2013 Downtown Berkeley MusicFest Presents Free Kick-Off Celebration Concert Tonight

To commence the festivities for Downtown Berkeley Association's sixth year MusicFest, Bay Area a capella singers Talk of da Town (who appeared on NBC's "The Sing-Off") perform sizzling renditions of R&B, Motown and doo-wop hits. Their warm and joyful music will charm your socks off :) Feet at the ready you can then(as Clifton Chenier once said about Zydeco) "...dance, your aches and pains will disappear" to the sounds of Grammy nominated virtuoso accordionist Andre Thierry & his band Zydeco Magic. Andre and the band are cooking up a soulful bubbling cauldron of Zydeco Creole music that is stewed and imbued with hip-hop, blues, jazz and rock mastery! Both groups are performing in a free concert tonight, August 1st from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza.

This year's MusicFest features music performances and entertainment that run the gamut from top flight hip-hop DJ music to blues, soul, jazz, brass bands, klezmer, Middle-Eastern, classical Carnatic, bluegrass, twang-pop and cowboy genres. This cornucopia of musical and artistic blessings will be featured at venues throughout the Downtown area including: The Jazzschool, Jupiter, Freight & Salvage, Berkeley Public Library, Bobby G's Pizzeria, The Marsh, Subterranean Arthouse, Sliver Pizzeria and Berkeley Arts Festival. These events are just a sampling of the arts and entertainment that can be found all year round in Downtown Berkeley.

For more information: www.downtownberkeleymusicfest.org.

Downtown Berkeley MusicFest Schedule August 1 to 4, 2013:

MusicFest 2013 Kick-off concert:

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza

Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 5:00-7:00 pm - Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic + Talk of da Town FREE!

Berkeley Public Library (510) 981-6100

Friday, Aug 2, 2013 12:15-1:00 pm - Steve Gannon Blues Band

Bobby G's Pizzeria (510) 665-8866

TBA

Freight & Salvage (510) 644-2020

Thursday, August 1, 2013, 8:00 pm - Davka $20.50 advance / $22.50 at door

For 20 years, Davka has been playing music of unbridled innovation and irresistible soul. People have called it "neo-Jewish-roots-fusion," "the acoustic equivalent of a Chagall painting," and "fiddler-on-too-much-Turkish-coffee." It draws from klezmer and jazz, classical and Middle Eastern, Asian and Yiddish influences in a mix that's pure Davka - Hebrew slang for "not what you expect."

Friday, August 2, 2013, 8:00 pm - Sam Bush $46.50 advance / $48.50 at door

Three-time Grammy-winner Sam Bush is a mandolin player, singer, and songwriter who has been wowing audiences since the early 1970s when he co-founded the pioneering progressive bluegrass band, New Grass Revival. Since then, he's recorded more than 20 albums, including seven solo releases.

Saturday, August 3, 2013, 8:00 pm - Kim Richey $20.50 advance / $22.50 at door

Kim Richey has written and co-written songs recorded by Trisha Yearwood, the Dixie Chicks, Mindy McCready, Maura O'Connell, Brooks & Dunn, and the Greencards. She's sung on albums by Ryan Adams, Shawn Colvin, and Mary Chapin Carpenter, and received two Grammy nominations. She "entices you with sad and unembellished music that reveals an original spirit," says Billboard Magazine.

Sunday, August 4, 2013, 8:00 pm - Michael Martin Murphey $36.50 advance / $38.50 at door

Michael Martin Murphey was one of the original country rockers from the scene in Austin in the 1970s with hits like "Geronimo's Cadillac," "Alleys of Austin," and his biggest seller, "Wildfire." He's also had a long love affair with bluegrass, dating back to his time as lead vocalist in the Earl Scruggs Band. The "Lone Cowboy Show" presents Michael and his music, plain and simple.

