The folk and traditional music venue is hoping to draw younger and more diverse audiences as it battles soaring costs.
Music
A heat pump croons about ‘climatic healing’ in Berkeley musicians’ new song
As climate-friendly heat pumps replace gas furnaces, two musicians teamed up on a song about a pump “with a lot of love to give.” A decarbonization nonprofit wants to help them turn it into a music video.
New Jewish dance and music series serves as balm in troubled times
The JCC East Bay series starts Sunday with Qadim Ensemble and dancing led by Miriam Peretz, artists who’ve long engaged with the deep connections running through the Jewish and Islamic cultures of North Africa and the Near and Middle East.
After 26 years, California Jazz Conservatory’s founder steps down
Pianist Susan Muscarella launched the Jazzschool above La Note in 1997. She’s leaving to teach and write, and has handed the reins of the conservatory over to Nick Phillips, who also breathes jazz.
Bira Almeida, world-renowned capoeira master, is holding 80th birthday in Berkeley
Almeida, one of two Brazilians to introduce capoeira to the U.S., will perform Wednesday at Freight & Salvage and Thursday at Casa de Cultura.
UC Berkeley’s student orchestra celebrates 100th anniversary this weekend
The UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra’s director told us why law and physics students play in the orchestra and what’s in Chancellor Carol Christ’s will.
In this poignant new opera, Vivaldi falls from the sky and lands in line at the Cheese Board
Proceeds from the South Berkeley Chamber Ensemble’s free, donation-based November concert and pizza party will go toward the Suitcase Clinic.
Remembering Barry Olivier, Berkeley folk music legend
Olivier began hosting a folk music show on KPFA at age 21, co-founded the Berkeley Folk Music Festival, opened The Barrel Folk Music Center and taught guitar to thousands.
UC Theatre has become Bay Area’s premiere venue for top Brazilian musical acts
Pop superstar Marisa Monte performs this weekend. The theater has also hosted samba rocker Diogo Nogueira, rapper Emicida, sertaneja crooner Zé Neto, composer Arthur Verocai and other Brazilian artists in recent years.
Berkeley Symphony’s first concert of the season explores kaleidoscopic variety of American musical landscape
The program includes Harlem stride pianist James P. Johnson’s “Yamekraw: A Negro Rhapsody” and Peter S. Shin’s “Relapse,” inspired by an iconic Korean folk song.
Remembering Jack Curran, whose band Fifteen was at heart of ’90s Berkeley punk scene
His band sang of homelessness, addiction, environmentalism, spirituality and alienation and he directed the first documentary about 924 Gilman Street.
Berkeley Old Time Music Convention has come long way from days when 1st prize was a bag of rutabaga
Its origins date to 1960s music contests. Relaunched 20 years ago, the convention is being held Wednesday-Sunday this week in Berkeley’s Civic Center Park.