Red Poppy Art House

Pagodinhos SF: Monthly Rio-Style Pagode de Mesa
2016-09-24 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
The Red Poppy Art House presents a monthly Rio-style pagode de mesa featuring a revolving cast of the finest players in the Bay Area. Pagode, meaning “party,” is the small group subgenre of samba that is played in samba schools, bars, cafes and backyards of Rio de Janeiro. From cavaquinho and guitar, to vocals and percussion, the musical style includes a lively mixture of songs with active audience participation.

Admission: Free, donations accepted for musicians ($5-10). Event at 1:00pm. All ages welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

Wahid: Improvisations of Greece and the Levant
2016-09-29 19:30 - 22:00
Using a modern and fluid approach to improvisation, oud player Dimitris Mahlis and frame drummer Chris Wabich explore Greek, Persian, and Indian sounds that date back to antiquity. Described by Digital Jazz News as “eclectic, organic, and unplugged in the truest sense of the word,” Wahid’s newest release, Inside Silence, synthesizes their cross-cultural music into a distinctive jazz idiom.
Featuring:
Dimitris Mahlis – oud
Chris Wabich – tuned frame drums

Admission: $10-20. Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 7:30pm. All ages welcome.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

Rob Reich Quintet: New Music for Jazz Accordion
2016-09-30 19:30 - 22:00
Fresh off the release of his debut album, Shadowbox, accordionist, pianist, and composer Rob Reich and his quintet return to the Red Poppy. Mixing improvisational romps with refined and melodic ensemble arrangements, Rob’s idiosyncratic accordion style mixes doses of wry humor and elements of spontaneous revelation that help propel the instrument’s modern renaissance.
Rob Reich (photo by Eddy Joaquim) grew up in Long Island, New York, and began studying piano at the age of three. After graduating from Oberlin Conservatory of Music with a degree in music composition, he moved to the Bay Area where he discovered the accordion. He has since become one of San Francisco’s stalwart underground artists, well-known for his work with revered chamber music ensemble Tin Hat Trio. In addition to performing live soundtrack to silent films and composing music for contortionists and trapeze artists with Circus Bella, Rob performs with the acclaimed groups Todd Sickafoose’s Tiny Resistors, Ben Goldberg School, Gaucho, Nice Guy Trio, and Prez Kids. His debut album of original compositions, Shadowbox, combines strong melodic ideas, rhythmic drive, and a spirit of irreverence and experimentation.
“Rob Reich has carved out a niche as a premier avant-roots voice… like Nino Rota writing for a small jazz group.” — JAZZIZ

Admission: $10-20. Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 7:30pm. All ages welcome.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

October 1st MAPP: Calling Divine Spirits / Joining Opposing Forces
2016-10-01 19:00 - 21:10
Byb Kongo Bibene presents Nkisi Nkondi: A Divine Sculpture from Central Africa, a public talk which reveals the not so told functions of the nkisi nkondi, the sacred statues found in the great kingdom of Kongo in the 19th century. The Nkisis were power figures used by individuals, families, or whole communities to destroy or weaken evil spirits, prevent or cure illnesses, repel bad deeds, solemnize contracts or oath taking, and resolve disputes. A diviner or holy person would activate the statue, using magical substances. In this presentation, Byb shows a portrait of Central Africa before and after colonization, with social, political, and religious implications. The talk precedes a demonstration of a few dances that may have served as support in the process of calling for the divine spirits to inhabit the body of the nkisi nkondi, as practiced by the Kongo people.
Dynamism is Ben Baker’s project for the exploration of themes relating to the deliberate bringing together of oppositional forces. He has adopted the practice of butoh to examine existentialist themes. Butoh, known as the Dance of Utter Darkness, is characterized by dancing through imagery and may be utilized to examine the ongoing battle between light and darkness.

About the MAPP:
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.

MAPP Schedule:
7:00-8:00PM – Nkisi Nkondi: A Divine Sculpture from Central Africa
Dance Demonstration & Public Talk with Byb Kongo Bibene
8:10-9:10PM – Dynamism
Butoh Dance-Theatre Talk & Performance with Ben Baker

About the Artists:
Byb Chanel Bibene is a choreographer and performer working in theater and contemporary dance. His own technical and aesthetic sensibility is rooted in the culture and dances of his country of origin, the Republic of Congo. He has toured the world and performed internationally with companies and choreographers from Africa, England, France, and the USA. Artistic Director of Kiandanda Dance Theater, Bibene launched Mbongui Square, a multidisciplinary arts event that gathers artists from the Bay Area and around the world.
Ben Baker holds an MA in Drama from San Francisco State University and an MFA in Contemporary Performance from Naropa University. He is a Performance Artist that assumes many roles in theatre as a writer, director, actor, dancer, and choreographer. He presently teaches improvisation, movement meditation, and ecstatic voice workshops in SF.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Event 7:00PM
Admission: Free
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

