Red Poppy Art House

Music of the Banned - Chapter One: Borders Without Bans (Sudan • Iran • Venezuela) - TWO SHOWS
2019-03-16 17:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Musical influence has never and can never be limited by the borders of nations. The far-reaching effect of the arts has created crossover music, with artists adopting elements of each other’s musical traditions. During this concert series, audiences will hear different cultural and artistic linkages across and between the banned nations and the West. The March 16th event features Sudanese musician Tarawa with Seoulstice, Iranian musician Emad Bonakdar with flamenco dancer Mizuho Sato, and Venezuelan-flamenco group Trio Caminos.

MARCH 16TH PROGRAM:
SUDAN: Tarawa ft. Seoulstice
Sudanese Roots, Global Expressions
Tarawa – ukelele, calabash drum, ngoni, Sudanese bongos
Seoulstice – guitar, loop and effect pedal
IRAN: Emad Bonakdar & Mizuho Sato
Persian Music Meets Flamenco
Emad Bonakdar – tar, tanbur, guitar
Mizuho Sato – flamenco dance
VENEZUELA: Trio Caminos
Venezuelan Grooves in California
Carlos Caminos – acoustic guitar
Marlon Aldana – cajón flamenco, bongo
Angelo Tomandl – harmonicas

*Poster design by Mohsen Ghaffari

ABOUT MUSIC OF THE BANNED

Since January 27, 2017, President Trump has issued three travel bans to citizens from countries deemed by his administration: Chad, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, and Venezuela. In the face of the president’s travel ban, Music of the Banned (MOTB) seeks to build a sonic bridge between peoples. The ten countries of the ban are a source of rich music and art that we can explore in a journey of peace and understanding.
Art will break down the barriers that isolate us — the barriers that either governments or media have worked hard to create. We are inviting the artistic ambassadors of these countries to lay down the drawbridge to their countries’ soundscape and beauty, and invite us all in.
So many have been suffering from a lack of understanding and from this travel ban in particular. Let’s stand to welcome the culture of the unknown, make ourselves aware of those that came to this country for a better life just as our ancestors. This concert series will give voice to musicians from the Banned Nations, breaking the barriers of fear and ignorance by responding with love, peace, and empowerment.
MOTB was first incubated by Dina Zarif, an Iranian artist, during a Mission Arts & Performance Project (MAPP) event at Red Poppy Art House on August 5, 2017. Its success inspired a concert at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival in June 2018. In 2019, with support from the California Arts Council, San Francisco Arts Commission, and Red Poppy Art House, Zarif as lead artist will organize three interdisciplinary concerts, an exploration of performing and visual arts, which feature artists from the countries on President Trump’s travel ban. The three concerts will take place on March 16 (“Borders without Bans”), April 6 (“Sacred and Traditional Music of the Banned” as part of MAPP), and May 5 (“Her Banned Voice” at Brava Theater).

ABOUT THE PROJECTS & ARTISTS

Tarawa ft. Seoulstice
Sudanese Roots, Global Expressions
Tarawa shares with you his journey back home through the themes of love, grief, migration, and revolution that weave through his heritage. In three languages and through the styles and instruments of four countries, we will also see how the waters of the Nile River, which runs through his ancestral land, splash and swirl with the cultures of West Africa, Latin America, Black America, and the Middle East. Accompanied by his best friend, music partner, and “accountability buddy,” Seoulstice, aka Jordon Jo, come sing along and take a deep breath!
* * *
Tarawa (Lead Artist), aka Mazin Jamal, is a community organizer, dancer, leadership trainer, and coach dedicated to social and environmental impact — in the hours between banging out beats, plucking his harp, or channeling his ancestors’ melodies. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Dubai, and Sudan—his family’s place of origin—and currently immersed in the rich Latino cultural heritage of the Mission District, Tarawa’s music pulls in the influences of all the love he’s found on his journey. He is the founder of Holistic Underground.

When not strumming his guitar and singing soulful tunes, Seoulstice, aka Jordon Jo, is an entrepreneur, men’s work and consent workshop facilitator, and hopeful romantic. Born in Arizona and raised in Southern California, he is the co-founder of Wild SF Walking Tours, a company that employs artists and activists to tell the radical history of San Francisco’s diverse communities and social movements.

Emad Bonakdar & Mizuho Sato
Persian Music Meets Flamenco
Where East meets West, musician Emad Bonakdar and dancer Mizuho Sato combine Iranian traditional tunes with flamenco music.
* * *
Emad Bonakdar (Lead Artist) is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer who initially started his training in jazz and pop. Eventually, he found a home in flamenco, a style that touched his heart and allowed him to express his deep emotions and passion in a way that no other music could. His love of traditional Persian music, coupled with expressive and soulful flamenco music, created a style that is distinctively his. His first concert in crossover music was in Tehran, Iran, in 1991, and his first album, ARG (iTunes), was inspired by the immense culture of the ancient Persian Empire. Bonakdar composed a full film score for Momâs Guest in Iran. In 2004, he was nominated for the best fusion album at World Music Festival in New York. Since moving to the U.S. in 2006, he has performed at SF Yoshi’s, Red Poppy Art House, and many house concerts.

Born in Iwate, Japan, Mizuho Sato started classical ballet at the age of three. As she performed on stage and attained years of experience in winning balletic competitions, she pursued her career as a dancer and took summer school in the Royal Ballet Academy of England. Entering Sophia (Jochi) University in Tokyo brought her a strong encounter with flamenco, and she decided to shift her career. The following year she was in Seville, Spain, taking classes from prestigious instructors like Manolo Marin, Maria del Mar Verranga, Javier Cruz, and Alicia Marquez. After her studies, Sato returned to Tokyo and started performing in several well-known tablaos. In 2000, she received awards from the Japanese Flamenco Association and the Ambassador of Spain. Shortly afterwards, Sato started teaching in Tokyo and in her hometown, Iwate. She developed classes of flamenco history and music for further appreciation and comprehension on the tour of Manuel Reyes Company, of which she was a participant. Two years later, she returned to Spain to further develop her skills under Cristobal Reyes, la China, and Manuel Liñan, as well as studied the Spanish language.

