Red Poppy Art House

Tito y su son de Cuba: A Night in Old Havana Cuba
2015-04-03 19:30 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Tito Gonzalez leads his ensemble for a vibrant night of Cuban tunes as he serenades the audience through the streets of Old Havana. Singer/composer Tito Gonzalez is a master showman with a voice that has been compared to that of classic son singer Daniel Santos. Gonzalez delivers songs that are deceptively simple – between their fluid melodies and retrograde rhythms, they evoke a focus and introspection that Tito attributes, in part, to his life in America.
The Cuban rhythm son, which has been made popular by the Buena Vista Social Club, is an essential element of both Tito’s music and his own being. Along with son, his music demonstrates a broad range of Cuban genres such as rumba, guaracha and the most romantic boleros.
The night’s lineup includes:
Tito Gonzalez – lead vocals, guitar, tres guitar
Sandy Poindexter – violin
David Frazier – congas
Rubin Hurtado – piano
Carlos Ramirez-Ortiz – bass
More about Tito Gonzalez:
Tito, who first appeared on the Cuban music scene pushing forty and fully-formed, still possesses the creative impulse that drove him more quickly than most up a long and slippery ladder as a professional musician. Tito first experienced the tres guitar through his father, who had played when Tito was a boy. Since then, Tito has had an on-again-off-again relationship with the tres. Music had been in and out of his life: he flirted with the guitar when he was into Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Frank Sinatra. He later rekindled the romance with the guitar while on a long tour with the Cuban national fishing fleet, and traded the instrument in for a tres when his ship docked in Spain. However, he later dropped the tres altogether for a steady job as an auto mechanic. Now however, Tito and the son had found each other, never to part.
Continue reading about Tito’s life here.
Admission: $15-20. 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.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Black + Brown Lives Matter Performance + Dialogue Series: disruptions - MultiMedia + Spoken Word Open Mic
2015-04-01 00:00 - 23:55
Call for submissions information:
disruptions will feature writing, spoken word, and digital / multimedia art relevant to the Black + Brown Lives Matter movements. All types of multimedia works from short experimental video to even more traditional “poetry films” that fit the theme. All digital and multimedia work must be submitted by April 1, 2015. Guidelines and submission email follow:
– Must be in .avi or .mov formats.
– Must be at least 720 p hd.
– Submissions must be made through a service such as Dropbox, mediafire, or a similar service.
– Content must last at least 30 seconds. Videos can be no longer than 2 minutes in duration. The curators will determine what submissions are shown.
– Content must reflect the theme of “Black + Brown Lives Matter.”
– To submit a proposal email: submit.disruptions@gmail.com
Program information:
Program: Thursday, April 30th, Dialogue 6pm
Screenings / Open Mic 7:30pm-10pm
Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA
Curated by Mark Sabb and Michael Warr
disruptions is part of the year-long Black + Brown Lives Matter Performance + Dialogue Series featuring performances, exhibits, discussions, and actions led by artivists, community organizers and residents of neighborhoods addressing engaged social change and gentrification. These monthly presentations and activities will provide an opportunity to interact directly with activists connected to the #BlackLIVESMatter, #QTPOCLiberation, #BlackandBrownLivesMatter, #ShutDownCastro and #AsiansforBlackLivesMatter and other segments of the movement and community. The series is facilitated by the Red Poppy Resident Artist Cohort in collaboration with the “Ubuntu: Can Art Save a Community?” documentary and book project.

Jazz Flamenco Quartet: Piano Flamenco, Jazz & the Music of Thelonious Monk (Double Show)
2015-03-28 19:00 - 22:00
The Red Poppy Art House is pleased to present the music of Thelonious Monk performed by ZOHO MUSIC NYC signed artist and jazz/flamenco pianist, Alex Conde, and his quartet including gypsy singer Jose Cortes and extraordinary flamenco dancers Fanny Ara and Melissa Cruz in a special double show.

Alex Conde – piano
Jose Cortes – cante/claps
Fanny Ara – dancer/claps
Melissa Cruz – dancer/claps

”Gifted Spanish pianist and ZOHO label artist Alex Conde, has his way with the high priest of bop in an adventurous all-Monk program.” – Bill Milkowski
”Composer, educator and virtuoso pianist Alex Conde is widely respected as one of the most brilliant pianists and composers of his generation.” – John Santos
Learn more about Alex Conde here.
Get a glimpse of Fanny Ara’s steps here.
See Melissa Cruz in motion here.
Listen to a preview of the quartet in action here.

Time: Doors will open for the first show at 6:30pm and the show will start at 7pm. The second show will start at 8:30pm.
Admission: $15-25 sliding scale. All ages are welcome.
Advance tickets: http://jazzflamencoquartet.bpt.me
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

Final Performance: Marcus Shelby Presents Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex
2015-03-27 19:00 - 21:00
The Red Poppy Art House is pleased to present Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex on March 12th, 19th, and 26th, 2015. A series of interactive discussions, Marcus Shelby will delve into our justice system, its flaws, and how music can be used as a tool for reform and change; both in front and behind bars. This lecture series will culminate with a performance on Friday, March 27th.
These engaging discussions will explore the blues, the prison industrial complex, mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, restorative justice, prison abolition, and more led by Marcus Shelby. Using readings, recorded music, poetry, video, these events are open to anyone interested in reforming our criminal justice system and how art can be part of that process.
Discussion and Performance Schedule
March 12: History of Prisons, Rockefeller Laws, School-to-Prison Pipeline
March 19: Mass Incarceration, The Prison Industrial Complex, Black Prison Movement; Incarcerated Women with guest speaker Naima Shalhoub
March 26: Ending the Death Penalty, Restorative Justice, Prison Abolition
March 27: Performance by Marcus Shelby Quartet: Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex
Time: Doors for all lectures and final performance will open at 6:30 pm and begin at 7:00 pm.
Admission: $10 for lectures and $20 for final performance. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. All ages are welcome.

Marcus Anthony Shelby is an accomplished teacher, composer, arranger, and bassist who currently lives in San Francisco, California. Over the past 24 years, he has built a diverse biography. From 1990-1996, Shelby was bandleader of Columbia Records and GRP Impulse! Recording Artists Black/Note and is currently the Artistic Director and leader of The Marcus Shelby Orchestra.
Shelby was awarded a 2009 Black Metropolis Research Consortium Fellowship in Chicago for summer 2009 to conduct research for his commission to compose “Soul of the Movement”—a 12 part musical suite on MLK and the Civil Rights Movement. Shelby was also a 2006 Fellow in the Resident Dialogues Program of the Committee for Black Performing Arts at Stanford University to conduct research for his commission to compose “Harriet Tubman.”
Shelby has also worked extensively in Bay Area Theater and dance composing scores for Margo Hall’s “Bebop Baby” and “Sonny’s Blues”, and Joanna Haigood’s dance theater work “Dying While Black and Brown”, and many other productions. Currently Shelby is an artist in residence with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, who support the community-based projects developed by Shelby and where his orchestra performs annually.

