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.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

“Coastal Music of Peru” / “Música Costeña del Perú”

Marina Lavalle – vocals

Marcelino Santiago “Coco” Linares Zegarra – Guitar

Pedro Rosales – Cajon

When enslaved African populations were brought to work in coastal agricultural areas of Peru during colonial times, they brought along their musical traditions. In Peru, those traditions mixed with Spanish popular music of the nineteenth century, eventually growing into what is commonly known as Afro-Peruvian music. The Marinera, festejo, landó, tondero, zamacueca, and contrapunto de zapateo musical genres, among others, involve rich dance and ritual traditions.

The atajo de negritos and yunsa dance forms are traditional Afro-Peruvian expressions from the southcentral coastal department of Ica. This predominantly rural area harbors one of the largest concentrations of Afro-Peruvians in the country. These dances are cultural manifestations of their locally developed identity, memory, and musical and ritual knowledge.

MARINA LAVALLE

Afro-Peruvian singer Marina Lavalle is one of the most distinctive performers in the Bay Area and one of the great voices of modern Peruvian music. An important figure in the resurgence of Afro-Peruvian music, Marina nurtures a carefully crafted blend of contemporary and traditional sounds. Accompanied by guitar, base and Peruvian cajón, she renders a soulful and vibrant interpretation of an array of rhythms in her musical heritage such as: Landó, Festejo, and Zamacueca, just to name a few.

MARCELINO SANTIAGO “COCO” LINARES ZEGARRA
He was born in San Luis de Cañete in 1955. He graduated from the National Conservatory of Music specializing in Classical Guitar and is considered one of the most outstanding guitarists, composers, arrangers and musical directors in Peru.

He has been deserving of various distinctions such as the one received in 1978 as Best Young Arranger. Throughout his professional career, he has been in charge of conducting important orchestras in Peru and abroad, including the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru, of which he was guest conductor in 1993.
As an arranger and musical composer, Coco Linares has written more than 40 symphonic music orchestrations; His arrangements of El Cóndor Pasa for the Lima Philharmonic Orchestra stand out. He has also orchestrated the Chabuca Granda Creole Mass for the Archbishopric of Lima. In addition, he has written various musical arrangements for television programs such as “Mediodía criollo” and “Una y mil voces”.

He has participated in various musical productions with artists such as Eva Ayllón, Cecilia Barraza, Cecilia Bracamonte, Los Zañartu, Las limeñitas, Jesús Vásquez, Óscar Avilés and Arturo “Zambo” Cavero, among others.

The Ministry of Culture recognizes Marcelino Santiago “Coco” Linares Zegarra as a Meritorious Personality of Culture 2015 for his outstanding contribution to Peruvian musical culture.

PEDRO ROSALES

Proyecto Lando director Pedro Rosales is a renowned cajon player celebrated for his fierce, energetic playing, his expressive vocal interpretations, his sensitivity as an accompanist, and his creative and prolific compositions.

Born in Lima, Peru, Pedro discovered his passion for the cajon at the age of fourteen, taking classes with maestro Ernesto Sandoval at the Museo de Arte de Lima. By 1989, he had joined folklorist Julio Casanovas’ Tradiciones Peruanas ensemble as a percussionist. In 1992, Pedro moved to San Francisco, where he co-founded the experimental ensemble Malambo Kombo with pianist Jorge Molina. In 1995, he co-founded De Rompe y Raja Cultural Association, who released four albums under his musical direction through 2013: “El Retorno” (2001), “Diaspora Negra” (2009), children’s album “Huaranguito” (2011) and Marina Lavalle’s “Sutil” (2010). In 2009, Pedro founded Proyecto Lando, releasing a number of original compositions in collaboration with arranger Felipe Pumarada, and performing extensively throughout Northern California.

Pedro’s skills as a cajon player developed under the guidance of his mentors, master Afro-Peruvian percussionists Manuel “Manguey” Vasquez, Eusebio “Sirio” Pititi, Braulio Barrera, and “Lalo” Izquierdo (founder, choreographer, percussionist/dancer of Peru Negro Cultural Association). Pedro is honored to have accompanied many of the most celebrated Peruvian singers and artists, including Pepe Vasquez, Jesus Vasques, Luis Abanto Morales, Arturo Zambo Cavero, Oscar Aviles, Lucia de la Cruz, Lucila Campos, Peru Negro, Bartola, Jorge Luis Jasso, Manuel Donayre, Rosa Flor, Carlos Hayre and Elizabeth Panchano, among others.

