AUGUST 2010

MARCUS SHELBY HOT 7: The Legacy of Louis Armstrong
Friday, August 6

Louis Armstrong, born in New Orleans in 1901, was easily one of the most technically gifted, innovative, and authentic cornet and trumpet players—and blues singers—in the history of music. His diverse recordings span from accompanying blues singers such as Bessie Smith and Clara Smith, to singing and playing trumpet with Hawaiian pop singers. Though Armstrong passed away in 1971, the influence of his contributions to American culture continues to this today.  

The Marcus Shelby Hot 7 will honor Armstrong’s music by performing compositions and re-arrangements of the maestro’s music dating back to 1922. Marcus Shelby will also discuss the life of Armstrong intermittently throughout the musical performance.

www.marcusshelby.com/

Howard Wiley: tenor and soprano saxophone
Mike Olmos: trumpet
Matt Clark: piano
Jeff Marrs: drums
Marcus Shelby: bass, speaker
Rob Barics: clarinet
Mike Rinta: trombone, tuba

"Breathlessly ambitious … As a creator and performer, Shelby is blessed not only with a singular musicality but also with a great sense of history.”
—SF Chronicle

$10 - $20 admission. Doors open at 8:30 pm. Show at 9:00 pm.

MAPP: Mission Arts & Performance Project
Saturday, August 7

The MAPP is a homegrown, intercultural, multidisciplinary neighborhood happening that takes place every two months in the Mission District. It’s a collage of a dozen or so spaces—garages, cafés, studios, gardens, street corners—which artists transform into makeshift venues for the intimate experience of people and culture. Endeavoring to bridge the cultural divides of our communities, the MAPP gives space and voice to the multiplicity of perspectives and experiences that exist within urban settings. The charm of the MAPP is that you never know quite what’s going to happen until you get there—so just arrive, and embrace the adventure!

www.sfmapp.com

To celebrate the MAPP, the Red Poppy’s Family Art Program is having an exhibit of
artwork! The installation will include paintings and drawings produced in June and July
by our youth participants.

Family Art Exhibition starts at 7:00 pm.
Million Fishes Gallery
2501 Bryant Street (Bryant @ 24th St.)

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: The FAMILY MAPP: A full afternoon of activities for youths,
including mural and sidewalk art! FREE

7:00 pm – midnight: The MAPP: Art exhibits, music, poetry, dance and film in
multiple locations! FREE

ENCUENTAMIENTO Presents: Quitate tu Pa' Ponerme YO!
Thursday, August 12

Delve into the traditional art of oral history with Encuentamiento, a collective of storytellers who will explore the theme of displacement in tonight’s “‘Quitate tu Pa' Ponerme YO!’ La tragicomedia de no pertenecer del todo.” Be prepared for tragicomic stories of resettlement and involuntary relocation. Stories will be in Spanish. Performers include Pablo Velez, Johanna Suarez, Maria Machetes, Brian Robledo, and Mayra Madriz.

www.vimeo.com/encuentamiento

$10-$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

COLM Ó RIAIN & Friends: Multi-String Investigations

Friday, August 13

Ireland-born violinist and Red Poppy Resident Artist Colm Ó Riain continues to explore new artistic avenues—both inward, in his investigations of what the violin is capable of, and outward, through exciting collaborations with like-minded artists. For tonight’s performance, Colm is delighted to be joined by two highly talented multi-instrumentalists based in Portland, Oregon: Bobak Salehi (violin, guitar, vocals) and Paul Evans (saxophone, flute, piano, the wonderful melodyhorn, percussion and more).

From Persian to Irish, flamenco and gipsy jazz to klezmer, the myriad of genres these players inhabit promise a real celebration of music at its most unifying. They will also be joined by Fernando Diaz, Colm’s fellow Red Poppy Resident Artist, who will be painting live alongside the musicians.

Colm Ó Riain (violin)
Originally a Western classical musician, Colm has performed in numerous concert halls across Europe, including a spell as Concertmaster of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. An accomplished and fiery improviser in many genres, Colm has also performed in festivals and venues beyond Europe—from Argentina and Brazil, to Sweden and Vietnam, and throughout the United States.

Bobak Salehi (violin, guitar, vocals)
Born in Tehran, Iran, Bobak ventured into the music realm when he was eight years old, under the direction of his father, maestro Hossein Salehi. He then expanded his training into Western classical music and founded the Damâm Ensemble, focusing on the classical and folk music of Iran. Bobak furthered his studies by learning the kamancheh (Persian spiked fiddle) with crossover recording artist Kayhan Kalhor. Bobak’s new and innovative playing style employs elements from Persian, gypsy, classical and Latin traditions. He has performed regularly in the Portland Iranian Festival, the World Beat Festival, and Northwest Folklife Music Festival.