Shelby also has arranged for and conducted the Count Basie Orchestra featuring Ledisi, performed and recorded with Tom Waits, and received the City Flight Magazine 2005 award as one of the “Top Ten Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area”. Shelby is currently working with playwright and actress Anna Deveare Smith on her new work “Pipeline to Prison”. As the 1991 winner of the Charles Mingus Scholarship, Shelby’s studies include work under the tutelage of composer James Newton and legendary bassist Charlie Haden.
Shelby is also very active in music education and currently teaches at The Community Music Center and the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Shelby also has led many of the San Francisco Jazz Festival Family Matinee Concerts and is the music director of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival Freedom Jazz Choir. In March 2013, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee appointed Shelby to the San Francisco Arts Commission.
Learn more about Marcus here: www.marcusshelby.com
You can also catch “Beyond the Blues: A Prison Oratorio,” commissioned by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, premiering at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival on September 27, 2015.

Discussion 3: Marcus Shelby Presents Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex
2015-03-26 19:00 - 21:00

Drew Croon's Misa Gitana Andaluza: A Spanish Classical & Flamenco Evening
2015-03-22 19:30 - 22:00
Flamenco and jazz piano virtuoso Alex Conde from Spain, elegant mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich, and Spanish classical and flamenco dancer extraordinaire Fanny Ara take you on a Gypsy-inspired musical journey that is beautiful, dramatic, and promises to astonish. The fresh new ensemble makes its debut performance, premiering Misa Gitana Andaluza, a never-before-heard hybrid of lavish classical Latin prayers set to exotic flamenco melodies, tones, and chords from Andalusia. These striking artists present a performance unlike any other, of the unique, haunting work by late American composer Drew Croon.
Alex Conde and Fanny Ara also dazzle with Spanish solo piano pieces and dances, and special guest artists Roberto & Ernesto Granados, young brother phenoms aged 16 and 10, delight with Spanish classical and flamenco selections on guitar and cajón, a Peruvian wood percussive instrument.
Alex Conde – flamenco piano
Kindra Scharich – mezzo-soprano
Fanny Ara – Spanish classical & flamenco dance
Roberto Granados – Spanish classical & flamenco guitar
Ernesto Granados – cajón
Visit DrewCroonMusic.com for more details about this remarkable show.
Admission: $15-20
Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 7:30pm. All ages welcome.
Advanced tickets: http://drewcroon.bpt.me
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

Trance Mission: Trance Dance Music
2015-03-21 19:30 - 22:00
Originally featuring three extraordinary multi-instrumentalists/composers, Trance Mission founders, Stephen Kent and Beth Custer, come together as a duo for this scaled-down performance at the Red Poppy. With mountains of global accolades to their credit, these musicians continue on with their genre-breaking traditions that they started in the 1990’s. The music of Trance Mission is as fresh and alive today as it was at its inception, and the band’s performances snap, crackle and pop with infectious improvisational spirit and humor. Hailing from the Bay Area, the group went on to perform extensively on the West Coast and in Europe and created four acclaimed recordings released on San Francisco’s City of Tribes label. They are currently working on a new release slated for 2015 and are booking engagements all across the world.
Beth Custer is a San Francisco based composer, performer, bandleader, and the proprietor of BC Records. She has over thirty-five recordings out with her ensembles The Beth Custer Ensemble, Eighty Mile Beach, Clarinet Thing, Trance Mission and Club Foot Orchestra. Beth composed for the contemporary chamber ensembles Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Zeitgeist, Earplay, City Winds, Turtle Island and Kronos String Quartets; for the theatre productions of Campo Santo Theatre, Berkeley and San Diego Repertory Theatres, Magic Theatre, California Shakespeare, Overtone Industries, and Cornerstone Theatre; for the dance troupes AXIS Dance Company, Joe Goode Performance Group, Roco Dance, Flyaway Productions, Ledoh, Harupin Ha, and Osseus Labyrinth; for the films of Cathy Lee Crane, Julie Wyman, Melinda Stone, George Spies, and Koohan Paik. She created KQED’s Independent View theme with her band Eighty Mile Beach and composed for CBS/Film Roman’s Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat with Club Foot Orchestra.
Multi Instrumentalist and composer Stephen Kent’s musical career has taken him across five continents, living at various times in the UK, Spain, East Africa, Australia and the US. His musical scores, composed for theatre, circus and dance companies, have received international acclaim and his work as a performer and recording artist has established him in the world music scene, exploring a broad range of playing styles and musical genres. As a performer on the Australian Aboriginal Didjeridu he has pioneered its use in contemporary music across the globe collaborating with a number of musicians, including Airto Moreira (Brasil), Zakir Hussain (India), Habib Koite (Mali), Omar Sosa (Cuba), Leonard Eto (Japan), Choi Jong Sil (Korea), Steve Roach (USA) and many more. Stephen also hosts Music of the World, a weekly show on Pacifica Radio’s KPFA.

Trance Mission Duo is:
Stephen Kent – didgeridoo, percussion, cello-sintir
Beth Custer – b flat, alto & bass clarinets; percussion
“The digital aura remarkably marries the indigenous instrumentation with a rare naturalness, resonating with the full flame of world-derived trance power.” – Sam Prestianni
Be sure to follow Trance Mission on Facebook!
Admission: $20-25. 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.

