Join us for a fun evening of Django-Style Jams at OCA! Bring your acoustic instrument and songs to share (instrument required/songs optional).

Led by Rick Fulkerson, this fun meetup for Django-Style Jazz enthusiasts is a great way to make new friends, learn new songs and spend an evening making music. No charge to participate/donations gratefully accepted. Meets in the OCA Studio, 3820 Doris Murphy Court.

Featuring Christian Foley-Beining on guitar, Tom Shader on bass, Jeff Sanford on Saxaphone and Kendrick Freeman on drums "The Beatles Jazz Connection" performs arrangements of Beatles songs in styles ranging from Blues and Rock, Fusion, Funk, Brazilian music and of course, Jazz.

Tickets are $25 advance, $15 for OCA members. $5 additional at the door. No ticket fees for this event. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Refreshments for sale.

About the show:

Foley-Beining explains, “I look at the music of the Beatles from two different perspectives. The first is what we all in our age group experienced when we grew up, we just liked the songs and were taken away with their great music. Second, now after studying Jazz for decades, composing original music and arranging many different types of music, I was again amazed by their talents and compositions. The songs seem to be very simple, and you just sing a long, but when you analyze the structures and harmonies, you realize how deep the musicality was. The musical transformation they went through in 7 - 8 years is just amazing. Many other rock bands still sound the same for 40 years. When I arrange a Beatles song, I just arrange it in a way that pleases me, I don't care what style of music it ends up to be. I am integrating all my musical experiences in my arrangements from my beginning as a Blue/Rock player, my interest in Fusion and Funk and then of course my decades of studying and performing Jazz and Brazilian music.”

Iris Jamahl Dunkle shares her latest book “Riding Like the Wind: The Life of Sanora Babb”. Join us for selected readings, author Q&A, book sales & signing. Iris will join in conversation with Joy Lanzendorfer, journalist (OhJoy,org) and novelist (Right Back Where We Started From).

Free event! Donations gratefully accepted.

"This absorbing biography, written with both affection and admiration, shows Babb as one of the most indefatigable characters in American literary history."—The New Republic

This saga of a writer done dirty resurrects the silenced voice of Sanora Babb, peerless author of midcentury American literature. 
 
In 1939, when John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath was published, it became an instant bestseller and a prevailing narrative in the nation's collective imagination of the era. But it also stopped the publication of another important novel, silencing a gifted writer who was more intimately connected to the true experiences of Dust Bowl migrants. In Riding Like the Wind, renowned biographer Iris Jamahl Dunkle revives the groundbreaking voice of Sanora Babb.
 
Dunkle follows Babb from her impoverished childhood in eastern Colorado to California. There, she befriended the era's literati, including Ray Bradbury and Ralph Ellison; entered into an illegal marriage; and was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee. It was Babb's field notes and oral histories of migrant farmworkers that Steinbeck relied on to write his novel. But this is not merely a saga of literary usurping; on her own merits, Babb's impact was profound. Her life and work feature heavily in Ken Burns's award-winning documentary The Dust Bowl and inspired Kristin Hannah in her bestseller The Four Winds. Riding Like the Wind reminds us with fresh awareness that the stories we know—and who tells them—can change the way we remember history.

 Iris Jamahl Dunkle's poetry and nonfiction critically engage with the Western myth of progress by exploring the profound impact of agriculture and overpopulation on the North American West, both historically and in contemporary times. Embracing an ecofeminist perspective, her writing challenges the predominantly male-centric narrative of the American West's recorded history, delving into the often-overlooked lives of women.

Dunkle earned her MFA in poetry from New York University and her PhD in American Literature from Case Western Reserve University. She is the author of two biographies, Charmian Kittredge London: Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer (University of Oklahoma Press, 2020) and Riding Like the Wind: The Life of Sanora Babb (University of California Press, 2024), and four collections of poetry, including West : Fire : Archive, published by The Center for Literary Publishing, Interrupted Geographies and Gold Passage by Trio House Press and There’s a Ghost in This Machine of Air by Word Tech.

Dunkle curates Finding Lost Voices, a weekly blog dedicated to resurrecting the voices of women who have been marginalized or forgotten. She has garnered recognition through awards and fellowships from esteemed institutions such as Biographers International, Millay Arts, and Vermont Studio Center, and her writing has appeared in publications like Orion, Electric Lit, Liber, Pleiades, Tin House, Calyx, Fence, The Los Angeles Review, and Split Rock Review. Notably, her work was featured on The Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day series and showcased on one hundred buses during the Muni Art 2020 campaign.

Sonoma County artists are invited to submit entries for our gallery exhibit “Four Elements. Entries will be accepted on Tuesday, April 1st by appointment.

Click here to sign up or learn more about entering your artwork.