Paul Evans (saxes, flute, percussion)
Paul was born to a gypsy family. Unable to pay for the large amount of food he ate (which went straight to his hair), they sold him to the Bavarian Circus. On a trip to the United States with Cirque Du Grotesque, he passed through Portland and was arrested for trying to eat a live poodle. (Part of his act was to swallow the poodle and then regurgitate it alive.) In jail, he met the rest of the band members who were there for performing naked in protest to the Iraq war.

Fernando Diaz (painting)

A soon-to-be 20-year-old, Fernando has roots in Mexico, but grew up in the City of Angeles. At the age of 14, he moved to San Francisco to live with his father. The Bay Area’s vibrant urban and gallery art inspired Fernando to begin on his own visual experimentation. Currently a Red Poppy Resident Artist, Fernando’s art is intentionally directionless. His pieces are works in progress—painted adventures waiting to see what’s around the bend.

“Ó Riain’s fireworks display of virtuosity easily spans the diverse genres of gypsy, tango, jazz, blues and Irish music all with his characteristic intelligence and pizzazz.”    

—The Irish Herald

“A genius fiddler.”
—Mike Scott, The Waterboys

www.colmoriain.com

www.colmoriain.com/colm/video.php?clip=StealthySinners&venue=CafeDuNord

http://www.bobaksalehi.com/

http://www.myspace.com/paulalone

$15 admission. Doors open at 8:30 pm. Show at 9:00 pm.

WORD & VIOLIN & Friends

Saturday, August 14

Weaving together poetry and music, Irish violinist Colm Ó Riain and Sri Lankan poet Pireeni Sundaralingam (aka “Word & Violin”) explore the rich interconnections between various of lyric traditions—including the Irish ballad, Indian raag, bayou blues, Portuguese fado and gypsy jazz.

Joining them tonight will be bandleader of the music ensemble Nefasha Ayer and Red Poppy Resident Artist Todd Brown (guitar and bass), and Persian multi-instrumentalist Bobak Salehi (guitar, vocals, electric violin, percussion).

Recently returned from performances in Vietnam, Word & Violin’s work has been featured in venues such as the English National Theatre in London, and the UN Headquarters in New York. The duo has also performed at arts and literary festivals around the world, including Cuisle: the Limerick International Poetry Festival (Ireland), LitQuake Festival of Literature (San Francisco), and the Cheltenham Festival of Literature (UK). They have held a variety of awards and college posts, including the Major Artistic Residency at Berklee College of Music in Boston (2005 & 2008).

Word & Violin’s CD Bridge Across the Blue brings together musicians and writers from a host of different ethnic traditions to tell immigrant stories of America. Recipient of the Potrero Nuevo Fund Prize, the album has garnered much critical attention, including a selection from About.com as “one of the best poetry anthology recordings of all time.”

Colm Ó Riain (violin)

An accomplished and fiery improviser in many genres, Colm has performed in festivals and venues throughout the world—from Argentina and Brazil to Sweden and Vietnam—and thrilled audiences across the United States.

Pireeni Sundaralingam (poet)

Pireeni is an award-winning poet, playwright, and cognitive scientist. A former PEN USA fellow, her work has been published in England, Ireland, Sweden, and the USA. She is co-editor of Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian-American Poetry (University of Arkansas, 2010). Her play War Harvest was selected for the Asian American Theater Company’s “New Works Incubator” series this year.

Todd Brown (guitar, bass)

Todd is a painter, musician, cultural activist and creative thinker. His background represents an 18-year progression of integrating artistic disciplines within the intercultural context of community development. Todd holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and has 22 years experience as a visual artist and musician. In 2003, he founded the Red Poppy Art House, an inter-cultural, multi-disciplinary artist hub in the Mission District. Later that year, he initiated the MAPP (Mission Arts & Performance Project), a non-centralized, bi-monthly intercultural neighborhood arts festival that has featured more than 700 artists since its inception. In 2006, Todd was recognized by SF Weekly's Best of the Bay as one of the “MasterMinds” Honorees for outstanding artists in the Bay Area.

Bobak Salehi (violin, guitar, vocals)
Born in Tehran, Iran, Bobak ventured into the music realm when he was eight years old, under the direction of his father, maestro Hossein Salehi. He then expanded his training into Western classical music and founded the Damâm Ensemble, focusing on the classical and folk music of Iran. Bobak furthered his studies by learning the kamancheh (Persian spiked fiddle) with crossover recording artist Kayhan Kalhor. Bobak’s new and innovative playing style employs elements from Persian, gypsy, classical and Latin traditions. He has performed regularly in the Portland Iranian Festival, the World Beat Festival, and Northwest Folklife Music Festival.

www.wordandviolin.com

www.bridgeacrosstheblue.com

www.nefashaayer.com

www.bobaksalehi.com

$15 admission. Doors open at 8:30 pm. Show at 9:00 pm.