CHIVES: A Bicoastal Contemporary Jazz Collective
2016-10-07 19:30 - 22:00
With a deep musical connection they’ve nurtured since middle school, the bicoastal trio known as CHIVES specializes in a contemporary jazz sound. Sometimes playing inside themes and sometimes soaring far beyond, saxophonist/clarinetist Steven Lugerner accompanies bassist Matthew Wohl and drummer Max Jaffe in a performance that is both elastic and buoyant. Come see this trio of native San Franciscans play a special hometown show at the Red Poppy to celebrate the release of their latest album, Yeaux.
Featuring:
Matthew Wohl – bass
Steven Lugerner – saxophones, clarinets
Max Jaffe – drums
Matthew Wohl, Steven Lugerner, and Max Jaffe grew up together in the suburbs of San Francisco, surrounded by peers and teachers that nourished their musical sensibilities. They have collaborated together in various settings for more than half of their lives. After relocating to Brooklyn, CHIVES produced and released For Brian Wilson, followed by Dads, on the Primary Records label. Their third recording, Yeaux, will be released on October 7th with a special performance at the Red Poppy Art House. CHIVES maintains an active performance schedule in both the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City.
Learn more: Website | Bandcamp

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $10-15 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Opaluna: Contemporary Jazz with Latin Rhythms
2016-10-08 19:30 - 22:00
On their debut, self-titled album, Opaluna, Colombian vocalist Susana Pineda and Bay Area guitarist Luis Salcedo present a fresh approach to contemporary jazz and Latin music, exploring every facet of their instruments while incorporating electronic techniques to create new textures and effects. The duo, joined at the Red Poppy by bassist Jeff Denson and drummer Zach Mondlick, melds their disparate backgrounds through a soulful intermingling of cultures, rhythms, and traditions.
Featuring:
Susana Pineda – vocals
Luis Salcedo – guitar
Jeff Denson – bass
Zach Mondlick – drums, percussion
The voice and guitar duo comprised of Susana Pineda and Luis Salcedo was formed in 2015 at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley. Pineda, who hails from Medellín, Colombia, and Salcedo, a Bay Area native, explore the frontiers of folk, rock, Latin groove, as well as the many vibrant colors of jazz on Opaluna, released on Ridgeway Records.
Learn more: Website | Facebook | YouTube | SoundCloud

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Rumberos de Radio Habana: Community Rumba
2016-10-09 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 are bringing their own contribution to the Red Poppy for a free afternoon of beat-making, hip-shaking and good company.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Event 2:00PM
Admission: Free; donations accepted for musicians ($5-10)
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Fémina: Argentinian Urban Folk
2016-10-12 19:30 - 22:00
Patagonian singer/songwriters Fémina make a stop at the Red Poppy as a part of their first-ever tour of the United States. Commingling rap and funk with Latin genres such as cumbia, candombe, rumba, and bolero, the popular trio boasts a theatrical and potent sound that unites melodic harmonies with poetic hip-hop.
Featuring:
Sofia “Toti” Trucco – vocals, guitar, ronroco
Clara “Wewi” Trucco – vocals, percussion
Clara Miglioli – vocals, guitar
Hailing from the small mountain town of San Martín de los Andes in southern Argentina, Fémina is comprised of sisters Sofia and Clara Trucco and childhood best friend Clara Miglioli. The trio’s assertive onstage chemistry, poetic rhythms, and integration of numerous musical genres have made them popular throughout South America, Mexico, and Europe, and their first tour of the United States will take them to 15 cities. Fémina is currently working on their third full-length album, which will be released in 2017.
Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $10-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

The pickPocket Ensemble: Lounge Music for Spies
2016-10-14 19:30 - 22:00
The six-piece pickPocket Ensemble returns to the Red Poppy to celebrate the release of the new album, Pepper Greenwald Presents Lounge Music for Spies. The pickPockets will play selections from the album, transporting listeners into the world of international espionage via European café music. The evening will also include remixes from the record and a set of original pickPocket tunes.
Featuring:
Rick Corrigan – accordion
Yates Brown – guitar
Chloe Allen – violin
Matthew Souther – trumpet
John Slattery – percussion
Kurt Ribak – bass
Inspired by musical traditions from around the globe, the pickPocket Ensemble inhabits a country all their own. The group’s charming, melodic sound allows listeners to travel the world without leaving their seats, but despite their wide range of influences, the ensemble’s music remains intensely personal and immediately engaging. In addition to their work on Lounge Music for Spies, the group has released six albums of original material.
Learn more: Website | Facebook
Pepper Greenwald, dubbed the “second most interesting man in the world,” is the international man of mystery and consummate host who commissioned the pickPocket Ensemble to underscore the 12 stories brought back by the Global Underground Elite Spy Syndicate. His alter ego, Matt Levine, is an accomplished composer and producer of music for video games, film, and television. After graduating from the California Institute of the Arts in 1992 with a BFA in music composition, Levine worked in the music departments of Beatnik and Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), as well as on his own as an independent composer and producer. In 2015, he joined the faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he teaches a course on composition for video games.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

