8 Days a Week

July 20-27, 2005

EACH YEAR SOME of the Bay Area's greatest jazz musicians participate in one of San Francisco's largest festivals – the North Beach Jazz Festival. The celebration kicks off July 27 at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club with "Jazz on Grant," an evening highlighting San Francisco's modern-day jazz virtuosos Realistic Orchestra, which features the talent of more than 20 musicians, including conductor-trombonist-bassist Adam Theis, lyricist MC Dublin, and turntablist DJ Aspect. Also bringing it real are the Brazil Nuts, a collective of the Bay's best Brazilian musicians. On July 28 they descend on the Velvet Lounge with their deep South American rhythms for "Brazil Forward." The hip-swiveling collaboration includes members of Bat Makumba, Boca Do Rio, and Vivendo de Pao. For the shows July 30 and 31, the party moves outdoors to Washington Square Park for "Latin in the Park" and "A Taste of New Orleans," respectively. On July 30, Henry "Pucho" Brown, one of two African Americans inducted into the Latin Music Hall of Fame, brings his Latin Soul Brothers to throw down Afro-Latin funk. San Diego residents B-Side Players and Quannum diva Joyo Velarde add to the earth-stopping lineup. And if you missed the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, do not despair: Jazz-funk legends Rebirth Brass Band are bringing New Orleans to SF on Sunday. Anyone in the mood for a crawfish boil? Eat, drink, and boogie. Through July 31. July 27, 7 p.m., San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, 1630 Stockton (more shows take place 8-11 p.m. at various North Beach venues; see Web site for details), SF. Free. July 28, 9 p.m., Velvet Lounge, 443 Broadway, SF. $8. July 30-31, noon, Washington Square Park, 1200-1500 blocks of Grant and adjacent streets, SF. Free. www.nbjazzfest.com. (Jana Rogers)

July 20, Wednesday

Call of the wild The Bay Area's Jack London Squares are here to revitalize the reputation of the Oakland waterfront, too long associated with the savvy and established set who attend Yoshi's jazz club, the dearly departed Spaghetti Factory, and surf 'n' turf graduation dinners with sunset views. Forget tasteful home decor chain stores – the four-piece indie garage-punk crew rocks the Bay the way the writer of White Fang would have wanted. Featuring members of Knulla Roofs, the Mothballs, Scrabbel, and Clarendon Hills, the group describes its sound as "poor imitation hardcore punk rock," and their songs alternate between Bo Diddley and blast beats. Dreamdate, the Squares' practice neighbors and indie dance-pop trio, open, while local faves the Skyflakes headline the all-ages show. 8 p.m., Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell, SF. $5. (415) 861-2011. (Lisa Wong Macabasco)

July 21, Thursday

Like a bird Some singing voices are so expressive that you feel like you've known their every crack and whisper since you were born. Brandi Carlile possesses such an instrument after spending years honing it on the isolated Ravensdale, Wash., farm where she grew up, far away from the distractions of the city. Her music often evokes the rural emotional clarity of Pasty Cline while referencing the sophisticated musical expanse of Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, and Daniel Lanois-era Emmylou Harris. Carlile comes to town tonight with a band consisting of a set of twins: guitarist Tim Hanseroth and bassist Phil Hanseroth. She tours in support of her new self-titled Columbia Records release. Keaton Simons and Kristin Hoffman also play. 9 p.m., Hotel Utah Saloon, 500 Fourth St., SF. $6. (415) 546-6300. (Alex K. Fong)

July 22, Friday

Universal funk New Orleans funksters George Porter Jr., Russell Batiste Jr., and Brian Stoltz are here! In support of their debut CD, Expanding the Funkin Universe (OUW Records), Porter Batiste Stoltz are blazing a trail across the country. Legendary bassist Porter has worked with Dr. John, Paul McCartney, and Patti Labelle. Batiste's father was one of the New Orleans funk pioneers, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree – the PBS percussionist is a musical genius who has mastered more than six instruments. Grammy award-winner Stoltz, with two solo CDs under his belt, is one of the most prolific guitarists not only in the funk scene, but also across many genres; he's toured with the Grateful Dead, U2, and the Police. You're sure to have a funkin' good time when PBS are involved. Brown Baggin' opens and DJ Tobiwan spins between sets. 9 p.m., Independent, 628 Divisadero, SF. $22. (415) 771-1421. (Jana Rogers)