Peia and Ali: The Language of Birds
2015-03-20 19:30 - 22:00
Come be lifted to a place of timeless beauty and mystical union by sacred song preserver Peia and Iranian master tar player Ali Ghamsari. Travel the globe in song and deepen into a world of peace through the universal language of music.
The Language of Birds is a collaboration rooted in the beauty of ancient tradition, while giving voice to the delicate times in which we live. Throughout the ages many mystic traditions have interpreted the language of birds as divine communication, the voice of spirit and the earth. Birds themselves have long been understood as a universal symbol of freedom and peace. Through The Language of Birds, Ali and Peia build a bridge rich with the depth of cultural diversity, the enchantment of Persian poetry, the innate beauty of soaring melody, and the precious glimmer of hope for a more peaceful world.
Gifted with a broad, soaring vocal range and crystalline tone, Peia‘s voice pierces the heart with bell-like clarity. She sings with depth and beauty, moving audiences to tears, and invites listeners to reconnect with one’s own purpose and the heart of the Earth. Accompanying herself with charango, harmonium, and guitar, Peia’s music creates an organic soundscape for deep vibrational healing. As a sacred song preserver, Peia has gathered songs from indigenous traditions all across the globe, as well as the stories and teachings woven within. She has traveled extensively and studied from the rich lineages of medieval chant, Bulgarian and Celtic folk music, medicine songs from the native peoples of North and South America, and Indian classical raga. Peia’s original songwriting draws upon a deep love and respect for Mother Earth and the Spirit of all Life.
Ali Ghamsari is one of the most prominent and prolific composers in the younger generation of Iranian artists. His music honors the traditional style of Persian Radif while reflecting the voice of the people. As a multi-instrumentalist, Ali displays mastery of tar, as well as setar, divan, and guitar. Ali graduated from the Tehran Conservatory of Music and The University of Iran. He has established three ensembles: ‘Sarmad,’ ‘Hamnavazan e Hesar,’ and ‘The Iranian string quartet,’ and currently tours the globe giving concerts and master classes on modern Persian composition. Ali’s last US tour in 2012 alongside vocalist Hamayoun Shajarian brought him to large halls across the country including the New York City Town Hall and Wheeler Hall at UC Berkeley. To date Ali has released over 10 albums of original music and contributed to numerous others. In 2014 he was awarded ‘Best Instrumentalist of the Year’ by the Iranian Musicema Awards (the most prestigious annual award granted for music in Iran) as well as ‘Best Orchestral Composer of the Year’ in 2012 for his piece ‘So Long Goodbyes.’
Get a glimpse of Peia’s incredible work.
Hear a sampling of Ali’s talents.
Find out more about The Language of Birds Tour.
Admission: $15
Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 7:30pm. All ages welcome.
Advanced tickets: http://tickets.brightstarevents.com/event/3928250

Discussion 2: Marcus Shelby Presents Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex with guest speaker Naima Shalhoub
2015-03-19 19:00 - 21:00
The Red Poppy Art House is pleased to present Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex on March 12th, 19th, and 26th, 2015. A series of interactive discussions, Marcus Shelby will delve into our justice system, its flaws, and how music can be used as a tool for reform and change; both in front and behind bars. This lecture series will culminate with a performance on Friday, March 27th.
These engaging discussions will explore the blues, the prison industrial complex, mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, restorative justice, prison abolition, and more led by Marcus Shelby. Using readings, recorded music, poetry, video, these events are open to anyone interested in reforming our criminal justice system and how art can be part of that process.
Discussion and Performance Schedule
March 12: History of Prisons, Rockefeller Laws, School-to-Prison Pipeline
March 19: Mass Incarceration, The Prison Industrial Complex, Black Prison Movement; Incarcerated Women with guest speaker Naima Shalhoub
March 26: Ending the Death Penalty, Restorative Justice, Prison Abolition
March 27: Performance by Marcus Shelby Quartet: Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex
Time: Doors for all lectures and final performance will open at 6:30 pm and begin at 7:00 pm.
Admission: $10 for lectures and $20 for final performance. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. All ages are welcome.
Naima Shalhoub is a soul-stirring songstress, musician, actress and educator. With a passion to sing freedom songs and uplift the spirit, her multicultural upbringing, background in community organizing, MA in postcolonial anthropology, and music study has paved the way to build a creative life revolving around creating music that speaks to the contradictions in life–the joys, sorrows and spaces between. She has performed in Bay Area venues such as Yoshi’s, The Great American Music Hall, Union Square, The New Parish, received invitations to sing internationally in cities such as Beirut, Cairo, Kashmir and recently presented a TedX talk in Lebanon on freedom and the voice. In May 2014 Naima began facilitating weekly music sessions with a group of incarcerated women in San Francisco county jail and continues to build this into a larger project involving her upcoming debut album borderlands set for release in Summer 2015. Shalhoub is currently performing, teaching, writing, and moved by unsung heroes around the world.

Marcus Anthony Shelby is an accomplished teacher, composer, arranger, and bassist who currently lives in San Francisco, California. Over the past 24 years, he has built a diverse biography. From 1990-1996, Shelby was bandleader of Columbia Records and GRP Impulse! Recording Artists Black/Note and is currently the Artistic Director and leader of The Marcus Shelby Orchestra.
Shelby was awarded a 2009 Black Metropolis Research Consortium Fellowship in Chicago for summer 2009 to conduct research for his commission to compose “Soul of the Movement”—a 12 part musical suite on MLK and the Civil Rights Movement. Shelby was also a 2006 Fellow in the Resident Dialogues Program of the Committee for Black Performing Arts at Stanford University to conduct research for his commission to compose “Harriet Tubman.”
Shelby has also worked extensively in Bay Area Theater and dance composing scores for Margo Hall’s “Bebop Baby” and “Sonny’s Blues”, and Joanna Haigood’s dance theater work “Dying While Black and Brown”, and many other productions. Currently Shelby is an artist in residence with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, who support the community-based projects developed by Shelby and where his orchestra performs annually.

Shelby also has arranged for and conducted the Count Basie Orchestra featuring Ledisi, performed and recorded with Tom Waits, and received the City Flight Magazine 2005 award as one of the “Top Ten Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area”. Shelby is currently working with playwright and actress Anna Deveare Smith on her new work “Pipeline to Prison”. As the 1991 winner of the Charles Mingus Scholarship, Shelby’s studies include work under the tutelage of composer James Newton and legendary bassist Charlie Haden.
Shelby is also very active in music education and currently teaches at The Community Music Center and the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Shelby also has led many of the San Francisco Jazz Festival Family Matinee Concerts and is the music director of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival Freedom Jazz Choir. In March 2013, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee appointed Shelby to the San Francisco Arts Commission.
Learn more about Marcus here: www.marcusshelby.com
You can also catch “Beyond the Blues: A Prison Oratorio,” commissioned by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, premiering at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival on September 27, 2015.

Gautam Tejas Ganeshan: New Music From An Old Tradition
2015-03-14 19:30 - 22:00
Gautam Tejas Ganeshan writes and sings music that reflects a tradition of intricate song forms, elaborate vocal improvisations, and utmost sincerity of expression. Taking their inspiration primarily from Carnatic music, as well as traditions from around the world, Gautam’s songs offer listeners a fresh experience of lyricism and immediacy. His performances give an intensely personal glimpse into the continued development of a valuable and highly cultured musical heritage. He has performed widely in the Bay Area since 2004, including at the SFMOMA, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, SFJAZZ, Palace of Fine Arts, Yoshi’s, Freight & Salvage, Brick & Mortar, and more.
“Subversive…affecting and bold.” – East Bay Express
Find out more about Guatam here.

