San Francisco, November 20, 2011 - Urban Music presents four amazing performances led by some of the Bay Area's leading female bandleaders to celebrate the holidays as only women of soul and spirit can do! Performances will include; The Roberta Donnay Jass Trio, CHELLE! and Friends!, Destiny Muhammad Trio and A Victoria Theodore Christmas.
Two nights and four performances on Monday December 12 and Tuesday December 13 at Yoshi's San Francisco. Both shows start at 8pm and are $12 advance and $16 at door.
On Monday December 12 the Roberta Donnay Jass Trio, featuring the women of jass (original spelling) of the 1920's and '30s! Also featured that same evening is the incredible Michelle Jacques and her ensemble, CHELLE! and Friends commemorating the spirit of New Orleans.
On Tuesday December 13 you will hear Harpist from the Hood, Destiny Muhammad Jazz Trio and Stevie Wonder's pianist Victoria Theodore performing selections from her album, "A Victoria Theodore Christmas."
Roberta Donnay is a jazz recording artist and award-winning singer/songwriter.
She is listed in "The Jazz Singer" as one of the top 521 jazz singers. As a touring artist, Ms. Donnay has performed with or opened for many great artists (including George Benson, Bob Dorough, Dave Ellis, David Grisman, Dr. John, John Hammond, Dan Hicks, Jonny Lange, Huey Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Sample, David Sanborn). As a session singer, she's appeared on countless recordings, 6 independent CDs have been released of Ms. Donnay's originals and jazz recordings. Her songs and vocals have been featured in film and TV. Donnay wrote the song "One World", used to celebrate United Nation's 50th Anniversary, adopted by schools and events as a world peace anthem, including Hague Appeal For Peace (NL) and World AIDS Day (South Africa). Ms. Donnay has been touring the past 6 years as one of the Hot Licks in the performing group Dan Hicks and The Hot Licks, who recently performed this July at Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland!
Roberta Donnay Jass Ensemble is...
John R. Burr-Percussion
Sam Bevan - Bass
Rich Armstrong - Trumpet
Roberta Donnay - Vocal and Percussion
"Roberta Donnay is dynamite! A "Woman of Jazz" to check out! Her voice is sultry, sexy and silky all in one. She sings tunes from the classic era in Jazz. Including Bessie Smith standards like "You're A Good Ol' Wagon But You Done Broke Down" and "I Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl" (she's not talkin' cereal bowl here folks!)." ~ - Johnathon Bakan, SF Examiner 2011
About CHELLE! And Friends...
Video -- Wang Dang Doodle and More
CHELLE! and Friends, commemorates the music of Mardi Gras, New Orleans, and celebrates it's Creole people and their remarkable music. Michelle Jacques was born in New Orleans. She began this journey to find out what it means to be Creole, to understand her culture, her language and her history and after the devastation of Katrina in 2005, her mission has evolved into her determination to keep the history and the music of New Orleans alive. Michelle has been awarded the 2008 City of Oakland, Individual Artist grant to make this dream come alive.
From the joyous mix of Spirituals, the pulsating rhythms of the Wild Magnolias' HERC JOLLY JOHN, and Irma Thomas' YOU CAN HAVE MY HUSBAND, to Nina Simone's ode to peace "COME YE", CHELLE! And Friends will take you on a musical and historically rich roller coaster ride that you won't soon forget!
With drums, percussion, bass, horns and powerful voices, CHELLE! And Friends delivers a musically rich performance of Jazz, R&B, world music and Spirituals, that transcends ethnic boundaries, uplifts, brings news, protests, motivates and honors our richness and diversity.
CHELLE! and Friends are...