SONGBIRD FESTIVAL Presents CLAUDIO SANTOMÉ & MARCELLO PUIG: 19th - & 20th-Century Argentine Music
Thursday, August 19

Note: Advanced tickets available. See details below.

Tonight Claudio Santomé (vocals) and Marcelo Puig (vocals and guitar) take over the Red Poppy with a variety of popular Argentine music from the 19th- and 20th-centuries—including milongas, folk, pop, tango and more.

Claudio Santomé has more than ten years experience singing the classical repertoire, from Bach to Verdi to contemporary composers such as Alberto Ginastera and Michael Tippet. Claudio has performed in venues such as Theater Colon (Buenos Aires), Jesuitkirche (Luzerne, Switzerland), Hertz Hall (Berkeley), and the Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco).

“Claudio Santomé sang superbly.”
—Michael Zwiebach, SanFranciscoClassicalVoice.com

www.claudiosantome.com

Marcelo Puig was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He began studying classical guitar at age eleven. Marcelo has performed and recorded with rock bands and numerous international artists. He draws his guitar style from a wide range of popular musical influences, including jazz, tango, Latin American folklore and Brazilian rock.

www.tengotango.com
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o82pnDTi3w

This year’s inaugural Songbird Festival (July 9-August 2) will include performances by Bay Area vocal, visual and performance artists. The festival is a collaboration of diverse local talent celebrating their original, unique expressions as well as honoring famous singers of the past. The Songbird Festival will feature artists performing blues, soul, Americana, punk, Balkan, and more.

www.songbirdfestival.org

Advanced tickets are  available through Brown Paper Tickets at

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/124245

$12-$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

The LISA ENGELKEN BAND: SF Debut of Caravan
Friday, August 20

Lisa Engelken is known for her acrobatic three-octave range and fearless stage presence, and her new jazz vocal release, Caravan, is receiving rave reviews and national airplay. Tonight Lisa will perform songs from the album, joined by rhythm and horn sections featuring the best creative talent in the Bay Area.

Lisa’s ten arrangements on Caravan breathe new life into jazz and Brazilian standards, and boldly transform contemporary tunes by Billy Idol and Joni Mitchell into the jazz idiom. Caravan also includes “From the Earth,” Lisa’s new lyric version of the jazz-funk classic “Red Clay” by legendary jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (who gave Lisa his blessing to record the track).

Caravan contains musical snapshots of love, each track capturing a unique phase of the movement through that journey. The album demonstrates Lisa’s insistence that a song’s story be conveyed not only through lyric, but through its harmony and arrangement.

Lisa Engelken arrived in San Francisco in 1999 and was awarded the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle award for “Best Supporting Actress in a Musical” for her role as Yitzhak in the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. She also recently performed for enthusiastic sold-out audiences at the Jazzschool, the San Jose Jazz Festival, and the Victoria Theatre with New York actor/director John Cameron Mitchell.

Lisa Engelken: vocals
Grant Levin: piano
Sam Bevan: bass
Matt Swindells: drums
Joel Behrman: flugelhorn, trombone
Dave Scott: trumpet
TBA: sax

“Bold, lush, exotic and just a little bit dangerous, like waves of sound and heat: Evel Knievel and Janis Joplin. Like Evel, she is a fearless daredevil, but never reckless, knowing exactly whether her voice can jump through a ring of fire and over 30 elephants—or whether it can go 31. And like Janis, she gives every ounce of herself onstage.”
—Erin Gray, Monterey Herald

“It is obvious that [Lisa] is already a major jazz singer. To her credit, she does not sound like any of her predecessors even though she has obviously learned from those who came before her. Fans of jazz singing who enjoy unpredictable versions of standards will want Caravan.”                 
—Scott Yanow, LAJazz.com   

“There have been some fabulous jazz musicians to come from DC over the last decade or so; pianist Geri Allen, bassist Ed Howard, guitarist Paul Bollenback, saxophonist Ron Holloway, to name just a few. They have become some of the most respected and sought after names in jazz. Add singer, composer and producer Lisa Engelken to that pantheon of great artists. ‘Caravan’ will stand the test of time and is a harbinger of more great music to come.”  
—Eric Smith, Arts & Entertainment Editor, BeyondChron.org

“This is a winner, pure and simple. Savor it all.”                  
—Ken Franckling, veteran jazz journalist of Caravan, kenfrancklingjazznotes.blogspot.com
|
www.lisaengelken.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvj3UhJ1ETo

$12-$20 admission. Doors open at 8:30 pm. Show at 9:00 pm.

