SonoMusette concert at Soper Reese Theatre

Description

French Café Music Comes to the Soper Reese on March 26 Northern California quintet, SonoMusette, recaptures the moody, melancholic sound and spirit of mid twentieth-century Paris in a concert at the Soper Reese Theatre on Sunday, March 26 at 3:00 pm. French chanteuse, musette accordion, gypsy-jazz guitar, upright bass, and drums combine to revive the enchanting songs of the French Café society. This music has retained its power to charm and transport listeners, and SonoMusette taps that nostalgia with artistry in both vocals and instrumentation. Inspired by the great performers of that era, such as Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and Django Reinhardt, along with contemporary artists such as Zaz, SonoMusette brings bal-musette to the “moderne” era. Tickets are $15, open seating and the theatre’s dance floor will be open. Tickets are now on sale online at soperreesetheatre.com; at the theatre box office on Fridays from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm at 275 So. Main St., Lakeport; and at The Travel Center, 1265 So. Main St., Lakeport. For more information call 707-263-0577. About the Artists French-American singer, Mimi Pirard, has a passion for reviving songs from times gone by as sung by Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and their contemporaries. As a child she lived in France for 10 years, before moving to California where she and her brother, Gabe, began performing together. They formed the popular band, Dgiin, which earned The North Bay Music Awards, “Best World Band”, for its unique, high energy mix of gypsy and flamenco with a touch of funk. Today Mimi’s interpretations of French classics provide a freshness and excitement that is contemporary, yet faithful to the spirit and tradition of the original renditions. Robert Lunceford (accordion) was born on Bastille Day in Maywood, California, located on the west bank of the Los Angeles River. He began playing the accordion at age seven. Robert’s musical interests are strongly focused on European and traditional music and in 2009 he formed the French music trio, Un Deux Trois, where he composes and arranges much of the band’s music. A native San Franciscan, Jan Martinelli (upright bass and piano) has toured and performed with numerous bands throughout the world and has played major jazz festivals such as Aspen, Barbados, Monterey, San Francisco, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She also performs with French music trio, Un Deux Trois, and has been touring nationally with Holly Near since 2012. Jason Briggs (upright bass and guitar) began playing guitar at age fifteen while living in Southern Arkansas. Jamming in the kitchen, his father taught Jason to play the blues. Jason went on to teach music at Santa Rosa Junior College and became a follower of the music of the legendary Django Reinhardt. Jason founded the gypsy jazz band, Hot Club Beelzebub, winning the North Bay Bohemian award for “Best Jazz Band, 2012.” A California native, Richard Andrews (drums) began playing in garage/experimental/dance bands at the ripe age of thirteen. He performed orchestral and chamber music while studying at UC Berkeley, then switched to guitar during San Francisco’s frenetic performance art rock scene of the early ‘80s. Richard’s frequent trips to Paris have inspired a deep interest in French popular music of the early 20th century, especially the reanimation of the era’s classic songs in a modern context.