Red Poppy Art House

Fadista Angela Brito with guitar trio Sete Colinas
2014-07-19 19:30 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Fado, the Portuguese Blues
Angela Brito is a fadista born in Northern California who has won over audiences everywhere with her powerful voice and passionate delivery. Fado is a genre of Portuguese music typically characterized by sentiments of longing or melancholy. Sete Colinas is a string trio made up of Helder Carvalheira, Manuel Escobar and John Cardadeiro. Together, Angela and Sete Colinas provide an unforgettable and authentic fado experience full of the passion and emotion that fill the fado houses of Lisbon, Portugal. Angela received two AUA Awards (Artistas Unidos da América) this year for Best Fado and Best Portuguese Interpretation for songs on her debut fado album released in January of this year, Fado de Olhos Fechados. Angela and Guitar Trio Sete Colinas invite audiences to enjoy traditional fado ballads as well as contemporary compositions.

Angela Brito – fadista
Helder Carvalheira – Portuguese guitar (guitarra Portuguesa)
Steve Soares – guitar (viola do fado)
John Cardadeiro – bass (viola baixo)
Check out Angela’s Facebook page
Listen to Angela on YouTube

Admission: $15-20. 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.

Trio Unites for a Night of New Orleans Jazz
2014-07-24 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
Vocalist, pianist and percussionist join forces to create a unique jazz sound
McDermott, who is making a rare appearance in San Francisco, will be accompanied by the expertise of Jacques and Goerlitz to perform a night of New Orleans jazz.
Tom McDermott is a New Orleans composer and pianist who explores a broad range of styles. A longtime resident of the Crescent City, he has made a musical appearance and additional musical contributions on the HBO series “Treme.” His latest CD, Bamboula, produced by Van Dyke Parks, has gotten rave reviews from the New York Times, and a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine.
Michelle Jacques is a vocalist and the founder of ensembles CHELLE! and Friends, and Juke Joint A Cappella. Michelle is a native of New Orleans who has made the Bay Area her home. She has shared the stage with artists such as Susana Baca, Ray Charles and the Manhattan Transfer, among others.
Michaelle Goerlitz is a percussionist who has lent her skills to a variety of Bay Area groups since the 1980s, with styles ranging from Brazilian music to Afro-Cuban music to jazz and all things in between. A founding member of Wild Mango, she currently plays with the VNote Ensemble and Ojala.
Check out Tom, Michelle, and Michaelle on the web.
Join the official Facebook event.

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.

Namaskar
2014-07-25 18:30 - 22:00 | CA
Whirled Raga Jazz
Namaskar is an ensemble that exists in two forms, one in the San Francisco Bay Area and the other in Brooklyn, New York. The group is led by percussionist Sameer Gupta and brings a unique approach to Indian/Jazz fusion. Namaskar is comprised of stellar local improvisers who individually represent modern extemporization. From Indian classical music, avant-garde jazz, R&B and soul, to funk and dub-reggae, Namaskar explores improvisational pathways through compositions from 1950s Golden-Era Bollywood, classic jazz melodies, traditional Indian classical ragas, as well as original compositions.
Sameer Gupta – drumset, tabla Darren Johnston – trumpet Prasant Radhakrishnan – Carnatic saxophone David Boyce – tenor/soprano sax, bass clarinet, efx, Black Edgar’s Musicbox Maya Kronfeld – piano, keyboards Bryan Dean – electric bass
Check out Namaskar’s Facebook page here. If you want a sneak peek of the music, visit these YouTube links here and here. Also, join the official Facebook event
Admission: $15-20. Double show: 7pm (Doors 6:30) & 8:30pm (Doors 8:20)
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

The View From Bernal Hill
2014-07-26 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
Original Jazz, Sultry Blues, and Chamber Sounds
Where Charles Mingus meets Doris Day, resident artists Camille Mai, Nahuel Bronzini, and Schuyler Karr kick off their first West Coast tour as The View from Bernal Hill. On the menu: mouthwatering harmonies, eccentric rhythms, and savory new songs straight out of the sonic oven. Hailing from Paris, Buenos Aires, and Seattle, the three musicians united in San Francisco in 2012, releasing their first EP, “We Are No Beautiful Children,” at the Red Poppy last December. Featuring local musicians and performance artists, the trio’s performance will combine the raw spontaneity of jazz improvisation with the energy of rock and the subtle presence of chamber music, resulting in a gripping night not to be missed!
The View from Bernal Hill is:
Camille Mai – piano, voice
Nahuel Bronzini – guitar
Schuyler Karr – upright bass
Including Guest Musicians:
Benjamin Ring – drums
Shahin Gorgani – percussion
Kendra McKinley – voice
Kenya Moses – voice, dance
Gabriel Goldberg – halo
Join the event on Facebook
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.

Villalobos Brothers Special Double Show
2014-07-31 19:00 - 22:00 | CA
The Poppy is especially honored to welcome the Villalobos Brothers, as their hopeful lyrics invite an optimism that seamlessly aligns with the Poppy’s mission as a socially conscious art space in the heart of the Mission. The brothers are known for masterfully blending the indigenous rhythms and melodies of their native Veracruz, Mexico with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music. A trio of virtuoso violinists, singers, composers and arrangers, they have performed at the Latin Grammy Awards, Carnegie Hall, and many other prestigious venues. In 2013, after touring Mexico to critical acclaim, they won the coveted title of “Best Band in New York City” in NPR’s Battle of the Boroughs.
Luis Villalobos – Voice & Violin
Alberto Villalobos – Voice & Violin
Ernesto Villalobos -Voice & Violin
Humberto Flores – Guitar
Leo Sherman – Electric Bass
Rosa Avila – Drum Kit

“I am glad I lived long enough to see you! This is amazing! All I can say is, I hope the world gets to experience this. Before starting you said something very important, you said: “we try to embody the miracle of music”…well, you certainly are a carrier of that disease…may we all catch it!…I don’t know what else to say, I am speechless!” -Marion J. Caffey, Producer of “Amateur Night” at the Apollo Theatre