Bring your instrument down to OCA for our Bluegrass Jam Session!

Led by multi-instrumentalist David Pascoe, our monthly jam session is held on the first Tuesday of each month. We’ll meet in the OCA classroom and take turns leading/choosing songs. Guaranteed to be a great time for all! $5 donation requested of participants. BYOB.

See you at the jam!

Unleash your inner rock star! Join us for an unforgettable Free Karaoke Night at the Occidental Center for the Arts. Whether you're a shower singer, a seasoned performer, or just want to cheer on your friends, this is your chance to shine. Bring your favorite songs, good vibes, and plenty of energy for a night filled with music, laughter, and community fun. Admission is FREE—all ages welcome! Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase.

🎵 Sing your heart out, or just enjoy the show—either way, the mic is waiting for YOU!

See you there! 🌟

Doors open at 6:45 PM.

Eat like a King and Dance like a Fool!

It’s time for the Annual Fool’s Parade!

Join us as we frolic through downtown Occidental, led by the Hub Bub Club. To participate in the parade, meet up at the Occidental Community Center at 12:30 PM. The parade starts at 1 PM and winds from the Community Center to the Occidental Lodge and back, ending at Occidental Center for the Arts for the Fool’s Party! If you’re visiting our town to watch the parade, be advised we will close the streets at 12:30 PM so plan to arrive and get settled early! Everyone is invited to follow the parade to OCA for the Fool’s Party - a free community event.

Enjoy foolish festivities at OCA following the parade until 4pm, including live music by the James Earley Funk Band, Punch and Judy Puppet Show by Piccolo Puppet Theatre, performers from Big Fun Circus, Giant Bubbles, Kids’ Art Zone, clowns, great food & beverages, beer and wine and more!

The winners of the SILLIEST COSTUME contest will be announced at 2:45 PM, with $100 given for best adult costume and $50 for best youth costume.

Interested in learning, sharing and reading short plays? Readers Theatre is a fun opportunity to express yourself.

Readers Theatre participants read scripts adapted from literature, while the ‘audience’ pictures the action by hearing the script being read aloud. It requires no sets, costumes, props, or memorized lines. Instead of acting literature as in a play, the performer’s goal is to read a script aloud effectively, enabling the audience to visualize the action. Performers bring the text alive by using voice, facial expressions, and some gestures. $15 participation fee, $10 for OCA members.

For more information, email Joan Ambrosini, coordinator.

Join Patrick Fanning on location to paint our fabulous Sonoma Coast en plein air. We will meet at various Sonoma Coast locations with ample parking and restrooms, to paint the late afternoon light as the sun goes down on the ocean and land. Bring a picnic dinner and get home before full dark, or stay later to dine in Jenner or Bodega Bay. Each evening I will demonstrate a watercolor painting, but all mediums are welcome. Bring your sketchbook, oils, pastels or whatever. While I’m painting I’ll talk about equipment, setting up, coping with weather, taking reference photos, value thumbnails, composition, simplification, color schemes, working in layers, and so on. After about 45 minutes I’ll wrap up the demo and work with students individually for the rest of the evening. In the last rays of direct sunlight we will gather to have a look at our work.

Dates & Times: April 8, 5 - 7:30pm April 15, 5 - 7:30pm April 22, 5-7:30pm April 29, 5 - 7:30pm May 6, 5:30-8pm May 13, 5:30-8pm May 20, 5:30-8pm

Cost: $200 OCA members, $250 nonmembers. All Levels Welcome

Painting outdoors is challenging, so it helps to have some experience with your art supplies. But even beginners can enjoy being outdoors in nature from the first outing. And after seven outings, I guarantee you will see real art progress. When you register for class, I’ll email a handout covering what you need to bring and what to expect.

Rest & Renew at our Sound Bath!

Support your nervous system, release anxiety and stress, and harmonize your body, mind and spirit on the 2nd Tuesday of every month! Laura Benson has a Masters in Intuition Medicine(R) and is a certified sound healer who will guide you through a gentle meditation before each sound bath session. Bring your own yoga mat & blanket and come ready to rest and renew! In the OCA Studio.

Sliding scale pricing $25-$35.

A sound bath is a whole-body, immersive listening experience. During a sound bath, participants often sit or lie down, and are surrounded by the mostly non-melodic soundscapes created by a range of instruments played by the sound bath facilitator. Hence, they are “bathed” in sound.

