Clint Baker’s Cafe Borrone All Stars: Bringing New Orleans jazz to Menlo Park

Roughly once a week, Menlo Park gets a gift – New Orleans jazz as performed by Clint Baker’s Cafe Borrone All Stars. The band appears most Fridays at Cafe Borrone from 7:30 to 10:30 pm,  when members aren’t touring with other groups.  There’s no cover charge or drink/food minimum, just free music that gets young and old swinging.

“This gives us an opportunity to expose a wider age group to jazz music,” says Baker, who plays cornet and trumpet with the band along with supplying vocals. “Some people today don’t know how to react to live music. In that respect, we’re kind of like a piece of functional art.”

Jazz took its hold on Baker early. The musician, who grew up in Mountain View, started playing at nine, was interested in traditional jazz by 12, and has had a band going since he was 13.

Baker tips his cap to the Borrone family who has hosted the All Stars for what will be 20 years this October. “They’ve been fabulous. We pretty much get to do play what we want from early jazz to swing and Dixieland. Thankfully, people keep coming back to hear us.”

This All Stars will be at Cafe Borrone this month on July 9th, 16th and 30th. Future appearances are noted on the calendar on Clint Baker’s website.

Jazz fan Rae Ann Berry has been video recording Baker and other Bay Area jazz musicians for the last five years. She was there last Friday night and captures Baker and group playing A Porter’s Love Song to a Chambermaid. Musicians are: Clint Baker, cornet; Robert Young, alto sax; Jim Klippert, trombone; Jason Vanderford, guitar; Sam Rocha, bass; and Steve Apple, drums.