As his band’s name suggests, Rafael Bustamante Sarria created La Gente SF as a vehicle to bring a cosmopolitan array of grooves to the people. A longtime Bay Area resident now based in Madrid, the charismatic frontman has honed a dance-inducing Caribbean sound blending cumbia and reggae, salsa, hip hop and reggaeton. La Gente SF’s […]
Even three evocative names can’t contain the protean nature of Martin Luther McCoy’s talent. The San Francisco native is an actor, guitarist, singer/songwriter, producer and imploring soul-man who refuses to confine himself to any one creative pursuit. Since emerging as a charismatic frontman on the Bay Area’s fertile 1990s neo-soul scene he’s continued to find […]
Hailing from the western university town of El-Obeid, the luminous vocalist Salma El Assal is a leading force in bringing the sound of aghaani banaat to the world. A repertoire traditionally performed throughout Sudan by women in women’s gatherings, as well as weddings and simaayas (naming parties), aghaani banaat mixes with reggae and soul music […]
This program occurs on Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13. Go to the Pistahan website for complete schedule. A little known fact: Filipinos make up California’s largest Asian community. There’s a lot of creativity and accomplishment to mark. The 30th annual Pistahan festival is the region’s premiere celebration of Filipino and Filipino-American arts and […]
This program occurs on Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13. Go to the Pistahan website for complete schedule. A little known fact: Filipinos make up California’s largest Asian community. There’s a lot of creativity and accomplishment to mark. The 30th annual Pistahan festival is the region’s premiere celebration of Filipino and Filipino-American arts and […]
Every summer California Brazil Camp brings a dazzling cast of master Brazilian musicians to the redwoods of Cazadero to teach and share the South American nation’s irresistible rhythms and sensuous melodies. And every summer for 15 years, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival has invited some of those masters to bring their forest-forged camaraderie to the […]
In Venezuela, a bululú is a buzzing party, a gathering that generates excitement. It only takes a minute listening to Bululú to understand why they’ve claimed the moniker as their own. Led by Venezuelan-born percussionist and vocalist Lali Mejia, the nine-piece combo draws on folkloric styles from Venezuelan, Colombian, Cuban and other Caribbean cultures. With […]