Trio Caminos
Venezuelan Grooves in California
Featuring Venezuelan guitarist Carlos Caminos, Mexican drummer Marlon Aldana, and Peruvian harmonica funk player Angelo Tomandl, Trio Caminos’ repertoire is a distinct expression of Venezuelan music and flamenco combined with Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Venezuelan, jazz, and Latin influences. Venezuelan music is very diverse and is the result of European, African, and indigenous cultures that found their home in the South American country. This project intends to show elements found in Venezuelan songs and melodies—including the characteristic 6/8, 3/4, and 5/8 rhythms—while incorporating them in the trio’s own style.
* * *
Carlos Caminos (Lead Artist) is a Venezuelan musician who began playing guitar at age nine and had his first performances at age 14. A long career has taken him on a journey of very diverse projects and collaborations. The Caminos Music Project is the result of years of developing a passion for learning various musical styles including flamenco (bulerías, soleá por bulería, alegrías, fandangos de huelava), Venezuelan music (joropo, vals, merengue), Latin music (bolero, son, tangos, cumbia), and Latin jazz. Caminos has co-founded several projects such as Raíz de Agua, Latifonía, A Tono Acústico, New Caminos Duo, and Trio Caminos. He has also collaborated with groups such as David Byrd and Byrds of a Feather, Mirada Interna, and Café Pa’ Tres.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Marlon Aldana has explored many genres under several great mentors, learning about solid, sensitive, simple drumming with dynamics and unique sound. He has been part of a variety of projects across genres, including jazz, Afro-Cuban, funk, rock, cumbia, reggae, electronic, folk, and many others. He has worked with outstanding musicians such as Jason McGuire “El Rubio,” Antonio Rey, Terceto Kali, T-Sisters, Alex Conde Quartet, La Gente, The Astronauts, Nuvo Chamber Quartet, Caminos Flamencos, Agua Clara, SF Flamenco Dance Company, Rebecca Kleinmann Quartet, ShimShai, Tina Malia, J.A.B, and Trio Caminos. Aldana’s most recent work is with drummer and producer Juan Manuel Caipo as a session musician in a variety of styles. With J.M. Caipo as a mentor, Aldana is now learning about the music production world, along with better ways to communicate and express clearer as a drummer. He currently lives in Oakland, CA, where he works as a graphic designer, photographer, and musician.

Angelo Tomandl is a Latin American harmonica player from Peru. He is known for his energetic solos, musical ingenuity, and passion for music. He has played with a broad variety of projects and musical genres such as Nika Rejto, Victoria Theodore, Janice Maxie Raid, D. Edward, Fantastic Negrito, Adley Penner, and Omega Rae among others. Tomandl has recently performed with Bicicletas Por La Paz, Sang Matiz, and Trio Caminos. He is currently working on a new project called Spondylus in collaboration with different musicians and artists that blend various styles of music like jazz, funk, Latin, rock, and more.

PREVIEW THE MUSIC

VISUAL COMPONENT

Nima Dehghani
Video Installation: “WE ARE STILL LIVING HERE”
What “media” shows us, what “media” doesn’t show us. In the world of mainstreams, we–people–are lost in the news that media wants us to see.
Regarding the banned countries, what do we see on the internet? Who decides what we should see? Journalists or politicians? “They” decide for us. “People” are usually excluded.
This multichannel curatorial video installation shows the contradiction between what the media presents about BANNED countries in comparison to what ordinary people capture from the same countries (collected by artists of BANNED countries in this project). Which one should we look at? Sometimes we just need to see that people are still living, existing, and dancing in those countries; then we can decide about the news…
* * *
Nima Dehghani is a San Francisco-based multi-disciplinary artist whose work explores the relationships between society, politics, and audience interactions in public spaces. Born in Tehran, Iran, Dehghani works predominantly in the mediums of visual art, theater, performance art, and new media, where he focuses on issues such as social discrimination, political ideology, and notions of displacement and diaspora. He has been working directly with immigrant communities since 2013, creating a number of different art projects that have worked to raise awareness about the global refugee crisis. Dehghani’s work has been showcased worldwide, appearing in Iran, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Germany, and the United States. As a playwright and director, he has been the recipient of multiple awards and fellowships, including being named “Best Young Director of the Year” by the Iranian Theater Directors’ Center in 2012 and receiving the Konrad and Gisela Weis Fellowship from the Carnegie Mellon School of Art in 2014.

ABOUT THE CURATOR

Dina Zarif is a performer, vocalist, designer, and art manager whose sound combines Western classical singing with Middle Eastern styles inspired from her Persian roots. She has performed in various festivals, venues, and productions such as SF Palace of Fine Arts, the chamber opera The Passion of Leyla in San Jose, the theatrical dance performance Home, and Golden Thread Theater Company’s staged reading of Layla and Majnun at BAMPFA. Zarif was also a featured singer in Syria Mon Amour, Golden Thread’s 2017 celebration of International Women’s Day that was dedicated to Syria.
As an actress, she performed in three of Iranian playwright and director Bahram Beyzai’s plays: Ardaviraf’s Report (2015), Tarabnameh (2015-2016) as the role of Dancer/Singer, and Crossroads (2018) in the Stanford Iranian Studies department. Additionally, Zarif is a costume designer and performer in the shadow production Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic. As the character Princess Roudabeh, she has performed at SF Cowell Theater, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Harvard University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wallis Annenberg Hall, and has internationally toured in Poland, Taiwan, and Canada between 2015 and 2018.
As a working artist in the community, Zarif is the program director and a lead performance host at the Red Poppy Art House in San Francisco. She most recently curated the project Music of the Banned in response to the travel ban, highlighting the music of eight countries—the majority Muslim nations—Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela, and North Korea. The project has been performed at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival in June 2018 and Red Poppy Art House in August 2017. Zarif received her MA in Landscape Architecture from the University of Tehran, College of Fine Arts.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: (First Show) 4:30pm doors / 5:00-6:45pm show
(Second Show) 7:30pm doors / 8:00-10:00pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door for both shows. *No late seating.
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Music Action Women Collective: A Global Collective Advancing Women's Rights (ONE SHOW @ 8PM)
2019-03-14 20:00 - 22:00
*UPDATE: Please be advised this event has been changed to a SINGLE SHOW with an 8:00pm start time. Doors will open at 7:30pm. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Music Action Women Collective brings together world-class musicians from Singapore, Venezuela, Serbia, Armenia, and the U.S. to create new, original music advancing the rights and causes of women worldwide. At the Red Poppy, the Collective debuts the material they have created in collaboration through the Music Action Women residency, produced by San Francisco’s social impact music organization Giant Steps Music.

FEATURING:
Sevana Tchakerian (Armenia) – accordion, keys, vocals
Mafer Bandola (Venezuela) – bandola
Jasna Jovicevic (Serbia) – saxophones, woodwinds
Claire Marie Lim (Singapore) – electronics, vocals
Liz Draper (USA) – bass
Barb Duncan “The MD” (USA) – drums

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
The Music Action Women Collective features Venezuelan bandola virtuoso Mafer Bandola—member of the all-female supergroup Ladama, internationally touring Serbian saxophonist, and leader of the all-women’s New Spark Jazz Orchestra—multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Sevana Tchakerian via Armenia and France; Singaporean electronic soundscape master Claire Marie Lim; America’s own ever-versatile and dexterous bassist Liz Draper from the Twin Cities; and Philly eclectic groove drummer, producer, community advocate, and educator Barb “Muzikaldunk” Duncan.
Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:30pm doors / 8:00pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Lara Solnicki ft. Jeremy Siskind: Poetic Art Songs
2019-03-08 19:30 - 22:00
Lara Solnicki makes her Red Poppy debut in a program featuring new music from her soon-to-be-released album, The One and the Other—a cinematic, creative music project produced by multi-award-winning Canadian musician and composer Jonathan Goldsmith. The concert also includes music from her sophomore release, Whose Shadow?, tunes from the Great American Songbook, as well as free improvisation. Solnicki is joined by pianist, composer, and arranger Jeremy Siskind—winner of the 2012 Nottingham International Jazz Piano Competition and the second place winner of the 2011 Montreux Solo Piano Competition.

