Red Poppy Art House

Squid Inc with Special Guest Carrie Katz
2014-03-07 19:30 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
A dance between popular music and classical tradition!
A compelling brew of back beat rhythm, multicultural groove, and modern classical, Squid Inc is made up of a group of Bay Area’s fiercest string players advocating for classical instruments and classical music. The group creates both original works and unique adaptations of mainstream alternative and rock music, which is sure to be an unusual experience! For a portion of this special evening Squid will be joined by Carrie Katz (Rosin Coven), with her original song cycle and arrangements by the Squids.
Hrabba Atladottir – violin
Jory Fankuchen – violin
Darcy Rindt – Viola, vocals
Beth Candervennet – cello, vocals
Carrie Katz – vocals
More about Squid Inc
Carrie Katz on the web

Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Acentos Revival
2014-03-06 19:30 - 22:00
In this event, co-founder of the Acentos Bronx Poetry Showcase Fish Vargas unites with the co-founder of The Acentos Review, Raina J. León, and former guest editor, Bonafide Rojas in a powerful reading of new poetry. Acentos has shifted in forms for over 10 years – poetry showcase, foundation, and workshops. In the end Acentos Review creates a supporting environment for Latina and Latino artistic voices. There will be three featured poets and two open mic segments. It will be an event to remember, and the first Acentos event held on the West Coast.

Fish Vargas is a Bronx born Nuyorican poet. He has shared his words and experience at countless poetry venues, fundraisers, festivals, universities throughout NYC and the United States. In 2012, he coached the Bay Area youth team that competed at Brave New Voices to a 4th place finish and in 2013 to a final stage appearance.

Bonafide Rojas has appeared on “Def Poetry Jam” season 4, the documentary “Spitting Ink” and has been published in multiple anthologies and journals. He is the co-bandleader of experimental rock band the Mona Passage & has performed nationally and internationally.

Raina J. León, CantoMundo fellow, Cave Canem graduate fellow (2006) and member of the Carolina African American Writers Collective, has been published in numerous journals as a writer of poetry, fiction and nonfiction.
Admission: $10-15. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Family Art: Stencils
2014-03-01 13:00 - 16:00
Family Art takes place every Saturday afternoon.

Time: 1pm-4pm
March 1st- Stencils
Pre-made stencils made of paper and cardboard will be provided to use for this print-making project. Using paint of various colors the participants can make small posters for their rooms, or as a gift for for some one.
All Activities are FREE unless otherwise listed.
Todas las actividades del programa de Arte en Familia son GRATIS a menos que esté indicado en el calendario. Calendar activities are subject to change. Check website for updates.
Las actividades están sujetas a cambio. Revise la página web.

Broken Shadows Family Band
2014-02-28 19:30 - 22:00
Broken Shadows Family Band is comprised of an all-star cast of musicians from diverse backgrounds; Western European to Arabic classical music, slavic choral music to Americana, classic jazz to the sounds of Macedonia and beyond. They’ve created a truly unique sound, balancing the old with the new, and telling human anecdotes that are ready to be danced to. Originals by trumpeter/composer Darren Johnston are extremely unique and integrate selections of recorded interviews and letters by immigrants in the US. Other selections will include traditional favorites, and surprising and exciting takes on popular covers.
Darren Johnston – trumpet, voice
Matt Szemela – violin, voice
Corinne Sykes – tambura, derbekki, high-hat, voice
Faisal Zedan – riqq, derbekki, voice
Doug Stuart – bass, voice
Marco Peris – tupan

“[Darren Johnston is] Someone to watch, on trumpet of course, but as a composer and bandleader as well.”– John Corbett, Downbeat Magazine

Check out Broken Shadows Website.
And a sneak peek of their music.
Join the Facebook event page.

