Christmas with the Celts, New Year's Eve Concert and More Set for Yoshi's San Francisco, Now thru 1/12

By: BWW News Desk Dec. 17, 2013

Yoshi's San Francisco announces updated calendar for club and restaurant through January 5, plus new shows through March 2014.

Yoshi's San Francisco is located at 1330 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115. For tickets and more info: 415.655.5600 or Show Tickets. For dinner reservations: 415.655.5600 or Dinner Reservations. For current restaurant menu, click here. LOCALS DISCOUNT: Enter promo code 94115 for 20% select shows for locals only. Limit (4) tickets per purchase. Must show ID with 94115 home zip code, when you pick up tickets at the box office.

Tommy Igoe BIG BAND w/ Kenny Washington
(Featuring 15 of the Bay Area's finest musicians!)
Tue, Dec 17, 8pm$22
Drumming icon, Tommy Igoe and his band are putting a fresh, global spin on a proud American art form. This elite 15-piece unit is comprised of San Francisco's finest players, hand-picked from Tower of Power, Santana, The Doobie Brothers, Boz Scaggs and many more. Cherished music from Buddy Rich, Woody Herman and Count Basie share the stage with unforgettable songs from Spain, Cuba, Brazil and New Orleans. Blues, Funk, Brazilian, Latin and incredible special guests make every show a unique journey. Experience one of the world's finest drummers leading this breathtaking ensemble and be a part of San Francisco's new Tuesday Tradition!
Read more here.

VOENA: Voices of the Season - Starry Night
(International children's choir)

Wed, Dec 18, 7pm
$21 adults, $14 children 14 and under
VOENA is a captivating, multi-cultural, world music experience that redefines "choir" the way Cirque du Soleil redefines "circus." Director, Annabelle Marie inspires over 140 children from ages 6-18 to celebrate music through voice, sound, rhythm and movement. Singing in over 23 languages, VOENA has performed around the globe bringing their message to unite the world with children's voices. VOENA has performed at the 2012 London Olympics, the Grand Ole Opry, as repeat guests at the White House, for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in Rome and as goodwill ambassadors to Ireland, China, Japan and Italy. VOENA was the first American Choir to sing at the Soweto Festival in South Africa. Read more here.

YUNA
(Malaysian singer-songwriter blending contemporary pop, acoustic folk and soulful R&B.
(Touring new album Nocturnal [Verve / Oct 2013]) <~ SOLD OUT
Wed, Dec 18, 9:30pm
In a remarkably short period of time, Yuna has risen from regional D.I.Y. notoriety to full-on international stardom. In the process, the charismatic young singer-songwriter from Malaysia-who makes her Verve Records debut with Nocturnal-has become the first artist from her homeland to conquer the American market. The ease with which Yuna has transitioned to border defying mainstream success shouldn't be surprising, considering the effortlessly universal appeal of her organic blend of contemporary pop, acoustic folk and soulful R&B. The artist's personally charged songs are deeply felt yet melodically irresistible, combining her engaging voice and expressive songcraft with imaginative production to create wholly distinctive music that's won her comparisons with the likes of Feist, Adele and Norah Jones.
Read more here.

Greg Adams & EAST BAY SOUL: Sweet Soul Christmas(Greg Adams, a founding member of Tower of Power, trumpeter and songwriter's band.) Thu, Dec 19, 8pm
$25
The sound of Greg Adams is one of the world's best-known musical signatures. Greg's musical journey has spanned nearly four decades, from the time he first arrived on the San Francisco Bay Area music scene of the early '70s. Earning both Grammy and Emmy nominations and an International Broadcasting Award from The Hollywood Radio and Television Society. Adams is a founding member of Tower Of Power, legendary for the horn arrangements that made the TOP horn section a sought out entity all its own. Greg has been a driving force to define artistry that transcends musical genres, still seeking out a course not yet traveled, is at his best when set to explore a new artistic destination. Read more here.

THE LEGENDARY Count Basie ORCHESTRA
Directed by Scotty Barnhart
Fri, Dec 20-21, 8 & 10pm
8pm $35, 10pm $29
10pm shows: FIVE TICKETS for $100! - We are running a Holiday Special for the Count Basie Orchestra 10PM shows!
(Tickets include RESERVED SEATING plus 30% off, a $115 savings!)
William Count Basie started the Count Basie Orchestra in 1935, in Kansas City, Missouri. Within a year, America was listening in on popular radio shows throughout the country to hear what would become "The Swingingest Band In All The Land"! A phenomena was born in 1935, that is still going strong today! Since Basie's passing in 1984, Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes and now, Scotty Barnhart have led the Count Basie Orchestra and maintained it as one of the elite performing organizations in jazz. The Count Basie Orchestra has won 17 GRAMMY Awards and 20 Downbeat and Jazz Times polls, more than any other big band in jazz.
Read more here.
MGD Productions present: NENE MAJOSat, Dec 21
10:30pm in The Lounge

CHRISTMAS WITH THE CELTS (Performing fiery Scottish/Irish traditional tunes, plus their hybrid style of Celtic pop-rock with Celtic instrumentation.)
Sun, Dec 22, 2pm & 6pm
2pm matinee: GA $28, VIP $47
6pm: GA $36, VIP $55
You may have seen The Celts PBS Pledge show called Christmas with The Celts which aired on over 222 PBS TV stations across the U.S. and Ireland. The show is also set to air the next 2 years on PBS during the month of December. The Celts have performed in front of as many as 80,000 fans and perform mostly in Performing Art Centers, Theatres, and Arenas these days. The Celts have recorded 8 records and have been featured on tons of Celtic music compilations through the years. The Celts also host an annual show at the Pollstar #1 venue in the country, the world famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Read more here.

