Secondhand Serenade, Molly Ringwald, Sylvia Polanski and More Set for Yoshi's San Francisco, Now thu May 2013

SECONDHAND SERENADE
(acoustic rock band)
Tue, Feb 26, 8pm $25
With the heat of summer in full swing, the next stage of Secondhand Serenade's saga is gearing up for release. Those familiar with the words of John Vesely, the man behind Secondhand Serenade, have lived through his picturesque stories of life's ups and downs - from the act's acoustic debut, Awake, to the fuller, and more emotionally complex sounds of 2008's sophomore A Twist In My Story. Fans have gravitated to John's heart-on-his sleeve approach and are consistently moved by his tales of life, love and loss that foster universal understanding. Along this journey, A Twist In My Story spawned the platinum-certified top 10 CHR Top 40 hit "Fall For You." The song also reached No. 21 on the prestigious Billboard Hot 100. With the release of Hear Me Now, Secondhand Serenade's third studio release for Glassnote Records, he gives a more in-depth look inside a man coming to terms with his shortcomings and moving forward with that understanding. More info here.

RITA COOLIDGE
(multi GRAMMY-winning vocalist)

Fri-Sat, Mar 29-30, 8 & 10pm
8pm $36, 10pm $26
Most music fans have a favorite song recorded by two-time GRAMMY award-winner Rita Coolidge - "Fever," "We're All Alone," "One Fine Day," "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher & Higher," "The Way You Do The Things You Do," "All Time High," "Superstar," and so many other memorable tracks that topped the charts from the 1970′s onward. It is perhaps due to Coolidge's pop and rock pedigree that many of her fans are unaware of her longstanding affection for jazz, however. Her debut release for Concord Records, And So Is Love, a collection of well-loved jazz standards, is sure to change all that. It will also undoubtedly add a few jazz chestnuts to that lengthy list of songs Coolidge has already made her own. More info here.

MOLLY RINGWALD
(actress, singer, dancer, author touring new concert act)
Tue, Apr 16, 8pm $25 / $45 Limited VIP
Ringwald appeared in the TV series Diff'rent Strokes and the spin-off Facts of Life. Turning toward motion pictures, she found her breakout role in Sixteen Candles. Additionally some of Ringwald's most famous films include The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. Currently Ringwald stars in the ABC Family network's series The Secret Life of the American Teenager. When she is not at the television studios in Hollywood, Molly Ringwald will tour her sensational new concert act A NIGHT WITH MOLLY RINGWALD featuring the Peter Smith Quartet.

Among her credits as a vocalist, Ringwald performed lead on Disney's patriotic album Yankee Doodle Mickey, where Ringwald sang "This Is My Country," "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America." She later performed on a Disney Christmas album. On Broadway Molly has starred in the revival of CABARET, ENCHANTED APRIL, and MODERN ORTHODOX opposite Jason Biggs and Craig Bierko and appeared off-Broadway in tick, tick... BOOM! and also starred as 'Charity Hope Valentine' in the Broadway national tour of the musical revival, SWEET CHARITY. Ringwald's new book will be released August 2013 and her new solo recording is due Fall 2013. Read more here.

RENÉ MARIE'S "Experiment in Truth" Quartet
(jazz, soul, blues and gospel vocalist)
Tue, Apr 23, 8pm $20
René Marie, the award winning singer whose style incorporates elements of jazz, soul, blues and gospel, has quickly become a heroine to many; a woman of great strength exuding stamina and compassion; often explaining how finding her voice and self through singing gave her the courage to leave an abusive marriage. But since the release of her recording debut, Renaissance, this Colorado based heroine has also evolved into one of the greatest and most sensuous vocalists of our time. Unmistakably honest and unpretentious while transforming audiences Worldwide with her powerful interpretations, electrifying deliveries and impassioned vocals - René Marie has drawn a legion of fans and music critics who find themselves not only entertained, but encouraged and even changed by her performances. More info here.

