Trio with Don Neely
and Dinah Lee

Last of the 2nd Generation
Stride Jazz Pianists

Saturday, October 24, 2026
7:30 PM

Only a handful of contemporary jazz pianists play Harlem Stride Jazz Piano, the sound of Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, Duke Ellington, Willie the Lion Smith and Art Tatum. Mike Lipskin has devoted his life to stride jazz, and is one of these rare pianists and has even created his own sound within stride jazz piano. He’s performed at Carnegie Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, 92nd Street “Y” and Newport Jazz Festival, toured Europe, and appears in the jazz documentary film, “A Great Day in Harlem,” which was nominated for an academy award.

Born in New York, Mike first fell in love with Waller records from his father’s collection when he was 4 years old and was hooked on the style from then on. In high school he traveled to Harlem, learning from the remaining stride masters such as Willie the Lion Smith, Luckey Roberts, Cliff Jackson, and the amazing Donald Lambert, in New Jersey.

He was music director for and performed in seven “Stride Summit” concerts at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall, and Masonic Auditorium. He appeared with Woody Allen and Dick Hyman in New York City and had a 23 concert European tour in conjunction with his first release on the Swiss label, Downtown Records.

Don Neely, the founder of the long-running Royal Society Jazz Orchestra is a fine hot sax/clarinet player and entertaining vocalist. The California-based bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, has more than 40 years of musical experience playing tunes from the 1920s and 1930s. He expanded the audience for hot syncopated music beyond the Bay area without sacrificing authenticity. Dapper Don, with his silver hair and mustache making him look like the elder statesman he has become, still performs around California with other bands and his own 11-piece Royal Jazz Society Orchestra.

Dinah Lee has been performing traditional jazz from the Great American Songbook for many years. She and Mike Lipskin now perform in San Francisco, New York and various other venues. Dinah worked first in Arizona with the jazz groups: Riverboat Ramblers, the Notables, her group the Men of Note and in France with Louis Mazatier and The Paris Washboard. Since then, she performs with Mike Lipskin, Paul Mehling and Dan Levinson and has had the pleasure of being accompanied by Dick Hyman and Terry Waldo in New York and San Francisco. After a ten year hiatus from the industry due to illness, she and Mike have rejoined and are performing regularly.

Please note:

• Shows start promptly. Doors open 30 minutes before show time, please arrive on time.
• We have increased our hall ventilation. Dress warmly on a cold day.
• Member Price is for current members only. Membership status will be confirmed and if necessary, the ticket price will be adjusted upon arrival at check-in, before seating.
• Buying tickets online, up to Friday at 12:30 PM, guarantees admission to concert.
• Tickets are sold first come, first served, starting 30 minutes before show time.
• All concert attendees (including age 18 or under) must have a ticket or receipt.