NATASHA MILLER'S ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT
(In celebration of her 7th CD release The Secret of Christmas)
Mon, Dec 23, 8pm
$16 adv, $20 door
Natasha owns an independent jazz record label, Poignant Records with eight releases available. Her music publishing company is affiliated with ASCAP. She has produced CD projects at Fantasy Records in Berkeley, as well as at Skywalker Studios. She is a classically trained violinist as well as a songwriter, vocalist, and plays the acoustic guitar and piano. As a vocalist, Ms. Miller has had the honor of performing at venues such as the Monterey Jazz Festival, Yoshi's in Oakland and San Francisco, Blues Alley in D.C., and the Jazz Standard in NYC.
Read more here.

CLAIRDEE - 11th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EVE SHOW(A Hip Holiday Happening with soulful jazz vocalist)
With Special Guest: Master Magician & Comedy Mentalist Jay AlexanderTue, Dec 24, 8pm
$20
The soulful vocalist Clairdee returns to Yoshi's San Francisco for her 11th annual Christmas Eve show. Capturing the magic of the season with ribbons of swing, R&B, and Latin grooves, she joyfully gift-wraps holiday classics and new arrangements of seasonal favorites guaranteed to warm your heart, lift your soul, and send you dancing into the new year. Clairdee's special guest is world-renown Master Magician and Comedy Mentalist Jay Alexander who will hit the stage with more energy than the electric company on Christmas Eve. Alexander's unique and hilarious show is regularly requested across the nation by celebrities from Robin Williams to the Rolling Stones. See why Newsweek called it, "the funniest show in town!" and John Cleese said, "Tremendous... mind-blowing!"
Read more here.

JON B
(Richly soulful and accomplished musician, songwriter & producer returns with full band!) Fri-Sat, Dec 27-28, 8 & 10pm
Fri: 8pm $34, 10pm $29
Sat: 8 & 10pm $34
Jon B is a consummate artist, an accomplished musician and noted songwriter and producer with severAl Gold and platinum records under his belt. His is a richly textured body of music, a testament to one man's love for all things soul. His beginning was seasoned by early influences including Duran Duran, Inxs, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Babyface, Prince and Sade. He spent the summer after high school writing, producing and recording 40 incredible songs and began making his rounds to all major record labels. Within a few months, he'd met Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and his wife, Tracy Edmonds, who were interested in signing Jon to their label imprint, Edmonds Record Group (formerly Yab Yum). The relationship between Jon and Edmonds Record Group immediately bore fruit. His debut album "Bonafide" went platinum and he was nominated by the Grammys for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for the single, "Someone to Love." Read more here.

ELLIOTT YAMIN(Multi-talented American Idol (Season 5, Top 3 finalist) pop, contemporary R&B singer-songwriter returns to Yoshi's SF)
Sun, Dec 29, 8pm
$24
Yamin has already earned a prestigious reputation as both a world-class recording artist and a deeply compelling live performer, having built an impressive body of work as well as an intensely loyal international fan base. On Let's Get to What's Real, the multi-talented artist raises the musical and personal stakes, tapping into the emotional honesty and sonic intimacy of classic soul to create the most inspired and distinctive music he's ever made. The resulting album is the purest expression to date of the musical talent and personal charisma that were first introduced to the public during Yamin's stint as one of the most acclaimed performers to ever compete on TV's American Idol.
Read more here.

NEW YEAR'S EVE w/ THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS
With opening set by DJ Harry Duncan (Bay Area R&B meets the streets of New Orleans)Tue, Dec 31, 8 & 10:30pm
8pm: $36 GA, $49 VIP <~ LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE
10:30pm: $46 GA, $59 VIP <~ SOLD OUT!
All-Night Dance Pass [access to both shows] $75 <~ SOLD OUT!
To those who have seen the California Honeydrops, it may come as a shock that the young frontman, Lech Wierzynski, was born in Warsaw, Poland. The son of Polish political refugees raised in Chicago and Washington DC, Lech was exposed to a wide range of musical influences. "When my dad was growing up in communist Poland in the '40s and '50s, old American music was illegal and therefore very cool," he says. "He passed on the love of old stuff to me: everything from Louis Armstrong to Sam Cooke." Like his early influences, Lech has the unique ability to carry a tune casually, conversationally and powerfully as well. But the California Honeydrops are not just another throwback band. "My brother and I had to assimilate to modern American society," Wierzynski explains, "so we loved all the popular stuff on the radio too, especially Hip-Hop, R&B. Knowing music was our way of proving we were American." After studying ethno-musicology at Oberlin College, Wierzynski arrived in Oakland, California in 2004. There, he couldn't help but to continue expanding his musical horizons. "At first," he recalls, "I played mostly on the street, and then as I got more established I started playing a lot of blues and soul music in clubs and touring. There is a rich heritage of that music here in the Bay, and I was lucky enough to play with a lot of older musicians who taught me what it was all about." Read more here.