12th Annual Lit Crawl SF: Naughty, Good Magic
2016-10-15 20:30 - 21:30
Six literary burlesque readers tease you with each story, taking it all off, one word at a time.
About Lit Crawl:
The 12th annual Lit Crawl will span over three hours in San Francisco’s Mission District, featuring 99 events and over 400 performers. From fiction to nonfiction and poetry to comedy, these events will take place in bookstores, bars, galleries, restaurants, stores, cafés, and community spaces.
One of the most anticipated literary nights of the year, San Francisco’s Lit Crawl attracts close to 10,000 people, and is the world’s largest such event. In 2008, Lit Crawl NYC launched in Manhattan, also an immediate hit. Austin was next, swarming for the first time in 2011. In 2012, two more Lit Crawls were born, one in Brooklyn, another in Seattle. In 2013, the event expanded to Los Angeles, Iowa City, and London, and in 2014, Lit Crawls were launched in Miami and Helsinki.
Learn more: Website | Facebook | Twitter

About the Writers:

Nancy Au is an Oakland-based writer and co-founder of The Escapery. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Anthropology and is completing her MFA at San Francisco State University. Nancy taught creative writing at SFSU and California State University Stanislaus. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Liminal Stories, SmokeLong Quarterly, The Journal for Compressed Creative Arts, Necessary Fiction, Fiction Southeast, Word Riot, Identity Theory, Prick of the Spindle, and more.
Carson Beker is a writer, playwright, storyteller, and actor with an MFA and MA from SFSU. She is the co-founder of The Escapery and has taught creative writing at San Francisco State University. She is the former Fiction Editor of Fourteen Hills. Her work has appeared in Gigantic Sequins, sPARKLE + bLINK, Transfer Magazine, and Bourbon Penn, and her plays have been at the San Francisco Olympians Festival and Z Space. She will be a 2016 Lamdba Literary Resident in Fiction and is a recipient of a 2016 Tin House workshop scholarship.

Lynn Brown is a freelance writer and communications consultant with experience in journalism and publishing. She is a speculative fiction writer and the co-curator of the Voices from the Margins reading series. Her work can be found in Conde Nast Traveler, the Colorado Daily News, and the Matador Network.

Kimberly Gomes is a freelance writer and producer for Sunset Magazine and a community workshop facilitator. She’s currently pursuing her MFA in creative writing at San Francisco State, where’s she working on her first novel and a chapbook revolving around the woman’s experience. When she’s not writing, she’s climbing mountains or plotting her next road trip.
Yume Kim received an MFA in Poetry from SF State and a BA in English from George Mason University. Before moving to San Francisco, she was born and raised in a strange land called Northern Virginia. She was a Kundiman fellow recipient and has been published in sPARKLE + bLINK, gesture, and Writing Without Walls among others. Yume is actually a unit of measurement, particularly when one needs to calculate factors on sexiness. During her spare time, she either stalks Improv Nation members or just draws cats and stick figures.

Dawn Robinson is a Lambda Literary Foundation Emerging Voices and VONA Fellow. Dawn wrote, directed, and edited the short film My-Grations, featured in the 2009 QWOCMAP Queer Women of Color Film Festival in San Francisco. Upcoming work includes a collection of queer short stories and a novel set in Oakland. Dawn prefers pie over cake, salty over sweet, crunchy over creamy, beach over snow, dogs over cats, and fire over ice.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 8:00PM / Event 8:30PM
Admission: Free
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Trio Caminos: Latin Jazz Meets Spanish Beats
2016-10-20 19:30 - 22:00
Synthesizing elements of jazz, flamenco, tango, and Latin American music, Trio Caminos is a new acoustic ensemble led by Venezuelan guitarist Carlos Caminos. After moving to the Bay Area, Caminos connected with bassist Sascha Jacobsen and percussionist Sage Baggott to create original compositions and play music by composers such as Astor Piazzolla and Michel Camilo. Together, Trio Caminos boasts a rich, diverse repertoire that marries Latin American music to Afro-Caribbean, Spanish, and joropo beats.
Learn more: Website

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $12-17 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

The Brian Hingerty Group: Emerging Bay Area Jazz Talent
2016-10-21 19:30 - 22:00
Under the guidance of guitarist Brian Hingerty, some of the Bay Area’s finest young jazz musicians join forces to perform a contemporary take on jazz standards. The group, comprised mostly of musicians under 17 and augmented by Northern California bass giant Chris Amberger, combines elements of electronica, funk, and blues as they perform both jazz/rock classics and original compositions.
Featuring:
Brian Hingerty – guitar
Chris Amberger – bass
Matthew Stoloff – drums
Joshua Tazman – vocals
Jasim Perales – trombone
Solomon Alber – tenor saxophone
With several jazz festival honors under his belt, 17-year-old guitarist Brian Hingerty is already well established on the Bay Area music scene. Influenced by musicians like Jim Hall, Bill Frisell, John Scofield, and Derek Trucks, Hingerty draws from a wide range of genres in his exploration of American roots music. He performs regularly, both solo and in ensembles.
Learn more: Website | Facebook | YouTube