Admission: $10-15. Doors at 7:00pm Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Therianthrope with Ian Faquini & Rebecca Kleinmann
2014-02-27 19:30 - 22:00
Nylon with Tabla and Guitar with Flute: Two Duos Exploring the Art of Genre Blending
Therianthrope is the musical duo led by nylon string guitarist, Dusty Brough and tabla artist, Miles Shrewsbery. The wide spectrum of sounds presented by Therianthrope are inspired by their diverse backgrounds in flamenco, Balkan, Indian classical, jazz, Persian and pop, to name just a few. They unabashedly break down genre barriers while reinterpreting the sounds of today’s jazz and other traditional music. Therianthrope debuted at the Loft in San Diego, CA, where they opened for Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola on December 5th, 2013. Their much-anticipated first album will be released in early 2014 through Avaaz Records.

“[Therianthrope exhibits a] blatant disregard for genre boxes.” –Joe Bendel, Epoch Times

Brilliant Brazilian guitarist Ian Faquini and versatile flutist Rebecca Kleinmann present a set featuring Ian’s unique original compositions complimented by sweet swinging Brazilian grooves, rich harmonies, beautiful melodies and story-like lyrics. Ian became an accomplished guitarist at an early age, attracting the attention of renowned Brazilian composer Guinga, who became his mentor, friend, and inspiration. Flutist, singer, and composer Rebecca Kleinmann is a musical chameleon equally comfortable in several genres, and with her heart in jazz, Brazilian, and flamenco music. The two musicians have been friends for ten years, and began playing often together since Rebecca moved to Oakland in 2010. This is a duo not to be missed.
Therianthrope on the web.
Check out Ian Faquini on ReverbNation.
Visit Rebecca Kleinmann.com.

Admission: $10-15. Doors at 7:00pm Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Redwood Tango Ensemble & Trio Zincalo
2014-02-22 19:30 - 22:00
The Red Poppy Art House is pleased to announce a special line-up featuring two groups of top-notch tango innovators, The Redwood Tango Ensemble and Trio Zincalo. The Redwood Tango Ensemble is one of the Bay Area’s busiest tango ensembles, renowned among the dance community for their live performances at milongas (tango dance parties) and concerts. This all-star quintet’s sound ranges from traditional tango of the 40’s and 50’s to original compositions and compelling instrumentation from the more modern tango work of Piazzolla, Sexteto Mayor, New Tango Orquesta and other nuevo-tango from around the world. Redwood Tango has toured the US and Canada extensively in support of their new album Cayetano (2013).
Trio Zincalo transports listeners to a dimly-lit Parisian cafe with their vibrant mix of gypsy jazz, tango, Brazilian choro, and eastern European music. The group specializes in novel and unexpected arrangements of both traditional and popular songs from around the world.
Redwood Tango Ensemble:
Charles Gorczynski – bandoneón
Holly Mead – piano
Kendra Vernon – violin
Celia Harris – violin
Daniel Fabricant – double Bass
Trio Zincalo:
Colin Hogan – accordion
Jon Monahan – guitar
Celia Harris – violin

“[Redwood Tango Ensemble is] Truly one of the most exciting tango ensembles active in the US today” – Morgan Luker, Reed College

Redwood Tango on the web
Get a sneak peak on Youtube here
Trio Zincalo on Facebook
Admission: $10-15. Doors at 7:00pm Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Family Art: Sock Puppets with Theatre/ Títeres con Teatro
2014-02-22 13:00 - 16:00
Family Art takes place every Saturday afternoon.

Time: 1pm-4pm
Feb. 22nd- Sock Puppets with Theatre/ Títeres con Teatro
Using white socks, googly eyes, bon bons, and yarn all kids are invited to create a sock puppet. It can be an animal, a self portrait, or a make-believe character. Volunteers of Family Art will present a finished wooden theatre that has been a work in progress for the Family Art community.
All Activities are FREE unless otherwise listed.
Todas las actividades del programa de Arte en Familia son GRATIS a menos que esté indicado en el calendario. Calendar activities are subject to change. Check website for updates.
Las actividades están sujetas a cambio. Revise la página web.

