Mission Mission

If you’re like me, you didn’t know St. Patrick’s Day was this week until you heard folks bitching about the parade downtown this past Saturday.

Well, now that you’re all caught up, get into the spirit by checking out this cool show at Amnesia tonight. Live drankin’ songs and sea shanties by the Barbary Ghosts, a duo featuring Sean (the owner of Amnesia) and 2009 Accordion Babes Calendar pin-up Joan.

Starts at 10pm and costs 5 bucks. And as always from 8-10pm there’s Gaucho Gypsy Jazz doin’ what they do.

Your favorite dimly lit music venue Amnesia (Valencia b/t 19th and 20th)  is hosting a great Mardi Gras themed party tonight! They start at 9pm and the cover is $7-10 sliding scale.

Headlining are the California Honeydrops, a smokin’ rhythm and blues band out of Oakland and one of my favorites in the bay area. Opening is Damon and the Heathens, a kick-ass punky soul band. Go for the awesome party; stay for the cheap plastic jewelry.

Vids of these fine bands after the jump.

(more…)

Norma Miller speaking at Savannah Jazz Club 2/10/10

This is pretty rad. 90-year-old Norma Miller (aka “the Queen of Swing”) is a pioneer and creator of the Lindy Hop, by far the most popular form of swing dance today. She was featured in movies such as 1941′s “Hellzapoppin” (proving that “hella” was used, in a more primitive form, 70 years ago), and also worked with a lot of the big names back in the day. You know, like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson… no big deal.

She used to hang at the Savoy in Harlem during it’s prime, the site of some of the first integrated music/dance events in American history.

Last night local dance promoter Chris Lee showed her around the mission, starting at Amnesia, where traditional jazz outfit Gaucho plays every week, then to Savannah Jazz Club on Mission and 25th, where she did a guest lecture.

My buddy Nathan A. had the scoop:

When they introduced her, she bounced up on the stage with more spring in her step than a woman less than half her age. I couldn’t get over how sharp she was – how animated. She had mind like a steel trap! She had us all on the edge of our seats while recalling the “good old days”. She told us how moved she was to see all these young people carrying on the the original American dance form – and a tradition she helped establish. She was hilarious, crude, and sentimental. She worked with Red Fox, Richard Pryor, and Bill Cosby doing a bit of comedy after her legs started to give out eventually.

Check out this clip of her with Frankie Manning (RIP) tearing it up… WILD!

Amnesia is unveiling a new mural by Andre Karpov tonight. You may recognize his other works at places like Pizzaria Delfina, and that alley by Range. He also happens to be a great songwriter and musician.

While this mural doesn’t quite have the excitement of the bear, it does feature a bunch of local mission personalities. That accordionist in the mural is none other than Rob Reich. In fact, Rob is playing during the unveiling with ragtime guitar genius Craig Ventresco (you may have heard Craig’s music in the movie Crumb) and Meredith Axelrod. They play there every Friday, by the way. I wonder if Rob knows he’s been muralized? If not, awk-WAARD!

Say, maybe you’ve been muralized too. You’re just gonna have to go and see for yourself; that’s why I posted an ultra low-res of the mural. Unveiling starts at 7pm. Amnesia is on Valencia between 19th and 20th. Stick around for the happy hour drinks!

Conrad sends in a link to a post on Djangology.net.  It seems Gaucho guitarist Dave Ricketts’ axe was stolen from Amnesia the night of September 30th.

Gumshoe that I am, I took to the case immediately by contacting my awesome friend Vic (LADIES: HE’S SINGLE!), who often sits in with the gypsy jazz band.  He sent in the above image, and the following:

It’s a dell arte “minor swing” model guitar. Note the pick wear right below the strings by the bridge and the Gaucho sticker on the cutaway. These sorts of guitars are pretty distinctive so it should be easy to spot if it pops up somewhere.

 

More details: it was stolen out of the back room at amnesia sometime after Gaucho finished their set at 10pm at Sep 30. It was in a blue Alpine brand gig bag.

Thanks Kat… some might call you a hero…

Oh, whoops, totally didn’t mean to include that last sentence.

Send any clues this way!  Rumor has it Dave Ricketts has found a suitable replacement, but I’m sure he’d appreciate getting his old guit-box back.

Related: if you ever have  a chance to make it to Amnesia Wednesday for gyspy jazz night, prepare to shit your pants over its novelty.  A scene like no other.  Whew.  I recommend it.

(via The Tens SF)