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $10-15 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Miguelito Martinez: Cuba le canta a México
2016-10-22 19:30 - 22:00
The music of flautist Miguelito Martinez bridges the Afro-Caribbean rhythms of Cuba, the powerful melodies of Mexico, and the sounds of traditional jazz. His latest album, Cuba le canta a México, honors the musicians and composers who have contributed to these musical traditions.
Born in Chiapas, Mexico, Miguelito Martinez studied music education and transversal flute at the University of Science and Art in Chiapas and La Universidad Veracruzana, with training in Kodály and Orff. He is the founding director of the Mexican-Caribbean ensemble Corazon Sur and the co-director of Balamcoatl, a collaborative project focused on promoting the rich music and dance traditions of the indigenous people of Mexico. In 2014 he received a grant by the San Francisco Friends of Chamber of Music to produce Cuba le canta a México, an album adapting Mexican music to Caribbean rhythms and structures
Learn more: Website | Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Danny Green Trio: Jazz, Classical & Brazilian Convergence
2016-10-23 19:30 - 22:00
Pianist/composer Danny Green and his trio return to the Red Poppy to showcase their melodically charged blend of jazz, Brazilian, Latin, and classical sounds. As a rising force on the national jazz scene, Green distinguishes himself with a beautifully articulated touch and deep affinity for Brazilian music.
Featuring:
Danny Green – piano
Justin Grinnell – bass
Julien Cantelm – drums
Southern California native Danny Green has garnered a reputation in the jazz community as an emerging artist whose music sounds both seasoned and fresh. After studying classical music and jazz at UC San Diego and San Diego State University, Green signed to OA2 Records and went on to win two San Diego Music Awards for best jazz album. In 2016, he released Altered Narratives, one of Public Radio International’s “Top 30 New Releases” on its “Jazz After Hours” playlist.
Learn more: Website | YouTube | SoundCloud
Photo by: Sasha Israel Photography

“Green’s eloquent eclecticism – a gift that includes writing anything from celebratory blues to meditative reflections to composing for a string quartet – illuminates his sparkling new trio release, Altered Narratives.” – Owen McNally, WNPR

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $10-15 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Resilience and the Unseen in the Context of an Art House
2016-10-24 19:00 - 21:00
RPAH Professional Development Track
Speaker Series in Community-Engaged Arts Presenting ft. Todd Thomas Brown

Red Poppy Art House founder Todd T Brown headlines the Poppy’s October professional development session with a conversation on resilience while making art and creating art spaces.
“Zena Carlota, Red Poppy’s Managing Director, asked if I would be the guest speaker for the Poppy’s October professional development session. I decided I would take the opportunity to share some of the ideas/insights that lay closest to my heart, ones that have served as a guide across the years of making art and creating art spaces, but that I don’t always get to talk about. Like, what is it that brings a sense of magic into the moment? Often, our most amazing (transformative) experiences of connection happen entirely unplanned, emerging out of a synchronicity of variables in a given moment such that it comes almost as a surprise. In art and in community engagement, this is something we seek–to facilitate, or invite, transformative moments of connection. But, if we can’t plan spontaneity, what are we to do? How do we create space, an opening, for something yet to be known or determined? Or, what can we do to set the context, and the invitation?
“Underneath these kinds of questions, for me, is a profound appreciation for the formless quality of life; life energy and life intelligence, the kind of intelligence that lives in children, in our immune systems, in plants and ecosystems of nature–a constant spring of resilience. We can’t own it or control it, but we can make a little more space in our lives, and in the environments we inhabit, to let it do its work. This is the kind of inquiry I enjoy looking at, and I’m hoping we can have a conversation along these lines, and see how these things relate to the work of art houses and to a range artistic practice.”

About Our Guest:
Todd Thomas Brown, a multi-practice artist engaged in visual arts, performance, and social practice, has been awarded numerous grants in disciplines of music and theater. His projects include collaborative music ensemble Nefasha Ayer: The Space of In-Between, the dance-theater production of “Teobi’s Dreaming: A Performative Inquiry into Biology and Being,” and, more recently, the collaborative dance/performance piece “This. Now.” Todd, the founder of the Mission Arts & Performance Project/MAPP in San Francisco, has performed and/or presented work throughout the Bay Area, Europe, the Caribbean, South America, and Mexico.