6:30 pm Doors open for first show
7:00pm First show begins, 70 min no intermission
8:20pm First show ends, crowd’s change!
8:45pm Second show begins, 70 min no intermission
Join the event on Facebook and invite your friends!
Admission: $20-25
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

MAD NOISE
2014-08-01 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
“Best Band” by SF Bay Guardian Best of the Bay
The band got their name one fateful summer night in the alleyway beside City Lights Bookstore in North Beach. The bandmates were enjoying a 14 hour day of busking when a friendly neighborhood wino walking by yelled, “Y’all make MAD NOISE.” The crew embraced their new title immediately and four years later has been described as a hybrid of jazz and funk with a mixture of folk and a wide range of instruments all combined to give MAD NOISE an award winning sound. The band started their career by performing free shows at “The Church,” a secret spot on the UC Berkeley Campus, and from there moved to rooftops, graveyards, boats, back alleys, street corners and have since performed at Yoshi’s and the Great American Music Hall. MAD NOISE promises a mad-acoustic and energized performance.

“The ubiquitous, scandalously funky acoustic/jazz/punk ensemble that haunts the street corners and sidewalks from Berkeley to the Mission”. –SF Weekly

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.

MAPP (Mission Arts Performance Project) #wheredoyoubelong
2014-08-02 13:00 - 22:00 | CA
This MAPP will present #wheredoyoubelong, a OutLook Theater Project investigation in collaboration with 14 Black Poppies.
OutLook Theater Project and 14 Black Poppies present their first interactive, multi-disciplinary performance showcase as part of their #wheredoyoubelong investigation. And we’d LOVE for you to join us at the table!
The OutLook Theater Project ensemble is Shirley Acuna, Anne Carol Mitchell, Rebecca Schultz, Anthony Julius Williams, and Jason Wyman
Additional Artists include: Adriana Camarena, Oscar Salinas, Antoinette Rios, Henry Murrillo Jimenez, Ray Ysaguirre, Zeph Fishlyn, Freddy Ibarra, Danny Abdon, Sabri Jaber, Marcell Jackson, Anna Maria Luera, and many more!
Program:
WORKSHOPS
1pm: Performance Workshop with Anthony Julius Williams (performing belonging)
Belong is a verb — how do we perform belonging in our daily lives? How can we bring more awareness, vitality and even joy to our daily performances of belonging? Join Anthony Julius Williams and OutLook Theater for an exploration of belonging in this fun workshop for new and experienced performers alike. Visualization, movement and improvisation will allow us to discover the spirit of belonging in each of us.
2pm: Literary Workshop with Zeph Fishlyn (writing belonging)
As we navigate the complexities of identity, geography, and social upheaval, how do we find “belonging”? Join Zeph Fish and Rebecca Schultz in exploring these questions through play, storytelling, writing and visual art. Together we will create Mapping Belonging, a participatory visual installation as part of OutLook Theater Project and 14 Black Poppies’ #wheredoyoubelong, a multi-disciplinary investigation of belonging. Bring: a notebook, pen, and your voice.
3pm: Visual Art Workshop with Rebecca Schultz (mapping belonging)
A DINNER PARTY
Arrival: We Belong Here
7:00: Doors open
7:10: “I Am A Disco Ball Intro” by Anthony Julius Williams & Freddy Ibarra
7:15: “I Belong Here” (sound collage video) by Anne Carol Mitchell and Jason Wyman with TILT and the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project
A Poetic Incantation
7:20: Mission-born Poetry by Danny Abdon
7:25: Meditative Poetic Visions by Shirley Acuna
A Course of Traditions
7:45: “A Place at the Table”, improvised performance with Marcell Jackson, Anna Maria Luera, and YOU
7:55: “Join Me in the Kitchen, a ritual of home” by Jason Wyman
A Course of Storytelling
8:15: My Mission Blood: Tales from the Block Intro by Adriana Camarena,Co-director of My Mission Blood
8:20: Stories about 24th and Harrison by Oscar Salinas, Co-Director of My Mission Blood
8:30: Stories about Varrio and Precita Park by Antoinette Rios,Co-Director of My Mission Blood
8:40: Stories about 22nd Street Hogs by Henry Jimenez Murillo
8:50: Stories about 22nd and York by Ray Ysaguirre
A Course of Displacement
9:00: “You Belong to Me”, a solo performance by Rebecca Schultz
9:10: Poetry by Sabri Jaber
A Course of Engagement
9:20: “Conversations on Belonging” (sound collage video) by Anne Carol Mitchelll and Jason Wyman
9:25: “Hacky Sack Sounds” by Shirley Acuna
The Dance of the Discoball
9:30: “I Am A Discoball” by Anthony Julius Williams and Freddy Ibarra
9:35: Dance party

This is MAPP is dedicated to children caught in political, social or violent conflicts all over the world.
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.
MAPP Website
Always free and open to all ages!

VidyA: Double Show!
2014-08-07 18:30 - 22:00 | CA
South Indian Classical Music Meets Jazz
Praised for their emotional energy and musicianship, VidyA has been featured at venues such as SFJazz, San Jose Jazz, Yoshi’s, Asian American Film Festival, Recontraire Internationale in France, and more. An effortlessly smooth saxophonist, Radhakrishnan’s original compositions for VidyA have been commissioned by the De Young Museum via the Jazz at Intersection series and awarded the Zellerbach Family Fund grant among others.
Todd Brown, founder of Red Poppy Art House, praised the former Red Poppy Resident Artists by saying, “VidyA’s music breathes at the very center of a cultural crossroads between the North American jazz idiom and the Carnatic music of South India. VidyA’s music is a new vein of North American music… present tense, present location, new culture in the making.”
VidyA consists of:
Prasant Radhakrishnan -Saxophone
David Ewell – Bass
Sameer Gupta – Drums
To hear a sneak peek of their music, visit the YouTube link here.
Visit their official website, and also, check out the Facebook event here.

