Wednesday, November 29, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

“Cuero y Cuerdas” is a duo composed of two of the most active and prolific Latin Musicians in the Bay Area.

Bolivian born Gabriel Navia on Guitar/vocals and Percusionist/vocalist Edgardo Cambón a native of Uruguay.

Both multiple recording artists are deeply immersed in many Latin styles from South America, the Caribbean, Europe and North America.

The repertoire spans from Spanish Flamenco forms, to Afro Cuban Son, Boleros, Cha-Cha-Cha, Guaracha, Uruguayan Candombe, and opens up at times to more contemporary rhythms and Jazz, as well as an occasional original composition.

“Cuero y Cuerdas” translated as “Skins and Strings” says it all!

Edgardo Cambón

Born in Montevideo, Edgardo Cambón is a Percussionist, Vocalist, Educator and Band Leader with over 36 years of professional experience. A much in demand musician in the U.S.A, he has performed or recorded with artist like Jesús “Chucho” Valdés, Eddie Palmieri, Santana, Jerry Rivera, Eddie Santiago, Keith Terry, Omar Sosa, Andy Narell, Rebeca Mauleón, Giovanni Hidalgo, Eddie Montalvo and Johny Rodriguez among many others. He is an LP (Latin Percussion) instruments endorser and has traveled worldwide as an LP clinician.

Since 1986 he leads on Congas and lead Vocals the acclaimed Salsa Band “Candela,” with four recordings available of mainly his own compositions.

Gabriel Navia

Born into a musical family, Gabriel Navia is an artist, producer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and composer. He has collaborated on two albums nominated for the Latin Grammys. (“Piano & Charango” and “Carnaval in Piano Charango” by artists Chuchito Valdes and Eddy Navia.)

​Gabriel is one of the most foremost exponents of Latin music in the Bay Area, combining Latin music with flamenco, jazz, and contemporary sounds with a unique style.

​He started his professional music career as a charango player, touring and recording with the Andean music band Sukay at the age of eleven. Led by his father Eddy Navia.

He has continued working on stage and in the recording studio with artist such as Chuchito Valdes, Eddy Navia, Fito Reinoso, Daniel Fries (Gabo & Daniel), Wayne Wallace, Jack Douglas, Richard Howell, Charlie Musselwhite, Orestes Vilato, Karl Perazzo, John Santos, Calixto Oviedo, Marc Van Wageningen, Joe Craven, Jeff Massanari, Colin Douglas, Netta Brielle, Edgardo Cambon (Candela), Sandy Perez (Muñequitos de Matanzas), Fogo Na roupa, Los Kjarkas, Willy Claure, Grillo Villegas, Savia Andina, Melecio Magdaluyo, Fernando Jimenez, Carlos Caro, John Calloway, Greg Sudmier, Georges Lammam (Hola Yallah a Latin Arabia duo), Sukay, Diablo Ballet and the San Francisco Symphony among others.

A post-graduate from Conservatori Del Liceu de Barcelona. He has also studied with great masters from Bolivia, Cuba, Spain and the U.S. After attending the Instituto Eduardo Laredo in Cochabamba, Bolivia and the School of the Arts of San Francisco, California, he went on to attend the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Jazz School of Berkley CA and in 2002 he received Outstanding Musician Awards at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. In 2007 he also received a scholarship from Fundación Carolina to do a music postgraduate with flamenco master Manuel Granados at the Conservatori Del Liceu de Barcelona.

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.

Wednesday, November 15, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

LoCura Trio

Melissa Cruz , cajon

Bob Sanders, guitar

Kata Miletich, vocals

LoCura Trio plays acoustic versions of your favorite LoCura songs as well as lively rumba flamenca tunes and in-the-moment improvisations. @locuramusica

For the past 11 years, Oakland-based LoCura has crafted their own unique musical identity: “Califas Mestizo Music,” a blend of Latin American and Iberian rhythms such as rumba, cumbia, salsa and flamenco influenced by punk rock, ska, rap, dub, reggae, dancehall with local and global lyrical themes. The band’s name (“it cures it”) reflects their ethos of making music a remedy, a theme which permeates lyrics such as “la cultura cura la locura (culture cures the madness).”

With three powerhouse women at the helm, their live shows are a soul-stirring punk-edged party mixing cajon-driven rhythms with mutilingual lyrics that reflect the unique intersection of cultures in the Bay Area. Ana Tijoux meets Manu Chao with a touch of Lhasa.