Photo: Sky Whales by Martin Vlach

About the Professional Development Track Program:
On the third Monday of every month, the Red Poppy Art House invites guest artists, arts leaders, community organizers, and other creative thinkers to share their experience and ideas on the work they are doing and the questions that we are exploring at the Red Poppy Art House. We like to open these presentation-discussions to artists, arts professionals, and others seeking to develop their skills and understanding of the arts ecosystem in relation to socially engaged arts presenting.
Focused on “community engaged arts presenting,” the Poppy’s Professional Development program centers around inquiry in:

How can we best facilitate a space of encounter, an environment that connects both artists and people from different communities?
What is the relationship/tension between art as a force for social transformation and art as a form of cultural entertainment that follows a consumer relationship (i.e. you buy a ticket and consume a show)?
What are the different practical needs in different disciplines (i.e. dance as opposed to a music production), and how can we familiarize ourselves with them to better anticipate the needs of a particular collaboration? In other words, how do we become cross-disciplinary in our thinking?
Seeing that social/professional relationships in the arts tend to fall along the dividing lines between artistic disciplines and genres, what are some strategies that can help intersect and cross-pollinate respective communities?
How do we find new and creative ways of addressing issues around equity and access, particularly as we see them play out in our immediate community?

Click here to learn more about the program.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Session 7:00PM
Admission: Free
All ages are welcome.

Ghost + Spirit: Improvisations by Ben Goldberg, Hamir Atwal & Ila Cantor
2016-10-28 19:30 - 22:00
Clarinetist Ben Goldberg, guitarist Ila Cantor, and drummer/percussionist Hamir Atwal present an evening of improvisations at the Red Poppy.
Ben Goldberg established himself as one of the most inventive and vibrant clarinetists in jazz and improvised music in 1992 with his group New Klezmer Trio. Through his many bands and compositional projects, Goldberg has been noted for his exploration into polyphony and collective improvising. He was named #1 Rising Star Clarinetist in the Downbeat Critics Poll in both 2011 and 2013.
Guitarist Ila Cantor paved her way through the jazz scene as a composer, songwriter, and creative improviser. She has recorded three albums of original music, performed in several renowned venues, and received grants for merit in composition. Cantor currently resides in the Bay Area, where she collaborates with leading local artists and initiates her own creative projects.
Drummer/percussionist Hamir Atwal, a Berklee College of Music graduate, began playing drums at age ten and started playing professionally at age 18. Atwal founded rock/jazz/improv group Glimpse Trio in 2010, with whom he remains active, playing over 100 shows a year.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Madelina y Los Carpinteros: Latin American Folk Music
2016-10-29 20:00 - 22:00
Madelina y Los Carpinteros presents an evening inspired by the socially committed Nueva Trova and Nueva Canción folk music of Cuba and Latin America. Performing standards from their repertoire, as well as unpublished compositions, the group will use well-crafted harmonies and layered acoustic instrumentation to present fresh interpretations of Latin American folk music from Chile, Argentina, the Andes Region, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and the U.S.
Featuring:
Madeleine “Madelina” Zayas – vocals, cajón, güiro, Venezuelan maracas, bombo
Fernando Feña Torres – guitar, tiple, Venezuelan cuatro, charango, zampoña, percussion
Brandon Vance – vocals, guitar, piano, accordion, saxophone, percussion
Denis Schmidt – guitar, charango, tiple, zampoña, bongos, drumset, effects
Madelina y Los Carpinteros is comprised of Buena Trova Social Club’s Madelina Zayas and Brandon Vance and former Grupo Raiz members Fernando Feña Torres and Dennis Schmidt. The group embodies folk roots with enriched lyricism in the tradition of Nueva Trova and Nueva Canción, movements that flourished out of the liberation struggles of Latin America. Besides their original compositions, Madelina y Los Carpinteros performs compositions by Osvaldo Torres, Simón Díaz, Rafael Manríquez, Roy Brown, Juan Antonio Corretjer, Rafael Hernández, Fernando Solanas, Roberto Goyeneche, and others.
Learn more: Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:30PM / Show 8:00PM
Admission: $20-25 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Karina Deniké: Noirish Torch Songs and '60s Soul
2016-10-30 19:30 - 22:00
Karina Deniké presents an original set of reflective songs filled with tales of female aviators, love, memory, as well as personal and regional history. Drawing from Eastern European lullabies and sea shanties, as well as pop music from the 1930s-1960s, Deniké’s vocally driven pieces feature a distinctive ensemble that includes bass clarinet, chord organ, piano, and baritone guitar. Bay Area pianist and vocalist Christianna Valentina opens the evening with her raw, minimalist take on Argentine tango, Brazilian and American standards.
Featuring:
Karina Deniké – vocals, chord organ
Meryl Press and Christie Winn – vocals
James Frazier – Fender VI guitar
Michael McIntosh – piano
Cory Wright – bass clarinet
Jason Levis – drums
Karina Deniké is a San Francisco vocalist, bandleader, and songwriter who moves fluidly from intimate torch song chanteuse to soul singer to punk powerhouse. With a focus on performance and an obsession with the voice as an instrument, Deniké is known for vocal harmonies that can hush rooms with a whisper and break hearts with a shout. Her acclaimed original 2015 album, Under Glass, was named one of the top 10 Bay Area jazz albums of 2015 by KQED. Deniké, who has released over 25 albums as collaborator, solo artist, or guest on major and independent labels, is a current touring member of NOFX, the Cottontails, the Bluebelles, and Marc & the Casuals, and she leads her own self-titled band.
Learn more: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp
Photo by: Joe Picard