Admission: $15-20. VidyA will play two 70 minute shows. Doors open at 6:30pm, first show begins at 7:00pm. Doors open again at 8:20pm, second show begins at 8:40pm.
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

The Supplicants
2014-08-08 18:30 - 22:00 | CA
Spontaneous Improvisational Tunes
In 1999, The Supplicants recorded their debut album, previously un-rehearsed, at a loft apartment in the Fillmore District of San Francisco, and have since focused on bringing to life the same free-flow, spontaneous feeling in each of their unedited performances. From that day 15 years ago, this amazing music has emerged and flowed on a wave of like-minded communication and collective accompaniment, evolving at the edge of improvisation in its truest form. These musicians stay true to the nature of improvisation, listening deeply to each other and feeling into the spirit of the audience to create one-of-a-kind tunes special for every performance. The pure and raw energy poured into the interwoven beats and melodies leaves no avenue unexplored, allowing for the music to be entirely accessible and rhythmically swinging. The Supplicants will reunite at the Red Poppy Art House for a night of impromptu jazz/Indian blend rhythms that will be sure to captivate your soul and liberate your mind.
David Boyce – Tenor Sax; Soprano Sax; Bass clarinet
Richard Howell – Tenor Sax; Soprano Sax; Talking Drum
Sameer Gupta – Drums; Tabla; Percussion
David Ewell – Acoustic Bass
Become a fan on their Facebook page.
If you want a sneak peek of the music, check out this video.
Also, join the official Facebook event.

Admission: $20-25
Double Show: First performance: Doors at 6:30pm, show at 7pm. Second performance: Doors at 8:20pm, show at 8:45pm
Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

Ensemble Mik Nawooj
2014-08-09 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
Hip Hop and Classical Genres Collide
Red Poppy group-artist-in-residence Ensemble Mik Nawooj (EMN) has been turning heads in the Bay Area Music scene with their innovative collision of classical and hip hop styles. The ensemble’s leader, composer and pianist JooWan Kim believes that hybridization, or the fusing together of musical styles, is the mechanism through which music has transformed so radically over the last century. In EMN’s case, JooWan Kim’s particular fusion of classical instrumentation’s rigorousness and technical variety with classic hip hop’s lyrical dynamism and captivating beats, allows each genre to surge to new and unforeseen heights of ingenuity. For this show at the Poppy, EMN will present their re-imaginings of Wu-Tang Clan classics “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing to Fuck Wit” from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” and “Who Am I” from Doggystyle, as well as other original music from their upcoming debut studio album.
Ensemble Mik Nawooj’s performance is supported by the Zellerbach Family Foundation.
Ensemble Mik Nawooj is:
JooWan Kim – composition, piano
Do D.A.T. & Sandman – MCs
Shauna Fallihee – soprano
Anna Washburn -violin
Lewis Patzner – cello
Carmen Lemoine – flute
Jeannie Psomas – clarinet
Eugene Theriault – bass
Lyman Alexander – drums
For this show, fellow Red Poppy group-in-residence The View from Bernal Hill will open for EMN, adding their own “chamber flavored jazz” to the mix. Freshly back from their first West Coast tour, the trio will deliver their usual outpouring of positive energy as they perform songs from their first EP “We Are No Beautiful Children,” providing an exquisite prelude to what is sure to be an exhilarating musical whirlwind of an evening.
The View from Bernal Hill is:
Camille Mai – piano, voice
Nahuel Bronzini – guitar
Schuyler Karr – bass
Check out EMN’s website and concert video.
Find The View from Bernal Hill on Facebook here.
Join the official Facebook event and invite all your friends!
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.

Formosus
2014-08-14 19:00 - 22:00 | CA
An Evening With Four Latin American Poets
The Red Poppy Art House is delighted to bring you an evening of poetry from Roger Santivañez, José Antonio Galloso, Arturo Dávila and Adrián Arias on Thursday, August 14th, 2014.
ROGER SANTIVAÑEZ is a Peruvian poet of the 80s generation. He studied literature at the University of San Marcos in Lima and received his Ph.D. in Latin American Poetry from Temple University, where he is currently a professor. With Mariela Dreyfus, he founded the underground neo Avant-Gard Movement called Kloaka (The Sewer). He belongs to the Latin American Neo-baroque Poetry Movement. His last book ‘Virtu’ was published in 2013 in Mexico, Guayaquil, Lima and Madrid.
Lea su poesía
JOSÉ ANTONIO GALLOSO was born in Lima, Peru in 1972. His collection of poems named “Si huyes hacia adentro” received an honorary distinction in the national contest: Peruvian Youth Poet in 1995. He has published the novels “Tres días para Mateo,” “El map viaje,” and “Adiós al barrio. He has also published the collection of short stories “Lima Mala,” and the visual poetry book “Recortes de la memoria o el libro de la sombra” in collaboration with the Chilean artist Franz “Pescador” Fischer. His work has been included in several anthologies such as “El cuento peruano 2001-2010” and he has been living in the Bay Area since 2002.
Aprenda sobre sus libros
ARTURO DÁVILA was born in Mexico City. He directs the Department of Modern Languages at Laney College in Oakland and has been a Visiting Associate Professor at the Chicano Program in UC Berkeley. He teaches Spanish, film, and literature, specializing in the Conquest of Mexico (16th c.) and Latin America and Chicana contemporary literature. He is poet laureate in Spain and Mexico where he has won numerous prizes including the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Prize in 1995 and the Juan Ramón Jiménez Prize in 2003 He published “Alfonso Reyes entre nosotros,” a book of scholarly essays on the Mexican writer. At present he is working on the Aztec pre-Hispanic Codices and compiling a book on Latin American poets living in the US.
Conozca sus palabras
ADRIÁN ARIAS, born in 1961, is an American-Peruvian prize-winning poet, visual artist and curator. He works with words and sounds with his body as an installation-poem. His poetry was exhibited in events such as the Stern Grove festival in 2010 in a music concert with Meklit Hadero, the Struga Poetry Nights in Macedonia in 2009 and at the de Young Museum in San Francisco as part of a visual installation-performance. Also he creates Video-poems, such as “Frida in the mirror,” an official selection of the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Disfruta su perspicacia en inglés o en español
Admission: $7-10. 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.

