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Gualala Arts
Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961.
Archive of past events: 2004 through 2014
On Sunday, April 8, Oceansong Restaurant hosts "Brunch & Jazz" with the acoustic jazz of Pilar Duran on guitar and Burton Segall on bass. Brunch buffet includes jazz (price TBA). Beverages, tax & gratuity additional. Advance reservations recommended. MC/VI accepted. Call Oceansong at (707) 884-1041.
Pilar moved to Mendocino County in 1979, at age 17, and played in the Mendocino College Big Band from 1983 to 1993. She has been living in Anderson Valley for 25 years, and has hosted "Soul Spectrum" on KZYX&Z on and off since the station opened in 1989. Pilar has performed in the region from the San Francisco Bay Area north to Humboldt County in rock, blues, jazz, R&B and big band settings. Burton Segall (acoustic bass), born in Los Angeles, moved to Mendocino County in 1992. He realized his bassness after 20 years of experimentation, including lessons on violin, clarinet, guitar, saxophone and piano. He has taught guitar and musicianship, is co-teaching a high school jazz combo class, and performs in groups from duos to big band. He lives off the grid, is blessed with cheap rent and works full-time at KZYX&Z as the Operations Director, where he has been co-hosting "Sunday Evening Jazz" for four years. Burton is also a member of the CityArt Jazz Combo playing for Poetry & Jazz on Thursday, April 5, 2007. On Saturday evening, the Main Event Jazz Concert at Gualala Arts Center features the Montclair Women's Jazz Ensemble, with vocalist Rhonda Benin selected from the Montclair Women's Big Band, and 11-year-old jazz flute sensation, Elena Pinderhughes. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for beer, wine and a martini bar along with savory and sweet tapas plates available for purchase. Limited open cabaret seating at 7:00 p.m. with the show starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 if purchased in advance or $35 the day of the event. Call Gualala Arts at (707) 884-1138 weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Visa and MC accepted. The Redwood Coast Whale and Jazz Festival runs four days and kicks off Thursday, April 5 evening at Point Arena CityArt for Poetry & Jazz, with a jazz ensemble accompanying both local and guest artist poets. The Dinner & Jazz, Brunch & Jazz and Sunset & Jazz events hosted by local restaurants are returning by popular demand, along with Chowder & Jazz and the Whale and Jazz Festival Main Event, both at the Gualala Arts Center. And what about the whales? There will be plenty of opportunities around the jazz events to observe the gray whale migration that passes Gualala heading north at this time of year. Point Arena Lighthouse offers exceptional spots to view the whales, as does Gualala Point Regional Park, and the film, Whales: An Unforgettable Journey, will be shown on Saturday, April 7. The Whale and Jazz Festival is produced by Redwood Coast Chamber of Commerce and Gualala Arts, Inc. More information about festival events is available in Gualala Arts' monthly newsletter, Sketches, and at whaleandjazzfestival.com.
The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA, |
Pilar Duran (acoustic jazz guitar) is certainly one of Northern California's finest guitarists. The daughter of legendary jazz guitarist Eddie Duran, Pilar grew up in San Francisco surrounded by famous Bay Area musicians and nonstop music. At seven, she started picking out solos on her father's guitars and received her first guitar lesson, from Joseph Ma. In elementary school, Pilar began playing the flute and continued all the way through high school.
