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Greetings!
Happy Year of the Dragon! So glad it is 2012 and looking forward to so much!
It's been 7 weeks since I wrote this little newsletter of mine, the break did me well! As I am writing I am listening to www.KCSM.org 91.1 radio to their tribute of the Great Etta James and Johnny Oits! It is hard sometimes to express what the music means, as it is so much a part of my soul, so having this experience this afternoon listening has blessed me and has made me feel so grateful that I can appreciate truly soulful music.
Thank you KCSM so much for doing this - I have truly been inspired by the music and the stories! My deepest appreciation for the work of Melanie Berzon, Chuy Varela and all the other radio hosts who bring the music in such a real, tangible and visceral ways.... I have had moments of chills throughout your show.... thank you! Please support these stations, www.KCSM.org, www.KPFA.org, www.KPOO.com - they are truly so valuable!
Since last writing, Jazz at Georges at Georges Nightclub in San Rafael has taken off with superlative performances by Roberta Donnay and the Marcus Shelby Quartet! Coming up on  Thursday February 2, you can see an encore performance of Peter Horvath plays Herbie Hancock! I saw him do this show through the SFJAZZ Hotplate Series and it was absolutely electric! He is featuring Ray Obiedo on Guitar, Marc Van Wageningen on Bass, Brian Collier on Drums, Norbert Stachel (direct from NYC) on Saxophone and of course Peter on Piano! Do check this show out - these are the shows I live for - pure magic! Check this video out to catch a bit of what you will hear and see!
Also at Georges, the last Thursday of every month is SALSA and this Thursday January 26 will feature the exciting Rumbache! Open Dance Floor! Great Sound! Come out - this is a lovely venue and perfect for dancing!
I am also incredibly excited to be partnering with Casa Sanchez, in the heart of the Mission at  24th and York to bring LIVE MUSIC every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6 - 9pm - for only $5 starting this Friday January 27 with the Adam Theis (of Jazz Mafia) Trio and on Saturday Jan 28 the John Calloway Trio and on Sunday Jan 29 Brian Andres and the Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel Quintet!
Casa Sanchez is a 5 generation family owned business in the Mission, and they are reinventing themselves once again to stay a thriving part of this community. Marty Sanchez is thrilled to host the musicians and in tribute to their mother, we are calling these weekend shows La Música de Marta, a tribute to Marta Sanchez, her daughter said, "My mother would be happy about this." See you this Friday - 6pm!
 Another awesome show to look forward to is the Steve Carter Group on Friday February 3 at the Jazzschool! High-energy jazz with a healthy dose of East Bay funk. Pianist Steve Carter, bassist Dennis Smith and drummer Tommie Bradford have played with George Benson, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Jerry Garcia Band, The Freaky Executives, Bobby Womac and many more. Their latest CD Cosmopolis received top 10 CD of the year honors in All About Jazz. Special guests also performing are Marquinho Brasil on percussion and Jeff Narell on Steel Pans. Click here to get tickets!
You might recall my frustrations I expressed with the owner of Yoshi's back in early December after he flagrantly disrespected me and the artists I presented. I truly appreciate all the support I received from so many of you, musicians and patrons of music alike. After I sent my open letter, the Bay Citizen did an article on the troublesome funding that has gone into the Fillmore Heritage District and the mismanagement of these funds.
To put some of my critics to the side, only a few that I know of :), there was a mention on  Facebook and in the Latin Jazz Yahoo Group that I was making my facts up, so I thought I would highlight a few of the facts the Bay Citizen reports in this Jan. 5, 2012 article by writers Matt Smith and Zusha Elinson...
" ...$57.4 million that were aimed at reviving the jazz entertainment district. The agency handed out $5.8 million to finance the Fillmore Jazz District revolving loan program"...
"Yoshi's, a jazz club in Oakland, received a $4.4 million loan in 2007 to open a branch on Fillmore Street. In 2008 the club received $2.8 million more." The article than quotes owner of Yoshi's, Kaz Kajimura "The Fillmore Street business has struggled, in part because of a lack of demand for jazz in that location, said Kaz Kajimura, the club's founder. To stay afloat, the club has branched out to R&B and rap."...
"Jazz was getting harder and harder to make the business out of," Kajimura said, adding that the Fillmore club did not become profitable during a "normal month" until November 2011.
My rebuttal to Mr. Kajimura's irresponsible statements and flagrant disrespect to his long standing patrons and the musicians who built his businesses, is that the dollar of JAZZ is why you are where you are. It is because of the decades of support and partronage of jazz, and o many occasions the willingness for musicians to play way below their value to support your buisness and to see it grow. I maintain, that if it costs you $15,000 a day to operate your buisness - a jazz venue, than I still say you are doing something wrong and that your business model needs to change, but shame on you Kaz Kajimura for blaming jazz for your financial woes.
Further the article quotes then Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, "...Ross Mirkarimi, a former city supervisor who asked for the controller's audit, said many of the agency's grants had not been large enough to be effective. "It was sort of pocket money" instead, said Mirkarimi, whose district included the Fillmore neighborhood."
My other observation is this; Mr. Mirkarimi, if you knew the money was not going to be enough and you continued to lobby and push for these unsustaining development loans, then why did you do this? Why spend good money after bad money? These funds certainly have not benefited the local musicians, as so many of you have called me and written to me your stories. I think the answer actually lies in your own personal agenda. It does not appear to me you even cared about JAZZ, and specifically the people who create it, you cared about grandiosity of what you could push through at the tax payers and small businesses expense, this as well is shameful.
Earlier today I sent out an announcement asking for your help to write an email to the Board of Supervisors about them voting next week on whether to approve the SFAC Resolution to ask NARAS to restore the cut categories from the GRAMMY's and to restore diversity within this institution. In case you did not get it please click here to read more.
 Once again I will remind everyone to support the International Boycott of the GRAMMY Telecast and their Sponsors and to sign or ask a friend to sign the petition (no donation necessary to register signature) asking for the 31 categories to be reinstated for GRAMMY consideration. For more up to date information please visit www.grammywatch.org.
Thank you for supporting LIVE MUSIC and the MUSICIANS who bring the music to you! Urban Music Presents believes music grows community and believes our community is only as strong as we give to it.
Peace through music,
Stephanie
Jazz*Community*Accessibility
www.UrbanMusicPresents.com
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