ENSEMBLE MIK NAWOOJ’S Great Integration: A Chamber Hip-Hop Opera
Saturday, August 21

JooWan Kim and Ensemble Mik Nawooj forge a dynamic new musical style that collides genres from hip-hop and jazz to pop and classical. Tonight they’ll perform Kim’s epic narrative, Great Integration: A Chamber Hip-Hop Opera. Expect the groundbreaking, genre-blurring style that has brought Kim and Ensemble Mik Nawooj to the attention of legends such as Ahmad Jamal, who said: “In this day and age, for an artist to succeed, the talent has to be either exceptional or very different. JooWan Kim is both; exceptional and very different.”

Tracy Goodwin: flute
Ricki Nelson: clarinet
Liana Berube: violin
Samsun Van Loon: cello
JooWan Kim: piano
Valentino Pellizzer: drum set
Rob Woodcock: bass
Kirby Dominant: MC
Christopher Nicholas: vocals

Great Integration is an allegory that Kim finds particularly apt for the approaching end times prophesied by various cultures—including the Mayan—in 2012. Great Integration is also an allegory for the new era that these tribulations will usher in. In this penultimate installment of the saga, Black Swordsman of Dominance is chosen as the one to trigger the Great Integration of the world before the arrival of the Great Celestial King. When all five lords of the material realm are conquered, the old world we know will merge into one, and the Celestial King will descend from Ninth Heaven to wipe out all the impurities of the world, thus creating a new world from a new paradigm.

Leader of Mik Nawooj, JooWan Kim is a Taoist/Zen practitioner as well as a connoisseur of fine tea. In 2006, JooWan signed a management contract with the jazz legend Ahmad Jamal. In 2007, he received a lifetime endorsement from the Steinway & Sons Piano Company.

“Great Integration lives up to its name, drawing influences from classical to hip-hop, Taoism to the Mayan calendar.”
—Mary Eisenhart, SF Chronicle

“Great Integration … breaks established boundaries between genres and styles.”
—Jason Victor Serinus, SF Examiner

“This ‘great integration’ works surprisingly (perhaps even shockingly) well. Ensemble Mik Nawooj sounds like something Wu-Tang Clan producer The RZA might conjure up if he got his hands on the Kronos Quartet. When the Wu-Tang entered the 36 Chambers, they probably didn't expect an actual chamber music ensemble to be behind door 35. But who ever said hip-hop had to use two turntables and a microphone?”
—J. Graham, SF Weekly

“What they have achieved (and I’m still trying to wrap my brain around) is an apocalyptic, mystical, mold breaking, saga … this ain’t any ol’ Star Wars or Lord of Ring epic saga.”
—Mama FeelGood, Pirate Cat Radio

www.myspace.com/ensemblemiknawooj

www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Integration-A-Chamber-Hip-Hop-Opera/170827364499?ref=ts

$15-$20 admission. Doors open at 8:30 pm. Show at 9:00 pm.

LAVAY SMITH & HER RED HOT SKILLET LICKERS: Red, Hot & Blues
Friday, August 27
Note: TWO SHOWS tonight. Advanced tickets available. See details below.

Lavay Smith and her intimate, all-star combo take the Red Poppy on a trip across the U.S. tonight with classic songs about the great cities and states of the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s and ’50s.

Lavay Smith is vocalist and bandleader of the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, one of the top jazz/blues bands in the world. Lavay grew up in Southern California and the Philippines and has become an internationally recognized diva of both jazz and blues, with a singing style influenced by Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Bessie Smith, and Little Esther Phillips. Whether singing her own compositions or drawing on a large repertoire of classics, Lavay and her all-star band provide the recipe for dancing and good times!

Lavay Smith: vocals
Jules Broussard: alto and tenor saxophone
Chris Siebert: piano
Marcus Shelby: bass
Howard Wiley: drums

Lavay approaches her material from the standpoint of an independent woman, combining world-class singing and musicianship with hilarious, provocative lyrics. Her musical stance is echoed in her real-life role as the owner of her own record label, Fat Note Records. Her debut album, One Hour Mama, received widespread critical acclaim and her second CD, Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing! garnered a prestigious 4½-star review from Downbeat magazine. With a brand new CD titled Miss Smith To You, Lavay’s red-hot stage presence and world-class musical standards ensure that this sexy diva will continue to light up stages.