Natalia Contesse CANCELED
2014-08-15 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
An Evening of Chilean Folklore and Song
Natalia Contesse is a singer/songwriter who works in the tradition of Chilean “cantoras” – women who tell stories through song. Natalia weaves a variety of influences into the fabric of her music: the folklore of her native Chile, the rhythms of the Cueca (a traditional style of folk music and dance), and the wisdom of Chilean proverbs. In her latest release, Corra La Voz, she pays particular homage to the iconic folk singer of the 1950s and 1960s, Violetta Parra. With a dynamic guitar and vocal style that is at once dulcet and full of raw power, Natalia sings of memory and identity, of traveling through life and the knowledge that one gathers along the way. Her lyrics poetically convey an urgency and a sensitivity to the challenges that humanity faces, but with a sense of wonder and gratitude that resides close behind. Natalia will be joined by members of Duamuxa, a Chilean group based in the Bay Area, whose original compositions are inspired by the diverse musical offerings of the Southern Cone and the United States. They will intersperse their own unique flavor into Natalia’s set for a vivacious evening of South American folklore and song.
Natalia Contesse – vocals and guitar
Ricardo Valdivieso – vocals and guitar
Marci Valdivieso – vocals and guitar
Check out Natalia’s website here.
Also, check out Duamuxa’s website here.
Check out the Facebook event here.

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.

pickPocket Ensemble with special guest Doralice
2014-08-15 19:30 - 22:00 | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
New Music for the Traveler’s Café
Inspired by musical traditions from around the world, the pickPocket ensemble inhabits a country all their own. Original, fresh and engaging, the pickPocket ensemble creates contemporary chamber café music that moves both body and soul. Though the origins remain nomadic, the music of the pickPocket ensemble sustains intensely personal and immediately engaging rhythms, inviting the listener to an intimate and ongoing conversation. PickPocket Ensemble has toured internationally, released 6 CD’s of original music, and have been featured in several films, as well as spotlights on NPR and public television.
Rick Corrigan- accordion, pianoYates Brown- guitar, banjoRima Ash- violinJohn Slattery- percussionMatthew Souther- trumpet
Special guest Doralice will create exquisite instrumental acoustic miniatures for guitar and violin, providing a both cinematic and sensual element to the evening. An instrumental acoustic duo formed in San Francisco’s Mission District, they write and perform original chamber pieces inspired by film, culture and other esoteric instrumental music, with elements of Americana, gypsy, Spanish and tango.

“The pickPocket Ensemble incorporate violin, accordion, trumpet, guitar and banjo compositions, scored to complex, yet toe-tappingly vibrant time signatures that allow listeners to meander through European cities, become caught up in the winds above the Atlas Mountains and trace steps back to the strangely familiar lands of a foreign cinema soundtrack.” – Maverick Magazine

Take a look at pickPocket’s website here, their Facebook here, and snag a musical preview here! Join the official Facebook event.
Admission: $15-20. 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.

Los Boleros
2014-08-16 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
A Night of Cuban Rhythm & Dancing
Evoking feelings of romantic Havana nights, Los Boleros produces an electric, distinctly Cuban rhythm. Together, they play a range of musical styles including Cuban son, traditional salsa, cumbia, cha cha, merengue, danzan and of course, bolero. Led by Rudy Dylan on the tres Cubano and the powerful vocals of Felix Samuel, Los Boleros has continued to grow as a musical group over the years – imagine dinner with Ricky Ricardo’s Tropicana Havana, then dancing at the Buena Vista Social Club. Considered to be one of the best Latin bands in the Bay Area, Los Boleros stays true to their roots: celebrating and embracing traditional Cuban music. Prepare for an exciting night of Cuban rhythm, and get ready to move!
Los Boleros includes:
Felix Samuel – Lead vocals
Rudy Furlan – Tres Cubano
David Somers – Tenor sax and flute
Dominic Cabrera – Congas
Edgar Lavado – Bass
Check out Los Boleros’ website, and listen to a sneak peak of their music here. Join the Facebook event!

Admission: $15-20. 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.

Rob Reich Quintet
2014-08-22 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
New Innovations for the Accordion
The Rob Reich Quintet features the original music of multi-instrumentalist and composer, Rob Reich. Considered by many to be a virtuoso of the accordion, Reich is known for his work with Bay Area groups Tin Hat, Gaucho, Nice Guy Trio, and Circus Bella, as well as for his solo work on the accordion. Given the variety of sounds that influence him, from gypsy swing to film noir scores to circus psychedelia, it is no wonder that his original music defies conventional categorization. With moody, complex melodies and irregular rhythms, his compositions are rich and exploratory, each one a unique musical voyage into the unknown where Reich guides listeners through moments of tension, resolve, and utter delight. At this performance, Reich will premiere new music that he has written for this unusual quintet. The evening will also act as an initial fundraising event for the group’s upcoming recording project.
“Whatever context he’s in, Reich transforms it into a creative hothouse where thousands of musical flowers bloom.” -Andrew Gilbert, East Bay Express
The Rob Reich Quintet features:
Rob Reich – accordion & piano
Ila Cantor – guitar
Ben Goldberg – clarinet
Todd Sickafoose – bass
Eric Garland – drums
Check out Rob Reich’s website here. Check out this video for a preview of the music. Check out the Facebook event here.
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.

