PROCLAMATION
City and County of San Francisco
Whereas, It is appreciated that after performing in many parts of the country and world, Larry Vuckovich came back to the City that cradled his American dream, and continues to pay tribute to the city and musicians of San Francisco; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Gavin Newsom, Mayor of City and County of San Francisco, encourage all citizens to join me in recognizing Larry Vuckovich on the occasion of his 70th birthday and do herby proclaim December 8th, 2006 as LARRY VUCKOVICH DAY In San Francisco!

Fillmore Heritage Center
Groundbreaking Celebration Oct. 11 2005
San Francisco Jazz Legends - Heritage Pioneer Ackowledgements
Larry was acknowledged as a "Jazz Legend" and a "Fillmore Heritage Pioneer" at the groundbreaking ceremony. Larry was honored along with Eddy and Vernon Alley, Willie Bobo, Vince Guaraldi, Paul Desmond, Jimbo Edwards, John Handy, Noel Jewkes, Frank Jackson, Jon Hendricks, Bobby Hutcherson, Pat Nacey, Cal Tjader, Allen Smith, and others who contributed to the greatness of the San Francisco jazz scene.

Larry Vuckovich was born in Kotor, Yugoslavia on December 8, 1936. He came to San Francisco in 1951 at the height of a flourishing jazz scene. Classically trained but an ardent jazz fan (thanks to Armed Forces radio), he began hanging out at clubs like the Black Hawk and the Jazz Workshop. Here he heard such greats as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bill Evans. At the Black Hawk he met Cal Tjader and Vince Guaraldi, who was Cal's pianist at the time. Larry studied jazz piano with Pat Tjader and afterwards became Guaraldi's only piano student. During this period he was also completing his music studies at San Francisco State University where John Handy was a major influence on the school's jazz program. As well as performing with the students, John brought visiting greats who also performed with the students including Milt Jackson, Rahsan Roland Kirk. Micky Roker, Bob Cranshaw, Larry Gales, and others. 

Larry began his professional career in 1959 with the legendary Lester Young inspired tenor saxophonist Brew Moore. He began subbing for Guaraldi in 1960 accompanying singers David Allyn, and Irene Kral. Around this time he also performed with such instrumentalists as John Handy and Monk Montgomery. In 1963 while accompanying Mel Torme he developed a close musical rapport with him and was his first call pianist in San Francisco.  

Two years later, he began a 25-year association with vocalist and lyricist Jon Hendricks, appearing at major festivals and clubs around the country and the world. Larry toured with Hendricks, appearing at major festivals and clubs in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, as well as performing in Hendricks' long-running musical stage production, "Evolution of the Blues." He also appeared on two Hendricks recordings.

Besides touring with Hendricks, in the late '60s Larry led the house band at what was then Germany's top jazz club, The Domicile, in Munich. In that role, he backed visiting jazz greats including Lucky Thompson, Slide Hampton, Pony Poindexter, Clifford Jordan, and Dusko Goykovich. Larry was a member of Dusko's International Quintet, recording a live album with the Quintet at the Domicle. It was also at the Domicile  in Munich where he worked with the master drummer Philly Joe Jones, with whom he went on to tour Europe (see the Gallery shots here). He also performed with Dexter Gordon in Austria and in Copenhagen at the famous Montmartre jazz club.

Later in the '70s Larry worked with Jones again in San Francisco when Larry was the house pianist at the Keystone Korner. At this club he performed with jazz masters Arnett Cobb, Buddy Tate, Charles McPherson, Leon Thomas, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, and Scott Hamilton until the club closed in 1983. A CD  released on Savant Records featuring "Cleanhead" Vinson recorded live at Keystone Korner features Larry Vuckovich with James Leary and Eddie Marshall.

Two years later, Larry moved to New York where he appeared at the major jazz clubs including the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Bradley's Zinno, West End, Hanratty's, and others. Some of his musical associations there included Billy Higgins, Cecil Payne, Al Cohn, Curtis Fuller, Milt Hinton, Mel Lewis, Michael Moore, Tom Harrell, and Charles McPherson (the latter two have appeared on Larry's CDs). While in New York Larry between 1985-1990 he received excellent reviews from the New York Times and the Village Voice including such critics as John S. Wilson, Jon Pareles, and Gary Giddins (see New York page). 

In 1990, Larry returned to San Francisco where he is one of the mainstays of the jazz scene . Fans remember his years as house pianist at Club 36 where he also presented top jazz programs including world-class musicians. He was also the music director for the West Coast Jazz Festival and Napa Valley Jazz Festival, and appeared numerous times at the Monterey and San Francisco Jazz Festivals. Most recently his Young At Heart Ensemble was a hit at the San Francisco Jazz Festival in a Tribute to Phil Elwood. His current CD "Reunion" with Jon Hendricks, featuring the Young At Heart Ensemble, has received heavy airplay and reached the number 24 spot on the national jazz charts. At this time he appears at the major San Francisco venues such as, Pearl's, Yoshi's, and in concerts in such places as the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Herbst Theater and Palo Alto Jazz Alliance.  Also Larry presented a very successful piano clinic featuring the styles of Bill Evans, Erroll Garner, Bud Powell, and Red Garland at the 2005 IAJE convention in Long Beach. Larry's oustanding trio included Isla Eckinger on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums received a standing ovation.

Currently Larry lives in Calistgoga/Napa Valley with his wife, Sanna Craig (who is a vocalist, percussionist,  producer, and co-partner in Larry's label, Tetrachord Music), and his son Alexi who is also a talented young pianist. Larry has been appearing at jazz venues in Napa Valley including the two major concert halls,  The Napa Valley Opera House and COPIA . He appears in Napa Valley regularly with the top Bay Area instrumentalists and vocalists including his own ensembles, such as, Blue Balkan, Young At Heart, and La Orquesta El Vuko. 

Discography

Listen to Larry