The San Francisco International Arts Festival is here! The festival is now running until Sunday, June 18th at various venues: Throckmorton Theater, Dance Mission, Lines Dance Center, Joe Goode Annex, BRAVA Theater Complex, Theatre of Yugen and on-line events. Highlights include renowned Spanish Flamenco Jazz pianist Alex Conde(pictured left) solo concert “Piano, Jazz, Flamenco” on Sunday, June 11, 6 pm at the Brava Theater Cabaret, Flautist extraordinare John Calloway’s piece “Buffalo Soliders in the Phillipine-American War: A Crisis Of Conscience” on Saturday, June 17, 2 pm also in the Brava Theater Cabaret, the dynamic Ivorian-American vocalist Fely Tchaco performing her unique repertoire mix of traditional West African, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean music on Friday, June 16, 8 pm at the Brava Theater main stage and the Afro-Colombian group Neblinas Del Pacifico performing marimba music de Chonta music from the Afro-Colombian Pacific Coast on Friday, June 16 starting at 8 pm at the Brava Theater Cabaret. For more information on the entire schedule will offers diverse events such as dance, theater, storytelling, multi-media and more, visit www.sfiaf.org. There are special passes for multiple shows available.
The 40th San Francisco Jazz Festival starts this coming Wednesday, June 7th and runs until Sunday, June 18th with over 40 shows covering the spectrum from Latin Jazz to today’s top headliners to tributes at the SFJAZZ Center. Both the large Minor Auditorium and the more intimate Joe Henderson Lab will be featuring great music. Venezuelan pianist and member of the SF JAZZ Collective, Edward Simon will perform with his trio featuring vocalist Magos Herrera and percussionist Luisito Quintero on June 9th. Guitar wunderkind Al Di Meola will perform on Sunday, June 11 at 4 and 7 pm. Powerhouse drummer Cindy Blackman Santana leads her all star group which includes keyboardist John Medeski and former Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid to honor the late iconic drummer Tony Williams on Wednesday, June 14.
Renowned Bay Area vocalist Paula West returns to the festival on Friday, June 16th to revisit her debut 1998 recording “Temptation”. And…the crown prince of New Jack Jazz, Jose James performs the songs of modern soul queen Erykah Badu on Saturday, June 17th . Other highlights include pianist Gerald Clayton with Ambrose Akinmusire 6/12;; Rolando Luna duo with Cuban percussionist Yaroldy Abreu 6/13, Donald Harrison Jr. and Charles McPherson 6/15 at Minor Auditorium, The Alaya Project 6/15 at the Joe Henderson Lab, the hot Samara Joy on 6/16 (which is already sold out!) and Blues legends Charlie Musselwhite and Elvin Bishop on Saturday, June 17th at the Herbst Theater. For tickets and more information, go to www.sfjazz.org
The Western Puerto Rican Council will present their 46th Annual Dia De San Juan Salsa Festival Scholarship Event featuring headliner Moncho Rivera from Puerto Rico on Saturday, June 17th from 11 am to 7 pm at Swiss Park, 5911 Mowry Avenue in Newark. Also joining Rivera, the nephew of the legendary vocalist Ismael Rivera will be Orquesta Taino, Orquesta De La Isla, Hip Hop Jibarito, Bomba music by Aguacero, Angela Tirado and DJ La Coqui celebrating Puerto Rican culture and music. This popular annual event has presented such acts as Spanish Harlem Orchestra, El Gran Combo, Tito Rojas, Ismael Miranda, Herman Olivera and countless others. For more information, visit their web site at www.wrprc.org! Tickets are $30 in advance until June 16th, $40 at the gate. Sounds like a great afternoon of Cultura, Food, Drink and Salsa!!
This coming Saturday, June 10th from 11 am to 6 pm will be the San Francisco Bay Area’s Jazz station KCSM‘s annual free event Jazz On The Hill at the College Of San Mateo’s campus, 1700 W. Hillsdale Boulevard. Featuring the Grammy Award winning The Spanish Harlem Orchestra under the direction of pianist Oscar Hernandez blasting the hot Salsa headlining a lineup of fine Jazz luminaries! Veteran drummer Akina Tana’s Group will be featuring 90 year old Jazz saxophone legend John Handy, renowned guitarist Mimi Fox and her B3 Hammond Trio, Patrick Wolf and the CSM Little Big Band featuring guitarist Bruce Forman, the Berkeley High School Combo and KCSM DJ Harry Duncan. For more information, check out www.kcsm.org!
That’s all for this time! Ciao 4 now!
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