Benefit: Praise for the Poppies
2014-08-23 18:00 - 22:00 | CA
The Red Poppy Art House cordially invites you to Praise for the Poppies: Benefit and staff celebration on Saturday, August 23 at 6:00 p.m. The event is all ages, Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for a happy hour and performances begin at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $15-20, sliding scale. A pot luck style meal is included in the admission price. For advance tickets visit: http://praiseforthepoppies.bpt.me/.
Praise for the Poppies is a special summer benefit that will honor the female staff of the Poppy, in particular four key members of the team commemorating their one year anniversaries: Sofia Elias, Aleksandra Bril, Maggie Wilson and Melody Wang. This dynamic group of women is composed of artists, musicians, writers, and activists who dedicate time and energy each week to support the Red Poppy’s many programs and projects. This special evening benefit will feature an all-female roster of performers, in celebration of the Red Poppy’s unique staff structure. Praise for the Poppies will also include a sponsored giveaway featuring season passes to Red Poppy performances! Come for the talented string of Bay Area female performers, including poets, singers, musicians and mixers, and stay for the chance to mingle, engage, and support the Poppy!
At this difficult economic time for the arts, we could use your love and support more than ever, so why not come out and celebrate with us, dance with us and break bread with us?
The Red Poppy is excited to announce the final line-up including two poets, Aleksandra Bril and MK Chavez; four musicians, Ila Cantor, Amy LaCour, Camille Mai of the chamber jazz group The View From Bernal Hill and Lara Manzanares; and the mixings of DJ Chelis. The Poppy invites you into our home as we celebrate females artists, arts administrators, musicians and activists.

The Art of the Duo: Kathy Kosins & Adam Shulman
2014-08-28 07:30 - 22:00 | CA
Harmonious Jazz Collaboration
Kathy Kosins and Adam Shulman bring to the Poppy a musical conversation between voice, piano, and visual art, presenting material from Kosins’ 5 internationally acclaimed CD’s, including a few selections from her forthcoming soul infused jazz album, to be released in Spring of 2015. Showcasing her talents as an abstract artist, Kosins will also be painting live on stage, an act of canvas improvisation, inspired by the piano work of Shulman. The pieces created will then be auctioned off post-performance. The fluent blend of voice, piano, and paint harvests a multi-media presentation carefully crafted by the resplendent partnership of Kathy Kosins and Adam Shulman.
Kathy Kosins – Detroit born vocalist Kathy Kosins is an ASCAP award winning songwriter, record producer and recognized modern abstract painter, influenced by the cubist paintings of the ’50s, both commissioning and selling originals at galleries. Kathy has toured internationally and shared the stage with numerous names in the Jazz and R&B world, a few notables being Cyrus Chestnut, James Moody, Kevin Mahogany, Greg Hutchinson, Jesse Davis, Bruce Foreman, Mitch Ryder to name a few.
“She thinks like a musician’ is one of the finest compliments you can give a jazz vocalist, and Detroit native Kathy Kosins is often at the receiving end of that vocalist.” -Jon Norton, WGLT Music Director
Adam Shulman – A staple of the San Francisco Jazz scene since he moved to the city in 2002, Adam Shulman honed his musical skills at UC Santa Cruz where he studied with acclaimed pianists Smith Dobson and Maria Ezerova. Adam plays regularly with Marcus Shelby and Anton Schwartz, and leads two of his own groups, one featuring original compositions and the other dedicated to the music of Billy Strayhorn. Both groups have performed extensively in the Bay Area at major jazz venues including Yoshis, Stanford Jazz Workshop Concert Series and the Hillside Club.

Admission: $15-20. 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.

The Tiffany Austin Quintet
2014-08-29 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
Creole, Swing & Soul Unite
Tiffany Austin, current artist resident at the Red Poppy, will perform her Creole Music Project, mixing swing, blues, soul and hip-hop. Performing in French Creole and English with an all-star lineup of players, Austin will explore the intersections between swing, soul, and creole music. Her unique, soulful sound draws upon the ground-breaking work of Creole accordionist Amede Ardoin and other songs from the blues tradition. This performance will be a culmination of her work from her year-long residency at the Poppy.
Her vocal approach has not only drawn her into numerous jazz projects, but has also led to collaborations on contemporary music recordings, including a national tour with funk group Orgone, and recording for UnderCover’s Sly and the Family Stone tribute. For three consecutive years, she received a full scholarship to study at the Berkeley Jazz School, and in 2012, was a finalist in the Jazz Search West competition.
The Tiffany Austin Quintet includes:
Tiffany Austin – lead vocals
Howard Wiley – tenor sax
Ron Belcher – bass
Sly Randolph – drums
Check out Tiffany’s website, and listen to a sneak peak of her music here.
Join Red Poppy’s Facebook event.
Learn more about Tiffany on our Red Poppy Blog via her recent talk with Running The Voodoo Down Podcast.
Admission: $15-20. 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.