Brian McKnight W/ FULL BAND
(Multi-Award-Winning Singer, Songwriter, & Producer)(Touring in support of new album More Than Words [Entertainment One Music / 2013]) Thu-Sun, Jan 2-5Thu: 8pm $55, 10pm $50
Fri & Sat: 8pm $65, 10pm $60
Sun: 7pm $55, 9pm $50
As an artist who needs no introduction, Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released 15 albums to date, seven of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and he has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. McKnight is also a multi- instrumentalist who plays nine instruments including piano, guitar bass, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet. Brian McKnight holds a GRAMMY Awards record having received 16 nominations without a win. Winner: Soul Train Awards 1999, Best R&B/Soul Male Album and Image Awards 2000, Outstanding Male Artist: "Back At One." Read more here.

Tommy Igoe BIG BAND - The Music of Duke, Basie & Monk(Featuring 15 of the Bay Area's finest musicians!)
Tue, Jan 7, 8pm$22
A night of incredible music celebrating three legends of jazz: Duke Ellington, Count Basie & Thelonious Monk. Drumming icon, Tommy Igoe and his band are putting a fresh, global spin on a proud American art form. This elite 15-piece unit is comprised of San Francisco's finest players, hand-picked from Tower of Power, Santana, The Doobie Brothers, Boz Scaggs and many more. Cherished music from Buddy Rich, Woody Herman and Count Basie share the stage with unforgettable songs from Spain, Cuba, Brazil and New Orleans. Blues, Funk, Brazilian, Latin and incredible special guests make every show a unique journey. Experience one of the world's finest drummers leading this breathtaking ensemble and be a part of San Francisco's new Tuesday Tradition!
Read more here.

YOUNG DUBLINERS(Celtic rock band) Wed, Jan 8, 8pm
$19 adv, $23 door
The Young Dubliners are quite possibly Celtic rock's hardest working band, playing hundreds of shows to thousands of fans across the US and Europe every year. In recent years they have twice appeared on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, had songs featured in TV shows (Sons Of Anarchy, Human Target) and toured extensively as a headliner and as the opener for such a diverse list of artists as Collective Soul, Jethro Tull, Johnny Lang and many more. Although the Young Dubliners sound is most commonly called 'Celtic Rock,' that label, as labels often can be, is misleading. The Irish influence is there, certainly, but it's not the only influence that rears its head on their albums, or in live shows. After all, several of the band members have no Irish roots of any kind. Read more here.

ANDY MCKEE
(Imaginative and masterful acoustic guitar virtuoso) Thu, Jan 9, 8pm
$31
Andy McKee's acoustic guitar can approximate the polyrhythmic interplay of a percussion ensemble, the harmonic sweep of a string section, the dazzling runs of a bluegrass doghouse bass-and-banjo duo, and virtually anything else his pastoral compositions and tasteful covers require. In 10 years and 5 records, he's written an oeuvre that globally inspires and intrigues music fans. His robust 200 dates-a-year tour itinerary-often spanning domestic rural to the exotically remote, from Arizona to Zimbabwe and everything in between-and his fans-first commitment, make him a worldwide ambassador for a new era in acoustic virtuosity. Andy's imaginative and masterful approach to the instrument and his Guitar Masters tour franchise-a tour package of edgy progressives-is helping to redefine our conception of acoustic guitar. Recently he's garnered plum exposure touring with Dream Theater (where he played to 10,000 in Mexico City) and Eric Johnson (who made a rare acoustic showing on the Guitar Masters Tour) where he's been able to share his unique artistry with a wide and diverse audience. Fans of sophisticated holiday music had the opportunity to hear Andy on Josh Groban's GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum Christmas album, Noël. Read more here.

Amel Larrieux
(GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter touring new album Ice Cream Everyday [Oct 2013]) Fri, Jan 10, 8 & 10
8pm: $35 adv, $40 door10pm: $30 adv, $35 door
Sun, Jan 12, 7 & 9pm
7pm: $35 adv, $40 door
9pm: $30 adv, $35 door
Amel Larrieux rose to fame in the mid-1990s as a founding member of the duo Groove Theory along with Bryce Wilson. After leaving the group in 1999, she released her debut solo album, Infinite Possibilities, the following year on Epic Records. In late 2003, Larrieux founded her own independent label with her husband/producer Laru Larrieux, Blisslife Records, on which she has released three R&B Billboard chart-topping albums, Bravebird, Morning and Lovely Standards. She has toured consistently worldwide including the US and Japan. Read more here.

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