Ninth Annual Whale & Jazz Festival Arena Monday & Jazz Cloudfire Arena Theater Main Street, Point Arena Monday, April 18, 2011 8:00 p.m.

This event is part of the Arena Theater's Third Monday Music Series featuring local musicians. The series premiered in May of last year and has since developed into a highly successful monthly event that brings local musicians to the theater in an informal atmosphere and at a nominal admission.

The series benefits the theater and was the idea of musicians Brian Thurmond, James Hayes, Eric Dahlhoff and others. The theater provides a venue for the musicians and an opportunity to reach their fans, while the musicians in turn create a fun dance night for the community.

Don't miss it and join the large group of fans and supporters of local music. Local musicians interested in the program may contact Arena Theater at 882-3272 for more information.

Admission is $5 adults; $2 students. Tickets will be available at the door; proceeds benefit Arena Theater. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Dance floor open.

Cloudfire

Gretchen Barton	-	oud, dulcimer & bansuri flute
Janet DeBar	-	didjeridu
Harrison Goldberg	-	saxophones
Dave Jordan	-	fretless electric bass
Leon Schneiderman	-	drum set & metallophone

Cloudfire is a Mendocino-Sonoma coast band that has been evolving for five years. Their unique sound is due in part to the coming together of instruments as diverse as didjeridu, a metallophone built from scrap, oud, dulcimer and bansuri flute, playing with more familiar instruments such as saxophone, bass and drum set.

Also adding to Cloudfire's unique sound is the diverse background of its members, whose experience ranges from rock and folk to world, jazz and classical.

Exploring modes not limited to India or the Middle East in a format of improvisational jazz, funk beats and out-of-the-ordinary rhythms, their sound goes from subtle to intense to dreamy and ethereal, and can be both comforting and surprising at the same time.

Cloudfire's performance at the 2009 Art in the Redwoods Festival was received enthusiastically, and led to an invitation to play at the Whale & Jazz Festival.

Cloudfire both opened and closed the 2010 Whale & Jazz Festival, with a special performance for local school students in late March (see "Cloudfire mesmerizes youth audience at Gualala Arts Center") and then a concert at the Annapolis Winery in late April.

For more information about the band, visit their website, CloudfireMusic.com