Red Poppy Art House: January, 2020

The list of events for January on the Upcoming Events Web page on the Web site for the Red Poppy Art House has now exceeded the “critical mass” threshold by a healthy margin. As usual, this is no guarantee that the schedule for next month has been finalized. Thus, I shall continue my usual practice of monitoring additions through notification on Facebook Events. Also as usual, I shall update this article and use my “shadow” Facebook site to let followers know about the latest additions.

The Red Poppy is located in the Mission at 2698 Folsom Street on the southwest corner of 23rd Street. Tickets are now being sold in advance online through Eventbrite. As a result, the dates provided below are hyperlinked to the Eventbrite event pages for purchasing tickets.

Given the demand for these concerts, it is likely that only a limited number of tickets will be available at the door. Remember, the Poppy is a small space. Even those who have purchased their tickets in advance should probably make it a point to be there when the doors open one half-hour before the performance is scheduled to begin. Here are the specifics for the events that have been posted thus far:

Saturday, January 11, 7:30 p.m.: Based in the Bay Area, Janam is a quintet whose members are Dan Auvil (percussion and vocals), Tom Farris (laouto and guitar), Juliana Graffagna (vocals and accordion), Gari Hegedus (oud, saz, mandocello, and mandolin), and Shira Kammen (violin, harp, and vocals). They are an eclectic group inspired by the unorthodox meters of Balkan tunes, edgy Appalachian ballads, and the sultry modal songs from Asia Minor. These sources (which may be mixed) then inspire original compositions. The selections for this concert will be appropriate to the season with references to renewal, revelry, and inclement weather. Admission will be on a sliding scale between $20 and $25 for tickets purchased in advance. General admission at the door will be $25 with a $20 charge for students and seniors with valid identification.

Thursday, January 16, 7:30 p.m.: This will be a solo recital to Marta Pereira da Costa. She is distinguished as the world’s first and only female professional playing the Portuguese guitar, an instrument whose form factor differs from that of the Spanish guitar in several critical ways. Her repertoire is fado music; and her first recording was awarded the “Best Fado Album of 2012” by the prestigious Amália Rodrigues Foundation. Admission will be on a sliding scale between $25 and $30 for tickets purchased in advance. General admission at the door will be $30 with a $25 charge for students and seniors with valid identification.

Friday, January 17, 7:30 p.m.: To complement an evening of fado, Grupo Falso Baiano will perform Brazilian choro with their own style of jazz. The group is the trio of Brian Moran (seven-string guitar and mandolin), Zack Pitt-Smith (reeds), and Ami Molinelli (percussion). They will appear with a special guest artist, the Brazilian guitarist Julio Lemos, who also plays a seven-string instrument. The concert will feature original compositions by both Falso Baiano and Lemos. Admission will be on a sliding scale between $20 and $25 for tickets purchased in advance. General admission at the door will be $25 with a $20 charge for students and seniors with valid identification.

Saturday, January 18, 7:30 p.m.: Garuda Blue will return to the Poppy with a repertoire of brand new original arrangements of jazz classics and old favorites. The group is the sextet of Abe Imansjah (piano and founder), Patrick Murray (trumpet and vocals), Matt Gafney (saxophone), Daniel Mandrychenko (guitar), Danny Castro (bass), and Evan Williams (drums). What they have to do with Hindu mythology eludes me, but I cannot argue with that repertoire. Admission will be on a sliding scale between $20 and $25 for tickets purchased in advance. General admission at the door will be $25 with a $20 charge for students and seniors with valid identification.

Thursday, January 23, 7:30 p.m.: Brazilian Badi Assad will perform her native Brazilian music with a mixture of pop, jazz, and global elements. Her performance style is impressively diverse, since it combines an extraordinary guitar talent with distinct mouth percussion, beautiful singing, and rhythmic body movement to create an exciting, fresh sound. If her last name is familiar, it is because she is the younger sister of classical guitarists Sérgio Assad and Odair Assad! Admission will be on a sliding scale between $25 and $30 for tickets purchased in advance. General admission at the door will be $30 with a $25 charge for students and seniors with valid identification.

[1/24, 3:10 p.m.: The following event has been cancelled.

Friday, January 24, 7:30 p.m.: Chimera is a symposium of Bay Area composers, all of whom create new music by combining their training in the classical tradition with inspiration from Indian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and Celtic sources (and perhaps others). The performers are Sarah Jo Zaharako (violin), Katrina Wreede (viola), Moses Sedler (cello), and Diana Rowan (harp). Admission will be on a sliding scale between $20 and $25 for tickets purchased in advance. General admission at the door will be $25 with a $20 charge for students and seniors with valid identification.]

Sunday, January 26, 2 p.m.: This will be the next installment of the free Monthly Community Rumba, with music provided by Rumberos de Radio Habana. While this is a free event, donations are warmly accepted. All donated money goes to the performing musicians, and a recommended amount is between $5 and $10.