“First-rate vocals … magnificent arrangements … the best combo in town.”
—San Francisco Examiner

“As close to the real deal as you can get.”
—The New York Press

“The San Francisco-based Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers are a notable exception to the retro-swing norm. The saucy vocalist and her eight-piece crew actually know the difference between jump music and bland R&B in corny suits. They have been a working unit since 1989 and sound as tight as the legendary musicians they choose to emulate.”
—Boston Globe

“Hands-down the best thing to come out of the jump/swing revival.”
—Seattle Times

“A lush vocal style recalling both Bessie Smith and Dinah Washington.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Splendid vocals and exemplary material.”
—Downbeat

“A living testament to the jump-blues era, Lavay is an impassioned singer.”
—Jazziz

“Pure class and a sense of humor … a time machine in vintage threads.”
—Blues Revue

www.lavaysmith.com

chasingthemoon.pdcst.com/2009/12/lavaysmith

www.sterngrove.org/video_lavaysmith.html

Advanced tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets at

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/124244

$15 admission. TWO SHOWS: 8:00 pm (doors open at 7:30), and 9:30 pm.

LA GENTE: Reggae/Salsa/Hip-Hop/Cumbia/Rock
Saturday, August 28

La Gente is a Bay Area-based group led by Colombian/Nicaraguan San Francisco-born singer-songwriter Rafael Bustamante Sarria. La Gente has created their own unique—and highly danceable—Cali-fusion of reggae, salsa, hip-hop, cumbia, rock, and reggaeton.

Having toured in Colombia, Nicaragua, Chile, Italy, Spain and England, La Gente is known for their high-energy, freestyling performances, politically and socially charged lyrics, and positive message.

Mike Shiono: bass
Imanuel Junaedy: keys
Roberto Miguel: trombone
Juan Carreon: drums
Rafael Bustamente Sarria: vocals, guitar, keys

www.myspace.com/lagentemusic

$10-$15 admission. Doors open at 8:30 pm. Show at 9:00 pm.

SEPTEMBER 2010

PERSPECTIVE: Hymns and Spirituals
Friday, September 3

Curated by Sarah Jo Zaharako, Perspective is a provocative concert series that celebrates the talent and diversity of the Bay Area’s finest musicians. Each concert presents a theme designed to entice performers to break away from their usual performance style and pilot something new. For each show, three musicians/groups are invited to compose and perform a few acoustic pieces, creating a program that is entirely fresh and unique. With the Red Poppy providing an intimate setting to experience these acoustic experiments, Perspective is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy favorite musicians while sampling something new.

Tonight’s Perspective concert showcases three diverse musical groups performing songs on the theme “Hymns and Spirituals.” Their selections range from traditional to contemporary, covered to composed.

Katy Stephan opens the program with transcendent melodies for voice and piano.

Then, Sarah Jo Zaharako and Eric Perney perform soulful duos on violin and bass, respectively.

Omid Zoufonoun (guitar) and Amir Zoufonoun (vocals) conclude the concert with original and traditional Persian ballads.

$12-$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

BILLY WHITE QUINTET WEST: Deep Roots, Many Branches
Saturday, September 4

Blending the lush harmonies and grooving rhythms of a jazz quintet, global and contemporary styles, and straight-ahead swing, pianist/composer Billy White has created a musical vision that ties together his many influences. Along the way, he could be found anywhere from inside the drum circles of the Ewe of Ghana to accompanying the Martha Graham School of Dance.

White’s debut CD, First Things First (Porto Franco Records), includes Steve Belvilus (Les Nubians), Yunior Terry (Steve Turre, Steve Coleman), Dayna Stephens (Wayne Shorter) and Ambrose Akinmusire (Monk Competition winner).

White attended UCLA’s jazz studies program, where he played with jazz legend Kenny Burrell combo. In addition to jazz, White has studied Brazilian music, Indian classical, Chinese silk-and-bamboo, and Latin jazz—and has conducted ethnomusicology research in Ghana and Morocco. White is currently writing a musical with Rent cast member Ano Okera, and continues to produce hip-hop, house, and experimental tracks for himself and other artists.

As a jazz composer and performer, White’s own groups have performed at venues across the country—such as the House of Blues, the El Rey Theater, Minton’s, Amphitheatre Montmartre, and Birdland—and at a wide variety of festivals, including the UCLA Jazz/Reggae Festival (with more than 50,00 attendees), the North Beach Jazz Festival, Sounds Like Brooklyn! (twice).

Billy White: piano, compositions

Dave Ellis: saxophone
And special guests

www.billywhitemusic.com
www.billywhitemusic.com/epk.htm

$12-$20 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

RUE MANOUCHE: Gypsy Jazz & Musette w/ a French Wink
Sunday, September 5

Founded last year, Rue Manouche has already been called by one critic as “one of the most original gypsy jazz and musette bands in San Francisco.” The group plays music in the style of the gypsy jazz/swing made famous in the 1930’s by Django Reinhardt, who was noted for combining dark, chromatic gypsy flavors with the swing articulation of the period. Because the group’s origins come mostly from France, they are often referred to by their French name, “Jazz Manouche.” They have just recorded their debut album, Billet Doux.