Spanish-American vocalist Kata Miletich, expanding on the group’s influences, notes “one big inspiration for the ways we consciously and unconsciously connect different music is this idea that styles and rhythms travel from Africa, Europe stretching across the Americas and mixing with indigenous sounds. Culture is alive in so many different ways, and shows up in different places to tell a story.”

LoCura has toured the U.S, Canada, Nicaragua, Mexico and Spain playing music festivals and sharing the stage with artists such as Bombino, La Cuneta Son Machin, Ziggy Marley, Beats Antique, Quetzal, and Nortec Collective. In the California Bay Area they have opened for Sergio Mendes, La Santa Cecilia, The Seshen & Bomba Estereo and have sold out The Great American Music Hall and The Independent in San Francisco. LoCura has released three full length albums and is currently writing and recording music for their fourth album.

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.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Classical Revolution Electric Quartet

Anthony Blea violin

Charith Premawardhana violin

Keith Lawrence viola

Lewis Patzner cello

Classical Revolution was founded in the fall of 2006 with the goal of making classical music more relevant in our neighborhoods and communities.

After a successful first year of weekly shows at Revolution Cafe in San Francisco’s Mission District, the organization began to receive invitations to preform at other local venues including the Red Poppy Art House, the Legion of Honor, and Yoshi’s SF.

In its 10th anniversary year, Classical Revolution undertook a cycle of Beethoven’s 9 Symphonies, performed at venues around San Francisco including the de Young Museum, Fort Mason’s Cowell Theater, and a performance of the 9th Symphony at Grace Cathedral in front of a 1000 person audience.

Press articles from the New York Times, Strings Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and The Economist brought wider attention to Classical Revolution’s efforts.

As interest grew outside of San Francisco, the network of chapters began to develop, with over 40 cities hosting regular Classical Revolution around the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, as well as Indonesia, Argentina, South Korea, and Japan.

Over 1200 musicians have performed at more than 1500 Classical Revolution events in over 150 different venues in the Bay Area alone. Audiences enjoy the accessibility of the venues and the fun laid back approach, as well as the diversity and quality in programming. In San Francisco, Classical Revolution hosts regular events at Mission District venues as well as guest appearances around the Bay Area.

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.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Boricua Soul: The Creole Music of Puerto Rico

This talented and dynamic trio brings to life the soulful música criolla of Puerto Rico, highlighting the color and range of the cuatro puertorriqueño, Puerto Rico’s national instrument, and the cadence and elegance of the décima, the ancestral poetic form at the core of the Island’s creole musical traditions.

Featuring:

Pedro Pastrana  – cuatro

A music creator re-thinking the concept of Puerto Rican music, Pedro crosses over invisible frontiers with an (extra)ordinary approach to music. He aims at fusing the earthy quality of folk music with forward looking compositions and live performances, reflecting the mixed identities of his heritage and influences.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Pedro José Pastrana grew up in the “jíbaro” music tradition and surrounded by the vocabulary of other popular sounds. His work has been reviewed and play-listed by LatinJazzNet, KCSM Jazz, Puerto Rico Jazz and PRPop. As a sideman Pedro has redefined the versatility of the Puerto Rican Cuatro in Latin Jazz by performing and recording with artists like John Santos, Barrio Manouche, Jerry Medina, Juango Gutierrez, Orestes Vilató, Atabal, Gary Nuñez, Andy Montañez, among others.

His 2022 debut album, “Crónicas de la Pierna Inquieta”, selected by prpop.org among the top 20 best recordings of that year, consists of eight original tracks, serving as snapshots of self-discovery, inspired by the coming of age events of the past 13 years. This work combines incisive, Cuatro generated groove based songwriting with the sounds of Puerto Rico as the color palette.

Héctor Lugo – vocals and percussion

Héctor Lugo is a percussionist, singer, songwriter, and educator. A native of Puerto Rico, he grew up immersed in the creole musical culture of Puerto Rico and the the Latin-Caribbean. He has recorded and performed in stages across the world with artists such as Louie Romero y su Grupo Mazacote, the late great Luis Daniel “Chichito” Cepeda and his Los Cepeda Ensemble, Bobby Céspedes and Conjunto Céspedes, Modesto Cepeda and Cimiento de Puerto Rico, salsa legend Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, Larry Vuckovich Jazz-Latin Quartet, The John Santos Sextet, Gilberto Gutierrez y Mono Blanco, and Román “Ito” Carrillo and Herencia de los Carrillo, to name a few.  His compositions and arrangements have been featured in the acclaimed compilation “Salsa de la Bahía,” vol. 2 (Patois Records, 2015), the documentary film “Dolores,” about the life and work of the great labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huertas, and in La Mixta Criolla’s album “AfroTaíno” (Round Whirled Records). Héctor is the founder and director of the Latin roots band La Mixta Criolla, founder and co-director of the Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop, a founding member of bomba group Aguacero, and one of the pioneers of the bomba movement in California.