Jazzschool (510) 845-5373

Friday August 2, 2013 8:00 pm - Lu Salcedo Trio + ChristIan Sullivan $15.00

In addition to earning his bachelor's degree from the Jazzschool Institute, guitarist Luis Salcedo is currently performing and teaching regularly in and around the Bay Area. As a sideman, or leading his own groups, Luis draws heavily on the long tradition of jazz guitar while presenting his own take on the music. Featuring Tommy O'Mahony on bass and Nick de Ryss on drums. ChristIan Sullivan-Jazzschool Institute pianist ChristIan Sullivan performs a delightful set for the Rising Stars series.

Saturday, August 3, 2013 4:30-6:30 pm - Craig Browning + Grooveyard Shift $15.00

Grooveyard Shift is a jazz quintet based out of San Jose. They play fun, original music and put on a great show every time they play. This performance will feature Dillon Vado and Madison Bohrer who also attend the Jazzschool Institute as full time music students. Opening the evening, organist Craig Browning, will present a swinging set of classics and lesser-known gems.

Sunday, August 4, 2013 4:30 - 6:30 pm - Michael Orenstein's Gradtet $10.00

Led by pianist Michael Orenstein, this group of recent high school graduates consists of alums of The Jazzschool's Advanced High School Workshops and the SFJazz High School Allstars. The show will consist of original compositions as well as arrangements of standards and modern tunes. Catch these guys before they all head off to college!

Jupiter 510-THE-ROCK

Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 8:00 pm -Toph One

Whether contributing to XLR8R Mag, or running his long-time Red Wine parties throughout SF, Toph One has been a top-flight DJ for years, "a hip-hop DJ raised by house music DJs, mixing punk-rock with electro, jazz breaks with new wave, spinning fun music for drinking and wiggling and kissing girls (or boys)." http://www.facebook.com/tophone orhttp://www.bayareadj.org/profiles/BADJ_TophOne.html

Friday, Aug 2, 2013 5:00 pm - DJ TBA

Friday, Aug 2, 2013 8:00 pm - Quinn DeVeaux and The Blue Beat Review

Quinn DeVeaux and The Blue Beat Review is the dance floor between the sweet old times and new hard times. It's New Orleans soul and early blues with the depth of cracked hands combined with the contagious dance rhythm you've been looking for all night. You hear the upright bass and drums lock into a rolled drop beat, then the piano licks up and around the groove, then a drip dried guitar jumps in followed by three lovely voices making harmonies round the rhythm, and then on top comes Quinn, with his sugarbush tones of joy. "...it's great to hear such a musically sound, tight-knit, in-the-pocket, jazztastic ensemble demonstrate some solid chops. Another group whose appeal will span generations, make sure to grab your granny and your kid and get your boogie on." ~The Owl Mag http://www.quinndeveaux.com

Saturday, August 3, 2013 3:00 pm - TBA

Saturday, August 3, 2013 8:00 pm - East Bay Brass Band

East Bay Brass Band is a New Orleans-style brass band that specializes in mash-ups of popular artists from Jelly Roll Morton to AC/DC to Raymond Scott to Paula Abdul to Shostakovich to R.E.M. Born in Oakland in 2011, the band includes members of Blue Bone Express, MJ's Brass Boppers, Hot Pink Feathers All-Star Marching Band, Roisin Coven, Albino!, Phillip Der Stein, Dr. Abacus, Cyclub, Mercury Falls, Telepathy, and more. http://www.facebook.com/eastbaybrassband

Sunday, August 4, 2013 4:30 pm - Americana Unplugged: TBA

The Marsh (415) 826-5750 TBA

Sliver Pizzeria (510) 356-4044

Thursday, August 1st 6:30-9:30 pm - Chris Burns Band

Friday, August 2nd 6:30-9:30 pm - Geechi Taylor

Saturday, August 3rd 12:00-3:00 pm - Geechi Taylor

Saturday, August 3rd 6:30-9:30 pm - Freddie Hughes

Subterranean Arthouse (510) 508-3492

Saturday August 3, 2013 7:00 pm - Gautam Tejas Ganeshan

Classical Carnatic music