Vic Wong is a Bay Area jazz guitarist and double bassist. After seeing Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown and the documentary Django’s Legacy, Vic decided to dedicate himself to learning Django’s virtuosic style of guitar playing. Vic’s fleet fingers and melodic improvisations have made him a regular guest performer with groups such as Gaucho, Emily Anne’s Delights, and Regina Pontillo. With violinist Benito Cortez, Vic leads his own gypsy jazz combo, Panique.

Multi-instrumentalist and educator Daniel Fabricant grew up in Ashland, Oregon, where he attended Pepperland—a pre-school based on a Beatles curriculum and taught by the “Fifth Beatle” Dave Marston. Since moving to the Bay Area ten years ago and transitioning from guitar and trumpet to double bass, Daniel has performed as a freelance sideman with Petula Clark, Keely Smith, Connie Francis, Andrea Marcovicci, Mary Wilson, Joan Rivers, Spencer Day, and many others.

Nick Christie starting playing classical guitar at the age of 20. After hearing the music of Django Reinhardt, he instantly became addicted to jazz manouche and started down the path to learning this challenging style. The ultimate discovery of Rue Manouche, a band mixing the best of musette and jazz manouche, gave him a newfound inspiration to take part in the group’s authentic musical experience.

Michel Saga is a French actor, author and singer. He created his first band, Octobre, and recorded his first album, Photos Floues, in Paris in 1996. Three years later he released his first solo album, Face à Face. In 2006, Saga and the composer Paul Mc Burney produced the album Le monde est têtu.

www.myspace.com/ruemanouche

$10 admission. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Show at 7:00 pm.

The GONZALO BERGARA QUARTET: Gypsy Jazz From Argentina Via Los Angeles
Friday, September 10

The all-acoustic Gonzalo Bergara Quartet plays a modern variant of 1930’s Django Reinhardt-inspired gypsy jazz. Composer and lead guitarist Bergara mixes cascades of arpeggios with the sounds of both Paris and his homeland, Argentina. Bergara is fiery and focused, while his hard-swinging band—comprised of an ace clarinetist and a honed rhythm section—takes the audience for a ride.

The Gonzalo Bergara Quartet was recently named an “Editor's Pick” by Guitar Player Magazine, and was named “Best Jazz Group In Los Angeles” by Los Angeles Magazine. The musicians are veterans of the jazz and pop world, and have worked with a diverse range of artists, including John Jorgenson, Strunz and Farah, Terry Gibbs, Joe Williams, Clark Terry, Barry Manilow, and Moby.

Gonzalo Bergara: lead guitar, bandoneon
Jeff Radaich: rhythm guitar
Rob Hardt: clarinet, tenor sax
Brian Netzley: upright bass

“A blazing quartet!”
—JazzScene

“A masterpiece of a new kind of gypsy jazz.”
—Vintage Guitar Magazine

gonzalobergara.com

www.myspace.com/gonzalobergara

www.fretbase.com/blog/2009/06/gonzalo-bergara-quartet-nails-it-at-djangofest

www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gonzalo+bergara&aq=f

$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

SOUR MASH HUG BAND: Klezmer, Ragtime & Hot Jazz Cabaret
Saturday, September 11

The Sour Mash Hug Band is an eclectic, acoustic dance group that plays everything from Romanian couple dances and Appalachian hymns, to klezmer and Harlem swing. Originally an old-time band from Eugene, Oregon, with the classic line-up of clawhammer banjo, fiddle, guitar, and bass, the group is now best known for their original tunes reminiscent of Kurt Weill and Danny Elfman.

After a year or two in Eugene they took to the road and travelled by hitchhiking, bike, freight rain, and flivver. Their travels took them to Colorado, San Francisco, Bellingham, and finally to New Orleans, which became their home-away-from-home. Over the past few years, the band has split their time between San Francisco and New Orleans, with a few side-trips to Romania and some additional touring in between.

The Sour Mash Hug Band is led by Fiddlin’ Mickey Lee, grandson of a Hungarian fiddler, and brought up in the old-time Ozark tradition. He has fiddled his way around the country with a variety of different bands. Lee also plays piano, accordion, and guitar, and spends his spare time studying Baroque music and building puppets.

Michael Hays: violin, accordion
Shiri Goldsmith: accordion, trombone, banjo-leleAaron Goldsmith: upright bass, gitaronNicolai Gibrishka: resophonic guitar

“An irresistible mix of old-time, gypsy, bluegrass, jazz, Irish, and ragtime.”
—Loolwa Khazzoom, The San Francisco Chronicle

www.myspace.com/sourmashhugband

$10-$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

THE KORA BAND: Traditional West African Harp in a Modern Setting
Friday, September 17

The Kora Band combines elements of jazz with traditional West African music to create a unique, soulful sound. Currently touring the West Coast in support of their new album, Cascades, the Kora Band continues their unique integration of the kora (a traditional 21-string harp of the West African Mandinka people) into a modern context alongside trumpet, piano, bass, and drums.  