FEATURING:
Lara Solnicki – vocals
Jeremy Siskind – piano

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Honored as a “world class jazz singer” with a “spellbinding voice” (All About Jazz), Canadian, Brooklyn-based vocalist, poet, and composer Lara Solnicki has been praised on four continents, with #1 songs on Canadian jazz radio charts. She has carved a distinct artistic path for herself, combining various, often conflicting, elements from classical, jazz, improvised music, and poetry. Solnicki is the recipient of numerous grants from The Canada Council for the Arts, Chalmers Foundation, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and FACTOR. She has released two albums, A Meadow in December (2010) and Whose Shadow? (2014), on Greg Osby’s label Inner Circle Music, and is currently preparing to release The One and the Other later this year. Solnicki holds a BA in classical voice/opera from The Glenn Gould School.
Learn more: Facebook | SoundCloud

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20 general / $15 student (with ID). A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Alash Ensemble: Tuvan Folk Music (TWO SHOWS)
2019-03-07 19:00 - 22:00
SECOND SHOW ADDED! Advance tickets are now available online for the 8:45pm show.
Additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door for both the 7:00-8:15pm (6:30pm doors) and 8:45-10:00pm (8:30pm doors) shows. Please arrive when doors open the day of the event.

The Alash Ensemble performs and presents the art of xöömi, the tradition of Tuvan throat singing. Featuring original compositions and their versions of Tuvan folk music, the ensemble will certainly bring you on a musical journey all the way to Tuva.

FEATURING:
Bady-Dorzhu Ondar – vocals, igil, guitar
Ayan-ool Sam – vocals, doshpuluur, igil, guitar
Ayan Shirizhik – vocals, kengirge, shyngyrash, shoor, murgu, xomus

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömi), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Known for mixing the traditional music of Tuva with contemporary influences, one can find complex harmonies and Western elements—but a decidedly Tuvan sound—in the ensemble’s music.
Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: (First Show) 6:30pm doors / 7:00-8:15pm show
(Second Show) 8:30pm doors / 8:45-10:00pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Water Feature: Modern Jazz
2019-03-02 19:30 - 22:00
Water Feature is comprised of some of the Bay Area’s young emerging talent. Together, the group explores original compositions and other tunes that pull from influences such as jazz, hip-hop, and global music.

FEATURING:
Nora Stanley – saxophone
Danielle Wertz – vocals
Luis Salcedo – guitar
Owen Clapp – bass
Matt Buckner – drums

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Nora Stanley is a Bay Area-based saxophonist and composer. She attended Berkeley High School and participated in conglomerate programs, such as SFJAZZ High School All-Stars and Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of SF, before moving to Ohio to study with Gary Bartz at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she received a BM in Jazz Studies and a BA in Latin American Studies. Stanley has shared the stage with such greats as Ambrose Akinmusire, Gary Bartz, Dayna Stephens, and Jerry Gonzalez, as well as performed at Monterey Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ, and internationally in Spain, Cuba, and Brazil.
Danielle Wertz is an internationally recognized jazz vocalist, composer, arranger, and educator. After being named a semi-finalist in the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, she self-released a duo project, Intertwined. The album was recorded at ABC Studios in Sydney, Australia, and has been receiving high praise since its 2017 release. Wertz is quickly gaining recognition as one of the Bay Area’s most in-demand vocalists. She frequently plays at local venues including the Black Cat and Red Poppy Art House, as well as larger-scale national venues including Blues Alley in Washington, DC.
With a firm grasp on the jazz idiom, Luis Salcedo is a featured member of several ensembles, as well as the leader of his own groups, covering original material, jazz repertoire, and beyond. Having graduated from the California Jazz Conservatory, where he received the Jamey Aebersold Scholarship, he has performed at Yoshi’s Oakland, the Fillmore Jazz Festival, the Herbst Theater, SFJazz, in addition to other venues in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Colombia, Spain, and Canada.
Owen Clapp is a bass player, composer, and songwriter living in the San Francisco Bay Area. His versatility on upright bass, electric bass, and keybass has given him the opportunity to work with a variety of artists across a range of genres, including hip-hop artists Anderson .Paak, Dumbfoundead, and George Watsky, as well as Grammy Award-winning jazz musicians Kenny Burrell, John Clayton, Ruslan Sirota, Mads Tolling, and Evan Price. Clapp’s recording credits include sessions for Sony Pictures, Lyft, and various Los Angeles-based commercial licensing agencies.
Matthew Buckner is a drummer, composer, and producer hailing from Minneapolis, MN. Known for his musicianship and versatility, Buckner has worked with a wide range of artists and has performed at clubs and festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. He is currently an active member of the SF Bay Area jazz scene and can be heard with bands such as Aaron Kruziki’s Education Reform.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Danielle Wertz ft. Dillon Vado & Jeff Denson: Emotions, Stories & Improvisation
2019-03-01 19:30 - 22:00
Danielle Wertz, Dillon Vado, and Jeff Denson come together for the first time in this new trio setting. Presenting both arrangements of jazz standards and original compositions, their approach to the music comes from a place of honesty and raw emotion. Using this unconventional instrumentation, they work with new sonic possibilities to evoke deep emotions from the listener.

FEATURING:
Danielle Wertz – vocals, pedals
Dillon Vado – vibraphone
Jeff Denson – bass

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Danielle Wertz is an internationally recognized jazz vocalist, composer, arranger, and educator. After being named a semi-finalist in the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, she self-released a duo project, Intertwined. The album was recorded at ABC Studios in Sydney, Australia, and has been receiving high praise since its 2017 release. Wertz is quickly gaining recognition as one of the Bay Area’s most in-demand vocalists. She frequently plays at local venues, as well as larger-scale national venues including Blues Alley in Washington, DC.
Dillon Vado is a professional drummer, vibraphonist, and educator in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a recent graduate of the California Jazz Conservatory. He has performed locally with Art Lande, Hafez Modirzadeh, Marcus Shelby, Erik Jekabson, Jeff Denson, Alan Hall, Sandy Cressman, and Marcos Silva. Vado regularly performs on vibraphone with Alan Hall’s Ratatet, on drums with the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra and the Jeff Denson Quartet, and leads several of his own projects, including the Table Trio, Never Weather, and Beyond Words: Jazz and Poetry.
Jeff Denson has balanced a full career as both an acclaimed performing musician and a highly respected educator. Currently leading or co-leading four distinct ensembles, he has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe with both his own groups, worked with some of jazz’s finest artists—such as Brian Blade, Jane Ira Bloom, Dave Douglas, Charles McPherson, Cuong Vu, Joe Lovano, Ralph Alessi, Walter Smith III, Dayna Stephens, Vadim Neselovskyi, Florian Weber, Dan Weiss, and Paul Hanson—and had an ongoing relationship with the legendary Lee Konitz since 2007. Denson’s most recent album, Outside My Window, is a feature for his “elastic vocals” (Jazz Times Magazine), where he has composed four original pieces and arranged four pieces by inspiring vocalists in an array of genres: Jeff Buckley, Peter Gabriel, Chris Cornell, and Abbey Lincoln. He is currently a full professor and head of the Bass Department at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, California.