Admission: $15-20. 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.

Taraf de Locos: Balkan and Latin Grooves
2015-03-13 19:30 - 22:00
Taraf de Locos is a group of talented young musicians who grew up together in San Francisco’s Mission District. They met as children at a magical music camp in the heart of California, where they were exposed to traditional music from all over the world for ten days every year. Before they formed Taraf de Locos, the young musicians played with their respective families, each naturally gravitating toward the different styles their families mastered. As they grew older and music became a passion rather than a family obligation, the group rediscovered each other as musicians, and drew on the variety of influences they grew up with. Since coming together as an ensemble, Taraf de Locos has been playing everywhere together: on the streets, beaches, hiking trails, around fire circles, and inside restaurants. With each member bringing a “unique flavor to the burrito,” their rhythms and layers of vocal harmonies keep audiences dancing and enchanted. Come join these best friends for an evening of fun-loving energy!
Come enjoy a night of music inspired by Turkish, Greek, and Afro-Cuban traditions in celebration of Taraf de Locos’ cross country CD release tour! If you haven’t heard their self-titled album yet, come from 7:30pm-8:30pm for an album listening party, following by a live set from 8:30-9:30, and a jam session from 9:30-10.
Taraf de Locos features:
Aya Safiya – violin/vocals
Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Govea – trumpet/vocals
Miguelito León – percussion/vocals
Mireya León – bass
Tano Brock – guitar/saxophone/vocals

Learn more about Taraf de Locos here.
Admission: $10-15. 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.

Discussion 1: Marcus Shelby Presents Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex
2015-03-12 19:00 - 21:00
The Red Poppy Art House is pleased to present Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex on March 12th, 19th, and 26th, 2015. A series of interactive discussions, Marcus Shelby will delve into our justice system, its flaws, and how music can be used as a tool for reform and change; both in front and behind bars. This lecture series will culminate with a performance on Friday, March 27th.These engaging discussions will explore the blues, the prison industrial complex, mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, restorative justice, prison abolition, and more led by Marcus Shelby. Using readings, recorded music, poetry, video, these events are open to anyone interested in reforming our criminal justice system and how art can be part of that process.

Discussion and Performance Schedule
March 12: History of Prisons, Rockefeller Laws, School-to-Prison Pipeline
March 19: Mass Incarceration, The Prison Industrial Complex, Black Prison Movement; Incarcerated Women with guest speaker Naima Shalhoub
March 26: Ending the Death Penalty, Restorative Justice, Prison Abolition
March 27: Performance by Marcus Shelby Quartet: Beyond the Blues: Ending the Prison Industrial Complex

Time: Doors for all lectures and final performance will open at 6:30 pm and begin at 7:00 pm.

Admission: $10 for lectures and $20 for final performance. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. All ages are welcome.

Marcus Anthony Shelby is an accomplished teacher, composer, arranger, and bassist who currently lives in San Francisco, California. Over the past 24 years, he has built a diverse biography. From 1990-1996, Shelby was bandleader of Columbia Records and GRP Impulse! Recording Artists Black/Note and is currently the Artistic Director and leader of The Marcus Shelby Orchestra.
Shelby was awarded a 2009 Black Metropolis Research Consortium Fellowship in Chicago for summer 2009 to conduct research for his commission to compose “Soul of the Movement”—a 12 part musical suite on MLK and the Civil Rights Movement. Shelby was also a 2006 Fellow in the Resident Dialogues Program of the Committee for Black Performing Arts at Stanford University to conduct research for his commission to compose “Harriet Tubman.”
Shelby has also worked extensively in Bay Area Theater and dance composing scores for Margo Hall’s “Bebop Baby” and “Sonny’s Blues”, and Joanna Haigood’s dance theater work “Dying While Black and Brown”, and many other productions. Currently Shelby is an artist in residence with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, who support the community-based projects developed by Shelby and where his orchestra performs annually.

Shelby also has arranged for and conducted the Count Basie Orchestra featuring Ledisi, performed and recorded with Tom Waits, and received the City Flight Magazine 2005 award as one of the “Top Ten Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area”. Shelby is currently working with playwright and actress Anna Deveare Smith on her new work “Pipeline to Prison”. As the 1991 winner of the Charles Mingus Scholarship, Shelby’s studies include work under the tutelage of composer James Newton and legendary bassist Charlie Haden.
Shelby is also very active in music education and currently teaches at The Community Music Center and the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Shelby also has led many of the San Francisco Jazz Festival Family Matinee Concerts and is the music director of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival Freedom Jazz Choir. In March 2013, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee appointed Shelby to the San Francisco Arts Commission.
Learn more about Marcus here: www.marcusshelby.com
You can also catch “Beyond the Blues: A Prison Oratorio,” commissioned by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, premiering at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival on September 27, 2015.

Ricardo Peixoto and Brian Moran: An Evening of Brazilian Guitar
2015-03-06 19:30 - 22:00
Originally from Rio de Janeiro and based in the Bay Area, guitarist/composer Ricardo Peixoto is among the top representatives of Brazilian guitar in the US today. His fluid melodic style and keen compositional sense explore his country’s rich and diverse traditions, both in original works as well as in arrangements of Brazilian classics. He has recorded, performed, and collaborated with, among others, Claudia Villela, Flora Purim and Airto, saxophonist Bud Shank, percussionist Dom Um Romão, Toots Thielemans, Dori Caymmi, Guinga, Claudio Roditi, guitarist Carlos Oliveira, Marcos Silva and Terra Sul. He has performed throughout the US, Europe, Canada, Japan and Brazil.
Guitarist Brian Moran has been living and performing in the Bay Area since 1998 and has made a name for himself as a diverse and well studied musician who plays 6 and 7 string guitars (electric and acoustic), as well as the Brazilian cavaquinho and mandolin. In 2004 he co-founded the Brazilian choro project Grupo Falso Baiano and continues to perform and record with them today. Additionally, he performs with many other Bay Area artists such as Jorge Alabê, Ever Music Group, and with his own Flamenco-Brazilian project Paloma Negra.
Admission: $15-20. 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.