RACHELLE FERRELL
(from Phyllis Hyman's backup singer (1988-1989) to R&B debut (1992), vocalist/multi-instrumentalist)

Fri, May 3, 8 & 10pm
8pm $32, 10pm $28
Rachelle Ferrell is unquestionably one of the most dynamic talents in contemporary pop music. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell's potent combination of range, phrasing, and musicianship. Ferrell first emerged in the states with her R&B debut Rachelle Ferrell (1992), a solid collection of self-penned originals that featured a striking duet with Will Downing ('Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This'). It was with the release of First Instrument in 1994 (recorded prior to Rachelle Ferrell) that audiences were really introduced to Ferrell's jazz sensibilities. More info here.

JUNIOR BROWN
(country guitarist and singer)
Sun, May 12, 7pm $25
"You don't find stylists today like you did in the Ernest Tubb era. That's what sets Junior aside from a lot of other artists. He's got his own style. And his rapport with his fans, he draws a vast audience, from young college kids up to the older, traditional country music fans." ~David McCormick, owner, Ernest Tubb Record Shop, Nashville

"Junior told me once that he was very impressed by Jimi Hendrix, by the way he was very wild, and yet he was very controlled. He knew where everything was going in a solo, and he (Junior), I think tries for the same effect, and I think he hits it virtually every time." ~Mitch Mitchell, drummer, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Though these two quotes attempt to explain his uniqueness and wide range musical capability, though not vague, the quotes are so dissimilar as to provoke a curious sense of mystery for a reader uninitiated with the phenomenon known as Junior Brown. Of course, to anyone who has seen Junior sing and play live, or heard any of his ten albums, will No Doubt understand the connectedness in what the two quotes mean, and more often than not will have some quotable Junior observations to add of their own. Read more here.

Backstory: Executive Pastry Chef Sylvia Polanski
"I was born in Chicago where I spent the first 12 years of my life. Chicago has a huge polish community, and my grandmother had two restaurants there. My grandmother is The Amazing person from whom I got my love for cooking. She lived in France for many years as well, so I was around a lot of Polish and French food. We ate at grandma's house several times a week. I watched her cook and eventually got my hands dirty. She is also amazing at desserts. We would have Croquembouche on a casual Monday night. My mother found homework I did from 2nd grade, and I said I wanted to be a chef when i grow up. I started cooking professionally when I moved to Russia in 1992. I was working under mostly Scandinavian chefs, which was great. I learned so much as just a line cook. When I returned to the U.S., I went to CCSF for almost two years and received my certificate in interior design. I was always interested in interior design, so i gave it a shot, alas my heart is in the kitchen. I started working at Postrio in 1998 with the Rosenthall brothers, who are brilliant; so great to work for them. I worked the line and also made stocks. It was very hard work but priceless. I was then promoted to saute at Wolfgang Pucks' other restaurant Spago, and i worked under Michael French who ran a very tight kitchen. I loved working there it was so busy, very fast paced. I was nicknamed the "risotto queen."

"I never thought I would ever be a pastry chef, ever. I was always turned off by all the science of it the preciseness and structure of it all. I couldn't have been more wrong. I use my same savory "oh a little bit of this, a pinch of that" and "eyeball it" mentality with pastry. I have come up with many amazing recipes and concepts this way. Always experimenting, always looking beyond the standard. I was working in Reno at the Cheeseboard and Wine Cellar as a line cook when I was asked to work as their baker. I took up the challenge and fell head over heals in love with baking. Love it!!!! For me it's the finesse, the delicateness. Dessert to me is soft, gentle, graceful, beautiful. I really enjoy pastries because I incorporate my savory and sweet in my creations. Fusing all wordly flavors, spices and ideas. My dishes aren't just a cake or ice cream; it's a concept from beginning to end. I focus on texture, taste, composition, ingenuity. I want to give people something they couldn't make at home and provide an experience where they stop doing anything except think about what they are eating. I love making people happy; that is my drive.

"I am currently at Yoshi's San Francisco making Japanese-inspired desserts. I have been given full creativity, amazing tools and support to create my desserts. I am a pastry chef, and my inspiration is everything that surrounds me."