Sound therapy is a non-invasive healing modality that utilizes the physical and physiological interactions of sound on our bodies and nervous systems to produce therapeutic results. In a sound healing session, specific sonic frequencies are used to soothe the central nervous system, calm the breath, and quiet the mind by encouraging the brain to move into more relaxed states, down from beta (fight-or-flight) and into theta and alpha waves. This increases present-moment awareness and reduces stress and anxiety. Sound baths have been found to be effective in improving mood, cognitive function, and overall mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

Crystal bowl sound baths are particularly powerful in that each bowl is tuned to a specific frequency that corresponds with a different chakra, or energy center, of the body. Based on specific needs, a practitioner can focus on releasing tension or clearing out stuck energy in specific chakras by playing certain bowls or intervals. 

While attending a sound bath, you may experience physical sensations brought out by the crystal sound bowls or gong, such as tingling in your limbs or scalp, slowing of your breathing, eye flutters, or small muscle spasms. Not to worry! These sensations often indicate the release of tension or emotional energy stored in the body’s energy systems.

Local artist and teacher Susan St. Thomas will show you how to properly frame your artwork!

Finish up and protect your paintings, prints or photographs. Make your good artwork look great! Learn how to select, measure and cut your own single and double mats with demonstrations and hands-on cutting practice. Discussion of metal designer frames vs. wood frames with instruction as to how to finish your work in creative ways, under glass using frames you already have, using pre-made frames, or building a frame yourself. Demonstration of how to create a “floater” frame for raised surface artwork. Receive a list of available framing resources and see how to use simple framing tools now available to artists. You wil save money doing all or some of your own framing.

Cost to attend is $50, $40 for OCA members. A variety of frames will be available for purchase at the workshop, ranging from $5-10. Bring unframed work or work that needs re-framing. Space is limited - register early!

OCA is pleased to present Duo Quartet!

This afternoon concert will take place inside our auditorium.

Duo Quartet is Chris Webster, Nina Gerber, Pam Delgado & Jeri Jones, who discovered their magical, musical synergy during a double-bill show of the two "duos".

From an audience point of view there is something richly satisfying in experiencing these four women onstage with a dynamic ranging from tender, ethereal songs to raucous barn-burners. Webster and Delgado sing most of the leads – Chris often expertly playing a washboard while Delgado drives the band with her percussion. But if this were a boxing ring you’d see coming in from opposite corners the dueling energy of Jones and Gerber egging each other on with their guitar-Goddestry – whipping the band and the audience into a veritable frenzy.

With a beautiful set of original music mixed with surprisingly original takes on a few choice covers, Duo Quartet brings to the stage a band that is greater than the sum of its already impressive parts.

Tickets are $35 Advance, $40 at the door (if available). No online fees for this event. $10 off for OCA members.

About the performers:

Nina Gerber & Chris Webster

Nina Gerber & Chris Webster haven’t rushed into this album thing—it’s only after 25 years of playing together that they’ve released an album of gorgeous duets, Apple Blossom Lane, featuring Chris’s bluesy, jazzy, soulful voice and Nina’s incomparable guitar accompaniment, always surprising, yet always so exactly right. They take their time with each song, playing with possibilities, exploring depths, arriving at moments of rare beauty and transcendence. If you’ve ever heard Nina before, you know she always brings out the best in the musicians around her, and Chris’s best is spectacularly good—her “magic derives from those ineffable qualities of vocal grain, emotional nuance, timing, and phrasing possessed by the truly great and moving singers of any style,” says the Oakland Tribune.

Pam Delgado and Jeri Jones

Pam Delgado and Jeri Jones of Blame Sally fame return to their original duo format, the Pam & Jeri Show, in a performance ranging from mournful ballads to sweet love songs to blazing acoustic soul. Pam plays percussion and guitar, Jeri plays guitar, bass, dobro, and mandolin, and their powerful voices blend beautifully to create a distinct and compelling sound. Their music has earned a spot in the rotation on San Francisco’s KFOG and Starbucks XM Café. Whether they’re covering songs by artists like Aretha Franklin and Rickie Lee Jones or playing their own exciting originals, this is a duo that knows how to entertain an audience and put on a satisfying show.

Stories teach us about life, about ourselves & about each other. Help to create west county’s newest storytelling community. 7mintuesmax will be an evening of 7 live stories told in 7 minutes or less. Hilarious or sublime, poignant and personal tales told through the ancient oral tradition of storytelling, this evening will be sure to move, delight & intrigue you. This is an event for mature audiences & not intended for children. Interested storytellers will have a chance to throw their name in the hat to present their story. Remember no notes & 7 minutes max!

Refreshments available for purchase including fine wine & beer selection.

$10 GA, $5 for OCA members. Pay at the door. Storytellers will be selected randomly from willing participants.

Join us for a reception with the artists of our Four Elements exhibit. People’s choice award winners will be announced during the reception. Visit the gallery beforehand to vote for your favorite worki!

Our gallery is open Sat/Sun 12-4 PM and during events. Learn more about the gallery.