Colm Ó Riain: Irish Fission
2015-02-28 19:30 - 22:00
Irish-born violinist Colm Ó Riain and some stellar musical friends mix the music of Ireland with rhythms and melodies from all over the musical world – Jazz, Blues, Roma (Gipsy), India, Cuba, Brazil and many more.
An accomplished and fiery improviser in many genres, Colm has performed in festivals and venues throughout the world—from Argentina and Brazil to Sweden and Vietnam — while also thrilling audiences at festivals and venues across the United States. His CD “Bridge Across the Blue”, produced with partner-in-crime, poet Pireeni Sundaralingam, features a dazzling array of musicians and poets and was cited by About.com as “one of the Top 7 recordings of poetry and music of all time.”
Colm Ó Riain – violin
Geoff van Lienden– guitar
Joe Kyle, Jnr – bass
Aaron Kierbel – percussion
“O’Riain’s fireworks display of virtuosity easily spans the diverse genres of gypsy, tango, jazz, blues and Irish music all with his characteristic intelligence and pizzazz” – Irish Herald
“genius fiddler” – Mike Scott, The Waterboys
Get a sneak peak at Colms music here and see his videos here.
Admission: $15-20.
Time: Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 7:30pm. All ages welcome.
Advanced tickets: http://colmoriain.bpt.me
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

The View From Bernal Hill with Madeline Tasquin + Amaranth: Chamber Jazz, Odd-Meter Soul, and Classical String Quartet
2015-02-27 19:30 - 22:00
The View From Bernal Hill brings forth a hearty amalgam of odd-meter rock, chamber jazz harmonies, and hip hop lyricism. With French-Vietnamese composer Camille Mai, Argentine guitarist Nahuel Bronzini and Seattleite bassist Schuyler Karr at its core, The View’s songwriting lies at the crossroads of dread and beauty, chasing psychological and spiritual extremes. The group has been performing in San Francisco since 2012 with a rotating cast of percussionists, string players, MCs, and other guest musicians. After touring the West Coast and releasing We Are No Beautiful Children, their first EP, in 2013, they are currently recording a full length album and preparing a tour of Europe.
The View From Bernal Hill are resident artists at the Red Poppy Art House!
Singing in both English and French, Canadian-Californian Madeline Tasquin’s songs dip from jazz-tinged folk to odd-meter soul, to twisted pop ballad and delicately dark fairy-tale. Raised in Northern British Columbia by her opera singer mother and Austrian gold-miner father, Tasquin began playing the piano as soon as she could reach the keys and developed an acute sense of melody and harmony by singing on long car trips with her mother and two younger sisters. In her teenagehood, Primus and Mr.Bungle played on repeat alongside Rachmaninoff, Satie and Chopin. She returned to her musical roots through an unexpected relocation to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006, after completing a degree in Architecture in Sydney Australia.
Since the 2012 release of her EP Another Trip Around the Sun, Madeline has spent her time developing and touring a repertoire that leans closer to soul and blues than the orchestral-pop flavor of her debut recording. In “The Acorn and the Oak,” a romantically wandering melody reminiscent of a Chopin nocturne is woven through a driving blues ballad in compound meter. In “Twinkle Twinkle Little Satellite” she quotes the familiar nursery song melody and then corrupts it in chromatic fashion, resolving into a doo-wop anthem about relativity. The thread that ultimately weaves it all together is a nimble 3-octave voice that adapts gracefully to the musical whims, and her disarmingly big, bold and heart-driven stage presence
Amaranth presents musical experiences that draw from a wide range of genres and the diverse influences of all four players. Their dedication to performing traditional music is equally matched by a passion to promote new music by composers from all walks of life. Since its inception at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2013, Amaranth has regularly commissioned emerging and established composers to write new works for string quartet. The group has also become a frequent collaborator of a number of local favorites, such as The View from Bernal Hill, Madeline Tasquin, and Kendra McKinley.
Catch The View From Bernal Hill here.
Learn more about Madeline Tasquin here.
Admission: $10-30. 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.

YeYe Ensemble: Abundant Hearts that Speak
2015-02-21 19:30 - 22:00
The YeYe Ensemble‘s Afro-Latin rhythms, heartfelt songwriting, and original musical compositions are deeply rooted and inspired by immigrant stories. Grounded in vibrant Latin American musical traditions, the ensemble seeks to promote healing and social justice through their art. Journey with the YeYe Ensemble as they share, through their music, the transformative power of spiritual connection.The YeYe Ensemble is: YeYe Suarez – lead vocalsYuriza Jared – guitar, charango, winds, voiceJeremy Allen – bass, cuatro, percussionLuis Rodriguez – Venezuelan percussion“The rhythms and beats of the YeYe Ensemble simmer as “YeYe” Suarez comes close, opens her eyes and voice to you as if there is no other, invites you to see and be seen, and then swirls on, having baited you with a sense of raw connection, of longing, of fullness” – Katy Fox, Director of “We Are Movement”Get a taste of YeYe’s work here.
Admission: $10-15. 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.

The Supplicants: Songs of the Universe and Void
2015-02-20 19:30 - 22:00
The Supplicants believe wholeheartedly in the metaphysical spiritual qualities of music. Their music reflects the continuum of this music from a global orientation, embracing the tones and textures of Africa, India, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. It is a music that’s firmly rooted in the past while pointing to the future using the moments of now to express what is truly happening. This is where jazz and the people of earth are headed. The only question is are you ready to go?
The Supplicants is:
David Boyce – sax
Sameer Gupta – drums
David Ewell – bass
Sameer Gupta is known as one of the few percussionists simultaneously representing the traditions of American jazz on drumset, and Indian classical music on tabla. He has held workshops on Indian music and cross over drumming styles, at Carnegie Hall Global Encounters, The Jazzschool in Berkeley and Berklee College of Music in Boston. By combining traditional and modern improvisational styles drawing from his Indian heritage and American roots, Sameer has already established himself as an original musical voice in jazz, world, and fusion music. From bebop to avant-garde jazz, and European classical percussion to North Indian classical tabla, Gupta continues to compose and perform music from a true multi-cultural perspective that now bridges several continents.
“The Supplicants has left me radiant, fulfilled in the way only the most profound spiritual encounters can. Composed of some of the Bay Area’s most accomplished jazz musicians…the band soars with the fiery grace of A Love Supreme-era Coltrane.” – Jonathan Zwickel, SF Bay Guardian
“The level of emotion with which they play is so deep, so personal, and the energy so pure that it is almost as if existence, or being itself, creeps most surprisingly yet receptively into our souls.” —Drew Foxman, All About Jazz
Learn more about Sameer here.
Admission: $15-20. 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.

