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.

Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Marimba Pacifica

Hadley Louden – Vibes, Percussion, Bass Marimba – Founder and ComposerSeth Tager – Traps – Original Member since 1996

Jeannette Diaz Veizades – Bass Marimba, Djembe and Percussion – Member since the 90s

Orlando Obligacion – Congas – Member since the turn of the Century

Ashanti Johnson – Lead Vocals and Member since 2019

Marimba Pacifica, together since 1996, is California’s longest-running Marimba Ensemble. Playing a Bay Area blend of African, Latin and World Music, they are happy to present an early Dia De Los Muertos celebration, with special songs for the Goddess Oya. Members include life-long performers and educators from throughout 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, October 11, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Charged Particles 

The most exciting and creative music being made today crosses stylistic boundaries and blends diverse traditions to create engaging new sounds.  Charged Particles features three of the country’s virtuosos doing just that in the acoustic and electric jazz arena.  Murray Low is a keyboard wizard with dazzling Latin-jazz technique and imaginative improvisational skills.  Aaron Germain is an inventive and sophisticated acoustic and electric bassist.  Along with fiery drummer Jon Krosnick, these players are making some of the most electrifying jazz in the country today.

The trio’s funky Latin jazz repertoire, blending in elements of classical music, mixes complex orchestration with freewheeling improvisation.  The band brings a similar approach to playing their own arrangements of jazz standards, each played with a new twist.

All of the trio’s music has a distinctly acoustic sensibility, despite the members playing both acoustic and electric acoustic instruments.  The group’s hallmark is sensitivity and spontaneity among the players, making each performance a spontaneous group exploration.   The band’s energy level is always high, even when they are cooking at a volume no louder than a whisper, or floating through the melody of a romantic ballad.   Watching the group, it’s obvious that they have fun playing together and admire each other’s musical instincts.

Charged Particles made its public debut on National Public Radio Affiliate WDET’s live performance program, “Detroit Jazz Alive”, originating in Detroit, Michigan.  The group’s one-hour live performance drew wide attention and opened the door to performances at festivals and clubs around the world.  In addition to its own headline performances, the band has opened for national recording artists such as Al DiMeola, Stanley Jordan, Yanni, and the group has had such international mega-star drummers as Peter Erskine and Dennis Chambers and percussionist Doc Gibbs sit in with them.

In 2011, the third generation of Charged Particles was born in California.  The west coast trio began with Murray Low firing up the keyboards and Jason Muscat on electric bass.  When Jason joined the touring band “Tainted Love”, Aaron Germain took over blazing on the acoustic and electric basses.  Playing new original compositions, as well as the long-time original repertoire of the band and compositions by their favorite contemporary composers, Murray, Aaron, and Jon are busy gigging.

Highlights for the band in recent years have been a performance on the main stage of Yoshi’s San Francisco jazz club accompanying French Vietnamese guitarist Nguyen Le playing his compositions, an appearance accompanying vocalist Kevyn Lettau singing her compositions at Cafe Cordiale in Los Angeles, and performances in the Los Angeles area with keyboardist David Garfield.

The band has been collaborating regularly with powerhouse vocalist Rocío Guitard.

An exciting innovation for the group has been its collaboration with powerhouse reed player Paul McCandless (of the famed super-group Oregon) playing his own compositions.  The group has been appearing as headliners at the famed jazz clubs Birdland (in New York City), Blues Alley (in Washington, DC), Yoshi’s (in San Francisco), and Nighttown (in Cleveland), as well as at the San Luis Obispo Jazz Festival, the Stanford Jazz Festival, the Erie Blues and Jazz Festival, and other venues around California and the east coast.

Another exciting project is a celebration of the music of tenor saxophone great Michael Brecker, featuring Bay Area tenor saxophonist Tod Dickow.  The group has been bringing alive Brecker’s music and spirit.  Their CD of the music gained acclaim in numerous jazz publications world-wide, including lengthy feature articles in Jazziz magazine and Jazz Times magazine, plus airplay on numerous radio stations in the U.S. and abroad.  The trio has been touring with Dickow around the U.S. and in the U.K., and a recent sold-out show featured Brecker’s brother, acclaimed trumpeter Randy Brecker, at the famed jazz club Birdland in New York City.