Pedro is well-known in the Bay Area music scene as a collaborator, sharing his knowledge and curiosity with musicians immersed in a variety of Afro-latin traditions.

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, July 5, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Los Bahianatos

Jose Rivera – guacharaca and vocals

Chris Reid – accordion and vocals

Brax Chamaco – bass guitar, electric guitar and vocals

Dave Eagle – caja vallenata, conga, tambor, campana and high-hat

Los Bahianatos (by * ya * NAH * tos) specialize in Colombian dance music featuring the button accordion, including cumbia, vallenato and everything in between. It’s a blend of early Colombian roots music and popular hits by some of Colombia’s most influential artists of the 20th century, such as Alejo Durán, Andres Landero, Lisandro Meza, Calixto Ochoa, Alfredo Gutierrez, Enrique Diaz, Miguel Durán, Romualdo Brito, Diomedez Diaz and many more! Founded in Oakland, California, during the early months of the pandemic, Los Bahianatos are the premier cumbia and vallenato band en ‘La Bahia’.

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, June 21, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Aki Kumar’s Bollywood Blues

Aki Kumar ~ harmonica & vocals

June Core ~ drums

Vance Ehlers ~ bass

Rome Yamilov ~ drums

Aki Kumar left his home in Mumbai with the intention of working as a software engineer in Silicon Valley. Then he discovered the blues, and his life dramatically changed. Singing and playing harmonica, he steeped himself in the music and became a fixture in blues clubs throughout Northern California, where he developed an unique, audacious blend of Chicago-style blues which then led to playing retro Bollywood songs mixed with the blues.

When he began performing, Kumar initially attempted to downplay his ethnicity and perform straight, Chicago-style blues. “I wanted to make a statement that I was a traditional blues man, so I wanted to be playing blues and have nobody even wonder where I came from.” His approach to music soon changed, and with his Little Village Foundation debut, Aki Goes to Bollywood, he began integrating elements of Indian Music into his musical and visual presentation, making for a multi-cultural mash-up that sounds like no one else, yet never loses touch with its blues-inspired foundation.

That unique blend of East and West reached a new creative high on Aki’s second Little Village Foundation Album, Hindi Man Blues, which boasts an ambitious cross-cultural fusion and features liner notes by veteran blues harmonica great Charlie Musselwhite. “My first album was really about my identity”, the artist states. “Now I feel it is time to be more direct about what’s happening out there in the world. The blues scene is my home, and the scene can be pretty conservative, but I want people to know where I stand. There’s a good amount of focus on Bollywood classics on the new album, and I even throw in a song about President Trump called ‘All Bark No Bite’.”

In 2020, Kumar made major news with the world-wide launch of his album Dilruba on Sony Music India. Dilruba is an Indian Pop record that showcases his signature sound on a number of Hindi/bilingual originals and covers. In 2021, he released an uplifting reggae-inspired single ‘Zindagi’ under the Little Village Foundation label.

Kumar’s visionary stylistic mix, called Bollywood Blues, has already won him widespread attention. In addition to the local live music venues where he’s built and enthusiastic audience, he’s performed at the prestigious Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, been featured on PRI “The World”, and toured in India, Russia, Scandanavia and South America. Now, after spending more than a decade developing his sound with the help of some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians, Aki Kumar continues to take his love for the blues to new and fascinating places.

https://akikumar.com/home

The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music.

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 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, May 17, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Javier Navarrette’s Latin Jazz Trio featuring:

Anthony Blea- violin

Marco Diaz – piano

Javier Navarrette – percussion

Danceable Latin Jazz music with infectious “Charanga Grooves”!

Javier Navarrette – is a professional percussionist, musician, composer, arranger and educator living in Oakland, California, specializing in Afro-Caribbean music. Javier’s performance and recording career spans over three decades.

