Live Jazz (& Blues) Meetup Group

MVI (or: Mark Vickness Interconnected) is a progressive instrumental acoustic group featuring two-time Grammy winner Mads Tolling (violin), Matt Renzi (winds), Joseph Hebert (cello), and Dan Feiszli (upright bass) performing original music by composer/modern finger style guitarist Mark Vickness. The group will be celebrating the release of their new album, as well as performing music from two prior releases. I've been listening to their music online and really liking what I hear!

EVENT COST: $27.50 general admission (includes small service fee by the ticket seller) for the concert - plus, if you're willing, a one dollar donation to offset the $180.00 per year that Meetup charges me as head organizer

TICKETS/SEATING: BUY YOUR OWN TICKETS, at the link shown below. Seating is general admission, on folding chairs.

TICKET LINK:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/piedmontpiano/1291854

MORE INFO about the musicians:
https://piedmontpiano.com/calendar/2024/10/6/mark-vickness-interconnected

WHEN/WHERE TO MEET: Meet in the seating area after 4:30 p.m to get seats together. (The performance will begin shortly after 5:00 p.m. I expect this concert to consist of one 90-minute set.)

**NOTE THE EARLY SHOWTIME FOR THIS EVENT**

HOW TO FIND ME: I'm WF, 5 feet tall, in my 60s, with short salt-and-pepper hair and glasses (see my photo with my Meetup profile). I'll email RSVPers my phone number prior to the event. PLEASE TEXT ME IF YOU DON'T SPOT ME.

OPTIONAL POST-SHOW DINNER: At Curry Up Now, a good fast-casual place across the street from the piano store.

TRANSIT/PARKING: The piano store is less than 2 blocks from the 19th Street Oakland BART station (and a similar distance from the 12th Street BART stop). You may exit the 19th Street station on Broadway OR via the 17th & Telegraph exit, which is the closest vantage point to the concert. There are at least two paid parking lots in the area, and there is typically free street parking nearby unless there are shows happening at the three large concert halls in the neighborhood.

VIDEOS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKgTA1wLYNQ

https://www.youtube.com/@markvickness3641

Grammy-nominated percussionist Pedrito Martinez, known for his performances on more than 100 albums, will lead a sizzling band for the main segment of this event. Opening the program is La Dame Blanche, a Paris-based Cuban combo led by singer, flautist and percussionist Yaite Ramos Rodriguez, known for her blend of hip-hop, cumbia, dancehall and reggae. (This performance was originally scheduled for May, but was rescheduled by Yerba Buena Gardens Festival due to rainy weather.)

The show is due to start at 2:00 pm and will go to 4:30 p.m.

COST: $1.00 donation to the Meetup organizer (that's me!) to offset the $180.00 per year in fees that Meetup charges me. Other than that, the show itself is FREE to attend.

VENUE/SEATING: This show is held outdoors in the attractive Yerba Buena Gardens in downtown San Francisco. There are typically more than enough chairs pre-arranged in rows in front of and to the sides of the stage for Yerba Buena Garden Festival shows, but you may also bring your own low-backed chair or weatherproof item to sit or lie on. (There's also room for dancing.)

This is a general-admission show, with no tickets or reservations needed. However, I recommend RSVPing through the Yerba Buena site at the "more info" link below, since it can help give Festival organizers an idea of how much seating to provide.

MORE INFO ON THE SHOW:
https://ybgfestival.org/event/pedrito-martinez-group-la-dame-blanche/

WHEN/WHERE TO MEET: To increase our chances of getting seats together and to have a chance to socialize beforehand, let's meet up by 1:30 p.m.in the seating area, aiming for center/front. Festival organizers are already advising that this concert is likely to be highly attended!

IMPORTANT NOTE: The one drawback to terrific, free outdoor Meetup events like this is that they tend to attract "no shows." For that reason, I'm only planning to save a few seats at a time, out of fairness to other concertgoers. If you want to snag a seat next to your fellow Meetup members, please allow extra time for transit or parking. And if your plans change, remember to update your Meetup RSVP prior to the event so you don't get counted as a no-show.

HOW TO FIND ME: I'm WF, 5 feet tall, in my 60s, with short, salt-&-pepper hair and glasses. I'll be wearing black pants and a black v-necked short-sleeve top, possibly with a jacket or long-sleeved shirt over that. I'll send my cellphone number to RSVPers before the event. Please text me or leave a comment on the Meetup Event page if you don't spot me.

TRANSIT INFO: The performance location is on the route for several SF Muni Mission Street bus lines and is also located 2 or 3 blocks from BART (Take your pick of the Powell or Montgomery stations) and from Market Street bus stops. If you're driving, expect to pay for parking at one of the nearby garages.

OTHER INFO: People are free to bring their own food or drink to enjoy at the show, or you can buy take-out food at some fast-casual places in the area. Public restrooms are on site at Yerba Buena Gardens complex.

MORE LOGISTICAL INFO on driving, parking, etc.
http://www.ybgfestival.org/visitor-info/

See the VISITOR MAP on this page:
https://ybgfestival.org/visitor-info/#seats

ARTIST INFO:
https://www.pedritomartinezmusic.com/about

This concert features a number of excellent locally based jazz musicians who have become well known to Meetup regulars over the years - but it's been a while since I've seen them perform together, so this will be a treat! The band consists of: Mike Olmos on trumpet, Adam Shulman on piano, Giulio Xavier Cetto on bass, and Brian Fisher on drums. They can be counted on for an impressive performance of contemporary jazz and jazz standards!

MORE INFO and VIDEO:
https://chezhanny.com/mike_olmos_2024.html

WHERE: Chez Hanny is a long-running jazz salon, held in a private residence in outer San Francisco. The events are usually about 2 hours long, consisting of 2 sets with a break. The concerts are held in a decidedly retro (some might say deliberately kitschy!) performance space that's set off from the rest of the house. I've been to numerous shows here over the years, and have always enjoyed the informal atmosphere and the friendly vibe.

COST: $25 at the door. CASH only.

RESERVATIONS SYSTEM: To secure a reservation, email jazz@ChezHanny.com (Mention "jazz" or "Chez Hanny" or "concert" in your email subject line to avoid having your message mistaken for spam). Payment is at the door.

SEATING: Seating is first come, first served, on folding chairs.

IMPORTANT: All money collected goes to the musicians, so it's best to RSVP to the house concert organizer only if you're sure you'll be attending. Frank Hanny requests that any cancellations be made at least 24 hours before showtime.

FOOD OPTION: Chez Hanny concerts often include the provision of guest-provided munchies and beverages to enjoy during the break between the two sets of music, (No food or drinks are sold at the event.) After the show, we can figure out if anyone wants to head to a restaurant in one of several nearby neighborhoods for dinner.

TRANSIT/PARKING: An SF Muni bus goes directly from the Glen Park BART station to Chez Hanny. The residence is in the Portola District, which is South of 280, West of 101 and East of the Excelsior District and Mission Street. See more about the venue, directions, parking and transportation on the Jazz Chez Hanny website: http://www.chezhanny.com/

WHEN/WHERE TO MEET: I'll look for people inside Chez Hanny at about 3:30 p.m. when the doors open. The show starts at 4:00 p.m. and typically goes for about 2 hours (with an intermission).

HOW TO FIND ME: I'm WF, 5 feet tall, with short salt & pepper hair (see my photo with my Meetup profile). I'll send my cellphone number to RSVPers prior to the event. PLEASE TEXT ME IF YOU DON'T SPOT ME.