Electric Tumbleweed returns with their incredible psychedelic outlaw Americana! Sonoma County favorites Bud Dillard, Rhyne Erde, Riley Hill and Scotty Brown will be joined by Tim Marcus on pedal steel guitar for this show. Join us at OCA for a rockin good time!

Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the door. No fees for purchasing advance tickets online. Discount for OCA members.

Doors open at 7:30 PM. Limited seating, open dance floor.

Interested in learning, sharing and reading short plays? Readers Theatre is a fun opportunity to express yourself.

Readers Theatre participants read scripts adapted from literature, while the ‘audience’ pictures the action by hearing the script being read aloud. It requires no sets, costumes, props, or memorized lines. Instead of acting literature as in a play, the performer’s goal is to read a script aloud effectively, enabling the audience to visualize the action. Performers bring the text alive by using voice, facial expressions, and some gestures. $15 participation fee, $10 for OCA members.

For more information, email Joan Ambrosini, coordinator.

Join us for a fun evening of Django-Style Jams at OCA! Bring your acoustic instrument and songs to share (instrument required/songs optional).

Led by Rick Fulkerson, this fun meetup for Django-Style Jazz enthusiasts is a great way to make new friends, learn new songs and spend an evening making music. No charge to participate/donations gratefully accepted. Meets in the OCA Studio, 3820 Doris Murphy Court.

AUDITION NOTICE

Romeo and Juliet
Presented by Occidental Center for the Arts

Production Dates: 6-9 performances in October, 2025 (confirmed Oct 10-11-12- 17-18-19, possibly Oct 31-Nov 2)
Audition Dates: APRIL 26, 2-5PM; APRIL 27, 2-5PM

Location: 3850 Doris Murphy Court Occidental

Director: Stuart Handloff (pikniktheatre@gmail.com)

OCA is thrilled to announce auditions for William Shakespeare's timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. We are seeking passionate actors of all backgrounds and experience levels to bring this classic tale of love and conflict to life.

Available Roles:
Roles are open for casting:

Prince Escalus, Mercutio, COUNT Paris, LORD Montague, Romeo, Benvolio, Abraham, Balthasar, LORD Capulet, LADY CAPULET, Juliet, Tybalt, Nurse, Peter, GREGORY, Samson, Friar Laurence, Friar John, Watchmen, Apothecary

Audition Requirements:

• Please prepare a 1-2 minute monologue (Shakespeare OR OTHER CLASSICAL TEXT).

• VIDEO AUDITIONS ARE WELCOME PRIOR TO THE APRIL AUDITION DATES (must be over 18 to submit video). To submit a video, email info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org for an upload link.

• ATTENDANCE AT THE IN-PERSON AUDITIONS IS REQUIRED.

• Cold readings from the script may be required.

• Bring a headshot and resume, if available.

Rehearsal Schedule: Rehearsals will begin in LATE AUGUST, exact dates and times TBD

It’s time for our Spring Talent Show! Don’t miss this entertaining and fun event showcasing some of Sonoma County’s finest performers.

Tickets to the event are $25 advance, $15 for OCA members. There are no additional fees to purchase tickets online. All tickets will be $5 additional at the door. Doors open at 6:30 PM, Refreshments for sale, art gallery open during intermission. OCA is wheelchair accessible.

If you’d like to participate in the show, please fill out our online application here. OCA members may participate for free, non-members pay a $20 participation fee.

AUDITION NOTICE

Romeo and Juliet
Presented by Occidental Center for the Arts

Production Dates: 6-9 performances in October, 2025 (confirmed Oct 10-11-12- 17-18-19, possibly Oct 31-Nov 2)
Audition Dates: APRIL 26, 2-5PM; APRIL 27, 2-5PM

Location: 3850 Doris Murphy Court Occidental

Director: Stuart Handloff (pikniktheatre@gmail.com)

OCA is thrilled to announce auditions for William Shakespeare's timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. We are seeking passionate actors of all backgrounds and experience levels to bring this classic tale of love and conflict to life.

Available Roles:
Roles are open for casting:

Prince Escalus, Mercutio, COUNT Paris, LORD Montague, Romeo, Benvolio, Abraham, Balthasar, LORD Capulet, LADY CAPULET, Juliet, Tybalt, Nurse, Peter, GREGORY, Samson, Friar Laurence, Friar John, Watchmen, Apothecary

Audition Requirements:

• Please prepare a 1-2 minute monologue (Shakespeare OR OTHER CLASSICAL TEXT).

• VIDEO AUDITIONS ARE WELCOME PRIOR TO THE APRIL AUDITION DATES (must be over 18 to submit video). To submit a video, email info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org for an upload link.

• ATTENDANCE AT THE IN-PERSON AUDITIONS IS REQUIRED.

• Cold readings from the script may be required.

