On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 6-8:30pm “The Annex Sessions” will resume our music series held at The Annex (El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex), 10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito with
The Annex Sessions Opening Day 2026
“Orisha y Rumba”
Javier Navarrette “Modupue Wednesday”
Featuring:
Einar Tito Leliebre – Santiago, Cuba (percussion, vocal)
Andy Perez – Havana, Cuba (percussion, vocal)
Papitin Elejalde Gonzalez – Matanzas, Cuba (percussion, vocal)
Jesse Weber – San Francisco Bay Area, USA (percussion, vocal)
Javier Navarrette – San Francisco Bay Area, USA (percussion, vocal)
with Special Guests!
“Modupue” Thank You
Javier Navarrette curates shows with various artists from different cultures in the Bay Area, as well as presenting his own global music projects at Modupue Events.
Orishas are divine spirits or deities in the Yoruba religion from West Africa, representing natural forces, human qualities, and aspects of life, serving as intermediaries between the supreme God (Olodumare) and humanity, worshipped through offerings, rituals (like drumming and chanting), and divination (like Ifa) in traditions like Santería and Candomblé in the Americas. They possess complex personalities, human-like flaws, and specific domain
Key Orishas (Examples)
- Eshu (Elegua/Elegba): The messenger, keeper of crossroads, transformation, and trickery.
- Ogun: God of iron, war, labor, and paths.
- Oshun: Goddess of fresh water, beauty, love, and sensuality.
- Oya: Goddess of winds, storms, rebirth, and cemeteries.
- Shango: God of thunder, lightning, fire, justice, and virility.
- Yemaya (Yemoja): Mother of waters, divine mother, protector of women.
- Obatala: Sky god, creator of humanity, protector of the weak.
Three Types of Bata Drums
The three bata drums work together as a family, with each playing a specific role in the musical conversation.
- Iyá(the “mother” drum): This is the largest drum and is played by the master drummer who sets the lead rhythms. It often has bells (called chaworo in Cuba, or saworo in Yorubaland) attached to it which sound when the drum is struck. The larger head produces a deep, rich tone, while the smaller head offers a djembe-like sound.
- Itótele(the “father” or “elder child” drum): This is the medium-sized drum, which plays in harmony and responds to the Iyá. It is integral to the ensemble’s harmony, acting as a conversational counterpart to the lead drum.
- Okónkolo(the “child” or “baby” drum): This is the smallest drum and is responsible for maintaining the basic, consistent rhythm and melody of the ensemble.
Cultural Significance and Use
Bata drums hold deep cultural and spiritual importance, serving as a medium to communicate with deities (Orishas) and ancestors in traditional ceremonies.
- Religious Ceremonies: In their original context among the Yoruba and in the derived Santería religion in Cuba and the US, bata drums are considered sacred instruments, believed to possess the spiritual force, Ana, to connect the physical and spiritual realms.
- Secular Music: Beyond religious rites, bata drums are used in various social events, festivals, and contemporary popular music in Nigeria, Cuba, and worldwide, enriching diverse musical styles with their characteristic polyrhythms.
Rumba refers to a vibrant Cuban music and dance tradition, characterized by its Afro-Cuban roots, rhythmic percussion.
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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.