Tiffany Austin Quartet
2014-02-21 19:30 - 22:00
Vocalist, composer, and Los Angeles native Tiffany Austin possesses a soulful and subtle delivery, that has placed her onstage and onscreen with artists such as Roy Ayers and Marcus Shelby. A friend of the Red Poppy, The Tiffany Austin Quartet will be gracing the Red Poppy with their presence for a night of smooth sensual vocals and invigorating swing music.
Tiffany Austin is a vocalist, song writer, and Los Angeles native whose soul, subtlety and versatility has brought her work to Europe and Asia. She has performed onstage and onscreen, and with artists such as Roy Ayers and Marcus Shelby. In addition, she has performed at events held by KQED television, SFJAZZ, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Tiffany Austin Quartet:
Tiffany Austin – Vocals
Grant Levin – Piano
Ron Belcher – Bass
Howard Wiley – Drums
For more information, visit: tiffanyaustinmusic.com

Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
For advance tickets visit: http://tiffanyaustin.bpt.me/

Fishtank Ensemble
2014-02-20 18:30 - 22:00
The Red Poppy Art House is humbled by the opportunity to being able to offer two seventy-minute shows from Fishtank Ensemble in one night. Doors will open for the first show at 6:30pm, the performance will start at 7pm. For the second performance, doors will open at 8:20pm, and the performance will start at approximately 8:40pm. Whether it’s for the early show, or the later one, make sure you don’t miss this spectacular troupe!
Formed in 2005 and playing everywhere from the hippest LA clubs to festivals, cultural centers, museums, parades, and even on the street, Fishtank Ensemble includes two explosive violins, the world’s best slap bass player, musical saw, flamenco and gypsy jazz guitar, opera, jazz and gypsy vocals, and one little banjolele. Tackling everything from French hot jazz to wild Serbian and Transylvanian gypsy anthems, Flamenco, and oddball originals, the band is a not to be missed event for lovers of all music…and everyone will be enchanted by this intoxicating mix of music.
Keep in mind that this will be a night of movement, feverish dance moves, and quick changes. The Ensemble will not have an intermission, but instead segue straight into greeting the second wave of audience members once the first show wraps. Come early to reserve your spot!

Admission: $15-20. Two performances. Doors at 6:30pm for first show, 8:20pm for second show.

Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Sophisticated Ladies (From Bordeaux France)
2014-02-15 19:30 - 22:00
The Sophisticated Ladies features Emilie Clamée and Rachael Magidson. Emilie mastered the flute and bansuri, and has performed throughout Asia, India, Europe and in the US. Lead vocalist Rachael Magidson also shines on percussion and the trumpet. Having grown up in a family of musicians, naturally music became Magidson’s preferred language of expression.
Two local pearls from Bay Area will be joining this pair this evening: Carlay Kay, an upright bass player from New Orleans, and Maya Kronfled, a superb pianist nourished by the rich diversity of musicians in SF. Together, The Sophisticated Ladies preserve the harmonic richness of the compositions from the 1930s through 1950s, marrying them with rhythms from North and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Emile Clamée – flute
Rachael Magidson – vocals, percussion, trumpet
Carla Kay – upright bass
Maya Kronfeld– piano

“This is the band you wish would take up residence at your favorite hotel bar so you could see them al the time…loaded with the kind of joie de vivre you wish you could get injected. This is the kind of jazzbo break you’ve been waiting for. Killer stuff.” – Chris Spector, Midwest Records.
Visit the Sophisticated Ladies official website here.
Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Family Art Clay Day/ Dia de Plastelina
2014-02-15 13:00 - 16:00
Family Art takes place every Saturday afternoon.

Time: 1pm-4pm
Feb 15th- Family Art Clay Day/ Dia de Plastelina
Various colors of clay will be used to create hearts and flowers inspired by February, the month of love. Kids can make a heart, flower, or any inspired clay creation to give to someone they love as a gift.
All Activities are FREE unless otherwise listed.
Todas las actividades del programa de Arte en Familia son GRATIS a menos que esté indicado en el calendario. Calendar activities are subject to change. Check website for updates.
Las actividades están sujetas a cambio. Revise la página web.

Janam
2014-02-14 19:30 - 22:00
Janam blends Balkan, Near Eastern, and American roots with original music, creating rapturous acoustic textures, whirling rhythms and stunning vocal harmonies. Led by Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble veteran Juliana Graffagna, Janam unites some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most imaginative and devoted practitioners of Balkan and Near Eastern music.
These artists weave together Eastern exoticism, gritty Appalachian folk melodies and their own inspired compositions. The resulting music is transcendent and irresistible! This special Valentine’s Day show will explore tragic love songs, murder ballads and more…for a perfect twisted date night.