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $10-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Día de los Muertos - Soñar con espíritus: Altars of Ancestry
2016-11-02 17:00 - 22:00
Día de los Muertos is an extraordinarily auspicious time for the Mission community, and the Red Poppy Art House is humbled to participate in the annual celebration that honors the ancestral memory of the departed. We invite all of our community to join us on Wednesday, November 2 for a day of remembrance.
The Red Poppy will be open from 5pm to 10pm. During those hours, community members are welcome to bring photos, candles, food, and gifts for our indoor altar. Let’s celebrate our beloved families and friends!

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Event 5:00PM
Admission: Free
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

The Musical Art Quintet: Chamber con Alma
2016-11-03 19:30 - 22:00
This celebration of the Musical Art Quintet’s latest album, Chamber con Alma—“chamber with soul”—promises to be an evening of contemporary string quintet music with spirited improvisations and cross-cultural influences. The program includes original compositions by bandleader/bassist Sascha Jacobsen, important works by icons such as Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and Tito Puente, and the world premiere of “The Cool, Grey City of Love,” commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission and inspired by the George Sterling poem of the same title.
Featuring:
Sascha Jacobsen – bass
Lewis Patzner – cello
Charith Premawardhana – viola
Jory Fankuchen – violin
Anthony Blea – violin
The skilled improvisers of the Musical Art Quintet are at home in any genre, from Argentine tango and Afro-Cuban son to klezmer, classical, and electronica. Formed in 2008 in the Mission and born out of the Classical Revolution movement, the MAQ has released one one other recording, Nuevo Chamber, which has received much critical acclaim.
Learn more: Website
Photo by: Zaque Eyn

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Trio Garufa: Virtuosic Argentine Tango
2016-11-04 19:30 - 22:00
The word “garufa” means boisterous and festive merriment, and this Argentine/Swiss/American trio stays true to its name by playing classic and contemporary tango music. Bandoneon and guitar are rounded out by acoustic bass to create the group’s signature sound, which ranges from tango’s golden era in the 1930s and ‘40s to contemporary electro-tango.
Featuring:
Guillermo García – guitar
Adrian Jost – bandoneon
Sascha Jacobsen – bass
After moving to San Francisco in 1999, Swiss-born bandoneon player Adrian Jost met Argentine guitarist Guillermo Garcia, and when they teamed up with Bay Area bassist Sascha Jacobsen, Trio Garufa was born. They have performed extensively in the milongas (tango dance clubs) of Buenos Aires, as well as in Colombia, Europe, Canada, and the United States. Their latest album, El Rumor De Tus Tangos, boasts rhythmic interpretations of classic tangos, original compositions, and Argentine folk music.
Learn more: Website | Facebook
Photo by: Kristine Adams

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Daniel Riera Ensemble: Future Flutist with Electric Ensemble
2016-11-05 19:30 - 22:00
Drawing inspiration from ’70s jazz, funk, and the rhythmic tug of post-Dilla hip-hop, Daniel Riera presents new music for flute, wind controller, and electric ensemble. The multi-instrumentalist is well known for his impressive performances on the wind controller, a digital woodwind delivering earth-shaking bass, acidic melodies, and even chords.
Featuring:
Daniel Riera – flute, wind controller
Kev Choice – keyboards
Dame Drummer – drums
Kai Lyons – guitar
Camille Mai – vocals
San Francisco native Daniel Riera is a flutist, bassist, producer, sound designer, and teacher. A winner of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Riera also has a strong background in Latin music. In addition to his own ensemble, Daniel performs with groups such as Soltrón, Blind Willies, Marcus Cohen and the Congress, and the Retromaniax. He has taught music notation and score preparation at Academy of Art University since 2012.
Learn more: Website
Photo by: Tom Ehrlich

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $20
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Rumberos de Radio Habana: Community Rumba
2016-11-06 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. Every first Sunday, Rumberos de Radio Habana bring their own contribution to the Red Poppy for a free afternoon of beat-making, hip-shaking, and good company.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Event 2:00PM
Admission: Free; donations accepted for musicians ($5-10)
All ages are welcome.
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Seth Ford-Young Quartet: Chamber Music Meets Early Jazz
2016-11-06 19:30 - 22:00
Composer/bandleader/bassist Seth Ford-Young leads his dream quartet on a mission to integrate the transparent textures of chamber music and the ebullient bounce of Django Reinhardt-style jazz. The group will perform pieces from their newest release, Time Memory Beauty Hope, as well as favorites from their first album, Seth Ford-Young.
Featuring:
Seth Ford-Young – bass
Evan Price – violin, octave violin
Rob Reich – accordion
Jason Vanderford – guitar
Seth Ford-Young has collaborated with a dazzling array of artists, from Beats Antique and Edward Sharpe to Barry Manilow and Tom Waits. Ford-Young, a mainstay on the Bay Area music scene for nearly two decades, now resides in Los Angeles.
Learn more: Website | Facebook

