THURSDAY, MARCH 12
JAZZ
SYLVIA CUENCA QUINTET
San Jose drummer Sylvia Cuenca spent more than two decades in the New York jazz scene performing with a pulse-quickening array of luminaries, including tenor saxophone titan Joe Henderson and trumpet maestro Clark Terry. The pandemic brought her back to the South Bay, where she keeps busy gigging as a sidewoman and leading her own combos. A spate of gigs with a stellar quintet brings her to the Sound Room, and any audience will be hard-pressed to find a more exciting band. Cuenca powers a first-call rhythm section tandem with her husband, bass-great Essiet Essiet, who played in the last edition of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Ace pianist Matt Clark rounds out the rhythm section. – ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: Thu, 7:30pm, The Sound Room, 3022 Broadway, Oakland. $32. 510.708.9691.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12
CHOIR
FLEETWOOD MAC SINGALONG
Anyone alive in 1975—even babies—could not have missed Stevie Nicks singing, “But time makes you bolder / Even children get older / And I’m gettin’ older, too” in “Landslide,” from Fleetwood Mac’s classic, self-titled album. Amazingly, the Nicks and her scarves are still going strong, and this is a big chance for those who sing along every time this song re-emerges to belt it out publicly, along with several hundred other audience members. Choir! Choir! Choir! will be in town teaching all audience members how to sing like Stevie, sort of, before launching the landslide. Scarves optional, but they can’t hurt. – JANIS HASHE
INFO: Thu, 8pm, UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley. $48. 510.356.4000.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12
FOLK
EDNA VAZQUEZ
Everyone can this minute practice standing up, applauding and maybe whistling or shouting out, “¡Bravo!” All these will be terrific preparation for Edna Vazquez’s appearance at The Freight. The singer, songwriter and guitarist has led her own band projects, collaborated and toured with Pink Martini, and participated in seminal events such as Canto en Resistencia (Power to the People!) with the LA Phil—conducted by Gustavo Dudamel—and a performance at The Hollywood Bowl with the renowned pianist, Lang Lang. Arriving in Berkeley as a soloist, her music forms a fusion of her Mexican heritage and folk, rock and R&B. – LOU FANCHER
INFO: Thu, 8pm, The Freight, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $39-$44. 510.644.2020.
FRIDAY, MARCH 13
OPERA
OPERA PARALLÈLE
Jean Cocteau’s 1946 phantasmagoric La Belle et la Bête meets iconoclastic composer Philip Glass’s 1994 soundtrack to the film in this new presentation by San Francisco’s Parallèle. Glass’ composition transformed the original French dialogue into a sung libretto, and in this reimagining the company uses an original version of the film responding, it says, “to the dreamlike, subconscious elements of the story,” and melding the film’s characters with singers onstage. Disney it is not. But the timeless message of looking beyond surface appearances to the soul remains. Also plays March 14. – JH
INFO: Fri, 8pm, Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, #4800, Berkeley. $49-134. 510.642.9988.
FRIDAY, MARCH 13
ART
‘FLIGHT PATTERNS’
Each year, thousands of migratory shorebirds settle into the tidal edges of Alameda, while peregrine falcons, least terns, towhees and hummingbirds stake out rooftops, marshes and backyard gardens. “Flight Patterns” gathers up that abundance into the gallery, following more than 200 documented local species through photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, printmaking and mixed media. Curated by local birder, musician and writer Deborah Crooks, the exhibition features the work of Brice Binder, Laura “Tex” Buss, Jean Chen, Flavia Krasilchik, Rick Lewis, Mary Malec, Christopher Reiger and Dana Zed. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: Fri, 6pm, Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda. Free. 510.865.5060.
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
ELECTRONIC
SIPPY
Sydney-born and now L.A.-based producer SIPPY built her reputation on maximalist bass and zero restraint. An ICON Collective alum, she tore through Australia’s festival circuit before hitting the U.S., moving from support slots for Zeds Dead and Excision to her own sold-out headline tours and major stages at Red Rocks and Tomorrowland. On her 2025 debut album, Scars in Stereo, she threads wistful melodies and her own spoken-word vocals through serrated drops, widening her emotional range without dulling her pulsing, forceful sound design. – SBB
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $33-$40. 510.214.8600.
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
FUSION
DONNY BENÉT
Dive right to the bottom with Donny Benét as he shines the light on the bass. The instruments are the stars in his latest EP, Il Basso. Harking back to the ’70s jazz-fusion records, tapping into Benét’s synth-pop, funk and disco style, he and his band plumb the depths of his past and new work. Reviews of his shows say he’s not only talented and charismatic, but also “well dressed,” “funny” and simply “likable.” Line up for an entertaining evening that digs deep grooves, swings wide across sonic landscapes and rises to great heights born on tidal waves of marvelous music. – LF
INFO: Sat, 8pm, UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave. Berkeley. $38. 510.356.4000.
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
FOLK
PAPER WINGS
The term “old soul” isn’t used much these days. Maybe because our culture idolizes youth and remaining young. However, when it comes to Emma Mann and Wila Frank—collectively known as Paper Wings—“old souls” definitely applies. The two met as teenagers while at camp and quickly became friends through their mutual love of mountain folk tunes. After they studied with greats like Steve Earle, Sarah Jarosz and Tim O’Brien, Paper Wings set off to Nashville where they recorded their first two albums. Two weeks ago they released their newest album, Mountains on the Moon, a haunting, 12-song collection about loss, growth and dreams. – MAT WEIR
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. $23. 510.526.5888.
SUNDAY, MARCH 15
JAZZ
NATALIE CRESSMAN & IAN FAQUINI
No duo is quite as big as Natalie Cressman and Ian Faquini. She’s the San Francisco-reared daughter of a Brazilian-jazz-singing mom (Sandy Cressman) and trombonist dad (Jeff Cressman). Rather than choosing between her parents she embraced them, as a trombonist, vocalist and songwriter deeply versed in Brazilian roots and popular music. Born in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia and raised since adolescence in Berkeley, Faquini is a guitarist, vocalist and composer mentored by guitarist and songwriter Guinga. Together, Cressman and Faquini have honed a personal take on Brazilian jazz and MPB—popular Brazilian music—creating music of such dauntingly rich orchestration it sounds like a much larger ensemble. – AG
INFO: Sun, 4pm, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Ave., Albany. $30. 510.525.1716.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
GOTH
TIFFADELIC
Based out of Detroit, Tiffadelic is a queer, Black goth woman steeped in the sounds of darkwave, post-punk and dark alternative. They began writing songs as a kid, but fully immersed themselves in music in the eighth grade when they got their first guitar. By drawing influence from Annie Lennox, Grace Jones and Alan Vega (of Suicide), Tiffadelic creates a unique yet familiar sound. For instance the single, “Nazareth (B.O.P.),” has almost a Depeche Mode feel despite its minimalism. For fans of ’80s music and the new wave of goth musicians like Twin Tribes and Urban Heat, Tiffadelic is set to be an underground hit. Now is the perfect time to get into them. – MW
INFO: Wed, 8pm, Thee Stork Club, 2330 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $12-$15. 510.859.8709.