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.

We are planning to go to weekly programming starting October 2023, through the end of the year. There is no admission fee. This series is a fundraising campaign, in support of local musicians and childhood music education.

Live World Music on Wednesdays from 6:00-8:30pm at The Annex, 10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito.

Wednesday, October 4: Jim Santi Owens & Friends (Indian/World Percussion)
Wednesday, October 11: Charged Particles (Jazz)
Wednesday, October 18: Hadley Louden & Marimba Pacifica
Wednesday, October 25: To Be Confirmed (Blues/Jazz Vocal)

The Annex Sessions received a donation of $3,000 and has an offer of an additional $2000 to match any donations made in the month of October.

We are inviting business owners and donors to contribute to allow the weekly sessions to continue through 2024.

Donations of $1000 ( or more) will receive listing in SunJams promotional package and get a reservation for 4 at one of their events ( with complimentary bottle of wine). Donations will be matched by one of SunJams board members, up to $2000. This means that donating now will double the impact of your donation. Sunjams has a limited number of reserved seats to offer. These seats are only available via SunJams

Please consider supporting SunJams fundraising efforts. Every dollar helps.

Come join us & build community!

Wednesday, October 4, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Jim Santi Owen & Friends 

Jim Santi Owen is an American percussionist, educator, producer, performer, grant writer and funder based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Drumming since the age of eight, Owen began an intensive training in the North Indian percussion instrument tabla in 1991, studying under Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music, the California Institute of the Arts, and in India.  In 1995, Owen began studying South Indian percussion instruments including mridangam, ghatam, kanjiraand morsing with master percussionist T.H. Subash Chandran, and the temple drum, thavil, with K. Sekar.  At CalArts, Owen studied Jazz with Charlie Haden, James Newton, and Tootie Heath and African drumming and dance from the Ladzekpo Brothers. He studied North Indian music and tabla accompaniment from Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and the art of accompaniment for the North Indian dance known as Kathak from Pandit Chitresh Das.  Owen holds a Bachelor’s of Humanities from New College of California and a Master’s degree in World Music from California Institute of the Arts.  He served as the Music Director for the San Francisco World Music Festival from 2009 to 2014 and is on faculty at Dominican University, The California Jazz Conservatory, LINES Ballet School, the California Institute of the Arts, and the Ali Akbar College of Music. Owen served a 3-year term as a panelist on the Zellerbach Family Fund’s Community Arts Panel, sits on arts panels for the San Francisco Arts Commission, and is Co-Chair of Development for the Swapan Chaudhuri Foundation. He served for six years as Chair of the Funding Advisory Committee for the Cultural Affairs Division of the City of Oakland and was recently appointed as a Cultural Affairs Commissioner by the Mayor of Oakland.

Owen’s work as a composer/producer is featured on Meta’s (Facebook’s) Sound Collection which has released over 150 of his original and traditional world music tracks highlighting the classical music of North and South India, folk musics of Rajasthan and Bengal, traditional music of Ghana, and classical traditions of Iran and the Middle East. As CEO of Jim Santi Owen Music, Inc., he managed a six hundred-thousand-dollar budget from Facebook to produce these tracks. His music has been used on Facebook and Instagram for over 16 million reels and other user generated content.