Tom Farris – laouto and guitar
Juliana Graffagna – vocals and accordion
Gari Hegedus – oud, saz, mandocello and violin
Lila Sklar – violin and vocals
Sean Tergis – special guest on percussion

“An innovative ensemble that explores a dizzying range of styles, from Appalachia and Asia Minor to Eastern Europe. They play swirling, hard-driving music that always seems to end up in unexpected places.” —San Francisco Chronicle

Visit Janam’s official website here.View them on Facebook here.
Get a taste of their songs here.
Watch Janam here.

Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

BIG LOVE Benefit (featuring Makrú & Sol Tevél)
2014-02-13 19:30 - 22:00
The Red Poppy Art House invites you to celebrate love, music and all things Poppy at their February benefit show with two stellar San Francisco-based musical groups: Makrú and Sol Tevél. Doors open at 6pm for a Happy Hour and a rare opportunity to listen in on the the artists’ sound check. Admission is $10-100 sliding scale. Advanced tickets will be sold through Brown Paper Tickets. Sol Tevél will begin the evening at 7pm. All ages are welcome.
Two awe-inspiring musical groups, both Makrú and Sol Tevél are donating their musical talents to the Big Love Benefit purely because of their deep passion for the Poppy. Both ensembles are veteran performers at the Mission Arts and Performance Project (MAPP) and have played to packed and dancing audiences. On this unique night, audiences will have a chance to give back to the Poppy while basking in Sol Tevel’s hebrew-inspired lyrics for the first half of the evening, then transition with Makru’s sensual musical stylings to cap off the night.

Sol Tevél integrates sounds, rhythms, and multi-lingual lyrics from around the globe in their hopes of advocating a strong, conscious and united community worldwide. While Makrú, also and SF based group, will close the night by fusing rumba flamenca, reggae, cuban son, cumbia, ska, and other global beats. And last, but definitely not least, delectable home-made empanadas created by Nucha Empanadas will be for sale all night.
Advance Tickets: http://biglovebenefit.bpt.me

Maria Jose Montijo
2014-02-08 19:30 - 22:00
Música Esotérica Tropical
María José’s life changed in 2009 on a beach in her native Puerto Rico, where a friend gave her a used Celtic harp. She began writing hypnotic, haunting songs for harp and voice that incorporate her eclectic musical interests.
María José’s songs grow out of an intuitive process of deep listening and the condition of being fully human in a confusing world. Her lyrics speak of paradoxes: mystery and certainty; doubt and faith; love and solitude; sorrow and connection; exile and feeling at home. Her music is informed by the images and rhythms of the natural world in all its vastness.

María José Montijo – harp and voice
Dmitri Seals – violin and accordion
Ethan Lee – guitar
Cristian Herencia – bass
Jordan Daniel Haar – percussion
Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Family Art/ Familia Entre Arte
2014-02-08 13:00 - 16:00
Family Art takes place every Saturday afternoon.

Time: 1pm-4pm
Feb 8th – Family Art/ Familia Entre Arte
We will have a special guest leading an art project.
All Activities are FREE unless otherwise listed.
Todas las actividades del programa de Arte en Familia son GRATIS a menos que esté indicado en el calendario. Calendar activities are subject to change. Check website for updates.
Las actividades están sujetas a cambio. Revise la página web.

Amendola vs. Blades
2014-02-07 19:30 - 22:00
Duo boldly goes where no pair has gone before
Wil Blades and Scott Amendola conjure various sonic deities though only a duo. Their live shows have been generating a buzz around the Bay Area. The two got their start when Scott had the vision of performing Duke Ellington’s “Far East Suite” in duo with Wil; a challenging task as the suite was originally written for a big band. With Wil’s knowledge of this tradition, Scott’s desire to push boundaries and utilizing the Hammond organ to emulate the sound of big bands, the duo was able to pull it off in a explorative, yet cohesive manner. The duo continues to perform the Ellington suite in their live performances, while also developing original material. In performance, Amendola vs. Blades cover everything from Avant Garde to Funk, Bebop to Rock.