• Bring a headshot and resume, if available.

Rehearsal Schedule: Rehearsals will begin in LATE AUGUST, exact dates and times TBD

Due to unforseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled. We hope to reschedule it in the future.

Paige Braddock is well known for both her work as a writer and cartoonist. At this event, enjoy selected readings from excerpts of her Lesbian Romance novels & other works including Jane’s World followed by a vibrant question and answer forum led by Molly Shem of Exquisite Being. Expect to be entertained, delighted and surprised. Books will be available for purchase at the event. Beer, wine & delicious nibbles available for purchase.

$15 advance, $10 for OCA members. $5 additional at the door.

Doors open at 5:30 PM.

Paige Braddock's Eisner-nominated comic strip Jane's World was the first gay-themed comic to receive online distribution by a national media syndicate in the U.S. She concluded Jane's World after completing its 20th year in 2018.

Paige has 35+ years in illustration and 10+ years as a producer in animation. She has an honorary doctorate in fine arts from Montserrat College of Art. Among other recognitions, she had the honor of designing the Snoopy U.S. Postage Stamp issued in 2001.

Writing as Paige's alternate pen name, Missouri Vaun, she is a two-time Golden Crown Literary Society award-winning lesbian romance writer published by Bold Strokes Books. Sacred Ground is Vaun's latest book. A paranormal romance involving a demon hunter, a shallow grave, and a beautiful stranger...

Occidental Community Choir presents their Spring concert series. Continuing their tradition of “Community First” night, the performance on Friday May 2nd offers discounted ticket prices for those who need it. Learn more / get tickets at occidentalchoir.org

Occidental Community Choir presents their Spring concert series. Learn more / get tickets at occidentalchoir.org

Occidental Community Choir presents their Spring concert series. Learn more / get tickets at occidentalchoir.org

West County’s favorite cosmic Americana band returns for an afternoon, outdoor concert in our amphitheater! Bring your own seat cushion or low-backed chair and get ready for a real good time enjoying your favorite GD songs and other classic Americana.

Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the door. Discount for OCA members.

No outside food/drink allowed except water. Refreshments, beer and wine for sale. The amphitheater is wheelchair accessible.

Sonoma County artists are invited to submit entries for our “Spring Forward” watercolor exhibit. Click here to learn more or make your entry appointment.

Enjoy a cabaret style concert in our acoustic sweet spot, offered by longtime OCA volunteer Andrea Van Dyke, aka Cabaret Lady, also featuring guest vocalists Bonnie Brooks and Blythe Klein. They will be accompanied by the stellar piano stylings of John Simon, with percussionist Kendrick Freeman and Tom Shader on bass; who will also perform as their vocal jazz trio Trimates.

The ensemble will be offering classic jazz and pop standards with a dash of Broadway, blues, and bossa; sprinkled with levity, sass, and a touch of nostalgia. Andrea will be joined by her back up group ‘The Justice Supremes’ for one number you won’t want to miss! Modeled after the very first cabaret performance in OCA’s newly refurbished auditorium way back in 2006, before we even had a stage ,’Stardust ‘ is an affectionate tribute to love, community, resilience… and the enduring power of music and the arts to sustain and support us in good times and bad.

Tickets are $25 advance, $15 for OCA members. $5 more at the door if available. Doors open at 6:30 PM, fine refreshments, beer and wine for sale. Art gallery open during intermisison.

This is a once in a lifetime concert celebrating the music and friendship of four pianist/composers who've worked over 5 decades in Jazz, Classical, Gospel, Folk, New Age and Women’s Music, including appearances on over 400 albums, Grammy nominations, Bammy Awards, and thousands of shows around the world.

Featuring Mary Watkins, Barbara Higbie, Tammy Lynne Hall and Adrienne Torf.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see these four gifted pianists together!

This show will include solo, duo, trio and quartet performances of both beloved classics and new originals drawn from the newly-released CDs by each artist. Their new 2025 albums are the duet album “Heart Flow” By Mary Watkins and Tammy Lynne Hall (produced by Holly Near), “Dreams” by Barbara Higbie and “ TBD “ by Adrienne Torf.

Renewal and transformation through the wellspring of creativity is hallmark of these four artists.

Tickets are $35 advance, $25 for OCA members. $5 additional at the door (if available). Online fees waived for this event. Get tickets early - we expect this to sell out!