After returning from West Africa with the U.S. State Department’s “Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad” program in 2007, pianist and composer Andrew Oliver founded the Kora Band, which features the virtuosic kora playing of Kane Mathis.  

Cascades showcases unique and uplifting music that reflects the increasing globalization of today’s world. On the album, the Kora Band covers a wide range of traditional Mandinka pieces from across West Africa, modern repertoires from Congo and Cameroon, and new originals by Oliver and Mathis.

Andrew Oliver: piano
Kane Mathis: kora, vocals
Chad McCullough: trumpet, flugelhorn
Brady Millard-Kish: acoustic, electric bass
Mark DiFlorio: drums

“Mesmerizing … it’s as novel and agreeable a sound as you’ve never heard.”  
—The Seattle Times

“The sound is so seductive.”
—The Oregonian

www.koraband.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mRpeZF9ff8

andrewoliverkoraband.bandcamp.com/album/june-2009-studio-session

$12-$20 admission. Doors open 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

CONNECTIONS: A Night of Songs, Stories & Secrets
Saturday, September 18

We used to reinvent ourselves by writing letters—one at a time, to one person at a time. Now we can connect with 500 million Facebook users in seconds. Join us tonight to explore how this change has affected us. We will read letters and perform classical music from the Romantic era, then leap into the present with songs, updates and tweets. In between, we will see the results of a recent secret pen pal project, and participate in a surprise project of our own. Come for the experience, stay for the connections!

Performers include Indre Viskontas, a Bay Area-based soprano specializing in contemporary opera, Ian Scarfe, a leading interpreter of Romantic-era classical music, poet Najva Sol, and guests from Classical Revolution. Art installation and readings by Najva Sol.

Classical Revolution presents concerts involving both traditional and modern approaches, while engaging the community by offering chamber music performances in highly accessible venues that combines talents from a wide variety of local musicians and artists.

www.classicalrevolution.org

Indre Viskontas, soprano, performs in both contemporary and classical opera roles. Her contemporary opera credits include Beth in Adamo’s Little Women, Kate in Estacio’s Frobisher, and the Water Nymph in Heuser’s The Golden Ax. She has performed with Opera Grows in Brooklyn, West Bay Opera, Goat Hall Productions, and the Lyric Theater of San Jose. Recent chamber music highlights include the premiere of Archibald-Seiffer’s Der Vogel als Racher with orchestra, the premiere of Stiles’s Ma Boheme with guitar, and Golijov’s Lúa Descolorida and How Slow the Wind with strings. Indre holds a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance and a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience.

“The musical highlight of the evening … fell to soprano Indre Viskontas … an episode of stunning theater and stunning musical beauty, evoking ethereal textures from the French music and art of the period.”
—The Opera Insider

www.indreviskontas.com

Najva Sol is a Bay Area, multi-media artist. Her work has recently been featured in the Mission Arts & Performance Project (MAPP), Femina Potens Gallery, National Queer Arts Festival, and Goforaloop Gallery. She is an MFA candidate in Creative Writing at California College of the Arts. For fun, she co-runs an art collective in NYC called The Lowbrow Society for the Arts, which hosts carefully curated art-centric events. The Lowbrow Society has been mused about in The Village Voice, NY Press, Time Out New York, and others.

najvasol.carbonmade.com  

$10-$20 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

WRITERSCORPS APPRENTICE PROGRAM: Love Poems to San Francisco—City of Stairways Authors Reading
Thursday, September 23

Join the young authors of City of Stairways: A Poet’s Field Guide to San Francisco as they read from their new book about San Francisco. Part travel guide and part literary anthology, this 7”x7” book is packed with original poetry, photography, artwork, maps, and tips on the places to see in San Francisco. The book also gives residents and visitors a unique, vibrant perspective on being a youth in an urban environment. In addition, City of Stairways offers an intimate look at some of the most memorable sites and neighborhoods in San Francisco—from the vivid murals of the Mission District to the sights, sounds, and flavors of North Beach. Published by WritersCorps, City of Stairways is a joint project of the San Francisco Arts Commission and San Francisco Public Library that places professional writers in community settings to teach creative writing to youth. The writers will be joined tonight by special guest artists and musicians.

www.writerscorps.org

www.vimeo.com/13256079

$5-$10 admission. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Show at 7:00 pm.

THE DARREN JOHNSTON QUINTET: The All-Star, Chamber-Jazz Ensemble
Friday, September 24

The critically acclaimed Darren Johnston Quintet—with its all-star front line of Ben Goldberg on clarinet, Sheldon Brown on bass clarinet and tenor sax, and Johnston on trumpet—returns to the Red Poppy for the first time in several years. Tonight they’re joined by a dynamic rhythm section: David Ewell on bass and Jordan Glenn on drums.  