“Lean and mean, the Amendola vs. Blades duo has firmly established itself as one of the liveliest acts in the Bay Area” -Forrest Dylan Bryant, Jazz Observer Online

Wil Blades – Hammond B3, clarinet
Scott Amendola -drums, percussion, electronics
Scott Amendola and Wil Blades on the web

Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Feb 1st MAPP: NO GMO!
2014-02-01 16:00 - 22:00
Since 2003, Mission Arts and Performance Project (MAPP) has produced 63 neighborhood pop-up art happenings of intimate spaces, all without ever formalizing into a non-profit organization, seeking funding, nor establishing a formal staff structure. Across these 10 years, the MAPP has featured thousands of artists, helping to cross-pollinate ideas and launch careers of artists engaged in social issues. It is a kind of otherworldly art walk, not centered on commercial corridors but within intimate spaces where the magic of genuine connectivity transpires among people across communities and art forms.
MAPP stands as a testament to the possibility of horizontal organizing among artists intent on building social fabric within our respective communities, as much to celebrate diversity and creativity as to counter the erosion of these qualities that occurs when development displaces artists and minority communities alike.
February MAPP is dedication to food Justice! No GMO No Monsanto! Curated by Indira Urrutia.
Visual Art:
“The Mission Condition – Outwardly Mobile,” a mural+assemblage collaboration by artists Mona Caron and Dustin Fosnot.
“Site in Progress” by Sebastian Alvarez.
“Florecer: Blossoming and Living with HIV: Overcoming Stigma Through Art”
Program:
1:00-4:00pm Family Art, vegetable printing.
4:00-5:00 Youth Poetry Showcase, featuring poetry by youth from CHALK, AYV, TILT City Arts and Technology High School, and 14 Black Poppies. Produced by 14 Black Poppies and CHALK. Including poets from SF, Cairo, and Bangalore (India) performing/screening.
7:00 – 7:15 Adriana Camarena, writer of Unsettlers: Migrants, Homies and Mammas in the Mission
7: 20 -7:35 Sebastian Alvarez, visual Art Presentation “Site in Progress”
7:45 8:25 Shotwell Trio, Classical Music, Lewis Patzner on cello, Adam Scow on violin and Elektra Schmidt on piano.
8: 35– 9:10 Swampy Blues, ancient incantations, angelic melodies, dark dancing rhythms, and lush harmonies.
9:20-10:00 Tarimba, a Bay Area ensemble who have embraced the music of Southern Veracruz, Mexico known as Son Jarocho or “Musica de Jarana.”
Free event!

Feb. 1st- Family Art MAPP: Vegetable printing, NO on GMO!
2014-02-01 13:00 - 16:00
Family Art takes place every Saturday afternoon.

Time: 1pm-4pm
Feb. 1st- Family Art MAPP: Vegetable printing, NO on GMO!
Fresh vegetables and fruits such as carrots, celery sticks, and oranges are provided to dip in paint and print onto paper. The natural design of the fruit or veggie leaves an imprint that a child can use for a grand creation of art!
All Activities are FREE unless otherwise listed.
Todas las actividades del programa de Arte en Familia son GRATIS a menos que esté indicado en el calendario. Calendar activities are subject to change. Check website for updates.
Las actividades están sujetas a cambio. Revise la página web.