Barbara Higbie has been a professional musician since age 17, Barbara has played everything from Traditional Jazz, Bluegrass and Irish to New Classical Music, Blues and African Pop. She is known for her ability to compose in a style that is both genre bending and accessible. A Grammy-nominated, Bammy award winning composer, pianist, fiddler, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Barbara Higbie has performed on more than 100 albums. In 2011, Higbie was the first ever “Artist in Residence” at the prestigious west coast Jazz Club, “Yoshi’s”, where she created two new bands. Roots music’s, “Hills to Hollers” with icons Linda Tillery and Laurie Lewis, and the exotic “Cello Heaven” with cellists Joan Jeanreneau of Kronos Quartet fame and new age star, Jami Sieber. Higbie has 13 solo and group recordings to her name, as well as contributions to 10 compilations that have sold in the millions. She was the first female instrumentalist to compose and record for Windham Hill Records, 1982’s Tideline, a duet project with violinist, Darol Anger. Tideline’s unique sound became an instant classic, thanks in part to Higbie’s innovative and moving compositions. Higbie has performed with Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Terry Riley, the Kronos Quartet, Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Will Ackerman,Cris Williamson, Bobby McFerrin, Milton Nascimento, Spyro Gyra, Michael Hedges, Greg Brown, Ferron, Vinnie Colaiuta, Teresa Trull, Vicki Randle, Amy Ray, Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, Rosalee Sorrels, Terry Garthwaite, Laurie Lewis, Liz Story, Benny Rietveld and Alex De Grassi among others.

Adrienne Torf began studying piano and music theory at the age of three. She has toured and recorded with singers, provided original music for theater and dance companies and, most significantly, collaborated for nineteen-years with African-American poet, essayist and activist June Jordan. Their work together includes Bang Bang Uber Alles, a full-length stage musical/documentary opera whose sold-out Atlanta production in 1985 garnered the attention of the community, the press and the Ku Klux Klan. Adrienne’s recordings include two solo albums of original compositions for piano and synthesizers, Brooklyn From the Roof and Two Hands Open, both recognized as “best of” in the year of their release, and June Jordan and Adrienne Torf Collaboration: Selected Works, 1983-2000. Adrienne also contributed piano and synthesizer artistry on twelve other commercially released albums, including some by Holly Near, Ferron, Meg Christian and Cris Williamson, and Kay Gardner. Adrienne and Raymond O. Caldwell’s Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience, a theater piece for six actresses and piano, produced by Theater Alliance in Washington DC, was awarded the 2023 Helen Hayes Theater Washington Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical Adaptation. Adrienne’s community-collaboration performance piece The Awesome Difficult Work of Love has been produced in Madison WI, San Francisco and Sedona, AZ. A retired nonprofit CFO, Adrienne has served on boards of nonprofit arts, media and social justice organizations.

Pianist, bandleader and SFJAZZ Lead Teaching Artist Tammy Lynne Hall began playing the piano at age four in Dallas, Texas. As a mainstay in the Bay Area, Tammy has worked with a host of renowned artists across multiple genres, including Etta Jones, Kim Nalley, Holly Near, Linda Tillery, Denise Perrier, Tiffany Austin, Nicolas Bearde, Ernestine Anderson, Kenny Washington, the Montclair Women’s Big Band, Houston Person, David "Fathead" Newman, Regina Carter, Laurie Anderson, Marcus Shelby, Allison Miller and many others. Her pianistic touch evokes her deeply rooted gospel and blues foundations, and her education work has continued to shine a light on the power of Black music to heal a weary world.

Like the powerful mandolinist and composer at its helm, John Reischman and the Jaybirds fashion a stylish take on bluegrass that seamlessly blends original songs and instrumentals with Appalachian old-time music for a truly unique band sound. Now in their 20th year, with seven acclaimed albums and two Juno nominations, the Jaybirds are simultaneously innovative and unadorned, sophisticated and stripped-down, happily old-fashioned and 21st-century contemporary.

Don't miss this opportunity to see The Jaybids when they visit Northern California! Tickets are $35 advance, $25 for OCA members. $5 additional at the door (if available). This event is likely to sell out - get tickets early! Ticket fees waived for this event.

Doors open at 6:30 PM. OCA members may reserve seats. Fine refreshments, beer and wine for sale. Art gallery open during intermission.

About the performers:

Bluegrass Unlimited calls John Reischman “one of the world’s undisputed masters” of the mandolin, famed for outstanding tone and taste. Many of his dozens of original instrumentals have become popular favourites for sessions and covers, such as the jam standard Saltspring. He has three critically-acclaimed solo instrumental albums and has recorded on many other projects, including the Grammy-winning True Life Blues: The Songs of Bill Monroe. John also plays Latin-based jazz and choro music with highly regarded finger-style acoustic guitarist/composer John Miller; the duo has released three superb albums.

John began his career in the San Francisco Bay area in the early ’80s with the eclectic Good Ol’ Persons bluegrass band. He was an original member of the legendary “new acoustic” quartet, the jazz-influenced Tony Rice Unit, renowned for highly skilled instrumentals. John moved to Vancouver in the early ’90s and in 1999 formed the Jaybirds. Of their latest album, Folk Radio UK said “On That Other Green Shore showcases an accomplished, experienced band at the peak of their powers, with musicianship of the very highest order.” Peghead Nation called it “one of the most beguiling bluegrass-rooted recordings of 2017.”