Jim Santi Owen has performed extensively with world-class musicians from a myriad of cultural and musical backgrounds.  These include his gurus, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Subash Chandran, and K. Sekar with whom he performed both in India and the U.S.  Other internationally renowned artists with whom Owen has performed include:  Jazz legend Pharoah Sanders, Nubian musician Hamza el Din, Double violin virtuoso Shenkar (L. Shankar) guitar innovator Stanley Jordan, Kathak dance master Pandit Chitresh Das, sitar maestro Kartik Seshadri, renowned Persian vocalist Sharam Nazeri, drum set virtuosoSteve Smith, minimalist composer Terry Riley, Jazz saxophonist Joseph Jarman (Art Ensemble of Chicago), Israeli oud player Yair Dalal, young sarode maestro Alam Khan, tabla virtuoso Bikram Ghosh, kanjira exponent Ganesh Kumar, Indo-Jazz fusion artist George Brooks, didgeridoo master Stephen Kent, devotional singer Jai Uttal, avant-garde pianist Myra Melford, Italian percussionist Alessandra Belloni, Tibetan artist Techung, Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Burmese pot-waing player Kyaw Kyaw Naing,Rova Saxophone Quartet, Cuban pianist Omar Sosa and bansuri flute exponent Steve Gorn.  Owen has also appeared on numerous recordings in America and has recorded in India with ghatam maestro T.H. Vikku Vinayakram and kanjira wizard Selva Ganesh.

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, September 20, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Danilo y Trio Universal

🎶 Singing in five languages and playing a dozen different rhythms, Danilo y Trio Universal truly have a repertoire with something for every musical taste.

In his extensive musical career, Danilo has performed as a percussionist with internationally known musicians such as Carlos Santana, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, and Mary Wilson of The Supremes. With his guitar trio, Danilo demonstrates his mastery of guitar and vocals. He is accompanied on percussion and lead vocals by Olga Vinnik, and on saxophone and backing vocals by Madison Bohrer.

Come Join us for an unforgettable evening!

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, September 6, 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 KTO Project’s Mafaro eZimbabwe “Unplugged” 

🎶 Get ready for an incredible concert celebrating The KTO Project’s new album release, Mafaro eZimbabwe!

Kelly Takunda Orphan is joining forces with Mbira dzaSoko and guitarist Nathan Okite to present music from Zimbabwe, soulful vocals, rhythmic mbira and East African guitar. Don’t miss this unforgettable experience!

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, August 16, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Andre Thierry & His Accordion Soul Music! 

Although born and raised in Richmond, California, Andre’s French-Kreole heritage is deeply rooted in Louisiana. He embarked on a path with specific knowledge and extraordinary talents at a very young age. True to his culture and love of music, he has crafted a career well beyond his years as an artist.

Andre grew up experiencing the French Kreole (La-La) dances his grandparents held at their church parish, St. Mark’s Catholic Church. The best Zydeco musicians Louisiana had to offer traveled to California to play at these dances. The exposure allowed him to develop his love for traditional French Kreole music. Andre regularly played with visiting bands, such as the late John Delafose and many local Zydeco and Cajun bands, including the late Danny Poullard (California Cajun Orchestra). By age twelve, Andre formed his band, “Zydeco Magic.” Andre is self-taught and constantly increases his repertoire.

In his 30’s, he had already been deemed a legend. There is widespread agreement that he is an exceptional, multi-dimensional musician with a finely honed ability to merge his accordions with musical mastery.

The Washington Post called Andre “A master at pumping out fast, funky rhythms on an instrument not usually associated with earthy syncopation. A versatile student of the music, Thierry can’t be lumped into Zydeco’s old-school R&B-influenced camp or its nouveau, rap-inspired one: He and his band lay down both soulful, traditional slow-dances and bottom-end-booming kinetic groovers.”

Michael Tisserand, author of The Kingdom of Zydeco, considered the definitive book on the history of Zydeco music, wrote,”In America, great migrations produce great music. Just as Delta musicians took Highway 61 to Chicago and electrified their blues, so did the Kreoles and Cajuns migrate to California and establish vital dance communities. Now the California scenes rival anything back home in Louisiana, and that’s due to players like Andre Thierry, a standard-bearer for the new generation. Thierry is among the best of both the West Coast and the Gulf Coast, and he combines youthful vigor with a mature appreciation for his inherited tradition.”

