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Entries
Women In Jazz this sunday
Allison Adams Tucker on the problems with putting an all-female jazz group together, gender in jazz, and why smooth jazz chick saxists are too cute
"It started with SWAN (it stands for Support Women Artists Now) Day in La Jolla." It's Allison Adams Tucker on the phone to chat up her Women In Jazz show. She explains how, exactly, she became involved. "They had events …
Retox, Secret Fun Club, Anthrot, and Innerds at the Che Cafe
Also, the Locust reunite to join Yeah Yeah Yeahs at I'll Be Your Mirror in London
Remember when the Che Café was the wildest venue in town? When weird hardcore bands would dangle from the rafters and people dressed up funny and everyone lost themselves in a sweaty whirlpool of faces bobbling spastically to the honks …
Ferruccio as Becket
Italian bass takes on a saintly role at San Diego Opera
Ferruccio is coming. His portrayal of Thomas Becket is almost here. What, when and where? Thomas Becket is the central character of T. S. Elliott's play, Murder in the Cathedral which was turned into an opera by Ildebrando Pizzetti. When …
Dependent Origination live at the Taoist Sanctuary
Multi-reed man Peter Kuhn led a stellar ensemble of improvisers for a scintillating set on March 16.
The Taoist Sanctuary on Park Blvd. played host to an all-star free jazz concert by some of the music's heaviest hitters on March 16, when Dependent Origination, an ensemble organized by multi-instrumentalist Peter Kuhn unleashed a blistering, kaleidoscopic 90 minute, …
re: Trio live at the New Dizzy's
This was the final gig this week for Ben Schachter's East Coast group, visiting from NYC and Philadelphia.
Tenor saxophonist Ben Schachter has been in San Diego for less than a year, if I'm not mistaken, but the former Philadelphian is definitely making waves in the local jazz scene. Key to his success is an uncommon versatility. Schachter …
Carl Stone live in the East Village
Electronic music pioneer blended a myriad of sounds for a journey into places unknown.
Electronic music composer Carl Stone was the featured performer at Bonnie Wright's March 14 installment of her Fresh Sound @ Space 4 Art series. A pivotal moment in Stone's musical history came about in his student days at Cal Arts, …
What do you get when you cross Megadeth with the San Diego Symphony?
I don't know either, but we'll find out on April 12, 2014, at downtown's Copley Symphony Hall
Symphony Interrupted at Copley Symphony Hall will feature San Marcos-based Megadeth guitarist Dave Mustaine doing an as-yet-unspecified collaboration with the San Diego Symphony on April 12, 2014, in a program set to include Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” Vivaldi’s “Winter,” …
Ellen Weller & Joshua White at Palomar College
There is both serious and joyful chemistry between these two masters.
Woodwind multi-instrumental virtuoso Ellen Weller surfaced with a rare public performance on March 14, in a sublime duo with pianist Joshua White for an afternoon concert at Palomar College. Choosing an all-improvised format, Weller began with slinky clarinet weaving around …
Mariachi at San Diego Opera
Legendary Mariachi performs original opera at Civic Theater.
Cruzar la cara de la luna--To cross the face of the moon--the first Mariachi Opera. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5ZPiFSTSO4 “Yes I’m going, that’s the best Mariachi band in the world!”, said the opera-singing soprano with a master’s degree in vocal pedagogy. Was I …
Mariachi week: its a wrap Saturday afternoon at the opera
Mariachi on tap all afternoon at downtown's Civic Theater
"I've been working on this with them for six months or so," Jeff Nevin says. Them, meaning San Diego Opera management. "Actually, I first met with them last February." The result is Mariachi Week, which has been going on all …
Project Donate supports charities by promoting local music
A team of Eastlake High School alumni curate music for fundraisers benefiting muscular dystrophy, autism, and a Tijuana orphanage.
Every now and then, when cosmic bodies align just so and Santa Anas cloak the breeze with their curious desert magic, a person finds their calling in that charmed place where talent, passion, opportunity, and goodwill meet. Such was the …
Ben Schachter Quartet at Jazz Live
Schachter is an exciting saxophonist and he blew the roof off the Saville Theatre
Saxophonist Ben Schachter, in a quartet featuring iconic pianist Mike Wofford, NYC bassist Leon Boykins and Philadelphia drummer Matt Scarano delivered a blistering set of modern improvised music on March 12, at KSDS Jazz Live, for a sold-out house at …
Steph Johnson: Nature Girl release party, March 16, @ Sunset Temple
The soulful vocalist is celebrating her new CD with bassist Rob Thorsen and drummer Fernando Gomez, plus special guests.
Guitar-slinging vocalist Steph Johnson is hosting the official CD Release party for her brand-new album Nature Girl on March 16, at the Sunset Temple, located at 3911 Kansas, in North Park. Nature Girl has been receiving quite a bit of …
Classical music videos that work
Classical music has been lamely mimicking the mainstream but every now and again someone does something amazing.
Classical music-videos have made an attempt to be relevant for years. When they mimic pop videos, it’s annoying. Who wants to see a close up of an opera singer lip syncing? Not I. The videos of complete performances are effective …
Desert Daze Music and Art Festival announces full lineup
Pomona-based Moon Block Party collective throws 4/20 party in Mecca before taking off to Austin Psych Fest
Desert Daze Music and Art Festival recently released the full lineup for their second annual party, to be held on Saturday, April 20 at Sunset Ranch, “a beautiful desert oasis set against a backdrop of purple mountains and miles of …
Solo electronic music concert: Carl Stone, March 14 @ Space 4 Art
"The king of sampling" drops in for a performance in the East Village.
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/mar/12/41687/ Live computer music pioneer Carl Stone comes to Bonnie Wright's Fresh Sound @ Space 4 Art series on March 14. Stone has been hailed by the Village Voice as "the king of sampling" and "one of the best composers …
Helzer, Grinnell & Hubbard: The ARC Trio
Shifting from intricate notation into free improvisation while keeping it all swinging is serious fun.
The ARC Trio featuring pianist Rick Helzer bassist Justin Grinnell and drummer Nathan Hubbard played a reunion gig on March 9 at Villa Musica--reconfirming the depth of talent in the San Diego jazz scene. These guys may be the best-kept …
A Scribe Amidst the Lions calling it quits
Band breakup just weeks after releasing finale of 3-album trilogy
"After many years of creating some of the best music and memories of our lives, A Scribe Amidst the Lions is saying goodbye," according to an email blast from A Scribe Amidst the Lions. "We want to thank all of …
Basshenge Technology techno dance series at AC Lounge
Burning Man sound camp drops the beat at BeHe bar.
Basshenge started last year as a series of parties to raise funds for a Burning Man installation of the same name. The result was a life-size (150 feet in diameter) Stonehenge replica powered by 100,000 watts of sound, over 120 …