Lavay Smith Sings tunes from the Sarah Vaughan Song Book: Double Show!
2014-08-30 18:30 - 22:00 | CA
Lavay Smith promises to re-imagine the 1920s by performing her favorite pieces within the songbook of classic jazz artist; Sarah Vaughan.
Lavay Smith is the vocalist and bandleader of the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, one of the top swingin’ Jazz and Blues bands in San Francisco. Lavay grew up in Southern California and the Philippines and has become an internationally recognized Diva of Jazz and Blues, with a singing style influenced by legendary greats such as: Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Bessie Smith, Little Esther Phillips, and Sarah Vaughan. Whether singing her own compositions or drawing on a large repertoire of classics, Lavay Smith bakes up an instant recipe for dancing and good times.
For this double show, Smith provides a delightful romp through the songbook of the iconic jazz vocalist Sarah Vaughan. Nicknamed “Sassy” for her exuberant and at times volatile personality, Vaughan was championed by Earl “Fatha” Hines and Billy Eckstine and began an unparalleled solo career in the mid 1940s. She had inspiring hits throughout her career which included, “How Important Can It Be,” and “Whatever Lola Wants”.
First show door opens at 6:30pm
Show begins at 7:00pm
Second show doors reopen at 8:20pm
Show begins at 8:40pm
Each show will be 70-mins with no intermission.
Admission: $15-20 for each performance.
Join the Facebook Event and invite your friends.
Lavay Smith on the web
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: La Salsa Cubana
2014-09-04 19:00 - 22:00 | CA
La Salsa Cubana: Film Screening, Q&A, Dance Lesson & Dance Party
The Red Poppy’s interdisciplinary film series, Red Reels, presents a screening of the exuberant dance documentary, La Salsa Cubana. The evening will also include a Q&A with the film’s Director Eric Joseph Johnson, a dance lesson taught by Sidney Weaverling and Ryan Mead of ODC Dance, followed by a salsa dance party!
Step into a world filled with vibrant dancing, fascinating relationships, terrific music, and sumptuous Cuban imagery shot on location in Havana. With a soundtrack that features music from some of Cuba’s all-time greatest musical legends, licensed from the state-run music company catalogs of EGREM and BIS Music, this film is an insider’s look into the contemporary salsa dance scene in Havana rarely seen outside of Cuba. La Salsa Cubana is the first feature film to explore and explain Cuba’s de facto national dance, known as “casino” or Cuban salsa, since it appeared in Havana social clubs during the 1950s.
In 2003, Director Eric Joseph Johnson quit his corporate job to study dance and live in Cuba. Director Sarita Streng initiated the film project and the filmmakers obtained a rare license from the US Department of Treasury as well as journalistic visas from the Cuban government allowing a crew to travel to Cuba to make the film. The filmmakers have spent extensive time in Cuba cultivating connections and building the inside knowledge of Cuban culture that made this film possible.

Sidney Weaverling has been teaching Cuban dance since 1996, and Ryan Mead began teaching in 2005. In 2007 they created Rueda Con Ritmo, a dance school and performing group dedicated to spreading the joy of Cuban dance and music. To date they have taught and performed across the United States, and internationally in Cuba, Mexico, Canada, and New Zealand. Learn more about them at RuedaConRitmo.com catch their classes on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons at the ODC Dance Commons in the Mission on Shotwell Street, and Monday evenings at In The Groove on Grand Avenue in Oakland.
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.
Join the La Salsa Cubana community on Facebook here
Admission: $10-20. 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.

David Correa & Cascada
2014-09-05 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
The Fresh Sound of Blended Folk & Rumba Flamenco
Entertaining audiences since 1999, David’s music combines Latin folk and rumba flamenco rhythms with a hint of middle eastern melodies, creating a distinctive style. Cascada’s rich musical experience lends depth to their unique sound, garnering wide acclaim in the Bay Area, the North and Southwest, and Southern California. Cascada was named Best Latin Band in the North Bay from 2005-2007. In 2006, David signed with prestigious Southern California BAJA/TSR Records and released the highly acclaimed ”Rumba de la Selva” a year later. In 2009, The Best of New Flamenco compilation CD “Gypsy Spice” was released, featuring known artists such as Ottmar Liebert, Jesse Cook, Luis Villegas, Govi, Behzad and others.

“This Bay Area band lives up to its name as a ‘waterfall’ of exuberant influences – Nuevo Flamenco, Latin folk, Afro-Cuban and Middle Eastern melodies with spicy Gypsy guitar solos and foot and soul moving Latin Rhythms”
-Georgeanne Lees – Music Under the Stars – Ventura, CA, 2010

David Correa– Spanish guitar
Brad Duran– Spanish guitar
Carrie Jahde– drums
Check out their website by following this link, or hit up their Facebook page.
Snap a musical preview Here!
Join the official Facebook event.
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.

TITO Y SU SON DE CUBA
2014-09-06 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
A HOT NIGHT IN OLD HAVANA
Bringing their own blend of traditional sounds to The Red Poppy Art House, Tito y Su Son de Cuba will take you back to the old Cuba, interpreting and redefining classic Cuban son at its best! Son, a translation for rhythm, is the most popular style of music to come out of Cuba and is the primary contributor to today’s salsa music. Tito y Su Son de Cuba blends traditional Cuban music: chachacha; son montuno; guaracha; bolero and danzon with many other styles like bossa nova and latin jazz, resulting in a sometimes relaxing, sometimes energizing vibe but always moving the beat as the ambience demands. The inclusion of the Cuban tres guitar, a specialized rhythmic string instrument, makes the traditional Cuban son come to life!
Tito Gonzalez – lead vocal, tres guitar, acoustic guitar and minor percussion
Miguel Martinez – flute
David Frazier – congas
Rubin Hurtado – piano
Tony Garcia – stand-up bass
Visit the band online and join the Facebook event
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.

Patchy Sanders
2014-09-11 19:30 - 22:00 | CA
7-Piece Neo-Folk Revival Orchestra
Patchy Sanders is a 7-piece folk orchestra which goes beyond categorization. Some have hesitantly distinguished their sound as alternative, noir-grass, or perhaps neo-folk. Either way, this tight-knit group of extremely talented musicians take pride in their ability to pursue the broader folk revival in order to produce a new, but familiar sound. Guided by famed producer Sylvia Massey, Patchy Sander’s debut album is titled “& The Wild Peach Forest” and has been an immediate hit since its release. The record breathes with true acoustic instrumentation from the traditional banjo, guitar, and mandolin, to more mystical instruments like harp, pedal organ, and nyckel harpa. These instruments provide a masterful foundation to the strong lyrical and vocal essence which characterizes Patchy Sanders’ versatility.

“Great musicianship, harmonies and feel. A really warm vibe that makes wherever you are standing feel like the center of a gypsy caravan.” –Mason Jennings

Dani Aubert– Banjo, Harp, Bouzouki, Vocals
Jacqueline Aubert– Vocals
Eric Jones– Upright Bass, Vocals
Dan Sherrill- Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Vocals
Ian Van Ornum– Mandolin, Guitar, Bouzouki, Vocals
Sara Wilbur– Violin, Viola, Vocals
TBD- Drums and Percussion
patchysanders.com
facebook.com/PatchySanders
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.