Learn more: Facebook | YouTube

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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The Daniel Rotem Ensemble: Bay Area Premiere
2019-02-24 19:30 - 22:00
Saxophonist Daniel Rotem presents new music with an ensemble featuring some of the Bay Area’s incredible horn players. The ensemble will perform new original compositions and arrangements by Rotem, as well as music off his second album, Serenading the Future.

FEATURING:
Daniel Rotem – saxophones, compositions, arrangements
Steven Lugerner – alto saxophone
Henry Hung – trumpet
Danny Lubin-Laden – trombone
Alex Boneham – bass
Roberto Giaquinto – drums

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Saxophonist, composer, and educator Daniel Rotem fell in love with music at an early age and started playing tenor saxophone when he was 13. Now at age 27, Rotem is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and the world-renowned Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA. He has performed on four continents and has had the honor to share the stage with legendary artists from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Billy Childs, and Esperanza Spalding, to Stevie Wonder, Usher, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. Rotem has performed at acclaimed festivals including the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Playboy Jazz Festival, the Red Sea Jazz Festival, and at famed venues such as the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and many more. He released his second album, a double record entitled Serenading the Future, in September 2018.
Learn more: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Rumberos de Radio Habana: Monthly Community Rumba
2019-02-24 14:00 - 17:00, 2019-01-27 14:00 - 17:00, 2018-12-23 14:00 - 17:00
Rumba music originated in the Afro-Cuban neighborhoods of Havana and Matanzas as the soundtrack to community, partnered dancing and get-togethers as a means of cultural expression. Its global diaspora means rumba rhythms have found their way into other genres of music such as country, rock, and blues, and continue to impact the genres of today. Rumberos de Radio Habana bring their own contribution to the Red Poppy on the fourth Sunday of each month for a free afternoon of beat-making, hip-shaking, and good company.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 2:00pm event
Admission: Free; donations accepted for musicians ($5-10)
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Janam: Dark Side of Love
2019-02-23 19:30 - 22:00
Janam (“My Soul”) presents dark love songs from Bulgaria, Greece, West Virginia, and beyond for a different spin post-Valentine’s Day.

FEATURING:
Dan Auvil – percussion, vocals
Tom Farris – laouto, guitar, percussion
Juliana Graffagna – vocals, accordion
Gari Hegedus – oud, saz, mandocello, mandolin
Shira Kammen – violin, harp, vocals

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Combining funky Balkan rhythms, gritty Appalachian ballads, arresting vocal harmonies, and enchanting acoustic textures, Janam creates a distinct musical experience. Janam unites some of the Bay Area’s most playful and imaginative devotees of southern Balkan and American roots music who weave together folk tunes and their own colorful compositions, taking their audiences on a labyrinthine musical ride.
Learn more: Facebook | YouTube

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Orchestra Euphonos w/ Ionela Guzic: Romanian Folk Songs & Dances
2019-02-22 19:00 - 21:30
Joined by folk singer Ionela Guzic, Orchestra Euphonos presents a special program of traditional Romanian music.

FEATURING:
Ionela Guzic – vocals
Peter Bonos – trumpet
Balder ten Cate – cimbalom
Zina Pozen – accordion
Asaf Ophir – clarinet
Travis Hendrix – bass
Ivan Velev – percussion
Matthew Stein – violin

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Ionela Guzic is a talented young singer and a rising star in the world of Romanian traditional music. She has performed with many iconic musicians from Romania (Ansamblu Doina Gorjului, Ionica Minune, Cristinel Turturica) and Moldova (Lautarii din Chisinau, Fratii Stefanet). Born in Targu Jiu, Romania, Guzic graduated from the Music Department in Craiova and has received numerous awards at national and international folk music competitions. In 2015, she released Spune-mi mamă ce e doru, an album of songs that represent the beauty of the folklore from the Gorj region where she grew up. The album was received with widespread acclaim, was featured on many radio and television stations in Romania, and helped launch Guzic’s international career, including tours in the United States. Her second album is set to be released in August 2019.
Orchestra Euphonos is a Bay Area-based Eastern European folk and klezmer band, performing traditional music from Moldova and Romania. Their performances are joyous occasions filled with wild takes on old favorites, group improvisations, and more than a few opportunities to dance. Guzic first met with Orchestra Euphonos in early 2018 when she was visiting California to perform for the Romanian community. Together, they will also be performing at the 8th annual Balkan Night Northwest festival in Seattle on March 9, 2019.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 6:30pm doors / 7:00pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Fula Brothers: West African Grooves & Global Guitar
2019-02-16 19:30 - 22:00
Master West African kamale ngoni player and fingerstyle guitar wizard Mamadou Sidibe and guitarist Walter Strauss create deep, soulful music that is simultaneously ancient and fresh. They create an intoxicating blend through intertwining melodic grooves, spirited improvisation, and songs in two languages.

FEATURING:
Mamadou Sidibe – kamale ngoni
Walter Strauss – guitar

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Multi-award-winning composer and musician Mamadou Sidibe plays the West African hunter’s harp (kamale ngoni). Hailing from the Wassoulou region of Mali, West Africa, Sidibe has toured with Malian greats Oumou Sangare, Coumba Sidibe, and Toumani Diabate in Africa, Europe, and the U.S.
Walter Strauss is a “wizard of the fingerstyle guitar” (Folk and Roots) who weaves elements of American roots and jazz with music from West Africa and other global music traditions. He layers on highly articulated melodies and harmonies, rhythms and counter-rhythms, creating an impression he is playing multiple instruments at once. Strauss performs internationally, both solo and in collaborations, with artists as varied as Grammy-winning Malian kora player Mamadou Diabate, American guitarist Alex de Grassi, and Scottish fiddler Jonny Hardie.
Learn more: Website

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Noe Valley Chamber Music Presents: Omer Quartet
2019-02-11 18:30 - 19:45
The Omer Quartet, fresh from its triumphant NY debut, presents an hour-long program of gripping selections by Haydn (his early masterpiece Opus 20 no. 2), Debussy (his only string quartet), Chris Rogerson, and Beethoven (the “Grosse Fuge” from the late quartet in B-flat, Op. 130). This will not only be a fabulous SF debut for the Omers, but also a keen sampling from the whole history of string quartet repertoire. The concert, part of Noe Valley Chamber Music‘s informal SNAPSHOTS series, will be a terrific introduction to the communication, power, drama, intimacy, and virtuosity that is the hallmark of great chamber music.