MICHELLE JACQUES - Vocals
RHONDA CRANE - Vocals
JAY LAMONT - Vocals
BRYAN DYER - Vocals
DONNA VISCUSO - Saxophone, Harmonica and Flute
KEN"SNAKEBITE" JACOBS - Flute
SAM BEVAN - Bass
BOB SCOTT - Bass
"Chelle has put together a dream team of accomplished performers. This group completely rocks!" Russ Jennings, Common Soul Productions
"New Orleans is visiting us with the powerhouse group of CHELLE! and Friends! This is spiritual gospel fused with Caribbean rhythms, Cajun mix of spicy vocals that will make you dance, sing, pay attention and certainly will give you chills and lift your spirit! This is one of my favorite performing groups in the Bay Area..." Urban Music News
About Destiny Muhammad Jazz Trio...
Video
Destiny, Sound Sculptress, mesmerizes her audience with her musical imagery. She writes classical/ crossover eclectic jazz for vocals and harp.
Destiny has performed for: Susan L. Taylor, Editorial Director -ESSENCE Magazine Women Who Are Shaping the World Leadership Summit, Monterey Jazz Festival, Revelations Transformation Conference Founder and 'The Secret' Visionary Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, The Disney Concert Hall, Black Aids Institute, GRAMMY Award Winner India Arie, Irie's 'Testimony' the Seattle Center, Fischer Hall, San Francisco Librairies, Concert for World Peace and the Brooklyn Jazz Festival with Jazz Ambassador Eddie Gale.
Destiny most recently shared the stage with multi GRAMMY Award Winning producer Narada Michael Walden for a fundraiser for Songstress Angela Bofill and a panelist for the West Coast Songwriters Performing Songwriters Panel and panelist for the GRAMMY San Francisco Chapter 'State of the Music 'Industry.
Destiny is expanding her musical ideals with her project(s) S.O.N.G/ Strings of a Nubian Groove Nubian String Ensemble, The Destiny Muhammad Jazz Trio, & The Richard Howell Quintet (RHQ) and venturing into the world of Pedal Harps on her Salvi Daphne 46- string Concert Harp.
Destiny is Governor Emeritus and Educational Chair Emeritus of the Recording Academy, San Francisco Chapter and the Principle Harpist for the Oakland Public Conservatory Orchestra.
The Destiny Muhammad Trio is...
Myron Cohen - Drums
Elliot Racine - Acoustic Bass
Destiny Muhammad - Vocals and Harp
"Destiny Muhammad should be a Bandleader...dig!" ~ Keith Hines, KCSM Radio 91.1
About Victoria Theodore... 
Video - Performing Live with Stevie Wonder
Victoria Theodore received her Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Classical Piano Performance and Computer Music from Oberlin College / Conservatory of Music, and her Master of Arts degree in Classical Piano Performance from Stanford University. As a teen, Victoria studied piano and voice in the UC Berkeley Young Musician's Program (YMP) and sang (and began her accompanying career) with the Oakland Youth Chorus under the direction of Trente Morant. Through YMP, Victoria studied piano primarily with Eugene Gash (1920-1995), the first African-American concert pianist to perform a solo concert at Carnegie Hall, and a student of E. Robert Schmitz (1889-1949), a student of composer Claude Debussy. During her Stanford years, Victoria also studied Jazz Piano with Mark Levine, Bill Bell and Frank Martin. Shortly after graduation from Stanford, Victoria toured nationally as a keyboardist for Captiol Records artists Oaktown 357 - produced by MC Hammer.
After Oaktown 357's tour ended, Victoria moved to New York City to run a multimedia company. In 2000, Victoria returned to the Bay Area after several years running her company, GlobalDisc.com - a very successful venture which is still a market leader in same day media duplication.
Beginning in August, 2007, Victoria was hired to tour with legendary musical genius Stevie Wonder, playing keyboards and singing background vocals in his band. She has traveled around the world with Stevie and looks forward to more touring! (And yes, it's as fabulous as you'd imagine!) Victoria is a highly sought after Bay Area pianist, keyboardist and accompanist, respected for her wide ranging musical versatility. Victoria resides in San Leandro, CA, and teaches students from her home when she's not performing with various R&B, jazz, gospel, pop and classical artists.
Victoria Theodore Ensemble is..
Daniel Parenti - Bass
Billy Johnson - Drums
Victoria Theodore - Piano