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Red Poppy Art House Presents: Crossover Collaborative Residencies, Cohort II
2016-11-10 19:00 - 21:00
An interdisciplinary residency program supported by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and San Francisco Arts Commission, Crossover Collaborative Residencies provides a framework to support the exploration of collaborative processes between artists in dance and music disciplines. Pairing six choreographer/dancers and six composer/musicians, the program follows a four-stage development from preliminary artists gatherings and orientation workshops, to early-stage “raw” presentations of works-in-progress, a middle-stage free community-engaged presentation, and a final performance/presentation.

About the Artists (Cohort II):

Byb Chanel Bibene is a choreographer and performer working in theater and contemporary dance. He has toured the world and performed internationally with companies and choreographers from Africa, England, France, and the United States. Artistic Director of Kiandanda Dance Theater, he is pursuing his Master in Fine Arts in dance at Saint Mary’s College of California.

Daniel Berkman has several albums to his credit, ranging from postmodern kora music and a planetarium soundtrack to electronic music under the moniker Colfax. In the spirit of timeless innovation, Daniel’s future albums will include ballets, songs, and soundtracks, all featuring odd combinations of instruments including cello, viola da gamba, ukelin, marxophone, ukulele, esraj, guitar, and Handsonic.

David Molina is an award-winning composer, multi-instrumentalist, sound artist/designer, recording engineer, and instrument inventor. He has created music and sound for the performing arts, film, and multimedia installations for the past 20 years. His music and bands—including Ghosts and Strings, Transient, Impuritan, and Ackamoor/Molina Duet—are available on Resting Bell (Berlin), Dorog Records (Peru), Black Note Music and Distant Spore (USA), or self released.

Dohee Lee, born on Jeju Island in South Korea, learned Korean dance, Korean percussion, and vocals rooted in Shamanism. Her art now focuses on integrating these traditional ritual forms with contemporary elements. Her works emphasize the mythical, experimental, ritualistic, theatrical, historical, and healing aspects of music, dance, and visual which shares the thoughts and ideas on vital issues such as identity, politics, nature and spirituality.

Chris Evans, an Oakland-based interdisciplinary artist trained in music and dance, explores where the lines between dance, music, space, artist, and audience blur. She is a member of Bandelion Dance Theater, Black and White Projects art collective, and regularly collaborates with David Boyce, Byb Chanel Bibene, Sheena Johnson, Ernest Jolly, and Randee Paufve.

José Navarrete is a native of Mexico City, where he studied dance at the National Institute of Fine Arts. He has a B.A. in Anthropology from University of California, Berkeley and an MFA in dance from Mills College. He currently curates and produces the Live Arts in Resistance (LAIR) initiative, Eastside Arts Alliance, which provides residencies and performing opportunities for artists of color in East Oakland.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 6:30PM / Event 7:00PM
Admission: $10-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Natalie Cressman & Mike Bono: Indie-Rock/Jazz Art Songs
2016-11-11 19:30 - 22:00
Accomplished indie rock and contemporary jazz journeymen Natalie Cressman and Mike Bono return to the Red Poppy to celebrate the release of their first collaborative album, Etchings in Amber, which captures their intimate, vibrant combination of soulful vocals and acoustic guitar.
Featuring:
Natalie Cressman – vocals, trombone
Mike Bono – guitar
Raised in an eclectic musical household, San Francisco native Natalie Cressman has continued to diversify and expand her musical universe throughout her young career. Still in her early 20s, the vocalist/trombonist/composer has assimilated the full range of her sonic influences into a startlingly mature and strikingly original voice. The result is a sound that melds the sophistication of contemporary jazz with captivating storytelling and intoxicating melodies reminiscent of indie rock’s most distinctive songwriters. Natalie has spent much of the last six years touring the jam band circuit with Phish’s Trey Anastasio, while also performing with jazz luminaries Nicholas Payton, Wycliffe Gordon, and Peter Apfelbaum.
New York City-based guitarist Mike Bono is a performer, teacher, composer, and recording artist. Beginning his musical career at the age of five, Mike went on to audition for Berklee College of Music at age 18 and was the first guitarist in the school’s history to be awarded a Presidential Scholarship. During his time at school, he formed the Mike Bono Group which in 2013 released their debut record, From Where You Are. Mike has toured internationally as a leader and sideman and has performed with notable artists such as Erykah Badu, Aloe Blacc, Chris Cheek, Dayna Stephens, and Julian Lage.
Learn more: Facebook
Photo by: Sharon Marrero