Amongst the many greats he has played with are: Poncho Sanchez; Los Van Van; the Conga Kings: Francisco Aguabella, Carlos “Patáto” Valdez, and Milton Cardona; as well as with jazz, Javier received the artist scholarship award with Plaza Cuba Travels to study music at La Escuela Nacional de Arte in Habana, Cuba.

Javier has been teaching with Living Jazz Children’s Music Project in the Oakland public schools and at the summer Jam Camp for Children.

Javier produces Modúpue Sundays with Arts at the Basin, Rocky’s Market, Brooklyn Basin, Oakland, and the Neighborhood Sessions at The Annex in El Cerrito, both musical events presenting the Bay Area’s legendary musicians in the Afro-Latin music Scene.

Anthony Blea -skill on the violin landed him work with many international legends such as Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Ray Charles, Boz Scaggs and Leonard Bernstein to name a few. Most notably Anthony has played with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra.

Marco Diaz – is an accomplished recording musician who has shared the stage with Grammy Award winning artist, Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Nelson Gonzales, Jimmy Bosch, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, Ska Cubano (Europe), Tito Rojas, Nino Segarra, Anthony Cruz, Anthony Blea, Jovino Santos Neto, Joe Santiago, and is an integral member of the John Santos sextet and the musical director for Bobi Cespedes. while also co-leading Vission Latina, an Afro-Caribbean dance band, VL Trio, and his own group.

The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music.

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 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, May 17, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex) 10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito  – “The Annex Sessions”

Ruben Blanco Hurtado Trio

Ruben Blanco Hurtado ~ piano & flute

Carlitos Medrano ~ percussion

Steve Senft-Herrera ~ bass

Guest Musician: Sandra Poindextor ~ violin

Cuban Music including Cuban Classics, Cha Cha Chas, Boleros & Latin Jazz

Ruben Blanco Hurtado, in the early 90s worked in house bands in San Jose California playing what was called tropical music. Beginning in the 2000s, he worked
with Fito Reynoso for a number of years playing Cuban music. Then he joined Tito Gonzales y Su Son playing more traditional Cuban dance music. Also around this time he started his own project playing Cuban classics, dance songs , cha cha chas , boleros, and some Latin jazz.

The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music.

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 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, May 3, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex) 10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito  – “The Annex Sessions”

Soji Sai

Nigerian guitar master and singer Adesoji “Soji” Odukogbe has the distinction of being amember of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s Egypt 80 band during the 1980’s. As Fela Kuti’s lead guitarist, Soji draws on an extensive background in Nigerian Afrobeat, highlife, and spiritual music, bringing a unique sensibility to his West African guitar interpretations. Since settling down in the SF Bay Area, Soji has been active in the African music scene, and is a founding member of The Afrobeat Connexion and The Nigerian Brothers, as well as being a supporting musician for various acts such as The West African Highlife Band and Kotoja. He has recorded and played with Femi Kuti, Babatunde Olatunji and Orlando Julius Ekemode, among others.

Jerry Kennedy Bassist, vocalist, bandleader educator. Jerry Kennedy has opened for and toured with the likes of James Brown, George Clinton and many others in the old school funk world. He has worked in the Bay Area as a bass player, bandleader and singer for the past 20 years and continues to be a force on the scene.

Tosin Aribisala An international rhythm master with infectious groove sensibility, the Nigerian-born drummer, composer, vocalist – Tosin Aribisala – extends his deep roots in the colorful polyrhythms of Africa to other global rhythmic spectrum, from jazz to gospel, from rock to funk. Tosin’s recent single “The Big Illusion” demonstrates the possible cross-cultural musical exchange between Africa and Latin America, featuring Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. Furthermore, Tosin’s “Drum Monologue” compositions continue to inspire drummers across demographic and cultural lines. Tosin’s talent has been shared with artists like Femi Kuti, Taj Mahal, Fatoumata Diawara, Spyro Gyra, and many more.

Kim Agnew is a multi-disciplined percussionist, dancer, choreographer, visual artist and educator. Kim has a degree in Fine Arts, combined with decades of dance studies and performance guided by master teachers from around the world.

