Saxophonist Walter Beasley is bringing his band to Fontana's Steelworkers' Auditorium next Saturday, September 26, for a benefit concert that doubles as a fundraiser for local dads. San Bernardino Fatherhood, a nonprofit serving fathers, children and their families, will present its fourth annual Walter Beasley Jazz Concert: A Tribute to Fathers at the 8437 Sierra Ave. venue, with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. and running until 9 p.m.
According to the San Bernardino Sun, the concert will feature guest saxophonist Phillip “Doc” Martin alongside Beasley, who is billed as a saxophonist, recording artist and educator. Attendees can purchase a meal beforehand from Mama T's Food for the Soul, an Inland Empire buffet-style catering service, per the news release cited by the paper. Beasley and his band are scheduled to take the stage around 7 p.m.
A Non-Profit Built to Reach Fathers Differently
San Bernardino Fatherhood was founded in 2016 by CEO Ryan Berryman, a social worker with more than two decades of experience in child welfare, according to KVCR Public Media. Berryman started the organization specifically to counter systemic practices that alienate fathers from family services, building a space where dads could find community support without the stigma of institutional bureaucracy, the outlet reports.
That mission has since grown into a broader public health partnership. The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health contracted the organization under California's Perinatal Equity Initiative to engage local fathers as active partners in reducing Black infant mortality rates across the county, per the Press-Enterprise's reporting. The state initiative was created in 2018 to address severe racial health disparities during and after pregnancy.
Where the Ticket Money Goes
Concert proceeds will support San Bernardino Fatherhood's programs and projects, which provide fathers with knowledge, resources and practical tools while also aiming to strengthen families and support mothers before, during and after pregnancy, per the news release. Among those programs is the National Fatherhood Initiative's “24/7 Dad” curriculum, a 12-session course designed to improve self-awareness, parenting skills, self-care and co-parenting relationships by encouraging men to examine their family history and foster positive parenting behaviors, according to the National Fatherhood Initiative.
The organization also runs a Daddy Daughter Dance each spring focused on strengthening father-daughter relationships, according to the City of San Bernardino.
A Headliner With a Rare Résumé
Beasley brings unusual credentials to the Fontana stage. He taught at the Berklee College of Music for 35 years following his own 1984 graduation from the school, and is recognized as the highest-selling full-time professor and recording artist in modern history, with 26 released albums, according to Walter Beasley Official. He began performing professionally in Southern California at age 13, long before he ever set foot on Berklee's campus.
His 2007 album *Ready for Love* produced three Billboard No. 1 smooth jazz singles, a run that helped earn him Billboard's Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year honor in 2019 and SoulTracks' Instrumentalist of the Year distinction in 2023, per WBSS Media. He has ranked among the top 10 best-selling African American saxophonists globally since 1998, the same source notes.
The Dentist Who Doubles as a Chart-Topping Saxophonist
Guest performer Phillip “Doc” Martin balances a touring music career with work as a board-certified dentist in a group practice in the Washington, D.C., area, according to Eastman Winds.
On the music side, Martin's 2003 debut album was *Saxappeal*, according to EverybodyWiki.
Inside the Venue
The Steelworkers' Auditorium is located at 8437 Sierra Ave., according to the City of Fontana. The venue hosts theatrical and musical performances, according to the same city source.
Concert tickets start at $52.77 and are available through San Bernardino Fatherhood's ticketing page. More information about the organization's programs can be found at sbfatherhood.com.