Yumi Tomsha & Friends: Songs of Love and Resilience
2015-02-15 19:30 - 22:00
Yumi Tomsha is a singer, voice teacher, and sound healer living in Brooklyn. She has sung as a soloist at Bargemusic and the New York Ethical Culture Society, and as an oratorio soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, and Bach’s Mass in b minor. A dedicated recording artist, she is currently working on an album featuring Japanese songs. This special program at the Red Poppy Art House explores themes of love and resilience, and includes songs by Mozart, Dvořák, and Kosaku Yamada, as well as a set of vocal duets, and chamber music for flute and piano.
San Francisco native Sarita Cannon has sung leading and supporting roles with several local companies, including Lamplighters Music Theater, Ray of Light Theatre, Oakland Opera Theater, Lyric Theatre of San Jose, and Goat Hall Productions. Sarah Cargill is an Oakland-based flutist and youth worker aiming to implement socially relevant, culturally competent, and economically accessible avenues to classical music training and live performance within working-class communities of color. Praised in the New York Times for her “energetic” and “shapely read” performances, pianist Akimi Fukuhara has appeared at many prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, and Alice Tully Hall.
Yumi Tomsha – mezzo-soprano
Sarita Cannon – soprano
Sarah Cargill – flute
Akimi Fukuhara – piano
Listen to Yumi sooth your soul here.
Admission: $15-20. 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.

Boca do Rio with Special Set from the Sarah Cabral Trio: Brazilian Beats for Valentine’s Sweets
2015-02-14 19:30 - 22:00
After a decade performing all original material during the heyday of San Francisco’s live music scene, Boca do Rio has evolved into a multi-layered electro-funk party boat with a sound that is fluid and edgy, adaptable and free. Born of the mixing of waters of Brazil and the San Francisco Bay, Boca do Rio has created musicá organicá – music that developed through the rhythm of living and working between the Americas. Boca do Rio was founded with deep respect for past traditions, steeped in the sambas and choros (Brazilian ragtime of a bygone era) that echoed through the Brazilian favelas, while always evolving forward to create an organic sound that is decidedly modern and funky.

For this special Valentine’s performance, Boca do Rio strips it down to an intimate trio reminiscent of the classic Getz and Gilberto bossa nova sound of the 1960’s. Kevin Welch, Boca’s leader and composer, is joined by the percussion powerhouse Alex Calatayud and Larry De La Cruz on alto saxophone. The result is an explosion of rich melodies and harmonies, anchored by the deepest beat on the planet.
Opening the evening is Brazilian-born singer Sarah Cabral, who leads her trio with Bay Area Brazilian masters Marcos Silva (piano) and Alex Calatayud (percussion) performing contemporary and Brazilian classics.

Get a feel for Boca‘s funk here.

Admission: $15-25.
Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 7:30pm. All ages welcome.
Advanced Tickets: http://bocadorio.bpt.me
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

Trio Garufa: Virtuosic Argentine Tango
2015-02-13 19:30 - 22:00
Trio Garufa is an international ensemble dedicated to performing authentic Argentine music. They have performed across Argentina, Colombia, Canada and the US at venues such as Yoshi’s Jazz Club, Chicago Symphony Hall, Teatro Leon de Greiff (Bogota) and La Viruta (the largest Tango club in Buenos Aires). Trio Garufa’s repertoire includes Classic Argentine Tangos from the golden era, as well as Argentine Folklore Music, modern Tangos from Piazzolla, Electro-Tangos and original compositions. The Trio’s music is exciting, virtuosic, and rooted in the dance. They have performed extensively in the milongas (Tango dance clubs) of Buenos Aires
Guillermo Garcia – guitar
Adrian Jost – bandoneon
Sascha Jacobsen – bass

“A fabulous trip through the history of Tango” -People en Español magazine

Get to know Trio Garufa here.
Listen to them spice up the soundtrack to the film Project Tango here.

Admission: $15-20. 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.

MAPP: Mission Arts Performance Project
2015-02-07 18:00 - 22:00
Black & Brown Lives Matter: From the Mission to Ayotzinapa, Ferguson to Gaza
Co-curated by Melonie J. Green and the Red Poppy Resident Artist Cohort. Conversation hosted by Melonie J. Green and Melorra J. Green
The Red Poppy Art House resident artist cohort collaborates with “Ubuntu: Can Art Save a Community?” documentary and book project featuring artivists, community organizers and residents of neighborhoods addressing engaged social change and gentrification. This amazing mash up of artists, activists and community organizers presents a special opportunity for community members to converse directly with activists connected to the #BlackLIVESMatter, #QTPOCLiberation, #BLackandBrownLivesMatter, #ShutDownCastro and #AsiansforBlackLivesMatter movements about what it means to be an ally, ask questions that lead to real breakthroughs versus guilt with no action. The evening will include live art and music performances. Connecting this struggle to that of our Southern neighbors, we will open the evening with a report-back and slide-show presentation from colleagues working with the families of the 43 students that were disappeared in Ayotzinapa, MX, last September.
1:00pm-6pm: Family Art Project
“Hand’s Up” (for ages 3-12), art activities led by Sofia Elias, Mia Eve Rallow, Mari Martinez, and Caleb Duarte
Bus Painting for Ayotzinapa with Alisandro and Simone
6:00pm-10:00pm: Exhibition & Street-side Live Art Engagement
#KissMyBlackArts Collective, Malik Seneferu, Harrison Love, and Todd T. Brown
Performance/Presentations & Discussion
6:00pm-6:45pm: “Stolen and Painted Trucks” community intervention of the missing 43 (Ayotzinapa, MX). Report back from artist Mía Eve Rollow
7:00pm-7:30pm: Ayotzinapa meets Black lives matter, performance by Byb Bibene & Caleb Duarte
7:30pm-8:15pm: Round table discussion on allies and the role of arts in civil disobedience, hosted by Melonie J Green and Melorra J. Green
8:30pm-8:50PM: “The Tendaloins Collective” performs verses composed through dreams for the stage. See @Computrblu
9:10pm-9:30pm: Zéna: West African harp, experimental folk
9:45pm – 10:00pm: Amy LaCour & Kenya Moses, solo voice and contemporary dance
Admission is Free for all events.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.

Boots & Dangles + Diana Gameros (Double Bill!): Folk and Jazz of the Bay Area
2015-01-29 19:30 - 22:00
More information about this performance will be added shortly. Please check back for more details!
Boots and Dangles is a collaborative quartet comprised of 4 of the bay area’s most unique voices. They explore original music, bridging genres and creating a sonic adventure that is both genuine and whimsical. Collectively, the members of Boots and Dangles have performed with Joe Henderson, Les Paul, Aaron Parks, Ben Goldberg, Greg Osby, Joe Lovano, Fred Frith, Erik Jekabson, tUnE-yArDs and more.
Boots and Dangles includes:
Kasey Knudsen – alto
Hamir Atwal– drums
Ila Cantor – Guitar
John Wiitala – bass
Learn more about Boots and Dangles guitarist Ila Cantor here.
Diana Gameros is a singer, guitarist, composer, music instructor and social activist. Originally from Ciudad Juarez, Gameros arrived in the Bay Area six years ago and since then she has been creating authentic, inspiring music that reflects the 21st century experiences of a young indie artist at the borderlands between cultures, languages, and genres.

