Award-winning Anglo-Trinidadian jazz singer, Tessa Souter, will perform April 3, featuring Billy Drummond. Jeremy Pelt Quintet, a rising young trumpeter, will be visiting April 10.
People can go to https://bachddsoc.org to learn more.
(650) 344-5200 ext. 102
(650) 344-5200 ext. 102
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(1) comment
The intimacy of this venue is unparalleled - and the history of this place always brings great Jazz talents. I recommend everyone see a performance here. I saw a band called Holophoner. The acts are a great mix of contemporary and old school jammers. This place needs more attention.
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