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $10-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Tiffany Austin & Alex Conde: Flamenco Meets the Blues (Double Show!)
2016-11-12 19:00 - 22:00
Bay Area blues singer Tiffany Austin partners up with Spanish flamenco jazz pianist Alex Conde for an evening of blues, jazz, and piano flamenco exploration.
Featuring:
Tiffany Austin – vocals
Alex Conde – piano
Tiffany Austin‘s much-anticipated debut recording, Nothing But Soul, has received a warm reception from audiences and critics alike, including a four-star DownBeat Magazine review, a feature on NPR’s Fresh Air radio program, and inclusion on KQED’s Top 10 Bay Area Jazz Releases of 2015 list. She has also been featured in publications such as the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, and Oakland Magazine.
Spanish pianist Alex Conde, a student of Danilo Pérez and Chano Dominguez, carves a distinct musical path through bebop language and Andalusian rhythms. His latest release, Descarga for Monk (2015), placed Conde on the best-album lists of prestigious international publications such as DownBeat, All About Jazz, Cadence, and Latin Jazz Network.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 6:30PM / First Show 7:00PM / Second Show 8:30PM
Admission: $20
Advance tickets available. Additional tickets can be purchased at the door the day of the event.

Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

"Needles in the Camel’s Eye" Artist Reception
2016-11-13 14:00 - 16:00
The Poppy invites you to join the artists and curators behind its current exhibition, Needles in the Camel’s Eye.
Acquiring its name from the opening song on Brian Eno’s debut solo album, Needles reflects artists Stephani Martinez and Jessica Tang’s needle-related experimentation with the unexpected in an exhibition laced with lyrical, literary, and rhythmic overtones.
Tang’s GIRL series features embroidery rendered onto brightly colored, empty fabric that depicts faceless young Asian women in suggestive poses. The resulting images challenge viewers’ notions of stereotypes, exoticism, and identity. Martinez, meanwhile, tests our sense of permanence by adding, subtracting, and repositioning an organic crochet sculpture that will continuously evolve over the course of the exhibition, which closes on Saturday, December 10.
Curators Modesto Covarrubias and Monica Lundy, who actively seek work that enlivens and engages the space in which it exists, present Needles in the Poppy’s performance space to spark a dialogue between music, voice, movement, and the act of seeing. Covarrubias and Lundy view this exhibition as an opportunity for visual and performing art to come together, to nourish, inform, and challenge one another, and to create an experience that is greater than the sum of its parts.

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Event 2:00PM
Admission: Free
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

Matt Renzi’s Arm Sized Legging: Cinematic Chamber Jazz
2016-11-17 19:30 - 22:00
Arm Sized Legging gets its signature sound both from its unusual instrumentation–woodwinds (saxophone/oboe/clarinet), cello, bass and drums–and an all-original repertoire. Using both free-form improvisation and traditional song forms as the basis of collective soloing, composer/bandleader Renzi’s music explores textures, colors, and sonorities while adding a contemporary classical touch to the mix with cello.
Featuring:
Matt Renzi – saxophone, oboe, clarinet
John Wiitala – bass
Hamir Atwal – drums
Helen Newby – cello
Multi-reedist Matt Renzi has been performing professionally for the past 20 years at international jazz festivals and music venues worldwide. For the past decade, he has been recognized multiple times for his advanced concepts in spontaneous group composition and collective improvisation. Renzi, who holds a Bachelor’s in Music (Performance) from Berklee College of Music and a Master’s in Arts (Classical Composition) from San Francisco State University, has performed and recorded with Marc Johnson, Bob Moses, Eddie Marshall, Herbie Lewis, Ben Monder, Eberhard Weber, Bobo Stenson, and the Berlin Philharmonic String Quintet.
Learn more: Website

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $10-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!

María Volonté: Blue Tango Project: Tango and the Blues Embrace
2016-11-18 19:30 - 22:00
Bewitching echoes of tango’s forbidden pleasures and the lament of the solitary blues soul meet in Blue Tango Project, a collaboration between Buenos Aires-born vocalist/guitarist María Volonté and harmonica player Kevin Carrel Footer, a native Californian. Their exploration of the emotional and musical crossroads where tango and the blues embrace celebrates the deep spiritual bond that joins the two genres.
Featuring:
María Volonté – vocals, guitar
Kevin Carrel Footer – harmonica
María Volonté is a Carlos Gardel Prize winner, a Latin Grammy nominee, and a member of the Tango Hall of Fame. Dubbed “tango’s shimmering star” by Global Rhythm magazine, María has released several award-winning albums, and her current projects explore the mixture of Argentine music with other Latin American rhythms, jazz, and the blues.
Learn more: Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
“Maria Volonte is an Argentine singer whose refreshing interpretation of tango stole my heart… Her music is a potent brew. Consume responsibly.”
– NPR National Public Radio

EVENT DETAILS

Time: Doors 7:00PM / Show 7:30PM
Admission: $15-20 sliding scale
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event – please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets. All ages are welcome.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer for this event!
