“The Annex Sessions” Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)
Funky Chinos featuring Robbie Kwock & Melecio Magdaluyo
Robbie Kwock – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Melecio Magdaluyo – Saxophone
Ron Belcher – Bass
Erik von Buchau – Vibraphone
Barry Hutcherson – Drums
Return of the Funky Chinos – Latin tinge-modern jazz quintet led by Bay Area trumpeter Robbie Kwock and Saxophonist Melecio Magdaluyo. Their Music has been quoted as “infectious, percolating Latin rhythms combined with straight ahead Jazz with Blue Note flair.”
This dynamic horn duo has performed together with Bay Area Icon Pete Escovedo’s Latin-Jazz ensemble for over 20 years, album sessions including the Grammy nominated album Mister E. This association led to West Coast calls to perform with Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri’s groups when on tour in the region.
A native of Berkeley, Robbie’s first major gig was touring with the Ray Charles Orchestra, performing at major International venues and festivals. A mainstay of the Bay Area music scene, Robbie also has worked with saxophone legend John Handy, Omar Sosa Sextet, Narada Michael Walden and guitarist Johnny Tolbert.
Originally from San Francisco, Melecio Magdaluyo has been a pillar in the Bay Area music community both as a performer and educator. Bandmates with the ensembles of John Santos Machete, Wayne Wallace Rhythm & Rhyme, Narada Michael Walden and Ray Obiedo Group. He also has directed the Jazz/Latin Music programs at SOTA, Stanford Jazz Camp and numerous other local summer programs.
Joining the stage this evening will be vibraphonist Erik von Buchau. Erik currently leads his own Jazz Quartet at clubs around the Bay Area and teaches for Northbay school programs.
Bassist Ron Belcher performs with the area’s top Jazz vocalists and trios, Ron has also been teaching classes for music outreach programs with the SF Area.
Drummer Barry Hutcherson, son of legendary Bobby Hutcherson. Grew up around the Los Angeles music scene, musicians Joe Sample, Lenny White, George Cables and Freddie Hubbard would often come by the house. Heavily influenced by the early era’s Blue Note Jazz recordings, Barry later studied with Billy Higgins and mentor Eddie Marshall here in the SF Bay Area.
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The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music Productions.
SunJams is committed to funding children’s music education in underserved public elementary schools. Your donation will help support this ongoing program.
All of the proceeds will go directly to our network of local musicians, each of whom have been severely impacted by the lack of events during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whether you donate $10, $100, or $1000 – any amount helps and will allow us to keep bringing music to our community! As always, your donation to SunJams 501(c)3 may qualify as tax exempt.
Javier Navarrette Music Productions continues to bring live music to several venues around the Bay Area. Javier has been a professional musician and music educator in the Oakland Unified School District for the past 20 years. Over the past few years Navarrette has produced outdoors events that have proven instrumental in enabling musicians to deal with some of the fallout of the pandemic and shutdown that followed.
COVID RELATED SAFETY MEASURES
Please be safe. Feel free to wear a mask if you prefer.
TICKETS
Tickets are NOT required for this venue, you can simply come in, order food and beverages at the Annex counter and pay at the registers.