Andre’s style isn’t conventional; he and his accordions provide a signature sound by creating magnetic, sonic landscapes. The rhythmic songs drive an atmospheric blend, giving his band a powerful edge, naturally building a dedicated following through performing, touring, and a string of album recordings like “It’s About Time,” “A Whole Lotta Somthin” and “Are You Ready To Learn”.

Thierry leaves his musical imprints on recordings like “Live! At the Woodshop”, “Kreole United, Non-Jamais Fait” and “Kreole United, Tu Kekchause A’ Korrek”, even when singing, songwriting, and producing with a collective of artists, while their contributions are discernible,

In his “Bouncin With The Blues” album, Thierry performs songs written or popularized by music legends:  Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Albert King, and Clifton Chenier. Breaking all accordion stereotypes, unforgettable performances with Sammy Hagar (gritty hard Rocker) and David Hildago (influential Latin singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist) showcased fabulous fusion with Andre in his musical zone and pumping genre-bending sounds.

The Accordion defies all national and continental borders. Andre Thierry was the first American artist to perform in the Akkordeonale, International Festival (Program 2016). Representing the USA — Impelling Blues with Kreole Roots- Andre celebrated with audiences touring Germany, delivering awe-inspiring performances, coming together with musicians in a vivid interchange. Though the musicians came from different cultural backgrounds and musical styles, they shared the language of music, creating a thrilling coexistence on stage.

Forthcoming about his journey, Andre Thierry’s music creations are intoxicating and timeless. Enjoy the unfolding of this charismatic artist as he vibrates Accordion Soul, raising the frequency with stimulating beats, attracting any music lover to the dance floor!

Andre Thierry Accordion Soul Music | Award Winning Kreole Musician

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, August 2, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Kai Lyons’ Lucid Botanical Changüí and Rumba! 

Featuring:

Kai Lyons- tres

Einar Leliebre (Tito)- vocal, percussion

Tobiah Gaster- percussion

Javier Navarrette- percussion

Rumba and Changüí are two distinct and vibrant genres of Cuban music, each with its own unique characteristics and cultural heritage. When these two styles meet, it can lead to an exciting fusion of rhythms and sounds that showcase the richness of Cuban musical traditions.

Rumba is a rhythmic and percussive genre of Cuban music that originated in the Afro-Cuban communities during the colonial era. It is deeply rooted in African rhythms and traditions brought to Cuba by enslaved Africans. Rumba typically involves complex polyrhythms, call-and-response vocals, and dynamic dance movements. There are three main styles of Rumba: Yambú (slow and solemn), Guaguancó (more energetic and flirtatious), and Columbia (fast-paced and virtuosic).

Changüí is another Cuban music genre that emerged in the eastern region of the country, particularly in Guantanamo and Santiago de Cuba. It has rural origins and is considered one of the foundational styles of modern Cuban music. Changüí features a combination of African and Spanish influences and is often played by small groups consisting of guitar-like instruments called tres, maracas, bongos, and güiro. It has a lively and danceable character, with a repetitive and syncopated rhythmic structure.

When Rumba meets Changüí, we can expect a blend of these two distinct rhythmic traditions. The polyrhythmic complexity of Rumba might merge with the syncopated patterns of Changüí, creating a fascinating interplay of percussion and instrumentation. The call-and-response vocal elements of Rumba could also intertwine with the melodic lines of Changüí, adding a layer of vocal interaction to the music.

Moreover, the fusion of Rumba and Changüí may lead to the creation of new dance styles or variations, as both genres are deeply connected to dance forms. The resulting music would likely be infectious, rhythmically engaging, and evoke a sense of celebration and cultural heritage.

It’s important to note that Cuban music is incredibly diverse and continues to evolve through various fusions and influences. The meeting of Rumba and Changüí is just one example of how Cuban musicians continually explore and experiment with their musical heritage. The outcome of such a fusion would depend on the creativity and artistry of the musicians involved, adding their own unique touch to the blend of these two remarkable Cuban music 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.