I am pleased to be a part of these upcoming performances on Sunday Jan 4 and Monday Jan 5, 2015!

Avotcja & Modupue

with Francis Wong, sax and flute.
Jon Jang, piano.
Heshima Mark Williams, bass.

Sunday, January 4th – 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Bird & Beckett Books and Records

653 Chenery St. between Diamond and Castro in San Francisco’s Glen Park

For info: http://www.birdbeckett.com/avotcja-modupue/

The Monday-Makeout: Wong/Obando/Evangelista/Lopez + Frank Rosaly Solo + Darren Johnston's Standard Candles

A creative jazz and improvised music series every first Monday in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA ... organized by Lisa Mezzacappa and Darren Johnston ...

The Make-Out Room

3225 22nd St, San Francisco

Monday, January 5, 8pm (8:30pm start)

Set #1: Quartet #1
Francis Wong-saxophone
Nick Obando-saxophone
Karl Evangelista-guitar
Robert Lopez-drums
*This is the first in a planned series of first time meetings between Bay Area improvisers.
Organized by : The Monday Makeout

NO COVER!

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The celebrated music ensemble Melody of China will premiere a new commission entitled Coexistent Beauty by composer Yuanlin Chen featuring MoC's core ensemble of traditional Chinese instrumentalists with guest artists on Western instruments. Also included on the program will past collaborations with pianist Jon Jang and guest artists saxophonist Francis Wong, bassist Marcus Shelby, and trapset drummer Deszon X. Claiborne. Coexistent Beauty is supported by a grant from Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Program, with generous funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund.  Admission: $12 For details visit: http://www.yoshis.com/jazzclub/artist/show/4570 

On Saturday, August 16, I will be part of Jon Jang's ensemble at the Chinatown Music Festival. We will be premiering his new work Toisan Railway. Here is info from Jon's website about the work:

Toisan Railway, a new music work by Jon Jang, pays tribute to the landmark achievement of Chin Gee Hee, an entrepreneur who built the first railroad in Toisan, China in 1920, despite the many obstacles stacked up against him.  Toisan Railway also honors the Toisanese, the majority of Chinese immigrants from Guangdong Province, who built the first transcontinental railroad in United States and supported the making of the Sunning (Toisan) Railway in China through their labor and financial support.

Had wonderful performances recently as part of National Japanese American Historical Society's Mo Magic Summer Fest, Melody Takata's Shadow to Shadow interdisciplinary performance work, and last night at SoMArts Cultural Center's 35th Anniversary Gala! Last week was especially busy with a recording session with many of my esteemed peers Jim Norton, Wayne Wallace, Melecio Magdaluyo, Scott Sorkin, Deszon X. Claiborne, Melody Takata, Yangqin Zhao, Tatsu Aoki and special guest from Tokyo Chizuru Kineya, shamisen grandmaster. 

Upcoming is July 24 at Studio Grand in Oakland with the California Unification Process with old friends Charles Sharp and Jordan Glenn and host of new friends, August 3 at the Nihonmachi Street Fair with the Francis Wong Unit, and August 16 with Jon Jang's ensemble at the Chinatown Music Festival.

Hope to see you soon!

Photo by John O'Donnell

Melody Takata, Artistic Director of the upcoming interdisciplinary work Shadow to Shadow, is a multi-faceted artist trained in Japanese Classical Dance, Taiko and Shamisen.  Sensei Takata has been performing for over 20 years in Japan and U.S.A.  Ms. Takata grew up in the Japanese American community of Los Angeles with a rich experience in traditional arts. From age 8 she learned odori (Japanese dance) at the Nishi Hongwanji as part of the obon festival ritual (festival honoring ancestors).  At age 10 she began formal study of Nihon Buyo (formal name for Japanese classical dance) at the Fujima School and has performed dance at numerous theater works under Madame Fujima Kansuma until age 20.  From age 13 to 18 she studied shamisen with the Kineya School.  At 15 she began studying and performing with Los Angeles Matsuri and at 20 traveled to Japan to study and later perform as a member of Tokyo’s O Edo Sukeroku Taiko, one of Japan’s most highly renowned taiko ensembles. Ms. Takata completed the ACTA master apprentice program for 2002-2003 on shamisen with Hideko Nakajima Sensei.  Most recently, Ms. Takata has reestablished study with Madame Fujima Kansuma in Los Angeles to strengthen her integrity of Nihon buyo and to ensure a high standard of integration of odori into Gen Taiko’s repertoire. Click here for info on Shadow to Shadow coming July 12. Click here for info on the upcoming performance of Shadow to Shadow. #shadowtoshadow7_12

Integrating movement, text, projection, and music, this new interdisciplinary work by taiko artist and choreographer Melody Takata explores the nature of legacy in a rapidly changing cultural landscape. 

Featured collaborators include nagauta shamisen Grand Master Chizuru Kineya (Tokyo), filmmaker, bassist, and ozashiki shamisen practitioner Tatsu Aoki (Chicago), saxophonist Francis Wong, and theater artist Todd Nakagawa.

Co-presented by Asian Improv aRts, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, Nihonmachi Little Friends as part of Japan Week 2014

2 pm and 7:30 pm Shows!
July 12, 2014

Admission is free but seating is limited! Please reserve your place by RSVP'ing to http://japanweek.brownpapertickets.com/

I am so honored by the salute by @ABC7newsbayarea for National Jazz Day and API Heritage Month!