Gonzalo Bergara: Leading figure of Gypsy Jazz
2014-09-12 19:30 - 22:00 | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, guitarist Gonzalo Bergara arrived in the States in 2000, and rapidly became one of the lead figures in the style of guitarist Django Reinhardt, Gypsy Jazz. The most important Django Reinhardt festival, DR Samois Sur Seine, named Bergara “the best thing to happen to Gypsy Jazz in the last 20 years.” He remains to be one of the most important composers in the genre today. For this special night at the Poppy, Bergara will be performing music from his 3 critically acclaimed albums in addition to new material, music of Django Reinhardt, and the American songbook.
Gonzalo Bergara – guitar
Other musicians are TBA
Join the official Facebook event here. Experience the Gonzalo Bergara Quartet’s sound.
Admission: $15-20. 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.

Broken Shadows Family Band
2014-09-13 19:30 - 22:00 | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Different Roots from a Single Tree
Led by long-time Poppy performer Darren Johnston, this all-star cast of musicians has come together to produce wide-ranging music including raucous violins and exciting trumpet solos.
With an emphasis on lyrics and song-writing, Broken Shadows Family Band is far from lacking in producing a variety of creative sounds – ranging from Western European to Arabic Classical, Slavic choral to Americana and classic jazz and R&B, as well as sounds from Macedonia and Ethiopia. All of these and more make up the eclectic ingredients that add to their family recipe. With rhythms that beg to be danced to, the music of Broken Shadows Family Band focuses on telling stories.
Collectively, the band has played with Meklit Hadero, Kitka, Quartet San Francisco, Incognito Express, Qadim Ensemble, Fanfare Zambaleta, The Nice Guy Trio, Inspector Gadje, and more.
Band Members include:
Darren Johnston – trumpet & vocals
Alisa Rose– violin
Corinne Sykes – tambura, hi-hat & vocals
Doug Stuart – bass & vocals
Faisal Zedan – riqq, derbekki & vocals
Marco Peris – tupan
Morgan Nilsen – clarinet
For more information on the band visit their website, and listen to a sneak peak here!
Don’t forget to join Red Poppy’s Facebook event.
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.

Somi: The Lagos Salon Tour; Sept 19-20, Two Evenings, Four Shows
2014-09-19 06:30 - 22:00, 2014-09-20 06:30 - 22:00 | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Intimate Songs from a Lagos Sojourn
The Red Poppy Art House is very excited to announce a special two-night, four show engagement with critically-acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Somi. These two evenings of music are part of the artist’s Salon Tour, promoting the release of her lastest album, The Lagos Music Salon.
In late 2011, acclaimed East African vocalist & songwriter Somi decided to move from New York City to Lagos, Nigeria for 18 months in search of new inspiration. The result: a new album she calls The Lagos Music Salon released summer 2014 as her major label debut on Sony Music/Okeh. The album which features special guests Angelique Kidjo and Common draws it material from the tropical city’s boastful cosmopolitanism, urgent inspiration, and giant spirit – straddling the worlds of African jazz, soul, and pop with a newfound ease and a voice that Vogue Magazine simply calls “Superb!”
“A New High Priestess of Soul!” – The Huffington Post
Praised for both her musical and scholarly achievements, Somi has made a powerful impression on audiences internationally. Musically, she draws inspiration from many lands, but her connection to Africa is at the heart of her creative expression. She weaves together velvety, African-tinged jazz textures, soul-driven vocal styling, and compassionate, socially conscious lyrics. Somi has been compared to her venerable vocal “fore-mothers” Miriam Makeba and Nina Simone, both of whom strived for a music-making tradition of entertaining listeners and mobilizing the collective social conscience. Her work honors the tradition of African narratives told through song, and attempts to shed light on the modern African experience by telling the stories of individuals she encounters as well as her own experience of being an African woman. In addition to singing and writing songs, Somi is a TED Fellow, an inaugural Association of Performing Arts Presenters Fellow, a 2013 Park Avenue Armory Artist-in-Residence, and the founder of New Africa Live, a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating ​ contemporary African artists working in the performance, visual, and literary arts.
The Lagos Music Salon is an ode to the Nigerian metropolis, where she spent an 18-month creative sabbatical in 2011, absorbing the city’s expansive urbanism, cultural power, and enormous spirit. This very personal album is the accumulation of months of writing songs in response to her experiences of the unique social climate of Lagos, collaborating with local musicians, and previewing her works-in-progress before small audiences. In particular, the Salon Tour is devoted to the idea of encouraging greater artist-to-audience engagement and closer connection to the music by performing intimate concerts reminiscent fo the shows she played while in Lagos. The Red Poppy Art House has long strived to provide this kind of experience for musicians near and far, and is very honored to have the opportunity to be graced by her talents.
Somi – voice
Liberty Ellman – guitar
Toru Dodo – piano
Ben Williams – bass
Otis Brown III – drums
Check out Somi’s website here and a preview of her new album!
Also, please join the official Facebook event here, and invite all your friends!
Please choose from one of the following performances to attend*:
Friday Sept 19, 2014: Doors open at 6:30pm. Shows at 7:00pm and 8:30pm.
Saturday Sept 20, 2014: Doors open at 6:30pm. Shows at 7:00pm and 8:30pm.
Admission is $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Buy your ticket today! http://thelagossalontour.bpt.me
ADVANCE TICKET SALES HAVE ENDED. Half of available tickets for each show will be available for purchase at the door.
*For Somi’s performances, we have made half of the tickets available in advance at a discounted price, so buy your tickets now! The remaining tickets will be available at the door.