Sheela Bringi & Clinton Patterson: The Singing Souls of Two Souths
2014-01-31 19:30 - 22:00
A Deep American South and South Asian Mash-Up
Think swampy blues, ancient incantations, angelic melodies, dark dancing rhythms, and lush harmonies.
Indian American multi-instrumentalist/singer Sheela Bringi and Southern songwriter/trumpeter Clinton Patterson are best known in the Bay Area for their work together as PremaSoul, a majestic combination of harp, trumpet, and vocal harmonies. In fact, their first show in the Bay Area happened at the Red Poppy to a packed house in 2009. For the past two years, they have gone off in different directions, each traveling a bit further down their own path. Now, the culmination is a new record for each artist. On Friday, Jan. 31st, they will bring it back home, and put it all together.
Sheela Bringi – voice, harp, bansuri, harmonium
Clinton Patterson – voice, guitar, trumpet
sheelabringi.com | facebook.com/sheelabringi
clintonpatterson.com | premasoul.com

“Music for the future…two worlds collide for PremaSoul’s universal appeal” – John Malkin, Santa Cruz Good Times

Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Yiddish Art Trio & Veretski Pass
2014-01-30 19:30 - 22:00
The Yiddish Art Trio features three of the top Klezmer musicians in New York today. Blending infectious traditional melodies with new compositions, sumptuous chamber music-like arrangements and breathtaking improvisations, this rising new ensemble is out to redefine the sound of contemporary Klezmer. Veretski Pass plays Old Country Music with origins in the Ottoman Empire. They collage Carpathian, Jewish, Rumanian and Ottoman styles with seamlessly integrated original compositions.
The Yiddish Art Trio is: Patrick Farrell, accordion; Benjy Fox-Rosen, voice and bass; Michael Winograd, clarinet. Veretski Pass is: Cookie Segelstein, violin, viola; Joshua Horowitz, chromatic button accordion, cimbalom; Stuart Brotman, bass, basy (cello), tilinca and baraban.
Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

YeYe Suarez Ensemble
2014-01-25 19:30 - 22:00
Join the YeYe Ensemble as they celebrate life and the beautiful processes in order to achieve dreams
Afro-Latin fusion defines the rhythms of YeYe Suarez. Their music incorporates many of the most vibrant Latin American musical traditions inspired by the rhythms of the African Diaspora in Latin America and the Caribbean. With a Vision to promote empowerment, unification and social justice through original musical and lyrical compositions, YeYe researches, preserves and teaches the importance of understanding roots and ancestry and the transformative power of sound. YeYe transform and unite traditional and contemporary rhythms providing a repertoire full of cultural and historical knowledge, creating a safe and welcoming space for audiences to partake in a performance-based journey of emotions.
Johanna “YeYe” Suarez- Lead Voice, Dance
Yuriza Jared – Guitar, Charango, Winds, Voice
Jeremy Allen – Bass, Cuatro and Percussion
Luis Rodriguez– Percussion, Voice
Special Surprise Guest
“The rhythms and beats of the YeYe Ensemble simmer as Johanna “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

Admission: $10-15. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Lou Lou and the Gypsy Jivers
2014-01-24 19:30 - 22:00
Django Jazz meets South African Township jazz
Experience a unique fusion between the raw energies of Southern African Township jazz,gypsy jazz, New Orleans jazz and acoustic sounds from around the globe. South African borngypsy jazz guitarist and composer Louis Matthee created the group in 2010 with a debut album “Gypsy Jive” featuring this unique blend of music styles. His original compositions gives personal accounts of life in South Africa and executed in the craft and skill of GypsyJazz and the Selmac style guitar. New and old compositions will be on the menu ranging from Capetonian ( aka Cape Town) music from jazz greats like Abdullah Ibrahim, “Ghoema” inspired tunes to sounds inspired by the Bay Area.

Louis (Lou Lou) Matthee – Guitar & Vocals
Tom Griesser – saxophone & clarinet
Nick Christie – Rhythm guitar
Joe Kyle Jr. – Upright Bass

Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.

Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

KaMau
2014-01-23 19:30 - 22:00
Traveling in Black Colors featuring PitchBlackGold, Holly Saucy & J. Mitchell
Ka Mau, also known as Pitch Black Gold, along with Holly Saucy and J.Mitchell will be taking audiences on Africlectic journeys through poetry, genre bending sound and visual experiments. For the last ten years Ka Mau has lived in Bali, Indonesia using the art of poetry, rap and dance to connect cultures, inspire creative thought and action and motivate youth to use their creativity as a means of personal and collective empowerment.
Admission: $10-15. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Decolonize Your Diet
2014-01-19 16:30 - 18:30
In this workshop, we will share public health research that shows that recent Latino/a immigrants have better health than their American-born children. We will discuss the need for decolonizing our diets through reclaiming ancestral foods, recipes, cooking techniques, and remedios. Our ancestors ate a plant-based diet, with a heavy reliance on nixtamal corn, beans, wild greens, nopales, and other healthy vegetables. They used herbal teas and medicines to cure ailments. They ate in community and gave thanks to Mother Earth. Before colonization and capitalism, food was consider to be sacred and the preparation of food was a spiritual practice.
It is time to return to these ancestral ways. Our presentation will include a cooking demonstration and afterwards we will share a small tasting menu of cactus smoothies, homemade corn tortillas, and vegetarian tacos. This experience will be paired with poetry by Liz Hinojosa, La Chankluda Boladora.
Luz Calvo received her PhD in the History of Consciousness Program at UC Santa Cruz in 2001. She is an associate professor of Ethnic Studies at Cal State East Bay, where she teaches a course entitled, “Decolonize Your Diet: Food Justice in Communities of Color.” Luz traces her food genealogy to her paternal grandparents, who ran a Mexican restaurant in San Fernando, California, from the 1940s through the 1970s. The Calvo business began when the grandparents began selling tacos to the cannery workers, with her grandfather purchasing fresh, seasonal ingredients from the LA Central market, and her grandmother preparing and packaging the tacos.
Liz Hinojosa is a graduate of California Institute of Integral Studies, where she received a M.A. in Expressive Arts Therapy.
Admission: $15-20. Doors at 4:00 Workshop at 4:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Opening Reception of "The Mission Condition: Outwardly Mobile," "Site In Progress," & "Florecer"
2014-01-18 15:00 - 19:00
Come celebrate the opening reception of the Red Poppy’s current art installations. This reception is free and open to all ages.
PROGRAM:
3PM – 4PM: Join the kids and parents at Family Art as we will decorate a few hopeful “sky-houses” by artist Mission Condition artist Dustin Fosnot and launch them into the sky!
4PM – 7PM: Opening Reception for 3 installations:
“The Mission Condition: Outwardly Mobile,” a mural and assemblage collaboration by Mona Caron and Dustin Fosnot. The piece is a poetic expression of the precarious state that many communities find themselves in due to the current housing crisis and the gentrification of San Francisco.
“Site in Progress” by Sebastian Alvarez.
In the tradition of process art, this untitled exhibition will mature with research and dialogue with some of the artists, tradition-bearers and cultural workers connected to the Red Poppy. The initial information presented on the wall is being collected from different local organizations and institution concerned with preserving the history of the Bay Area and researching its growth. Starting as a simple assemblage of info-graphics and data, this installation will gather, sort, collate, and associate qualitative data in order to generate poetic forms.
“Florecer: Blossoming and Living with HIV: Overcoming Stigma Through Art”
This exhibition features masks and personal statements created by clients, staff, and community members of Clínica Esperanza, the HIV Services Clinic at Mission Neighborhood Health Center. It was installed as part of the Red Reels film screening of ‘Blood Brother‘ on Thursday, January 16th. Red Reels is an interdisciplinary film series that explores a unique interdisciplinary approach by incorporating real-time collaborations with artists from varying mediums like dance, painting, and live music.
5PM: A focused moment with a brief presentation of the art, followed by:
– Jorge Molina, with opening words
– Erin McElroy, organizer of the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project will present some of their work and findings about the state of the City. The Anti-Eviction Mapping Project is a San Francisco Bay Area digital mapping and storytelling collective working to make visible what gentrification and displacement invisibilizes. http://www.antievictionmappingproject.net/
– Adriana Camarena will present a story on the theme of Home & Eviction from “Unsettlers: Migrants, Homies, and Mammas in the Mission District” – a collaboration with Shaping San Francisco, and partially funded by a CalHumanities 2013 Community Stories Grant. www.unsettlers.org
– Miguel Robles, will present a poem from his book, “At 24th and Mission”

