Free Organ Concert at Treasure Island Museum (SF)

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Free Hammond Organ Concert- Saturday, May 13 2023 at 2:00 PM

Presented by the Treasure Island Museum and the Treasure Island Yacht Club in the lobby of historic Building One

1 Avenue of the Palms, Treasure Island, San Francisco 94130

About the Event:

Drinks and refreshments provided by Treasure Island Yacht Club.

The Treasure Island Museum and the Treasure Island Yacht Club are proud to present another concert of Hammond organ music performed by award-winning organist Jerry Nagano. The lobby of historic Building One will resound with music that was popular during the Big Band era and beyond, particularly bands that featured singers such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. We’ll also hear some Latin rhythm based tunes from later decades!

The Treasure Island Museum’s Hammond BV organ and Leslie speaker (mfg. 1946-1949) originally belonged to Catherine “Kay” Rooney. From 1951 through the 1970s, Kay entertained diners and dancers in the officers’ club on Naval Station Treasure Island, and played during services in the base chapel. In 2019, Kay’s niece Christine Weicher donated the organ to the Treasure Island Museum on behalf of her aunt’s extended family.

The Treasure Island Museum is thrilled to bring this era of Treasure Island musical history to life!

Jerry Nagano was born and raised in the Los Angeles area where he began his musical training. He studied with organist Gaylord Carter, whom Jerry first heard performing during a silent movie show. During his college years, Jerry was the organist for the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, where he performed on their famed Reginald Foort/BBC Moller Pipe organ. After relocating to the Bay Area, he was the featured artist at Ye Olde Pizza Joynt in San Lorenzo, the first “Wurlitzer in the Pizza Parlor” in the Bay Area.  Since those days Jerry has played at the Stanford Theater, the Oakland Paramount and the California Theatre in San Jose, where he played the 4 manual auditorium organ and the 2/10 Style 216 Wurlitzer in the California’s lobby. Patrons of the San Jose Opera and Symphony Silicon Valley dance their way to their seats to the rhythmic beat of the Wurlitzer organ. In 2017 he was named Theater Organist of the Year by the American Theatre Organ Society.

Aside from his busy musical life, during the day Jerry is a Computer Systems Engineer for Stanford University.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.