Meet the three tenors, Bay Area style. This power- packed triple bill features local talents who’ve gained national recognition with their distinctive voices and stellar improvisational forays. A savvy band leader, Dave Ellis has been the horn player of choice for Christian McBride, Charlie Hunter, and the Grateful Dead. Dayna Stephens, a gifted composer, released last year’s impressive debut CD, The Timeless Now, featuring guitar legend John Scofield. From post-apocalyptic jazz to scintillating trance hypnotism, the Mitch Marcus Quintet delivers a forward-leaning brand of original music.

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Meet the three tenors, Bay Area style—a power-packed triple bill of local talents who’ve gained national recognition with their distinctive voices and stellar improvisational forays. Berkeley High alum Ellis has been the horn player of choice for Christian McBride, Charlie Hunter, and the post-Grateful Dead reunion band The Other Ones. Along with childhood pal Hunter, the brawny-toned Ellis played a key role drawing national attention to the burgeoning acid jazz scene that took root in San Francisco nightspots like the Elbo Room in the early ‘90s.

Stephens, another Berkeley High alum, is a saxophonist of rare poise and melodic invention. He released last year’s impressive debut album, The Timeless Now, featuring guitar legend John Scofield and SFJAZZ Collective drummer Eric Harland. A rising star on the New York scene, he’s been landing plum gigs like a recent weeklong run at the Village Vanguard with piano master Kenny Barron.

Marcus has been a creative force on the Bay Area scene for the past decade, since relocating from Indiana with most of the players from the eclectic band Japonize Elephants. Whether leading the Wednesday night jam session at the Mission District nightspot Amnesia or exploring hip hop inflected grooves with Shotgun Wedding, Marcus attacks with total emotional commitment and an imposingly muscular tone.

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