Los Angeles, CA-based guitarist Patrick Sauber joined the Jaybirds in 2017. The veteran performer has played with, among others, Doc Watson, Richard Greene, John Jorgensen, Peter Rowan, Tim O’Brien and John Fogerty. He played on the 2016 Grammy-nominated album The Hazel and Alice Sessions by Laurie Lewis, and appeared in the film A Mighty Wind with Christopher Guest. Bluegrass Unlimited describes Patrick’s playing on John’s tune Daylighting the Creek as “a glorious flatpicking solo that hews back to the glory days of early bluegrass guitar.”

Chilliwack, BC-based Trisha Gagnon is portrayed by Sing Out! as “one of the most versatile” and “irresistible” lead vocalists in bluegrass, her strong and distinctive style ranging from “mournful and plaintive” to “hopeful and yearning.” Trisha anchors what Dirty Linen magazine calls “gorgeous three-part harmonies.” She’s also known for songwriting, dating back to her early days with the award-winning B.C. bluegrass band Tumbleweed. Her solo album includes guests Vince Gill and Peter Rowan.

Nanaimo, BC-based Nick Hornbuckle has developed his own voice on the five-string banjo – a two-finger roll unlike other contemporary banjo players. “Nick Hornbuckle’s banjo can be downright spine-tingling,” said the L.A Daily News. His solo album 12×2 (+/-1), was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2015, and Nick is a composer who also digs for rare old-time gems. His sprightly instrumental Wellesley Station on the new Jaybird album “showcases Nick’s sharp picking and sense of melody,” said Green Man Review.

Spokane, WA-based Greg Spatz is hailed as a “world-class bluegrass fiddler” by Fiddler Magazine. Audiophile Audition says Greg’s “virtuosic playing is flawlessly delivered time after time,” while Bluegrass Unlimited says he “lays down some seriously fine bluegrass fiddle” on the latest Jaybirds release. His strong chops have made him a popular fixture down through the years on the West Coast, where he’s played with iconic mandolinist Frank Wakefield, resophonic guitar master Rob Ickes, and many others including Laurie Lewis, Bryan Bowers, and Eli West and Cahalen Morrison. Greg also plays and records with Mighty Squirrel, has a solo album called Fiddler’s Dream and a duo recording with his wife called All Along the Sea, and is an award-winning novelist.

Please join us for selected readings, author Q&A, book sales and signing. FREE event.

In Samantha’s Rose Swartz’ newest book, Giving Up the Ghost, A Daughter’s Memoir, what begins as a solitary journey of grief shifts form when her mother slips back from the darkness beyond to reconcile her irreversible choice. Raw, deeply revealing, and with resilient humor throughout, Giving Up the Ghost explores the layered complexity of mental health, the love between mothers and daughters, and how, in the aftermath of inconceivable loss, we can release our inner ghosts and write a new story for ourselves.

Susan Swartz was part of a large circle of friends and neighbors in Sebastopol and West County, was a well-known local journalist, book author, and beloved by many for her warmth, wit, and insatiable curiosity.  Her Sunday pieces in the Press Democrat about Sonoma County were very popular and read by many. She became a columnist for the paper and also read on-air commentaries for KRCB public radio. 

Samantha grew up in Sebastopol with her two stepsisters, her mother and stepfather Bob Klose, also a reporter for the Press Democrat. Klose died on Nov. 21, 2019, after a long fight with cancer, and Swartz took her own life not three months later when she jumped from a tall cliff at Bodega Head on Feb. 25, 2020. She was 76. Her dramatic suicide stunned our community, and the finality of her story has never been told until now.

Samantha Rose is an Emmy-award winning television writer, author and a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling ghostwriter who collaborates with people to put their thoughts, ideas and life experiences into writing. She never thought that one day she might write a book about conversations with a ghost, and that the subject would be her mother. The mother-daughter conversations are the heart of the book. “I did write this book for myself,” Rose admits. “But I also wrote it for her. I felt my mom still had more things to say and for all of us to talk about.”

In her interview with Rollie Atkinson for The Sebastopol Times, Rose said she hopes readers will remember her mother and appreciate all of her complexities and enthusiasm and joy she brought to all her conversations and writings. “I also hope people will have conversations about mental health and maybe have conversations with each other that my mother and I didn’t get to have.”

Selected readings by the author, followed by on-stage conversation with fellow writer and close family friend, Miriam Silver, Q& A, book sales & signing. Free admission, donations gratefully accepted. Refreshments available for sale.

