Who We Are

THE JAZZ THERAPISTS are a group of seven Bay Area musicians who have been playing pre-1945 American jazz treasures together since 2015. We were founded by Bob Schwartz, a saxophone player and Oakland community leader, who formed a non-profit corporation. At 85, he brought these seasoned and gifted musicians together to  bring this great music to seniors. His goal was to stir memories and to re-engage seniors with life and with each other.

Our shows make folks happy. Their eyes light up as they welcome us. They clap their hands, they tap their feet, and they dance, some even from their wheel chairs. They tell us how happy they are to hear the music that means so much to them.

And now in addition to more than 75 senior living facilities, we play several times a week at a variety of venues, all in service to the community. We love what we do. And as we play these jazz classics, we can still hear Bob reminding us of Duke Ellington's famous quote, still true today: “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing!”

The Band Members

  • Anna de Leon - vocals: Well known as the former owner of Anna’s Jazz Island in Berkeley, she has been singing with well-known S.F. Bay Area jazz bands for over thirty years. Jazz critic Nat Hentoff has said about Anna: “Anna de Leon is one of the more beguiling – and moving sto rytellers I’ve heard in a good many years... she exemplifies what will keep jazz alive.”

  • Lincoln Adler - saxophone: Also a producer and composer, Lincoln has performed and recorded with many wonderful artists including Taj Mahal, The SF Philharmonic, Jeff Goldblum, K. D. Lang, The Jets and Olivia Newton John. His music is included in National TV commercials and on numerous albums. Groove Tonic Media, his boutique production house, helps artists realize their creative potential.

  • Mike Rinta - trombone: A Grammy Award winning trombonist and arranger, Mike has toured the world with many greats such as Sly & The Family Stone, Howard Tate, and Jimmie Vaughan. Locally, Mike frequently can be seen playing with the Tommy Igoe Groove Conspiracy and the Pacific Mambo Orchestra. He has been freelancing for over 30 years and is one of the most in demand players on the Bay Area music scene today.

  • Rob Schwartz - guitar: Son of Bob Schwartz, Rob is a blues and gospel guitar player and songwriter. Rob performed and traveled with Sunburst, a 70s gospel group, performing both original and traditional gospel. As treasurer of Manhattan Center Studios, Rob helped develop and renovate the 3000 seat Manhattan Opera House now known as the Hammerstein Ball Room.

  • Mark Heshima Williams - bass: A native of San Francisco, California, Mark currently resides in Berkeley, California. Mark’s Acoustic Upright String and Electric Bass playing can be best summed up as a representation of the rich musical influences that have been enjoyed in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past 40 years. He has toured both locally and internationally with legendary and local jazz artists. He is a personable and engaging performing artist who enjoys entertaining and creating for all ages and audiences. For the last 7 years, he has been a proud member of The Jazz Therapists, performing in Senior Homes and funded by the Schwartz Foundation.

  • Ben Stolorow - piano: One of the most in-demand jazz pianists in the area both as a leader and sideman, Ben has performed at Yoshi’s, The Jazzschool, and the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, at the Healdsburg and SF Jazz Festivals, at Oakland’s Art and Soul Festival, and has also toured and performed throughout Japan. He has performed with many great musicians including Craig Handy, Akira Tana, Danya Stephens, Lorca Hart, Andrew Speight, Vince Lateano, Noel Jewkes, Michael O’neill, and vocalist Kenny Washington. Ben is also a faculty member of the Jazzschool in Berkeley, CA.

  • David Rokeach - drums: Long-time Bay Area resident, David has toured with Ray Charles and performed/recorded with Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Lou Rawls, Dr. John, Grammy winner Joe Henderson, Down Beat Poll winner Mark Murphy, Bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, The George Brooks-Zakir Hussain Group, Wilson Pickett, Linda Tillery, Steve Miller, Joe Satriani, Grammy-winning Blues legend Taj Mahal, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Joyce Cooling, Maria Muldaur, Calvin Keys, Barry Finnerty, Merl Saunders, David Grisman, Melvin Seals, The Family Stone Experience, Louis Bellson, Wayne Wallace, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, The San Francisco Symphony, The Atlanta Symphony, The Baltimore Symphony, The Dallas Sympnony, Paula West, Brazilian Master Marcos Silva, Bluegrass Grammy winner Alison Brown, Ernestine Anderson, Oscar Brown Jr., award-winning trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, acclaimed composer and Grammy winner, Maria Schneider, Tony, Grammy, Oscar and Emmy Award winner, Rita Moreno, and many more.