FEATURING:
Mason Yu – violin
Erica Tursi – violin
Jinsun Hong – viola
Alex Cox – cello

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Distinctive among today’s young string quartets, the Omer Quartet won First Prize in the 2017 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, and in the 2018-2019 season, it makes debuts in New York at Merkin Concert Hall, in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center, and in San Francisco at the Red Poppy Art House. The quartet came into prominence in 2013 when it received Grand Prize at the Fischoff National Competition and has since won major prizes at international competitions in Italy, Norway, and France. The Omer Quartet appears courtesy of the St Lawrence String Quartet’s Emerging String Quartet Program at Stanford University.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 6:00pm doors / 6:30pm show
Admission: $25. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Sibarg Ensemble: An Evening of Iranian & Jazz Improvisation (TWO SHOWS)
2019-02-09 19:00 - 22:00
SECOND SHOW ADDED! Advance tickets are now available online for the 8:45pm show. Additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door for both the 7:00-8:15pm (6:30pm doors) and 8:45-10:00pm (8:30pm doors) shows. Please arrive when doors open the day of the event.

Sibarg Ensemble explores creative intercultural music by combining the sounds of traditional Iranian melodies and jazz. Through original compositions, arrangements of classical and folk songs, and structured improvisations, the members draw on their own distinct musical backgrounds while creating a dialogue with one another. With each performance, Sibarg sets out to create a sense of unity and peace while facilitating multiculturalism.

FEATURING:
Niloufar Shiri – kamancheh
Kyle Motl – contrabass
Hesam Abedini – vocals
Josh Charney – piano

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
In 2008, vocalist Hesam Abedini and kamancheh player Niloufar Shiri established at the Tehran Music Conservatory as the first university ensemble to combine Iranian and non-Iranian music. When the ensemble moved to the United States in 2010, they reformed with tar player Ebrahim Poustinchi, pianist Josh Charney, and bassist Kyle Motl. Their first album, Cipher, released in 2018, was sponsored by the Jordan Center for Persian Studies and the Farhang Foundation. Sibarg Ensemble has performed at numerous music festivals, universities, and cultural institutions, including MSMU’s Women in Music Festival, Carlsbad Music Festival, IcM, Central Stage Berkeley, Royce Hall, Bovard Auditorium, UCI, and UCSD. Their music has been featured on WNYC’s New Sounds, KEXP’s Wo’ Pop, WFMU, KZSU, and KFJC.
Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: (First Show) 6:30pm doors / 7:00-8:15pm show
(Second Show) 8:30pm doors / 8:45-10:00pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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February 2nd MAPP @ Red Poppy Art House
2019-02-02 18:30 - 22:00
Launched in 2003, the Mission Arts & Performance Project (MAPP) is a homegrown bi-monthly, multidisciplinary, intercultural happening that takes place in the Mission District of San Francisco. On the first Saturday of every even month of the year, the MAPP transforms ordinary spaces, such as private garages, gardens, living rooms, studios, street corners, and small businesses into pop-up performance and exhibition sites for a day/night of intimate-scale artistic and cultural exchange among a kaleidoscope of individuals and communities.

RPAH PROGRAM:

Time
Performance/Event
Description
Featured Artists

6:30pm – 7:30pm
Crochet Jam, Ramekon O’Arwisters
Public Art-Making
Ramekon O’Arwisters

7:45pm – 8:15pm
Emmanouela Trio
Sounds of Greece
Emmanouela Niniraki (vocals)
Gregory Masaki (bouzouki)
Darcy Noonan (guitar)

8:30pm – 9:15pm
The Marriage of Erato and Euterpe
Piano, Cello & Spoken Word
Mauro ffortissimo (spoken word)
Lewis Patzner (cello)
Elektra Schmidt (piano)

9:30pm – 10:00pm
IVERIA, Sounds of Georgia
Polyphonic Singing
Irakli Rusia (vocals)
Zaza Korinteli (vocals)
Giorgi Kikvidze (vocals)
Balder ten Cate (accordion)

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Crochet Jam, Ramekon O’Arwisters
Ramekon O’Arwisters started Crochet Jam in 2012. His social-art practice is rooted in a cherished childhood memory that is steeped in the African-American tradition of weaving in a calm and non-judgmental environment without rules or limitations. Crochet Jams engage the public to think differently about the role of art within community and the power of art within society. The practice is about bringing people together to participate in crocheting large free-form rag rugs in public.

Emmanouela Trio
The trio first started playing together last year when they started a weekly residency at Ikaros restaurant in Oakland. Over the months playing there, they honed their chemistry on stage and deepened their repertoire. This will be their first public appearance of 2019, and they are excited to showcase the beautiful music of Greece, from the songs of Asia Minor in modern day Turkey to the rebetika of the hash dens of urban Piraeus.
Emmanouela Niniraki is a native of Crete who spent three years working professionally as a singer in Greece before coming to the U.S. last year. She is known for delighting audiences with her soulful, skillful, and passionate readings of Greek folk songs as well as from the rebetika songbook. Niniraki will be releasing her first set of songs in the coming months with guitarist Haris Manousakis.
Gregory Masaki Jenkins is well known in the Bay Area as a clarinet player and singer of Greek and Balkan music and has recently added bouzouki to his repertoire of instruments. He performs locally as a singer with old-school rebetika band Disciples of Markos, at Greek Festivals with Helios, and directs the Balkan Brass Band Fanfare Zambaleta in addition to numerous other projects. He taught for over 10 years at the Mendocino Balkan Camp and is currently on staff at Lark Camp teaching Balkan tunes and Greek songs.
Highly regarded as a top Irish fiddler in the Bay Area, Darcy Noonan plays guitar and fiddle and sings in the Disciples of Markos. She also plays vintage ballroom with Bangers and Mash. In addition to performing, Noonan has an active teaching schedule, instructing violin to students of all ages, as well as teaching at the Lark Camp and Fiddlekids workshops.