Emily Asher's Garden Party
2014-01-17 19:30 - 22:00
Carnival of Joy! a celebration of Hoagy Carmichael
Led by Asher’s tenacious trombone and rich vocals, this all-star ensemble from New York City’s vibrant early jazz scene presents a hot and charming celebration of one of the first great American singer-songwriters, Hoagy Carmichael. Audiences should expect an evening of original songs inspired by and reverently re-imagined arrangements of Carmichael classics like “Stardust,” “Up A Lazy River” and “Georgia On My Mind.”
Hoagy Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, and bandleader. He is best known for composing the music for “Stardust, “Georgia on My Mind”, and “Heart and Soul”, and is arguably one of the most renown song writers of the first half of the Twenty-First century.
Emily Asher – Trombone and Vocals
Mike Davis – Trumpet, Cornet and Vocals
Tom Abbott – Clarinet and Saxophones
Jay Lepley – Drums
Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Red Reels Presents: 'Blood Brother' (film)
2014-01-16 19:30 - 22:00
Red Reels Presents: ‘Blood Brother’ and the installation Florecer, Blossoming and Living with HIV: Overcoming Stigma Through Art.

‘Blood Brother’ tells the story of Rocky Braat, a young man from a fractured family and a troubled past who met a group of HIV positive children living in an orphanage while traveling through India without a plan. There Rocky witnessed the kids endure disease, abject poverty, and death. However, in the midst of these troubles, Rocky also saw the their deep joy. Changed by the encounter, Rocky left his life, friends, and career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to live with the kids in India. ‘Blood Brother’ is a story of friendship. It’s a story of a life, stripped down to its essence. Most of all, it is a story about love, enduring in the face of death. ‘Blood Brother’ is a documentary feature directed by Steve Hoover.

The screening will also include a presentation and installation led by Eduardo Antonio of Clínica Esperanza, the HIV Services Clinic at Mission Neighborhood Health Center. Eduardo will discuss his work with Clínica Esperanza and the installation featuring masks created by Clínica clients, staff, and community members for Florecer, Blossoming and Living with HIV: Overcoming Stigma Through Art. This exhibition was originally created to commemorate World AIDS Day in December, 2013.

Red Reels films highlight the work of local and emerging filmmakers and expose audiences to diverse global traditions. Screenings explore a unique interdisciplinary approach by incorporating real-time collaborations with artists from varying mediums like dance, painting, and live music.

Admission: $10-15. Doors at 7pm. Screening at 7:30pm.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Gautam Tejas Ganeshan
2014-01-11 19:30 - 22:00
Gautam Tehas Ganeshan sings classical Carnatic music with distinction, innovation, and an inimitable personal style. A member of the first group of resident performing artists at the Red Poppy back in 2007, Gautam has galvanized the local scene as the director of the Sangati Center and as a musician with his ear to the ground. He has performed at the SFMOMA, Palace of Fine Arts, SFJAZZ, Freight & Salvage, Yoshi’s, and Zellerbach Playhouse, and has led workshops at the Asian Art Museum, SF Conservatory of Music, UC Berkeley, Stanford Jazz Workshop, and more.
Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Beth Custer Ensemble
2014-01-10 19:30 - 22:00
The Beth Custer Ensemble is a veritable crème de la crème of Bay Area musicians and has been delighting audiences for fifteen years from across the US to abroad. Their unique blend of styles underscores the depth of the lyrics and recent projects include a commission by SF Cinematheque to compose and perform live scores from Alexandre Hammid’s films at SF MOMA as well as performing live for The Joe Goode Performance Group’s dance/theatre productions at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
Beth Custer – voice/clarinets/piano
David James– guitar/voice
Diana Mangano – voice
Chris Grady – trumpet/percussion
Vicky Grossi – bass
Jan Jackson – drums
Admission: $15-20. Doors at 7:00 Show at 7:30.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

POPPY-Ton Benefit
2014-01-04 10:00 - 22:00
This is our “Funders from Under” campaign. We are looking for 100 people to donate as little as $10 throughout the day. You can come to the Poppy anytime from 10am-10pm to make your donation, pick up a complementary glass of champagne glass and appreciate the artwork from Mona Caron, Dustin Fosnot and Sebastian Alvarez. Cash or check only.
