Documents from Gilberto Gil's Private Archive

Bay City Best TOP PICKS FOR THE COMING WEEK PERFORMANCE Olodum, the Brazilian samba-reg- gae group renowned for its inspira- tional music, brings its blend of African, Caribbean and Brazilian sounds to Cal Performances Sept. 9 at 9p.m. in Zellerbach Hall. The group's 23 percussionists, musi- cultural cians, singers and dancers are based in EXHIBIT Bahia, where a wave of political and I awareness was set off by the group's powerful music. Formed in 1979, the group's name, Olodum, is derived from the Yoruban word Olo- dumaré or "God of Gods." Tickets are $20-$32, available from the Cal Per- formances ticket office. Information: (510) 642-9988. REVIVAL MUSIC Brazilian music legend and 1999 Gram- my Award-winner Gilberto Gil returns to the City with his Quanta Live tour in the Masonic Auditorium Sept. 10 at 8 p.m., for one show only. This exten- sive U.S. tour features a seven-mem- ber backup group that won the Grammy. He's just the band leader of this group, but it can really cook. Tickets are $45, $35 all and $25 and are available at BASS outlets, or call (415) 392-4400. For group discounts, check City Box Office, at www.cityboxoffice.com. Information on the web: www.gilber- togil.com.br. - George Powell EVENT Now that one study has been found that says chocolate might actually help prevent heart attacks, feel free to in- dulge in the Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival, to be held Sept. 11, from noon to 5 p.m. at Ghirardelli Square. To taste: chocolate pizza, tiramisu, truffles, brownies, cake with edible flowers, chocolate pasta desserts, chocolate-covered wontons and chocolate cheesecake. To watch: pastry chefs from the San Francisco Marriott as they create masterpieces with chocolate through chocolate- sculpting techniques. Kids can follow suit by decorating Ghirardelli Choco- late bars and shortbread cookies. Plus, there's the "Earthquake" ice cream sundae-eating contest, wherein the winner receives his/her weight in, you guessed it, chocolate. All proceeds from this feeding frenzy will go to Pro- ject Open Hand, an organization that provides meals and support services to individuals with HIV/AIDS. Call (415) 775-5500 for information; S6 gets you five chocolate treats. Pal Joey, the historic Broadway musi- cal that succeeded the second time around, will be the opening produc- tion for the Marin Theatre other Company's 1999-2000 season. First produced in 1940, Pal Joey is the story of Joey Evans, cheap night- clubbing cad , who tries to ro- mance an older woman at the of his expense naive and loyal girlfriend. Based on the book by John O'Hara, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, Pal Joey includes such standards as "Chicago," "Be- witched," and "I Could Write a Book." The Marin Theater production, the most ambitious musical attempted by the company, will include seven pro- duction numbers backed by a full or- chestra. Opening Sept. 14, with pre- views starting Sept. 9, the production runs through Oct. 10. Ticket prices range from $24 to $40. All perfor- mances are at the Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. Call (415) 388-5208 for information and showtimes. - George Powell There's still time to catch Michael Jang's photo- graphic ex- hibit, "Where do Heroes go when they die?" which concludes at the Calumet Photographic Pro Center, 2001 Bryant St., Sept. 17. The show is an intense look at what pho- tographer Jang and writer Mitchell Al- tieri consider the last American heroes. The project started in 1995 when Jang and Altieri began a collabora- tive effort to capture a rough group young men and women from DANCE South San Francisco. Since it was MUSICAL. Altieri's home town, the artists felt a greater freedom to depict the group's lives through a combination of fact and staged fictional tableaux. This style was carried to other locations and became a heart- beat for additional unsung heroes. Call (415) 970-9723 for gallery hours of this affecting show. FESTIVAL 40 Boden MARI 2 SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER MAGAZINE, Sunday, September 5, 1999 A SECTION OF THE SUNDAY EXAMINER & CHRONICLE If the very idea of another production of Sweet Charity sends you into the dol- drums, check out the San Francisco Fringe Festival (pictured top right), the eighth annual crazed "live art" event produced by the EXIT Theatre that shows at five locations within easy walk- ing distance of Union Square. Actors, do dancers, comedians, clowns, poets, jugglers, whistlers, prestidigitators and experi- mentalists of all genres come together for 11 days of non- stop performances, all under 60 minutes. This year's selec- tion includes an original paro- dy of Star Trek and a "bring your own venue" perfor- mance featuring wild “live bus the- ater," whatever that may be. Tickets (all under $8) may be purchased at performances only. Box office opens 30 minutes before each curtain. For information, call: (415) 673-3847, or check out the website: www.sf fringe.org THEATER The Threepenny Opera, the Bertolt Brecht-Kurt Weill landmark musical, launches the American Conservatory the Theater's 1999-2000 season at Geary Theater. The production, directed by ACT Artistic Director Carey Perloff, will feature stage and screen stars Bebe Neuwirth pic- tured), Lisa Vroman and Malcolm Gets in starring roles. The Threepenny Opera is the most popular collabora- tion between Brecht and Weill, and a fitting pro- duction to honor the Weill cene TH tennial. The show runs through Oct. 3. Sin- gle ticket prices begin at $56. For showtimes and further information, check www.act-sfbay. org, or call 749-2228 CINEMA Some say it's a masterpiece, others find it tedious, but it did put the word "walkabout" into wide usage. Walka- bout (pictured), a 1971 film directed by Nicholas Roeg, is the mystical story of an English sister (Jenny Augutter) and brother (Roeg's son, Lucien John) who are abandoned in the Aus- tralian outback. They are aided by an aborigine boy (David Gulpilil) in their journey back to "civilization. Berkeley's Fine Arts Cinema (2451 Shattuck Ave.) will screen Walkabout at 5:35 and 9p.m. Sept 11-12. Tickets are $7, $5 for seniors and $4 for children. Information: (510) 848-1143. - George Powell