The Marriage of Erato and Euterpe
The Marriage of Erato and Euterpe features song transcriptions, original poetry, as well as carefully selected great works of spoken word accompanied by cello and piano. The Program includes music by J.S Bach, Robert Schumann, Manuel de Falla, as well as poetry by Mauro ffortissimo and others.
Mauro ffortissimo grew up in Argentina, where his interest in art and music lead him to study classical piano and visual arts. He is a founding member of 849 Folsom Music, a 13-member music and spoken word performance troop that brought vital energy to the San Francisco South Market artist underground scene in the pre-dot-com years of the late 80s. Also a founding member of the Enso Art Collective and the Miles Davis Memorial Hall, ffortissimo has been investigating sounds with the deconstruction of pianos, becoming more able to expand the 12-tone scale. He does not subscribe to the romantic notion of a solitary artist, a suffering individual, hidden in a state of despair, creating work that only few can appreciate; instead, he travels the world, looking to the mundane, the sacred, and the original with the same eyes, and listening to the music of diverse cultures, bringing it all home to work with its particular way of assimilation making art and music available to the community.
Lewis Patzner is an Oakland-born cellist and composer who plays a variety of styles, including classical, jazz, and many genres of rock and pop. Known for his 11-year stint playing metal with Judgement Day, Patzner now plays with the Town Quartet, Cosa Nostra Strings, Trio Étrange, the Composer Arranger Performer Orchestra, and the Proteus Trio.
Pianist Elektra Schmidt has been active in the San Francisco Bay Area as a soloist and chamber musician for the past nine years. Originally from Athens, Greece, she has performed locally as well as in the UK, Greece, and France. Patzner and Schmidt have been collaborating for several years.

IVERIA
IVERIA is a trio of well-known musicians from the country of Georgia. Their performances are inspired by Georgian dance, motion, urban and folk music—including traditional polyphonic singing—and they strive to promote cultural curiosity, friendship, and respect between nations. Situated on the border of Europe and Asia, the mountainous country of Georgia is home to a variety of traditional and urban singing styles, including a distinct and otherworldly style of polyphony, as well as reflecting Middle Eastern and late European harmonic influences. For part of the performance, the trio will be joined by Balder ten Cate on accordion.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 6:30pm event
Admission: Free
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Yeraz Trio / Saideh & Khatch: An Evening of Armenian, Persian & Arabic Music
2019-01-26 19:30 - 22:00
Yeraz Trio is a cross-cultural collaborative project that explores traditional and popular music from Armenia and the Levant, adding new, rich, and delectable layers of texture through its distinct instrumentation. Following the journey of band member Khatch’s background and upbringing, the trio weaves together music from Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria, with Eastern European elements.
Saideh & Khatch explore an enchanting and soulful blend of Persian and Armenian music in their album, Delbedel. They will share pieces from the album and offer new improvisational and contemplative melodies. Saideh & Khatch draw from these vast musical traditions while also blending them with contemporary sounds for an evening of deep listening.

FEATURING:
Yeraz Trio
Zina Pozen – accordion
Khatchadour Khatchadourian – vocals, duduk
Balder ten Cate – cimbalom, guitar
Saideh & Khatch
Saideh Eftekhari – vocals, setar, guitar, violin
Khatchadour Khatchadourian – vocals, duduk, def, synthesizers

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Zina Pozen is a familiar face in the Bay Area Balkan music scene. Originally from Ukraine, she grew up in a family of classical musicians, playing piano from a tender age. As an adult, Pozen picked up the accordion and started playing traditional Eastern European repertoire. She was a founding member of Seattle’s infamous Bucharest Drinking Team. Since moving to the Bay Area in 2015, she has been performing Eastern European and klezmer music with Orchestra Euphonos, rembetika with MetaNastys, and old Soviet songs at various afterparties and impromptu jams.
Balder ten Cate, born into a musical family, was steeped in Eastern European music from a young age. He studied Romanian music with cimbalom master Giani Lincan, and after moving to the Bay Area in 2008, he explored music from the Balkans with Rumen Sali Shopov, performing regularly with Balkan Ensemble Meraklii. Currently, ten Cate plays cimbalom with Orchestra Euphonos as well as with Mahala.
Saideh Eftekhari is a multi-instrumentalist, teaching artist, and sound healing practitioner based in San Francisco. Her work is inspired by the years she spent studying and living in Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. She is trained in classical violin as well as the Persian setar and holds a certification in Sound Healing from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Based in the Bay Area, Khatchadour Khatchadourian is a vocalist grounded in the musical traditions of the Middle East and Caucasus regions. He combines sacred Armenian and Arab vocals with instruments such as the duduk, def, and synthesizers. He has four albums to date and works with multiple local bands in cultural fusion, meditation, and sound healing contexts.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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CANCELLED - A Challenge of Being: A Collective Exploration by mariA
2019-01-20 19:30 - 21:30
*Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Red Poppy Art House invites you to join “A Challenge of Being,” a collective exploration on empathy, presence, authenticity, and vulnerability. How vulnerable is it to be real? What prevents us from being authentic? What is the challenge to be present for another? How can we empathize with the uncomfortable?
“Within a simple and respectful structure, that is based on my practice of Authentic Movement, I let myself dive into the depths of the subconscious, to move and be moved. I have no intention to entertain you. I challenge myself to be wholeheartedly real at your presence, and I challenge you to be active witnesses; because “the soul cannot exist without its other side, which is always found in a ‘You’ (Jung, 1954). I surrender to the unknown, and You become the owners of your experience. I follow my inner impulses and You have the free will to just witness or to participate by ‘making special’. In any case, we are all co-creators of this collective Alive exploration.”

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Originally from Greece, Maria Lentzou is an expressive arts therapist, interdisciplinary performing artist, and the founder of Authentic Movement SF. Her performance work has been presented locally at Z Space, PianoFight, Red Poppy Art House, and CounterPulse, as well as internationally in England, Peru, and Argentina. mariA enjoys creating simple performative acts as an invitation to the imaginary through embodied experiences that provide an all-time-in-between space, where playfulness meets sacredness and vice versa. Her mission is to honor the beauty of our multifaceted existences, along with the mystery of life-death-life in its paradoxical nature; to embody and communicate the power of authenticity, of humbleness, and of love.

Ian Maksin ft. Morgan Maudière: Songs of the Vagabond Cello (TWO SHOWS)
2019-01-18 19:00 - 22:00
SECOND SHOW ADDED! Advance tickets are now available online for the 8:45pm show. Additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door for both the 7:00pm (6:30pm doors) and 8:45pm (8:30pm doors) shows. Please arrive when doors open the day of the event.

Internationally acclaimed cellist, composer, and multilingual vocalist Ian Maksin is back in Bay Area with his freshest original compositions and latest acquisitions from his world travels—from the Balkans to Lake Baikal and from the Caucasus Mountains to Cuba. Joining him as a special guest for both shows is French pianist Morgan Maudière.

