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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 - […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
With music that’s equal parts flamenco, reggae, cumbia, Cuban son, and ska, LoCura happily crosses borders to bring back the goods for your soul and your dancing feet. Their Red Poppy show will feature a new lineup, new songs, and remixed classics. Featuring: Featuring: Kata Miletich - vocals Bob Sanders - guitars Melissa Cruz - […]
Music, poetry, and history converge powerfully in LOAN, a collective of artists integrating new-generation, African-American avant-garde poetry and jazz-influenced musical exploration. The quartet, founded by poet Tongo Eisen-Martin and guitarist Peck the Town Crier, aims to give musical shape to the longing for revolution by way of word and chord. Featuring: Tongo Eisen-Martin – poet […]
Anti-trafficking activist Regina Y. Evans headlines the Poppy's November professional development session with a performance and discussion on fighting sex trafficking in the Bay Area. The second-generation Oakland native will perform excerpts of her 52 Letters, a theater piece that looks at the fight against trafficking through the lens of slavery. The play, which won […]
With soaring vocals that tell dramatic tales of love, loss, and redemption, Fátima Santos breathes life into fado, Portugal’s passionate, soul-stirring version of the blues. Her repertoire, a mix of original compositions and traditional songs, showcases her command of Coimbra fado style, an operatic vocal technique seldom practiced by women. Featuring: Fátima Santos - vocals […]
The Red Poppy Art House warmly welcomes the AZA Band–with Arouna Diarra, Biko Casini, and special guest Yacuba Diarra–for an evening of traditional music from Burkina Faso. Inspired by the pulsing melodies and infectious dance grooves of the balafon, Tennessee native Biko traveled to Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, to study djembe in 2007. Five […]
Oakland's Redwood Tango Ensemble presents a set of brand new compositions as well as arrangements of contemporary tango favorites. Featuring: Charles Gorczynski - bandoneon Elyse Weakley - piano Anton Estaniel - cello Kendra Vernon - violin Mia Bella D'Augelli - violin Daniel Fabricant - double bass Dedicated to the study and performance of traditional Argentine […]