Toys are us A magazine solely devoted to the exploding toy-arts revolution? It was only a matter of time, really. Hi Fructose magazine celebrates the launch of its premiere issue at Varnish Gallery. The full-color quarterly magazine traverses the often bizarre territory of toysploitation and under-the-counter culture, including everything from designer vinyl to Japanese monster wrestling. The release party features appearances by many of the contributing artists, including cofounders Annie Owens and Attaboy. Come find out what "Electronic Toy Bending" really means, and bring some of your collectibles for show-and-tell. Toys are no longer just child's play – they have become works of art in their own right, spawning a whole new genre of creative expression that is ripe with possibilities, humor, and fun. 8 p.m., Varnish Gallery, 77 Natoma, SF. Free. (415) 222-6131. (Morae Kim)

Moany love Tonight's Bottom of the Hill show combines a few divergent strands of what has been jokingly dubbed "moan wave." Tarentel have shed their beginnings as a postrock act that skewed toward avant soundscapes, if their recent show is any indication. They've gone full-bore into the experimental and lost the rock, even as they've added drummer Jim Redd. Axolotl, now guided solely by violinist Karl Bauer, are joined by members of Skaters, a vocals-and-keyboard duo who fit the "moan wave" descriptor to a T. And onetime Bay Area resident Marcia Bassett – who returns to us once more after a couple of mind- and ear-blowing performances with her projects Double Leopards and Hototogisu – performs as Zaika, a collaboration with Oakland-via-Texas guitar hero Tom Carter. Yellow Swans and the appropriately named Friday Group also perform. 9 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., SF. $8. (415) 621-4455. (George Chen)

July 23, Saturday

A different ax The Favored Nations record label automatically conjures images of its owner, Steve Vai, and, indirectly, his teacher, Joe Satriani, playing their Ibanez guitars with whammy bars completely pushed down or pulled up. But the label also puts out records by a number of wildly different virtuosos, including British finger-style guitarist Adrian Legg, who often plays acoustic guitar with effects. His music recalls the work of contemporaries Leo Kottke and Richard Thompson with its references to folk, jazz, rock, and even church music. Join Legg as he makes a rare stop in the Bay Area for one night in support of Inheritance, his ninth album and a 2004 Favored Nations release. 8:15 p.m., Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez, SF. $18. (415) 454-5238. (Fong)

Dancin' for a cause The AIDS epidemic in Africa can be too daunting to comprehend – we all want to help, but how? Local label Om Records has partnered with NextAid to create reBOOT, a CD (and, tonight, the name of the album's release party) that features styles including Afrobeat, spoken word, soulful house, and dub reggae. All net proceeds from the CD (to be released Tues/26) go toward creating an eco-friendly youth learning center in Dennilton, South Africa, that will provide a home for 60 children orphaned by AIDS, increase AIDS awareness, and act as a model for future centers. The album-release party features an all-star lineup spinning the night away: Miguel Migs, Julius Papp, Marques Wyatt, J-Boogie, and Troydon. 10 p.m.-4 a.m., Mighty, 119 Utah, SF. $20 ($25 includes CD). (415) 626-7001, www.om-records.com, www.nextaid.org. (Chellis Ying)

Town and country Don't let the purring pedal steel and softly struck bell on James William Hindle's memorable third album, Town Feeling (Badman), confuse matters of geography and genre: Hindle is no West Texas post-outlaw balladeer, despite his way with a simple yet haunting turn of phrase, evident in how he lopes around lyrics like "Always leave home / Always alone" on the disc's opening track, "Dog and Boy." The London-by-way-of-Yorkshire singer-songwriter has often been compared to Nick Drake, but that idea seems loony, notwithstanding the presence of acoustic guitars and the meditative bent the pair share. Sailing along with the ease and expansiveness of a bike ride through a sleepy town square, Hindle's music takes its palpable pleasure where it can, while Drake, in his hermetic intensity, was probably much more comfortably numb, bunking down in his childhood room. Instead, it's easy to imagine Hindle getting out, flexing his social muscles, and sharing a stage with the Shins, Of Montreal, and the Decemberists, and collaborating with members of Aden, the Essex Green, the Ladybug Transistor, and Sunshine Fix, as he did on his last full-length, Prospect Park (Badman). Time Flys, Bart Davenport, and Sean Smith also play. 9 p.m., Hotel Utah Saloon, 500 Fourth St., SF. $7. (415) 546-6300. (Kimberly Chun)

