Wanda's Picks May 29, 200i9

Today we feature the music of Sila & the AfroFunk Experience and Tosin Aribasala "The Hallalujah Jazz Project." Guests are: Josef Norris, founder and director of Kid Serve, an organization that creates mosaic murals in San Francisco Bay Area communities, one school or neighborhood at a time. Visit http://www.kidserve.com/. There is an unveiling Friday, May 29, 12 noon at Ida B. Wells High School, 1099 Hayes St., on the Fell St. side in San Francisco.

Kid Serve with the Oakland Mosaic Project offers adult classes June 27-28 in Oakland. Visit Kid Serve's website for details.

Josef is followed by a wonderful conversation with Eric Greene who appears as "Jake, the fisherman," who is married to "Clara" (soprano, Angel Blue)in Porgy and Bess, at San Francisco Opera in a few weeks. Eric has been with the production since its inception in Washington, DC, and has performed "Jake" along the tour at the Lyric Opera Chicago, Baltimore Opera and the Grand Théâtre Luxembourg.

Visit http://sfopera.com/press/porgyandbess/PorgyandBess.pdf

San Francisco Opera's George and Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, is set, this production, in the '50s. Dubose and Dorothy Heyward's play is the basis for the opera, which opens June 9-27 at the War Memorial Opera House. Bass-baritone Eric Owens and soprano Laquita Mitchell headline the cast as "Porgy" and "Bess," an unlikely couple who manage to find love amidst the squalor of Catfish Row.

We close the show with Amana Harris, founder and executive director of ArtEsteem, a program of the Attitudinal Healing Connection, where she is Associate Director. "The 11th Annual Self As Hero" show is up at the Oliver Art Center Center for Art and Public Life, at the California College of the Arts--CCA, 5212 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94618 through Friday, May 29. Hours are: M-F: 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesdays, 1-4:30 p.m. Visit http://www.ahc-oakland.org/ 1st broadcast 5/26/09

Other events!

This weekend is also the Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival at San Antonio Park. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts has a special dance performance/site specific with Ronald K. Brown and the Nike Cave exhibit. I am going to check it out Sunday at 3 p.m. "Up," the film opens tomorrow. It is a really sweet story about family and commitment and change. It's a film for the entire family. ARCHWAY RECOVERY SERVICES presents “A Celebration of Recovery” A CONCERT/ART SHOW CELEBRATING RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE, Saturday, May 30th at the Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts. Call(707) 435-1804 or visit www.solanocreativearts.com. The Roots are at Davies Symphony on Saturday, May 30 and the Armando Perez party kicks off tonight and continues through tomorrow evening at Yoshi's in Oakland. The dance floor will be open. Esperanza Spaulding, the bassist, will be at Healdsburg Friday, May 29, also. Happy Birthday to Armando Perez, Marvin X, Sara Marie Prada and Robert King.

Geminis in da planetary house!

May 27, 2009 Wanda's Picks Radio http://www.wandaspicks.asmnetwork.org

Today we will feature an interview with Randy Weston recorded earlier this year. Weston is performing at the 11th Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival, June 6. This prerecorded interview will be followed by a live conversation with Tony Wade, Vernon "Ice" Black, re: ARCHWAY RECOVERY SERVICES presents “A Celebration of Recovery” A CONCERT/ART SHOW CELEBRATING RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE, Saturday, May 30th at the Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts. Archway Recovery Services, a licensed and certified residential drug and alcohol treatment program for men, is hosting its first ever concert and art show. The concert will feature powerhouse vocalist Lydia Pense of classic Bay Area band Cold Blood. Opening the show will be Sacramento Old School and R & B radio station V101.FM’s Artist of the Year Aaron Young (nicknamed “Baby Luther Vandross” for his smooth vocals). The musical director is guitarist Vernon “Ice” Black who has recorded and toured with Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and many others. The gallery exhibit will feature works of art by people in recovery and/or inspired by people in recovery. The Fairfield Visual Arts Association and many other great local artists will contribute their works. All tickets are general admission and are only $25. They can be obtained by either calling or going to City Hall at the Mall located in Westfield Shopping Mall in Fairfield, lower level next to JC Penney (707) 428-7714, or by calling or stopping by Archway (707) 435-1804 or visiting www.solanocreativearts.com.