San Francisco Youth Theatre Kick-Off Party
2014-09-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Join us this Saturday, September 20th from 1pm-4pm and come celebrate the opening of San Francisco Youth Theatre at the Red Poppy! Meet San Francisco Youth Theatre’s teachers: Sally Davis, John Litten and all the wonderful folks who make up the organization. The Kick-Off Party will include a free sample classes in Story Theatre and Acting.Starting Tuesday, September 23rd through December 2nd, San Francisco Youth Theatre (SFYT) will be offering cutting-edge theater for children and youth ages 4-24 at the Red Poppy Art House. The art-inspired youth of San Francisco deserve a world-class platform to create and perform theater that tells their compelling stories. SFYT’s core values include inclusiveness, originality and changing the world, one play at a time.
SFYT will offer classes and performance ensembles, adult-performed productions for young audiences, school residencies and a repertoire of original productions that speak to the unique sensibilities of youth. Click here and see what SFYT can offer you and your children!
SFYT class info at the Red Poppy Art House:
Story Theater
Instructor Sally Davis will delight young actors with costumes, fantasy, music and movement. Children will act out stories from around the world, creating magic through theater.
September 23–December 2
Tuesdays @ Red Poppy Art House
3-5 year olds: 3pm-4pm
4-6 year olds: 4:15pm-5:15pm
$185 ten/week session. Sliding scale tuition available.
Register Online

Pollination I: Opening night of the Cross Pollination Festival
2014-09-24 19:00 - 22:00 | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
The Red Poppy Art House PresentsThe First Annual Cross Pollination People & Performance Festival September 24th-28th, 2014Curated by lu-Hui Chua, Todd Thomas Brown, and Melody Wang
This September, the Red Poppy Art House is producing a new festival aimed at bringing together artists and audiences from different communities and artistic disciplines. It’s all about creating a space of intersection between the different worlds we inhabit; our social spheres, our work life, and our personal paths. Each evening features a mash-up of different aesthetics that highlight the audiences attending as well as the artists presenting. Come experience a weekend of people and performance, magic and medicine, and the space between.
Pollination I: Wednesday September 24, 2014
For the opening night of the Cross Pollination Festival, we are pleased to present an evening of short films. The second half of the evening will be in conjunction with the sixth annual Cine+Más San Francisco Latino Film Festival, followed by an Q&A.
Time: Doors open at 7:00, Show begins at 7:30pm
Admission: $12
Advanced tickets available here: http://pollination1.bpt.me
Half of available tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

Cine+Más San Francisco Latino Film FestivalSFLFF is a volunteer-produced program whose mission is to increase cultural opportunities for the Latino community by showcasing and promoting the work of emerging and established filmmakers from the US, Latin America, and the Iberian Peninsula and by creating a cultural dialogue between Latinos and non-Latinos to discuss universal cross-cultural experiences. For the Cross-Pollination Festival, the following five short films will be presented at Red Poppy Art House:
Who Asked for it?
Dir: Rajendra Serber
Sidewalk: Featuring Cielo Vertical Arts
Dir: Lindsay Gauthier
Tengo Talento: Julio Padrón y El Nino Jesus (Cuban Jazz)
Dir: Eli & Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi
Beep
Dir: Ivan Iturriaga
Eyes That Do Not See/ Ojos que no Ven
Dir: Patricia C. Ovando
Alma & Esperanza
Dir: Itandehui Jansen
Frontera! Revolt and Rebellion on the Rio Grande
Dir: John Jota Leaños
Visit www.sflatinofilmfestival.org for more detailed film synopses, full festival schedule, and ticketing information.

Pollination II: Marcus Shelby Trio, Byb Chanel Bibene, Embodiment Project and Indira Allegra
2014-09-25 19:00 - 22:00 | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
The Red Poppy Art House PresentsThe First Annual Cross Pollination People & Performance Festival September 24th-28th, 2014Curated by lu-Hui Chua, Todd Thomas Brown, and Melody Wang
This September, the Red Poppy Art House is producing a new festival aimed at bringing together artists and audiences from different communities and artistic disciplines. It’s all about creating a space of intersection between the different worlds we inhabit; our social spheres, our work life, and our personal paths. Each evening features a mash-up of different aesthetics that highlight the audiences attending as well as the artists presenting. Come experience a weekend of people and performance, magic and medicine, and the space between.
Pollination II: Thursday, September 25, 2014
Time: Doors open at 7:00, Show begins at 7:30pm
Admission: $15-25
All seating is general admission. Please select the admission price you’re most comfortable with within this range. Your additional support is greatly appreciated!
Advanced tickets available here: http://pollination2.bpt.me.
Half of available tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

Marcus Anthony Shelby is an accomplished teacher, composer, arranger, and bassist, and has received a number of recognitions and awards in the past 24 years, including “Top Ten Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area” on City Flight Magazine 2005. Currently, Shelby is an artist in residence with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and working with playwright and actress Anna Deveare Smith on her new work “Pipeline to Prison”.

Byb Chanel Bibene will perform a complex piece that examines the relationship between the inside and the outside of the body, while exploring the intrinsic emotions and how they are channeled out to relate with the environment around us. Choreographer and performer working in both theatre and dance, Bibene’s technical and aesthetic sensibility is rooted in the culture and dances of his country of origin, the Republic of Congo.

Embodiment Project is a San Francisco-based urban dance theater company that was founded in 2008 by Artistic Director Nicole Klaymoon. Comprising ten dancers and a live vocal ensemble, led by EP musical director, Valerie Troutt, the company’s mission is to promote appreciation and understanding of various street dance traditions by presenting original, multi-media works to diverse audiences while challenging traditional approaches to concert dance. With emotionally transparent, autobiographical narratives, and joyous, energetic movement, EP’s work reflects the company’s pursuit of how dance can “speak” and language can “move” – and how this unique form of storytelling can thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Indira Allegra is a poet and artist exploring intimacy, intertextuality, affect and endurance through performance, video works and handwoven textiles. Indira’s experimental “videopoems” Blue Covers and Weep Willow: The Blues for Lady Day have screened at film festivals such as MIX NYC, Perlen Hannover LGBT Festival, Visible Verse Festival and Fusion. In the Bay Area, Allegra has performed with Queer Rebels of the Harlem Renaissance, Mangos with Chili and Peacock Rebellion. She is currently completing her first collection of poems entitled Indigo Season.
