Oakland-born Iranian-American artist Adrienne Shamszad blends folk, soul, and singer-songwriter elements with traditional Persian music and lyrics that are as inspired by the mystic poets of Iran as they are by the folk poet-songwriters of the 1960s and ’70s. At her Red Poppy debut, expect to hear songs from her recent EP, which features her […]
The Kilbanes kick off Halloween weekend with songs from the forthcoming record of their rock opera, Weightless, which has played to sold-out crowds in several Bay Area theaters. Voci Angelica Trio debuts at the Poppy with a set that straddles Western classical and folk music from around the world, aiming to reinvigorate traditional songs for […]
Bay Area rhythm all-star Javier Navarrette and his mighty vocal/percussion ensemble celebrate Día de los muertos at the Poppy with an evening of personal songs, as well as music originating from the Afro-Cuban and Afro-Mexicano song traditions, including rumba, palo, makuta, and son jarocho. Featuring: Javier Navarrette - vocals, percussion Sergio Duran - vocals, percussion […]
Bay Area-based quartet WaterSaw and brass band Sisu Brassland make their Red Poppy debut with a body of music exploring the raw beauty and viscerally moving aspects in the transition from life to death. Through the layering of musical textures, WaterSaw's sound is sparse, ethereal, rhythmic, and sometimes haunting. Sisu is a Finnish word that […]
Music, poetry, and future converge powerfully when Bonafide Rojas, Tongo Eisen-Martin, Bonnie Kwong, and Josiah Luis Alderete explore themes of imperialism, cultural identity, cultural resistance, love, and revolution through collaborations with guitarists Peck the Town Crier, Oliver Mok, and Eli Carlton-Pearson. FEATURING: Bonafide Rojas - poetry, guitar Tongo Eisen-Martin - poetry Peck the Town […]
Violin-guitar duo Doralice unveil a new 10" vinyl record of original cinematic acoustic music, featuring everything from moody waltzes to serpentine gypsy rhythms and creaky Americana. Records will be available and include custom papercut art by Bianca Levan, who will share some of her work during the show. Opening the evening will be an intimate […]
Wandering troubadour Wonder and dapper BART six-stringer William Smith usher in Daylight Savings Time with two distinct flavors of guitar. Wonder makes her Poppy debut with a set of original songs and stories brought to life by vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele, and effects pedals, while Smith’s "100 Years of Guitar" project explores the last century […]
Join us for the opening reception of Development and Maintenance, the new solo exhibition by Tana Quincy Arcega at the Red Poppy Art House, which revolves around the meaning of these pivotal systems within our culture and within contemporary art. The artist turns mass-produced, functional, and disposable items (such as spackling compound, aluminum window screens, […]
Brazilian percussionist Tulio Araujo returns to the Poppy with a project that’s two years in the making: A contemporary jazz ensemble (bass, piano, 7-string guitar) built around the pandeiro, a tambourine-style frame drum ubiquitous in Brazilian music. Expect tunes from his new album, Monduland, along with a rainbow of surprising grooves and harmonic colors. […]
Flamenco dancer Bianca Rodriguez and New York-based Balkan/Turkish singer Jenny Luna team up with clarinetist Calvin Lai and guitarist Gopal Slavonic for a night of music from Turkey, Spain, and the Balkans. FEATURING: Jenny Luna - vocals, cajon Gopal Slavonic - guitar Calvin Lai - clarinet Bianca Rodriguez - flamenco dance Learn more: […]
Opera on the Spot presents a double bill of Lee Hoiby’s “The Italian Lesson,” followed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s “La Serva Padrona” (“The Servant Turned Mistress”). Based on the famed character sketch by Ruth Draper, “The Italian Lesson” lyrically recounts the hectic day of a New York society matron, and the fun continues in “La […]
The Poppy is proud to welcome back New Orleans native Michelle Jacques, who has solidified her rep as Oakland's "Queen of New Orleans Music" by stirring jazz, funk, soul, Creole, Cajun, gospel, Caribbean, African, Zydeco, rock, and Mardi Gras Indian chants into a musical gumbo that leaves audiences wanting more. FEATURING: Michelle Jacques - […]
Red Poppy favorites Guarandinga, led by singer Rowan Jiménez and bassist/producer Jeremy Allen, return with a signature style of Latin Afro-Pop that integrates hip-hop, rock, and Venezuelan folklore with gritty East Bay funk. FEATURING: Rowan Jiménez - vocals, percussion Jeremy Allen - bass, vocals, cuatro, percussion Kenya Moses - percussion, vocals Chris Carter - […]
Bringing together original compositions and creative covers of music from the Great American Songbook and the Beatles, Berklee College of Music faculty members Jason Anick and Jason Yeager’s "jazz without borders" approach to music-making features adventurous improvisations and a commitment to melody and group interplay. At their first Red Poppy show together, expect to hear […]
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. […]