After just a few years in the Bay Area, Gameros’ talent, versatility and ability to connect with her audience has brought her a steady stream of performances at such notable venues as Herbst Theater, Brava Theater, The Independent, The New Parish, Fox Theater, SFJAZZ Center and dozens of other venues small and large. She has opened concerts for Torreblanca, Latin Grammy-nominee Ximena Sariñana, Latin Grammy-winners La Santa Cecilia, and Bebel Gilberto.
In October 2014 Gameros received the Emerging Leader Award from the Latina/Chicana Foundation.

“A Bay Area musician to watch” — 7×7
“Diana’s original music is enchanting indie pop infused with her strong Latin heritage. ” — Boing Boing

Visit Diana Gameros’ website.
Admission: $10-15. 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.

Musical Art Quintet: Classical Meets World Music, Nuevo Chamber
2015-01-24 19:30 - 22:00
The Musical Art Quintet was formed in 2008 in the Mission district of San Francisco during chamber music jam sessions every Sunday night at Cafe Revolution. Each week a new piece of music was written by MAQ band leader Sascha Jacobsen to be performed at Classical Revolution, and ink still wet, they would read through the piece in front of a live audience. As their repertoire grew, a core group of players emerged and the quintet was founded.

Although classically trained, the members of The Musical Art Quintet are skilled improvisors and each one brings with him a special area of expertise. Whether it is Argentine Tango, Afro-Cuban Son, Klezmer, Classical works, or even Electronica, the Quintet is at home.
Nuevo Chamber is the name for this new genre that blends world music influences with a chamber music ensemble, infusing rhythms from Argentina, Cuba, Africa, Jazz, and Classical traditions into a new style of music.

The Musical Art Quintet is:

Anthony Blea – violin
Jory Fankuchen – violin
Charith Premawardhana – viola
Joseph Hebert – cello
Sascha Jacobsen – bass

“Classical music is sexy again” -East Bay Express

“Composer-bassist Sascha Jacobsen’s concoctions hop nimbly through a world of styles while impressing with ear-catching intricacy and handsome technique….indelible tracks like “Milonga de San Francisco” and Afrobeat-inflected “Fela Feliz” are spirited treats that will have you twirling across the floor.” -SF Bay Guardian

To get a sneak peak at MAQ, visit here.
Admission: $15-20. 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

Amy LaCour Trio: Full-Bodied Folk & Blues
2015-01-23 19:30 - 22:00
“[Amy LaCour’s] husky, soulful vocals, as full-bodied as a fine wine, ache with a heartbreak fusion of fortitude and vulnerability, bringing to mind other great singers to whose league she belongs, from Lady Day and Etta James through Fiona Apple and Norah Jones…. LaCour’s songs are mostly mid-tempo ballads of deep soul and jazzy melodic sweetness wed to poetic lyrics of sorrow and triumph.” -Paul Zollo, American Songwriter
Described by Urban Network as “a thinking woman’s cross between Bill Withers and Norah Jones,” vocalist and songwriter, Amy LaCour, began collaborating with Bay Area cellist, Misha Khalikulov late last year. The duo quickly discovered a musical chemistry. Khalikulov brings years of classical training and improvisational experience to LaCour’s blues and folk-based songwriting.The result is a spare and intimate setting that highlights musicianship, voice, and song. Percussionist, Josh Mellinger, recently completed the trio, and will be joining LaCour and Khalikulov for this special evening at the Red Poppy Art House.
Amy LaCour – vocals
Misha Khalikulov -cello
Josh Mellinger – percussion
Get a taste of their music, and visit Amy LaCour’s website!
Follow Amy on her Facebook page, and preview more music here!
Admission: $10-15. 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.

Alejandro y María Laura: Peruvian Duo of Contemporary Songwriters
2015-01-18 19:30 - 22:00
Alejandro y María Laura is a Peruvian duo consisting of singer-songwriters Alejandro Rivas and María Laura Bustamanate. In 2011 they released heir first album “Paracaídas,” produced by Matías Cella. Their second record, “Fiesta para los muertos,” came out in late 2013.
Alejandro and María Laura started making music together in 2009 – collaborating on each other’s original songs, and doing cover versions of songs from various genres. Back in Lima, at the end of 2010 the duo collaborated on the exhibition “En Pausa,” the final thesis project for María Laura’s Performing Arts degree, where they experimented with composing songs in reaction to various stimuli. This process yielded such original songs as “Abre los ojos,” “Quiero estar sola,” and “Estos días.” At the beginning of 2011, Mabela Martinez (the host of local TV and radio program “Sonidos del Mundo”) put the duo in touch with Matías Cella, producer of notable South American artists such as Jorge Drexler and Kevin Johansen. Matías produced the duo’s first record, “Paracaídas”, which was released in October 2011.

In 2013, they released the music video for “Puedo estar sin ti”, a song which later received regular radio airplay in Peru. They also started work on their second album, “Fiesta para los muertos,” featuring collaborations with Susana Baca, Kevin Johansen and Javier Barría. The duo celebrated the release of the record with a concert at the Mario Vargas Llosa theater (in Peru’s National Library).In 2014, they were invited to Brazil by Paulinho Moska (a well-known Brazilian singer, songwriter and actor) and wrote a song for the HBO Latino program “Encuentros en Brasil”. Later that year, they were invited to perform at a number of festivals including “Indies del Sur” (Argentina), Festival Yavería (Colombia), FICIB (Colombia), and the 33rd Encuentro del Canto Popular (San Francisco, CA).

Check out Alejandro y Maria on the web here.Listen to them on Soundcoud here.

Admission: $10-15. 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.

Homenagem Brasileira: Tribute to Brazilian Composers
2015-01-17 19:30 - 22:00
“In this Homage to Brazil, vocalist Sandy Cressman has followed her heart in selecting material from across the musical spectrum. The result is an exhilarating overview of some of Brazil’s finest artists and composers. ” – Bud Spangler, Sunday Night Suites, KCSM-FM
Sandy Cressman’s Homenagem Brasileira embraces the diversity of Brazil’s musical traditions. Cressman’s deep connection with Brazilian music began in college when she was first introduced to the music of Ivan Lins, Flora Purim, and Djavan. Her intrigue eventually led her to study Portuguese and build a diverse Brazilian repertoire. In 1999 she collaborated with Brazilian master keyboardist Marcos Silva on the critically acclaimed CD Homenagem Brasileira, a tribute to the great composers and perfoemrs of Brazilian Jazz ,and released her second album on Brazilian music in 2005, entitled Brasil-Sempre no Coração. Since then, Cressman has brought her talent and Brazilian music across the U.S., and in Europe and Japan. For this special evening, the quintet, joined by trombonist Jeff Cressman (Carlos Santana band) will be presenting material from her upcoming collaboration CD Entre Amigos.
Sandy Cressman – voice/percussionJeff Cressman – tromboneAnne Sajdera – pianoPhil Thompson – drumsFred Randolph – acoustic bass
Watch a preview of Homenagem Brasileira, and visit their website!