July 24, Sunday

The golden boys Pop quiz: The Golden Republic is (a) a utopian communal farm in Vermont, (b) a California-secession interest group, or (c) a Kansas City rock band. Well, given that this is the entertainment calendar, you probably guessed (c) (correctly), but you have to admit, (a) and (b) sounded a bit convincing. Far from being hippie farmers or radical politicos, the Golden Republic are rockers of the OG kind (and that would be "old garage" rather than "original gangster"). Reviving the spirits of '80s punk, the British Invasion, and '70s glitter rock, the Golden Republic unearth a youthful rebelliousness that seems to say, "This is my generation, baby." Be sure to stay for Doorsian rock outfit the Sights, and iPod poster children Caesars. 8 p.m., Slim's, 333 11th St., SF. $15. (415) 255-0333. (Elisa Jacobs)

Motown's heroes Too often, greatness is the victim of obscurity. That's been the plight of the legendary Motown band the Funk Brothers, the supergroup responsible for the studio composition of every major hit of the era. They've played on blockbusters like Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," the Chi-Lites' "Have You Seen Her," and the Supremes' "Stop in the Name of Love," to name a few. In 2002 an adaptation of Alan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky's book Standing in the Shadows of Motown made it to the big screen and brought the Funk Brothers out of years of darkness. The band – whose lineup has changed often, except for core members Jack Ashford and Joe Hunter – have found renewed success recording with artists Joan Osbourne, Ben Harper, Bootsy Collins, Me'Shell Ndegéocello, and Chaka Kahn. The Broun Fellinis open. 2 p.m., Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd., SF. Free (415) 252-6252, www.sterngrove.org. (Jana Rogers)

July 25, Monday

Strange string music Guitarist Elliott Sharp made his name in the downtown New York music scene alongside John Zorn and Wayne Horvitz. Tonight he plays the first of three Bay Area shows as part of a West Coast tour. His two sets reflect his interest in a myriad of genres, including Asian music, rock, and contemporary music, and works by John Fahey. The solo acoustic portion consists of material drawn from 2003's Velocity of Hue (Emanem Records) and the new Quadrapure (Zoar Records). Sharp then heads into the blues with a full band featuring Henry Kaiser and Shelley Doty. His Oakland performances on Tuesday and Wednesday include different musicians in solo, duo, and trio contexts. 9 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, SF. $12. (415) 861-5016. (Also Tues/26, 8 p.m., 21 Grand, 416 25th St., Oakl. $6-$10. 510-444-7263. Wed/27, 8 p.m., 1510 Eighth St. Performance Space, 1510 Eighth St., Oakl. $6-$10. 510-893-2840.) (Fong)

July 26, Tuesday

What the ...? Some things in life sound so weird, they fall under the "this I gotta see" category, despite our reservations. 'Swim-painting,' a performance by Italian artist and swimmer Alberto Cristini, is a fitting example. Cristini will swim from Alcatraz to Crissy Field (a feat in itself for those of us who are athletically challenged), all the while painting with oils on a floating canvas. Impossible, you say? Not so. Cristini will use only his legs to propel himself through the choppy waters of the bay while simultaneously using his hands to paint a masterpiece. This would definitely be worth seeing, if only to ... well, see it. Cristini swam across the bay with his hands and feet tied last summer, and hopefully his swim-painting performance will go as swimmingly. 8-9 a.m., SF Bay, between Alcatraz and Crissy Field, SF. Free. (415) 788-7142. (Kim)

July 27, Wednesday

Te quiero Admit it, you can't really let summer go by without the image of Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta romping on the beach and singing about summertime flings popping into your head at least once. So, in the spirit of summer lovin', we suggest you take on a Latin lover – or maybe six. Colombian sextet Aterciopelados are guaranteed to satiate the wanderlust (or just plain lust) you've been accumulating all year long. Lead by the sultry-voiced Andrea Echeverri, the Latin American músicos not only rock en Español, but they also go electronic, traditional, and even hip-hop. While they can't be cornered into one genre, Aterciopelados (which translates as "the velvety ones") stay true to their name, presenting a collection of buttery vocals, smooth electronic stylings, and plush guitars – all of which are bound to seduce you. Club Unicornio opens. 9 p.m., Slim's, 333 11th St., SF. $25. (415) 255-0333. (Jacobs)

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