FEATURING:
Ian Maksin – cello, vocals
Morgan Maudière – piano

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Russian-born, Chicago-based cellist, composer, and multilingual vocalist Ian Maksin has gathered a large global ever-growing audience and offers a distinct musical experience bringing together different genres and cultures from all over the world. He performs nearly 200 concerts annually on five continents. He sings in nearly 20 languages: Russian, Ukrainian, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Yiddish, Ladino (language of the Sephardic Jews of Spain), Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian, Arabic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, and Macedonian. Equally fluent in jazz, classical, and world music—using his cello as a main unifying element—Maksin has created his own style combining these genres in his original music filled with many elements: Balkan rhythm, West African blues, rumba, flamenco, music of Tuvan and Mongolian shamans, and more. Maksin describes his artistic goals as “bringing people together through music despite their religious, political, cultural differences and languages barriers.” (Photo by: Cuanticapictures)
Learn more: YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

EVENT DETAILS

Time: (First Show) 6:30pm doors / 7:00-8:15pm show
(Second Show) 8:30pm doors / 8:45-10:00pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Mozaik w/ Storyteller Dana Sherry: Songs & Stories from Around the World
2019-01-12 19:30 - 22:00
Dive into the rich folk traditions of Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Mongolia, and Americana through songs and folk tales with Mozaik and storyteller Dana Sherry. Harmonies are woven together with legends and tales to create a colorful tapestry of the distinct sounds and images from cultures around the world.

FEATURING:
Mozaik
Sandy Hollister – vocals, percussion
Adina Sara – vocals
Hilary Seamans – vocals
Liz Stuart – vocals, accordion, percussion
Natalia Ukrainska – vocals
Dana Sherry – storytelling

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Sandy Hollister has played percussion with acclaimed Bay Area Arab music ensemble Aswat, has sung with Ya Elah, and currently sings with the Temple of Light Georgian Choir. She has performed with various dance groups, bands, and ensembles in the Bay Area and appears on Brenna MacCrimmon’s album, Kulak Misifiri.
Adina Sara has been with Mozaik since it formed in 2001. A singer-songwriter, she produced three albums of original songs and performed her music in folk clubs and festivals throughout the West Coast. For over 15 years, she has participated in folk, jazz, classical, and pop ensembles, and also sings with Voci Woman’s Vocal Ensemble.
Hilary Seamans grew up singing in the California Christmas Revels teen and adult choruses. At UC Berkeley, she sang in and directed the Perfect Fifth, Cal’s student-led classical a cappella ensemble. After graduation, she joined the Ariose Singers under the direction of Michael McGushin. Trained classically but in love with folk music, Seamans has sung in Kitka’s community chorus and is thrilled to be singing with Mozaik.
Liz Stuart was a member of Vocolot for over 20 years. She plays percussion with several Middle-Eastern ensembles and has performed live with Anne Bluethenthal and Strong Current dance companies. With over 12 years experience as a sound designer and video game producer, Stuart has also composed and recorded original music scores for Chimene Pollard, as well as arranged, sang, played keyboards, and composed for musical theatre.
Natalia Ukrainska is a native of Kiev, where she received a diploma in music and choir-conducting. She was a member of the Ensemble of the Border Guard of Ukraine, performing and touring as a soloist. Natalia emigrated to the U.S. in 2005 and joined Kitka shortly thereafter. She currently also sings in the Orthodox Church Choir of San Francisco.
Dana Sherry is Director of Storytelling Programs at Silk Road House, a lecturer at St. Mary’s College of California, a storyteller at senior theatre company Stagebridge, and a former lecturer of Russian History at UC Davis. She studied Slavic Languages and Literatures at University of Washington.
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Learn more: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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George Cole and EUROCANA: Jazz Manouche, Uptown Swing, French Chanson
2019-01-11 19:30 - 22:00
George Cole and EUROCANA fill it to the brim with unforgettable music featuring three-part harmonies delivered by top-tier vocalists and amazing instrumental virtuosity. Influenced by Django Reinhardt, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, and French chanson, the group swings with infectious joy, bringing audiences to their feet the old-fashioned way.

FEATURING:
George Cole – guitar, vocals
Madeline Tasquin – guitar, vocals, percussion
Kaeli Earle – bass, vocals

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
San Francisco native George Cole brings an expertise to his guitar playing and singing that is filtered through rock and roll, jazz manouche, and all things American. A BAMMIE Award winner, Cole plays guitar for the David Grisman Quintet and was a guitar teacher/mentor to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt of Green Day.
Madeline Tasquin is a Canadian-Californian songcrafter who weaves between jazz folk to soul ballads in odd meters, to playful harmonic pop to delicately dark musical fairy tales, delivering it all with a stage presence that radiates joy.
Kaeli Earle is a singer and bass player from Bellingham, WA, and a graduate of Berklee College of Music. She loves coming to the Bay to gig and play shows, inciting crowds with her high energy. Her music is a mix of jazz, rock, pop, and soul.
Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
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Taraf de Locos: Birthday Bash
2018-12-27 19:30 - 22:00
San Francisco-bred Taraf de Locos reunites for a special birthday celebration! The band performs music from the Balkans to Latin America, as well as original compositions inspired by those styles. Tastefully combining the elements of innovation and authentic tradition, Taraf de Locos produces groove-based music that will make you dance, and moments of mellow, soaring harmonies that will leave you in awe.

FEATURING:
Aya Safiya – vocals, violin, timple
Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Govea – vocals, trumpet, güira
Han Beyli – guitar
Miguelito León – vocals, percussion
Mireya León – bass
Tano Brock – vocals, saxophone, clarinet

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Founding members Aya Safiya, Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Govea, Miguel Leon, and Tano Brock grew up together at a world music camp in California. In 2014, they formed the band Taraf de Locos, a name that fits perfectly as it is the meeting point between the group’s most predominant genres. “Taraf,” meaning “band” in Romanian, represents the Balkan styles of music, while “locos,” meaning “crazies” in Spanish, represents the Latin styles of music.
During the recording of their debut album, Taraf de Locos recruited bassist Mireya León to join, and following their album release show at Red Poppy Art House, the band embarked on a U.S. tour. Once the tour was finished, the group took a hiatus while the five members individually traveled and went on to follow personal goals. Taraf de Locos currently reunites once in a while for special occasions.
Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20 online / $15-20 door. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
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Will Bernard & Beth Custer: Original Chamber Jazz
2018-12-21 19:30 - 22:00
Originally from Berkeley, Will Bernard is now a renowned New York guitarist. He joins San Francisco treasure Beth Custer in performance of original compositions ranging in styles from funky blues, to plaintive contemporary classical, to rollicking jazz. Always soulful and in synch, this duo has been playing together since they met in the 1980’s.

FEATURING:
Will Bernard – guitars
Beth Custer – clarinets, vocals

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Grammy-nominated guitarist Will Bernard has performed and/or recorded with Stanton Moore Trio, Robert Walter’s 20th Congress, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Tom Waits, Ben Sidran, Dr John, Booker T. Jones, Steven Bernstein, George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste, Global Noize, Greyboy Allstars, Galactic, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Mike Clark, Idris Muhammad, and others. In addition to leading his own groups, Bernard performs regularly with the New York collaborative Pleasure Drones, W-Beez with Wil Blades, Peter Apfelbaum’s Sparkler, and John Medeski’s Mad Skillet with Kirk Joseph and Terence Higgins.
Beth Custer is an Emmy Award-winning composer and recording artist. She is a member of the Beth Custer Ensemble, Eighty Mile Beach, Clarinet Thing, Trance Mission, Club Foot Orchestra, and Will Bernard/Beth Custer Ensemble. Custer has composed for Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Zeitgeist, Earplay, Campo Santo and San Diego Repertory Theatres, Joe Goode Performance Group, Roco Dance, Flyaway Productions, and for the films of William Farley, Brad Coley, and Cathy Lee Crane. This fall, she is an artist-in-residence in Prague where she will premiere her score for a 1919 comedic silent film at the Czech National Archive.

Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $25. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
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Rachid Halihal & Faisal Zedan: Arab Music Experience
2018-12-20 19:30 - 22:00
A collaborative performance between Moroccan musician Rachid Halihal and Syrian musician Faisal Zedan, the evening will include songs and instrumental melodies from different Arab countries, such as Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Iraq, and more.

FEATURING:
Rachid Halihal – oud, violin, vocals
Faisal Zedan – Arab percussion

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
An accomplished Moroccan singer, oud, and violinist, Rachid Halihal is a classical and folkloric musician with a wealth of experience in performing different styles of Arab music. He is a long-time resident of New York City and travels throughout the city performing and teaching.
Faisal Zedan is a Syrian/Lebanese percussionist currently residing in Oakland, California. He specializes in Arab drums and performs various genres of Arab, Middle Eastern, Greek, and Balkan music. Zedan plays and teaches derbakki, riqq, and frame drums, and has been performing and collaborating with many musicians in different projects with a focus on Middle Eastern music and drumming.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
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Jamie Zee: A Night of Neo-Soul
2018-12-16 19:30 - 22:00
Inspired by daily life, Jamie Zee composes music that embodies the experience of an LGBTQ Chinese-American woman.​ Her newly written works span various genres and blend musical traditions ranging decades. The vocalist is joined by guest, Bay Area Latin jazz legend, Dr. John Calloway.

FEATURING:
Jamie Zee – vocals
John Calloway – flute
Madison Bohrer – saxophone
William Bohrer – electric bass
Max Brody – guitar
Julian Lopez – piano
Alex Shapiro-Romano – drums

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Growing up as a local around the San Francisco Mission District, Jamie Zee began her career as a songwriter at the young age of 17. Continuing the documentation of her experiences singing and dancing along to the driving rhythms of salsa, rumba, funk, soul, R&B, and jazz, Zee has cultivated her own compositions illustrating her story. She has sung at world-renowned venues including Carnegie Hall, SFJAZZ Center, Super Bowl 50 City Stage, Yoshi’s San Francisco and Oakland, Fox Theater, The Freight and Salvage, Brava Theater, DNA Lounge, and Teatro Valle in Rome.
Learn more: Facebook | Spotify

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
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Flamenkeando: Flamenco Meets Gypsy Jazz (Night 2)
2018-12-15 19:30 - 22:00
Caminos Flamencos, an award-winning flamenco troupe, collaborates with members of gypsy jazz group Barrio Manouche to present two special nights of flamenco, jazz manouche, and Latin vibes on December 14 and 15. Seven artists improvise and explore between their musical worlds to create a blend of sounds rooted in flamenco dance and music, yet open in a free-style form much like a chamber jazz ensemble.

FEATURING:
Jason “El Rubio” McGuire – acoustic guitar
Felix de Lola – vocals
Javi Jimenez – guitar
Luis Jimenez – percussion
Yaelisa – flamenco dance
Fanny Ara – flamenco dance
Marina Elana – flamenco dance

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Caminos Flamencos is an Emmy Award-winning dance troupe lead by Yaelisa and extraordinary guitarist Jason “El Rubio” McGuire. Considered the finest flamenco troupe in the U.S., the group has been nominated and received Izzy Dance Awards. They perform throughout California and are known for their collaborations with musicians spanning many genres including Latin, jazz, and French manouche. (Photo by: Mayumi Acosta Photography)
Learn more: Barrio Manouche | Yaelisa

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
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Flamenkeando: Flamenco Meets Gypsy Jazz (Night 1)
2018-12-14 19:30 - 22:00

Leni Stern Trio: Groove-Filled Jazz
2018-12-13 19:30 - 22:00
Award-winning jazz guitarist Leni Stern leads her trio project featuring original compositions written with reverence to the rhythms and tonalities of Mali and Senegal. Stern’s performance celebrates her most recent release, 3, an authentic exploration of the interplay between traditional West African music and American jazz.

FEATURING:
TBA

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Leni Stern is an unstoppable force of bottomless energy. Her long-time fans know her from a successful jazz career that saw her touring the globe on the stage of every major festival and legendary club, performing with some of the biggest heavyweights on the scene like Dennis Chambers, Paul Motian, and Bill Frisell to name a few. Everything changed when, in 2005, Stern was first invited to perform at the Festival au Desert in Timbuktu, Mali. It was there that she would meet Bassekou Kouyate and his wife, Ami Sacko. Embraced by their family and their bands, she dove headfirst into the traditions of West African guitar and later the n’goni, an African banjo. It was a natural path from jazz, a journey to where her playing and sound all began, a spiritual exploration coupled with devoted study and practice. Stern’s recent compositions pay humble homage to the drum patterns of traditional Senegalese folk songs. What emerges is a new repertoire of cross-pollinated ideas and reverence to jazz, blues, Africa, and folk music of today’s diaspora.
Learn more: Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
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Antonio Feula Jazz Trio: Modern/Funk Jazz
2018-12-09 19:30 - 22:00
Antonio Feula Jazz Trio performs songs from its latest modern jazz album, Joint Path, and from the upcoming funk jazz album. With influences ranging from bebop, blues, and funk to classical music, the group’s original compositions have already impressed varying audiences, with people commenting on the catchy yet sophisticated nature of the music. Genuine improvisation and amazing interplay are also strong points of the trio.

FEATURING:
Ian McArdle – keyboard
Mike Quigg – drums
Antonio Feula – guitar

Learn more: Bandcamp

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 7:00pm doors / 7:30pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
Purchase advance tickets for this event:

RSVP to the Facebook event:

Volunteer for this event!

Dos BandOLEros: Power Rumba Flamenca in the Mission
2018-12-08 19:00 - 20:15
Founded by Bay Area musicians Raúl Vargas (Makrú) and Alberto Gutiérrez (La Mandanga), Dos BandOLEros performs rumba flamenca covers and original compositions for an energetic night full of positive messages.

FEATURING:
Alberto Gutiérrez – guitar, vocals
Raúl Vargas – cajón, percussion, electric kazoo, vocals

Learn more: Website | Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: 6:30pm doors / 7:00pm show
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale. Ticket availability at the door is limited and contingent on online sales.
Purchase advance tickets for this event:

RSVP to the Facebook event:

Volunteer for this event!