Admission: $15-20. 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.

Taraf de Locos: Local Band Brings Mission Flavors to Life
2015-01-16 07:30 - 22:00
Taraf de Locos is a group of talented young musicians who grew up together in San Francisco’s Mission District. They met as children at a magical music camp in the heart of California, where they were exposed to traditional music from all over the world for ten days every year. Before they formed Taraf de Locos, the young musicians played with their respective families, each naturally gravitating toward the different styles their families mastered. As they grew older and music became a passion rather than a family obligation, the group rediscovered each other as musicians, and drew on the variety of influences they grew up with. Since coming together as an ensemble, Taraf de Locos has been playing everywhere together: on the streets, beaches, hiking trails, around fire circles, and inside restaurants. With each member bringing a “unique flavor to the burrito,” their rhythms and layers of vocal harmonies keep audiences dancing and enchanted. Come join these best friends for an evening of fun-loving energy!
Aya Safiya – violin, vocals
Miguelito Leon – percussion, vocals
Tano Brock – alto sax, guitar, vocals
Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Govea – trumpet, vocals
Follow Taraf de Locos on Facebook, and check out their website!
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.

Lavay Smith Sings The Etta James Song Book: Double Show!
2015-01-10 19:00 - 22:00
Lavay Smith celebrates the legacy of blues legend Etta James. With a staggering career that spanned six decades, James lived the blues both on and off the stage. From the mid-fifties until her death in 2012, she remained an icon of popular music, leaving a rich catalog of unforgettable songs including “Tell Mama,” “All I Could Do Was Cry,” “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and her signature song, “At Last.” Join us for a delightful romp through the history of song from the 1920s on.

Joining Lavay are…
Jules Broussard – Alto. Jules has played with many of Etta’s musical peers, such as Esther Phillips, Cleanhead Vinson, Big Mama Thorton and Ray Charles

Danny Armstrong – Trombone, Everyone’s favorite musician, has played with Archie Bell and The Drells, Johnny Otis and Jackie Wilson
Ron Belcher – Bass

Learn more about Lavay here.

Admission: $15-20
First show: 7:00pm – 8:15pm (doors at 6:30pm)
Second Show: 8:30pm – 9:45pm.
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.

Caminos Flamencos: An Evening of Flamenco Exploration and Performance
2014-12-27 19:30 - 22:00
Caminos Flamencos, founded by Emmy Award-winning dancer and choreographer Yaelisa, creates and presents contemporary, traditional and theatrical dance programs that reflect the changing face of flamenco in the 21st century. Their programs seek to preserve the legacy of Spain’s rich artistic heritage and bring them to people of all backgrounds, enriching the lives of people with Spanish and Hispanic ancestry as well as the community at large. They were recently nominated for the Isadora Duncan Dance Award for their newest show, Nuevas Tendencias, where audiences are invited to both interact, engage and enjoy a lively sampling of flamenco intertwined with pertinent Q&A throughout the night. For this special evening, Yaelisa will joined by music director and virtuoso guitarist/composer Jason McGuire “El Rubio,” along with Spanish singer Jose Blanco in an intimate evening where each artist will represent flamenco art in both discussion and performance. They will present select pieces from their repertoire in both traditional and contemporary flamenco.
Yaelisa: Dancer/Choreographer
Jason McGuire: Guitarist
Jose Blanco: Singer
“Yaelisa…..something Bach would have admired.” – LA TIMES
Watch a preview of Caminos Flamencos here
Visit Caminos Flamencos website
and their Facebook Page here
Admission: $15-20. 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.
We are pleased to announce that we have begun some minor construction at the Poppy to make our space fully wheelchair accessible. Due to this work, we will be having audiences enter through the main front doors rather than the side door entrance that we normally use. We will have a slightly lesser seating capacity, so keep that in mind to make sure you arrive in time.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here

Quijeremá: Latin American, Jazz, and Classical Travels
2014-12-20 19:30 - 22:00
Quijeremá infuses their original contemporary Latin American compositions with a deep sense of ancient musical traditions. Primal, real, and ethereal environments permeate their music, creating an amalgam of masterfully fused traditional and contemporary styles. They blend rhythm, texture, and color seamlessly and transparently to arrive at a rich sound that integrates traditional Latin American instruments and vocals with jazz, classical, and world idioms. The diversely expert musicians of Quijeremá create tableaus through which the audience is transported and transformed. Travel with us asQuijeremá presents selected works from their new album El Viaje (The Journey).
This fine-tuned San Francisco Bay Area quintet has been captivating audiences over the course of an eight-year, five-album career. Quijeremá is a 2012-2013 California Arts Council grantee and performs nationally and internationally. They have played concerts for the President of Chile and the Cultural Diversity Festival in Venezuela. When not performing, Quijeremá composes, records, and produces music for documentary films. In 2009 they were nominated by the International Documentary Association for best musical soundtrack for their PBS documentary, “Archaeology of Memory.” In addition to performing and recording, Quijeremá engages in educational outreach for youth and adults throughout the Bay Area in workshops, master classes, and multimedia museum installations.
Quique Cruz (Chile) – strings, Andean wind instruments, percussion
Jeremy Allen (USA) – bass, percussion
Maria Fernanda Acuña (Venezuela) – percussion, Venezuelan cuatro
Zack Pitt-Smith (USA) – woodwinds, percussion
John Calloway (USA) – piano, flute, percussion
“A potent mix of Latin American folk music and jazz” – Jesse Hamlin, SF Chronicle
“Using various methods of artistic expression, Quijeremá is more than just a band. They are poets and multi-media designers. Combining sounds from almost all over Latin America, their music contains a multi-cultural vibe that is guaranteed to impress anyone.” – SF ReMezcla
Hear their music and find out more about Quijeremá on their website and Facebook page
Check out our Facebook event
Admission: $10-15. 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.
We are pleased to announce that we have begun some minor construction at the Poppy to make our space fully wheelchair accessible. Due to this work, we will be having audiences enter through the main front doors rather than the side door entrance that we normally use. We will have a slightly lesser seating capacity, so keep that in mind to make sure you arrive in time.
Join the conversation at the Poppy – volunteer with us! Click here.