Pianist/composer Dahveed Behroozi, whose focus is jazz, classical, and new music, makes his Red Poppy debut as a leader with an evening of Great American Songbook explorations and improvisations. FEATURING: Dahveed Behroozi - piano (Additional performers TBA) ABOUT THE ARTIST: Pianist and composer Dahveed Behroozi is a New York City-based musician who currently […]
The Poppy is proud to present the inaugural collaboration between jazz harpist Destiny Muhammad, trumpeter/composer Darren Johnston, and bassist Giulio Xavier, three longtime contributors to the Bay Area music scene. Expect fresh takes on jazz standards, some premieres of original music, and selected covers from around the globe. FEATURING: Destiny Muhammad - harp, vocals […]
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 […]
A 7.3-magnitude earthquake has shaken the northern border region between Iran and Iraq, killing at least 396 people and injuring thousands more. Moved by the tragedy of the deadliest earthquake of 2017, musician and Kermanshah native Sirvan Manhoubi brings together a group of musicians to raise both awareness and funds in support of the victims. […]
Trio Caminos, an acoustic ensemble that offers a fresh mix of Venezuelan, Spanish, Cuban, and American styles, takes the Poppy stage for an evening of original compositions that blend flamenco with joropo and Afro-Caribbean beats, as well as music by renowned composers such as Astor Piazzolla, Hermeto Pascoal, and Michel Camilo. FEATURING: Carlos Caminos […]
World travelers Trio Garufa–comprised of Argentinian guitarist Guillermo García, Swiss bandoneon player Adrian Jost, and American bassist Sascha Jacobsen–return to the Poppy for an evening of tango: classic Argentine tangos, as well as Argentine folklore music, modern tangos from Piazzolla, electro-tangos, and original compositions. FEATURING: Guillermo García - guitar Adrian Jost - bandoneon Sascha […]
The Musical Art Quintet, formed in 2008 during weekly jam sessions in the Mission, features the music of bandleader/composer/bassist Sascha Jacobsen. The MAQ’s modern compositions blend jazz harmony, world rhythms, and a chamber-music sensibility upon which the players of the quintet improvise. FEATURING: Sascha Jacobsen - bass Lewis Patzner - cello Charith Premawardhana - […]
Mean to Me is a jazz quintet that resurrects classic jazz of the 1920s through 1940s–sometimes interlaced with the more modern stylings of Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and Ahmad Jamal–and an eclectic variety of soul-jazz and Latin jazz. FEATURING: Judy Butterfield - vocals Ben Slater - saxophone, piano Cairo McCochran - drums Dave Shaff […]
Six members of flamenco group Caminos Flamencos and Django-inspired Barrio Manouche explore the boundaries between both musical worlds to form an exciting mix of flamenco, jazz, and Roma jazz. Directed by Emmy Award-winning choreographer/dancer Yaelisa, Artistic Director of Caminos Flamencos, this performance is a smaller version of the highly successful Gypsy Jazz Meets Flamenco. […]
Michelle Alany & The Mystics brings fresh interpretations of ancient melodies, hypnotic strings, and wild improvisation with their energizing soulful music. The band consists of seasoned jazz, classical, and globally folk-minded musicians with diverse musical backgrounds in Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Klezmer music. FEATURING: Michelle Alany - violin, vocals Gregory Masaki Jenkins - clarinet […]
Alejandro y María Laura return to the Bay Area to perform music from their third and latest album, La casa no existe, in an acoustic and intimate format. Expect to hear the songs as they were first conceived, as well as tunes from their two previous critically acclaimed albums. FEATURING: Alejandro Rivas - electric […]
Pasatempo Rebetika presents the heart and soul music of Greece with authenticity and depth. Christos Govetas and wife, Ruth Hunter, are well-known proponents of this music, both in the U.S. and Greece, and form the core of the group. Vocal harmonies blend to tell the stories of love, loss, exile, and more. They are joined […]
Ren Geisick presents songs from her new CD, Ren, Love Song, along with new original music and jazz-meets-country arrangements. Kicking off the evening is a set from Adira Shark, whose rich vocals and unique style will be a great compliment to Ren and her quartet. FEATURING: Adira Shark - guitar, vocals Ren Geisick - […]
The Project explores Arabic, Turkish, Armenian, Eastern European, Celtic, Medieval, and West African music through original compositions and unexpected instrumentation, including tarhu duets. FEATURING: Daniel Berkman - kora, percussion Gary Haggerty - oud, tarhu Peter Maund - percussion Sarah Michael - kanun, tarhu Diana Rowan - harps ABOUT THE ARTISTS: Daniel Berkman is […]
FRESH 2018 Exchanges offer nine interactive, inclusive, and insightful gatherings in the frameworks of RIPE , POTLUCK/Social Practice, and Alternative Conservatory at the Red Poppy Art House between January 9th and 25th. Each Tuesday, RIPE invites two artists who are working on the edge of their form to share excerpts of current projects, speak about […]