This evening’s program will consist of new music composed by Johnston for various of his projects, including selections from The Edge of the Forest, which received four stars from four different reviewers in DownBeat Magazine’s “Hot Box.”

Darren Johnston’s take on modern jazz is unique in its organic approach: beginning and ending with melody, but allowing for a universe of sound to occur along the way. The music is simultaneously free and inviting. Johnston was recently chosen by DownBeat Magazine as one of “25 Trumpeters for the Future.”

Darren Johnston: trumpet
Sheldon Brown: bass clarinet, tenor sax
Ben Goldberg: clarinet
David Ewell: bass
Jordan Glenn: drums

“Johnston explores the limits of his instrument with a hankering for originality … running away and never looking back.”
—“Pick of the Week,” San Francisco Bay Guardian

“Fantastic … with a big bell tone and a tart phrasing style that really cuts through.”
—Signal to Noise

www.darrenjohnstonmusic.com

$10-$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

TITO GONZALEZ Y SU QUARTET: Concert & Dance Party
Saturday, September 25

This evening Tito will be playing songs from his new CD, Al Doblar la Esquina, and in the second half the concert will morph into a dance party! Al Doblar la Esquina showcases the total spectrum of Cuban music, from the slow rhythms of son montuno, through changuí, and on to the faster pace of guaracha. Aficionados of Cuban music may also find flavors of Arsenio Rodriguez and Julian Guitierrez, two giants of son music. The album is a journey through Cuban music which mirrors the journey of Tito Gonzalez, who arrived in the United States ten years ago, with only a tres and a dream. Let your mind be mesmerized by the beautiful melodies and then let you body have its turn—dancing to the poly-rhythmic beats of authentic Cuban music!

www.titoysusondecuba.com

$12-$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

OCTOBER 2010

ERIK JEKABSON QUARTET + Special Guest DAYNA STEPHENS: Lyrical & Swinging
Friday, October 1

Erik Jekabson is a freelance trumpet player, composer and educator who has recorded or performed with Illinois Jacquet, the Woody Herman Big Band, John Mayer, Galactic, Mark Turner, Brian Blade, and Nicholas Payton, among many others. Eric has two solo albums: Intersection, which was released in 2003 on the Fresh Sound/New Talent label, and Crescent Boulevard, which was released two months ago on Erik’s own Jekab’s Music label. Also widely available are recordings of two of Erik’s other projects, both of which he co-produced: Vista: the Arrival, and New World Funk Ensemble.

Erik Jekabson: trumpet
Dayna Stephens: tenor sax
Michael Abraham: guitar
Dan Feiszli: bass
Smith Dobson: drums

Erik currently leads his own ensembles in the Bay Area, and has performed at the de Young Museum, Jazz at Pearl’s, Pacifica Performances, the Benicia Jazz Festival, the Downtown Berkeley Jazz Festival, the Jazzschool, Coda, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Erik maintains a busy schedule as a freelance musician, often performing with local Bay Area musicians such as Marcus Shelby, Adam Shulman, Terry Disley, Larry Vuckovich, Lavay Smith, and Jazz Mafia. He holds a B.A in Music from Oberlin College’s Conservatory of Music, and a Master’s in Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Erik currently teaches at The Jazzschool, Berkeley City College, Chabot College, Cal State East Bay, Los Medanos College, and Diablo Valley College.

“A cutting-edge jazz player and writer.”
—JazzTimes

“Jekabson displays a knack for writing unique, forward-thinking, and cliché-free compositions that nonetheless reveal a thorough understanding of jazz tradition.”
—AllMusicGuide.com

www.erikjekabson.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf44tN9PpQI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=abqUjUCtYno&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=REAC0HI8qRM

$10-$15 admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Show at 8:00 pm.

MAPP: Mission Arts & Performance Project
Saturday, October 2

The MAPP is a homegrown, intercultural, multidisciplinary neighborhood event that takes place every two months in the Mission District. It’s a collage of a dozen or so spaces—garages, cafés, studios, gardens, street corners—which artists transform into makeshift venues for the intimate experience of people and culture. Endeavoring to bridge the cultural divides of our communities, the MAPP gives space and voice to the multiplicity of perspectives and experiences that exist within urban settings. The charm of the MAPP is that you never know quite what’s going to happen until you get there—so just arrive, and embrace the adventure!

www.sfmapp.com

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: The FAMILY MAPP: A full afternoon of activities for youths, including mural and sidewalk art! FREE

7:00 pm – midnight: The MAPP: Art exhibits, music, poetry, dance and film in multiple locations! FREE