Soji Sai Afrobeat & Highlife is Soji’s solo project, featuring a ferocious 10-piece plus

band playing pure Afrobeat a la Fela Kuti – including a smoking horn section, intricate vocal harmonies, and a dance inducing rhythm section, as well as Highlife and Palm Wine Music. Soji and the band sets the dance floors afire with a churning, polyrhythmic style that Soji simply calls, “authentic original Afrobeat like Fela’s type of music, the traditional Afrobeat that nobody does” in a world of endless Afro-fusions. Mixing in his own originals as well as some covers of Fela Kuti’s visionary music, Soji Sai Afrobeat & Highlife provides a pure Nigerian Dance Party – guaranteed to get your feet and hips moving!

Please join us for this more intimate quartet experience!

The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music.

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 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, April 19, 2023, 6-8:30pm will continue our music series held at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex (The Annex)  – “The Annex Sessions”

Bululú: Sabor Tropical Latino!

Lali Mejia – Band Leader/Percussion

Sofia Magdalena – Vocalist

Ayla Davila – Muscial Director/Bass

Kai Lyons – Strings

Jose Gregorio Kansau – Vocalist

A dynamic Latin music band showcasing a live and flavorful repertoire deeply rooted in Venezuelan and Caribbean influences. Get ready for an evening of calypsos, salsa, sones, porros, boleros and beyond!

The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music.

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 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, April 5, 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 Dans of Steel Trio

Waddell Bell – bass, vocals

Ronnie Smith – drums, vocals

Raliegh Neal – keyboards, vocals

Sitting In: Bill Hampton on guitar (a Bay Area legend) … exciting!!

Possible appearances by

Malcolm Marshall – Vocals

Dave Shul – guitar

Make tonight a wonderful thing with The Dans of Steel…

Bay Area based band The Dans of Steel celebrates the music of Steely Dan, the prolific American rock band founded in 1972 by masterminds Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.

Started in 2017, it’s a deserving tribute from five deeply soulful musicians who came together in admiration of the detailed craftings and artistic splendor of Steely Dan.

The Dans of Steel — Waddell Bell, Ronnie Smith, Dave Shul, Malcolm Marshall and Raliegh Neal — explore, “funkafy” and lovingly recreate songs from throughout the Steely Dan canon that brings together jazz, rock, and r&b sensibilities.

As seasoned musicians, they look to the actual session players that enrich each album Steely Dan has produced.

The Dans, all of them fathers (and at times Men of Steel in their everyday lives), enjoy heated conversations and long listening sessions together. Having a reverence for Steely Dan’s body of work, they often go deep into the large list of supporting musicians who lend their talents to creating the music’s aesthetic, including the individual guitarists, bassist, drummers, pianists and vocalists.

The band aims to go beyond just Donald Fagen and Walter Becker by reaching in the bag of the often-unsung session musicians, whose skills created the groves, riffs, vibes and arrangements that still thrill us today.  Members of bands like The Crusaders, The Doobie Brothers, Toto, Weather Report and so many others.

The music and compositions of the support musicians can be related back to the Steely Dan discography and in turn we begin to see how truly prolific this music was and still is.

The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music.

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 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, March 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”

Barrio Manouche Trio

Javi Jiménez – Guitar and Vocals

Ross Howe – Guitar

Luis Jiménez – Cajón and Percussions

Founded by the Spanish guitarist and composer Javi Jiménez, the group consists of
a singular musical body that combines the instrumentation and signature of Jazz
Manouche, Modern Jazz, Flamenco and Latin-American rhythms.
Based in San Francisco, CA the acoustic ensemble performs a repertoire of original
compositions with an emotionally charged sound that is difficult to classify but
instantly recognizable.

Barrio’s international roots shine brightly in their music with members from Spain,
Quebec, Colombia, France, Brazil and the United States. They are deeply influenced
by a wide range of musical traditions, and this is how the group’s unique sound is
born.

Barrio Manouche provides a tremendous live experience and transports its audience
on a magical journey, with a unique fusion of cultures and musical landscapes… an
auditory and visual feast like no other.

The Natural Grocery Company is proud to present this series in partnership with SunJams and Javier Navarrette Music.

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 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.