Alsidair Fraser @ 20th Annual Fiddle Summit (Downtown Berkeley Music Fest)
8/21, 7:30 p.m.
$22.50
Roda Theatre (Berk)
“Alasdair Fraser is one of Scotland’s most influential tradition-rooted fiddlers. A two-time winner of the open competition of the Scottish National Fiddle Championship, Fraser continues to expand the musical traditions of his homeland with his expressive and virtuosic playing.” Seen him live. Most Excellent. Fiddle players always have folk stories to tell. His are great.
8/21, 7:30 p.m.
$22.50
Roda Theatre (Berk)
“Alasdair Fraser is one of Scotland’s most influential tradition-rooted fiddlers. A two-time winner of the open competition of the Scottish National Fiddle Championship, Fraser continues to expand the musical traditions of his homeland with his expressive and virtuosic playing.” Seen him live. Most Excellent. Fiddle players always have folk stories to tell. His are great.
Amendola vs. Blades (Downtown Berkeley Music Fest)
8/21, Noon
Free
Downton Berkeley Bart Station Plaza
Drummer Scott Amendola and Organist Wil Blades team up for an afternoon of groove jazz and more. “Vastly improvised, never the same twice.”
8/21, Noon
Free
Downton Berkeley Bart Station Plaza
Drummer Scott Amendola and Organist Wil Blades team up for an afternoon of groove jazz and more. “Vastly improvised, never the same twice.”
Chad Manning (Downtown Berkeley Music Fest)
8/24, 5 p.m.
Free
Jupiter
“For the last 6 years Chad has been a member of The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience alongside Jim Nunally, Keith Little, Sam Grisman and his long-time musical hero David Grisman. “Chad Manning is equally at home with bluegrass, swing and Texas-style fiddling. His playing is soulful, tasteful and exciting as are his original tunes. It’s always a gas to pick with him!” (David “Dawg” Grisman).” I’ve taken a number of fiddle workshops with Manning so I can vouch for his playing: he kicks ass.
8/24, 5 p.m.
Free
Jupiter
“For the last 6 years Chad has been a member of The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience alongside Jim Nunally, Keith Little, Sam Grisman and his long-time musical hero David Grisman. “Chad Manning is equally at home with bluegrass, swing and Texas-style fiddling. His playing is soulful, tasteful and exciting as are his original tunes. It’s always a gas to pick with him!” (David “Dawg” Grisman).” I’ve taken a number of fiddle workshops with Manning so I can vouch for his playing: he kicks ass.
Vanessa Carlton (with Joshua Radin, Erin McCarley, Hana Pestle, Alexa Wilkinson)
8/21, 8 p.m.
$20
Fillmore
Piano singer-songwriter. “A Thousand Miles” was huge in 2004.
“Against her record companies advice to follow the style of her first album, ‘Harmonium’ showed a darker, more experimental sound.”
18th Annual Cotati Accordion Fest
8/25, $17
8/26, $25
(15 and under free with adult)
9:30 a.m.
Zydeco, Polka, Gypsy. Two stages of accordion music.
8/25, $17
8/26, $25
(15 and under free with adult)
9:30 a.m.
Zydeco, Polka, Gypsy. Two stages of accordion music.
The Waifs
8/23, 9 p.m.
8/24, 8 p.m.
$25
GAMH
“Originally performing Bob Dylan covers in and around bars in their native Australia,Folk festivals across the United States and Canada also fell in love with their sweet harmonies and self-described “wholemeal” music.”
SMV: The Thunder! Tour w/ Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller & Victor Wooten
8/26, 8 p.m.
$39.50
Regency Center (SF)
Three titans of jazz-fusion bass tour together. Serious superband status.
“[Stanley] Clarke really hit the big time when he started teaming up with Chick Corea in Return to Forever. When the group became a rock-oriented fusion quartet, Clarke mostly emphasized electric bass and became an influential force, preceding Jaco Pastorius.”
“Primarily a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Marcus Miller has worked on hundreds of sessions — crossing jazz, R&B, and rock”
Wooten breaks boundaries on technique on genre playing funk primarily, but lending his sound to the newgrass stylings of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
8/26, 8 p.m.
$39.50
Regency Center (SF)
Three titans of jazz-fusion bass tour together. Serious superband status.
“[Stanley] Clarke really hit the big time when he started teaming up with Chick Corea in Return to Forever. When the group became a rock-oriented fusion quartet, Clarke mostly emphasized electric bass and became an influential force, preceding Jaco Pastorius.”
“Primarily a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Marcus Miller has worked on hundreds of sessions — crossing jazz, R&B, and rock”
Wooten breaks boundaries on technique on genre playing funk primarily, but lending his sound to the newgrass stylings of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
Ice Cube
8/26, 8 p.m.
$46.50
Fillmore
“Ice Cube was the first member of the seminal Californian rap group N.W.A. to leave, and he quickly established himself as one of hip-hop’s best and most controversial artists.” Just about all of his albums have made it to the top 5 of the Billboard 200. He’s pretty bad-ass in that film Three Kings too.
8/26, 8 p.m.
$46.50
Fillmore
“Ice Cube was the first member of the seminal Californian rap group N.W.A. to leave, and he quickly established himself as one of hip-hop’s best and most controversial artists.” Just about all of his albums have made it to the top 5 of the Billboard 200. He’s pretty bad-ass in that film Three Kings too.
Wild 94.9 Comedy Jam.
8/23, 7 p.m.
$20 – $79.50
Shoreline
Katt Williams with Gabriel Iglesias (fat funny), Pablo Francisco, Craig Robinson, Bobby Lee (MAD tv), Maz Jobrani, Leslie, Darren Carter, Edwin San Juan, Noe Gonzalez, Willie Barcena.
Top Chefs Tell All
8/20, 6 p.m.
$15 – $95
Commonwealth Club
“As culinary know-how becomes the new turn-on and foodie reality shows score big ratings, we’ll host some San Francisco-based contestants from the most recent season of Bravo’s “Top Chef.” Come watch them dish the details of their cooking lives and “quick fire” your questions about how to heat up the kitchen.
Skyy Spirits will provide complimentary cocktails at the program reception.”
