THURSDAY, MARCH 27
FOLK
AMIHAN
Two pop-up sets present the unparalleled blend of resistance, embrace and unity expressed in Amihan’s music. Jazz, funk, R&B and hip-hop influences braid their way into new works sculpted with OMCA’s current exhibits in mind. The personable and charismatic vocalist/guitarist is joined by her sister Malaya on vocals, bassist Kumi Maxson, keyboardist Julian Lopez and drummer Michael Morales. Admission to the Thursday After Hours event includes refreshments and music by DJ Mark DiVita and gallery chats during which visitors can ask questions and engage in one-on-one conversations with OMCA facilitators about the exhibits. – LOU FANCHER
INFO: Thu, 5:45pm, Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland. $16. 510.318.8400.
FRIDAY, MARCH 28
ELECTRONIC
YAIMA
Yaima hails from Seattle and specializes in a genre they call Cascadian Folktronica. Combining electronic production, live instrumentation, tribal rhythms and atmospheric sound, the duo creates nature-inspired soundscapes that transport their fans to peaceful regions of the body and mind. Multi-instrumentalist and producer Masaru Higasa brings a unique array of instruments to the stage with handpan, didgeridoo and electronic beats at the fore. Meanwhile, Pepper Proud adds soothing vocals and lyrics crafted to bridge the gap between nature and humankind. The band’s name derives from the Mapudungun word for that which water runs through. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: Fri, 8pm, Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. $29. 510.214.8600.
FRIDAY, MARCH 28
SKA
CHUDSON
Listen up, nerds! Let’s get one thing straight: ska has never stopped being cool. The mainstream might’ve picked it up and dropped it as a one-time fad, but the true believers never let it go. Just look to the underground and see there’s no need to defend ska when new bands like Chudson are making music. Formed last year, this fledgling straightedge DIY band sounds like a well-oiled machine and has already released several singles along with an EP. Plus, they also incorporate a cool synthesizer! Add San Jose ska madmen the Hellas, San Francisco’s Sad Snack and SoCal’s Citrus Jr. and be prepared to dance the night away with a giant, feel-good smile. – MAT WEIR
INFO: Fri, 7pm, 924 Gilman, 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. $10. 510.524.8180.
SATURDAY, MARCH 29
BLUES
MITCH WOODS & HIS ROCKET 88s
Hip cats and cool chicks: get ready to set the room a-rockin’ because Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88s have come a-knockin’. Woods has kept the spirit of original rock ’n’ roll alive for over four decades with his bluesy, boogie-woogie sound. The classically trained pianist got the boogie-woogie itch when he was a young pup growing up in Greenwich Village. His music recalls big band jazz, Jerry Lee Lewis, Louis Jordan and Fats Domino. Get ready for fast fingers burning over ivory keys and bring those dancing shoes, because there’s no way anyone will be standing still when Woods & His Rocket 88s hit the stage. – MW
INFO: Sat, 8pm, Back Room, 1984 Bonita Ave., Berkeley. $27. 510.381.1997.
SATURDAY, MARCH 29
DOCUMENTARY
OMAR SOSA’S 88 WELL-TUNED DRUMS
A larger-than-life character at the keyboard and off stage, Cuban-born, Barcelona-based pianist Omar Sosa seems like an ideal subject for a documentary. Soren Sorensen aced the assignment with his award-winning film, Omar Sosa’s 88 Well-Tuned Drums, which recounts Sosa’s life and career from Camagüey to Havana, where he studied percussion. Eventually landing in Oakland, he emerged as a brilliant new voice on the Latin music scene, absorbing new sounds and styles. He’ll be on hand for a screening of the doc, which he’ll follow with a solo recital. Given that he’ll be playing on Piedmont Piano’s Fazioli, his instrument will indeed be well-tuned. – ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: Sat, 5:30pm, Piedmont Piano Company, 1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $45/adv, $50/door. 510.547.8188.
SATURDAY, MARCH 29
REGGAE
PREZIDENT BROWN
It’s been three decades since Fitz Albert Cotterell, inaugurated as Prezident Brown by roots reggae producer and sound system operator Jack Ruby, established himself as an international act at the Reggae Sumfest and Reggae Sunsplash festivals. Collaborations with Everton Blender, Steel Pulse, Anthony Red Rose and Anthony Malvo put him on the charts, and Prez has been a force ever since, with forays across North America to spread his conscious gospel of good times and righteous living. He headlines a double bill with Kingston-born Afrocentric singer, songwriter, producer and arranger Brady Shammar, who’s performed widely around the region since she moved to California and toured with Groundation in 2018. – AG
INFO: Sat, 10pm, Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. $25/adv, $30/door. 510.525.5099.
SUNDAY, MARCH 30
AUTHOR EVENT
EL DELFÍN MÁGICO DE LA AMAZONÍA
Enjoy a full plate of pleasures at this free launch of El Delfín Mágico de la Amazonía (The Magical Dolphin of the Amazon), a bilingual storybook for all ages. Author, journalist and award-winning filmmaker Veronica Moscoso leads the storytelling about friendly pink dolphins cavorting while a dark undercurrent reveals the species as endangered and provides insight into the importance of protecting and preserving marine life and Amazonian culture. Engaging activities such as decorating dolphin-shaped cookies with pink frosting, learning about marine life from an expert biologist and a Q&A with Moscoso bring the human community into kinship with the rest of planet Earth. – LF
INFO: Sun, 1pm, La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. Free.
SUNDAY, MARCH 30
FOLK
WINDBORNE
The four members of Windborne have over two decades of studying polyphonic music logged in the books, and that expertise is unmistakable the second they begin to sing. The beauty of their vocal harmonies sweeps audiences away into a world of ethereal sound, shifting between styles but never losing the magic. They’re as innovative a group as any, known for packaging their albums within lovely, illustrated books containing stories about their songs and traditions. Their most recent is called To Warm the Winter Hearth. This is the band to turn to for a cheery evening of acoustic sound. – AM
INFO: Sun, 7pm, Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. $34. 510.644.2020.
TUESDAY, APRIL 1
R&B
FANA HUES
Pasadena-born R&B singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fana Hues has developed a precise sonic aesthetic: a silky, glowy, sun-soaked gauziness. Fana’s three albums form a colorful and harmonious trilogy chronicling her evolution into womanhood, painted with joy and lighthearted vulnerability. Her “Matters of the Heart” tour celebrates her most recent album, Moth. The 2024 album is a luminous portrait of love, lust, patience and growth, layering emotions with crisp, lyrical execution and clean, glittery production. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: Tue, 6:30pm, Crybaby, 1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $24.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2
FOLK
HOLY LOCUST
Five-piece acoustic folk band Holy Locust draws inspiration from all the folk traditions that embrace chaos and resistance, from Mexican street corners to Irish pubs and New Orleans jazz. Their combination of banjo, fiddle, accordion, cello, guitar and group harmony has timeless, witchy energy; theirs is the soundtrack of train tracks and candlelit backroad bars braided with the wild flavors of acoustic punk. Holy Locust’s latest album, Breaking the Wheel, plunges into darker waters, brimming with urgency and an unrelenting drive forward. – SBB
INFO: Wed, 9pm, Thee Stork Club, 2330 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. $22. 510.859.8709.
