TRAILER: Music of the Bay Area

The history of music in the Bay Area could not be a larger or more exciting topic for us to explore. Music is the life blood of our city and it may be one of the biggest reasons why so many people have found themselves here over the years. It colors our world and is what keeps San Francisco going.

In the 1950’s, Jazz was everywhere. San Francisco became known as the Harlem of the West as musicians on tour would often come straight here after New York City. The City was also the home of free love, free expression, anti-war and anti-establishment movements in the 1960’s. From these movements and San Francisco’s Summer of Love in 1967 came artists like Janis Joplin from Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Grateful Dead, Earth Wind and Fire, Green Day, Carlos Santana, Joan Baez, Crosby Stills & Nash, MC Hammer… the list goes on and on.

The collection of phenomenal musical artists still grows today, and we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing several of them for this season’s second series. The first is prolific Jazz singer Paula West. Up next we have:

Erik Recinos– also known as hip-hop DJ Mind Motion,

“Big Russ” Russel Gatewood– a versatile DJ, producer, songwriter, arranger and musician,

Raz Kennedy– a veteran music and vocal educator, vocalist, and producer,

Skyler Jett– a Grammy-recognized vocalist and founder of Music For Global Change,

Gregory Cole– Director of Touch of Class Choir,

and Ian Robertson– Director of the San Francisco Opera Chorus and former Artistic Director of the San Francisco Boys Chorus.

This is only the tip of the iceberg of an enormous community of music and music artists who call the San Francisco Bay Area their home. Stay tuned weekly to learn more.

Enjoy the History of Music series!