Ayla Dávila – bass

Ayla Dávila grew up in a musical household and started playing music as soon as she could hold an instrument. As a child, she performed traditional Guatemalan and Mexican music, and studied percussion, guitar, and clarinet, but at 11 years old she found her voice on the bass. She began playing bass professionally at 14, and went on to earn a degree in Bass Performance and Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Ayla plays with many different groups in a wide variety of musical styles.

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.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

The Bob Crawford Trio

Bob Crawford- keys

Julio de la Cruz- bass

Alcide Marshall – drums

The Bob Crawford Trio will draw from a diverse repertoire, weaving Cuban, Brazilian and Jazz. This ensemble will bring you individual virtuosity and group creativity.

Musicians Bios-

Bob Crawford was born in Long Beach California and raised in the Bay Area with his 12 brothers and sisters. Primarily self taught, he started playing in bands with his saxophone playing twin brother during their college years. After graduating, Bob gained experience in various Bay Area ensembles, playing jazz, funk, Latin and Brazilian music. In 2001 he was offered the keyboard chair in Michael Franti’s band Spearhead. Bob logged multiple tours throughout the United States, Australia, Canada, Europe and Japan. Bob also recorded on several of Spearhead’s albums and appeared on a number of international TV programs with the band. Also with Spearhead, Bob found himself performing with a who’s who of international stars, including Tre Anastasio, Me’Shell NDegeOcello, Chuck D, Ani DiFranco, Jack Johnson, Robert Randolph, Woody Harrleson, Mixmaster Mike, as well as members of Ozomatli, Zap Mama, and Galactic.

Bob took a break from extensive touring to spend time with his family, and to pursue his own musical vision. Now residing in the East Bay, Bob continues to perform and record with a variety of artists, including Fito Reinoso y su Ritmo y Armonia, Mazacote, Boca De Rio, Greg Errico (Sly and the Family Stone), Ray Obiedo, Pete Escovedo, Lee Oskar (War), Lenny Williams and Mic Gillette (Tower of Power), Pedrito Calvo (Los Van Van) Richard Bean (Malo), The New York Gypsy Allstars, as well as members of El Chicano, Santana, Tierra, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and many more.

Recently, Bob has served as the musical director for the Latin Kings Allstar band, which features members from Tower of Power, Malo, and The Whispers. He has worked with the fantastic Alayo Dance Company and the Stagebridge Theatre Group. He has also worked for two years with the San Francisco Symphony’s “Adventures in Music” program, bringing music to every public elementary school in San Francisco. Bob also leads his own piano trio, and is founding member of the latin jazz-funk band Machina Sol.

Julio De la Cruz was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. In 1980 at the age of 12, he first began his studies as a musician, specializing in percussion instruments while simultaneously studying music theory and composition.

From 1987 to 1992, Julio participated in several projects and festivals in Havana and other provinces in Cuba. In 1992 left Cuba to perform on tour with the Puerto Rican Singer José Feliciano as part of the released production: “Calle Latina.”

From 1993 to 2009, Julio moved to Mexico, where he lived and worked accompanying Celia Sanchez, one of the famous Sonora matancera singers, along with Salsa Queen Celia Cruz. Julio then moved to Los Cabos ( also in Mexico), where he became part of the house band rocker Sammy Hagar’s club Cabo Wabo and accompanied American guest performers such as Toby Keith and Sammy Hagar himself, among others.

During this time in Mexico, Julio continued to perfect his skills as a percussionist but also taught himself to play the Piano and Bass, making him a multi-instrumentalist performer. In 2009, Julio moved to The United States, joining many bands in the San Francisco Bay area in California. Julio plays with the Pacific Mambo Orchesta.

Alcide Marshall has enjoyed a rewarding career as a drummer, band leader and booking agent in the SF Bay area.  He has performed and recorded with local and nationally known artists including El DeBarge, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Mary Wilson (of the Supremes), Rich Little, Sly Stone, Bobby McFerrin, NDea Davenport (Brand New Heavies) just to name a few.
The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music Productions.

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.