GIVING UP THE GHOST EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENTS 

What they are saying about Giving Up the Ghost

 “Heartbreaking, raw, honest, and inspiring… Samantha Rose takes us on a compelling journey as she bravely navigates her way through grief’s darkness, serving as a powerful reminder that love never dies and we are never truly alone.”

—Rebecca Rosen, author of the national and international bestseller, Spirited

“Samantha Rose’s mastery of words is a gift—Giving Up the Ghost is an intimate, unfiltered, heart wrenching and, at times, hilarious account of a family story forever changed by suicide. In these confusing and increasingly lonely times for us all, Rose’s memoir is a must read for anyone coping with grief and surviving loss.” 

—Eve Rodsky, author of the New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick, Fair Play          

“A beautifully written and piercing reflection on grief, the bonds between mothers and daughters and the importance of finding your own voice.  Rose’s journey of resilience inspires us to dig deep for the answers that will set us free and that have the power to ripple outward and offer hope and healing to us all.” 

—Cathy Heller, podcast host and author of Abundant Ever After

 "Giving Up the Ghost is a beautiful memoir of a daughter's journey to attempt to process and eventually try to understand suicide, loss and grief. Incredibly gripping and moving, Rose takes the reader on her journey with honesty and vulnerability. For anyone who has ever felt alone in their grief, this book will provide you with connection, comfort and eventually hope."

-Sheryl Ziegler, PsyD, bestselling author of Mommy Burnout and The Crucial Years 

“I devoured this memoir like the serving of spaghetti Samantha Rose uses to compare grief in my favorite passage, in which she describes sucking on the noodle of sadness and winding her fork around confusion before coming back to the meatball of anger. Giving Up the Ghost is a hearty, surprising, and, at times, delightful read. I found nourishment I didn’t know I needed within its pages—and I trust many other readers will feel the same.”—Courtney Cook, Author of The Way She Feels: My Life on the Borderline in Pictures and Pieces

"Every memoir is, for better or worse, a measure of the author's courage. In Giving Up the Ghost, Samantha Rose shoulders emotional freight with extraordinary valor, grace, and sure-handed storytelling. This achingly honest account of a complicated grieving process is sure to stir raw emotion and vibrant book club discussions."

– Joni Rodgers, New York Times bestselling author/ghostwriter 

“Rose’s searingly honest memoir is both heart-wrenching and profoundly heartfelt. With raw vulnerability, she explores the intricate bonds between mothers and daughters—the stories we inherit, the lengths we go to protect, and the deep wounds left by what remains unspoken. In the aftermath of her mother’s suicide, Rose bravely searches for meaning. Through her journey with her therapeutic guide, B, she illuminates the quiet alchemy of healing—it is when we feel seen, known, and safe, that we can bend without breaking, gather our fractured pieces, reclaim our strength, and step fully into life.”

--Dr. Tanya Cotler, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist specializing in maternal mental health and parent-child attachment. 

Join us for a fun evening of Django-Style Jams at OCA! Bring your acoustic instrument and songs to share (instrument required/songs optional).

Led by Rick Fulkerson, this fun meetup for Django-Style Jazz enthusiasts is a great way to make new friends, learn new songs and spend an evening making music. No charge to participate/donations gratefully accepted. Meets in the OCA Studio, 3820 Doris Murphy Court.

Join us for a reception with the artists of our Spring Forward watercolor exhibit! People’s Choice award winners will be announced during the reception.

Our gallery is open Sat/Sun 12-4 PM and during events. Learn more.

Join us for a special evening with Richard Smith!

Richard Smith is a British fingerstyle guitarist, renowned for his variety of styles and techniques, entertaining performances and engaging charisma. A true guitar master, Richard plays a mesmerizing repertoire ranging from expertly arranged Scott Joplin rags, original compositions, traditional fiddle tunes, jazz and swing, classical and more. Impressive and endearing, Richard will delight you with his masterful techniqe and charismatic performance.

Tickets are $25 advance, $15 for OCA members. $5 additional at the door (if available).

Richard will lead a guitar workshop at OCA on Sunday, June 1st for a limited number of participants. To learn more about this, click here.

About Richard Smith
Inspired by iconic guitarists like Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, Django Reinhardt and Joe Pass, Smith's unique style blends country, jazz, classical and ragtime influences. In his very early years, he received mentorship from guitar greats, laying the foundation for his future success.

Smith's resume includes:

•⁠ ⁠Performed or recorded with legends Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins and Les Paul
•⁠ ⁠Collaborations with Tommy Emmanuel, Joscho Stephan, Brent Mason, Martin Taylor
•⁠ ⁠Performances at prestigious festivals like Merlefest and Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention
•⁠ ⁠Instructional DVDs and online lessons sharing his expertise
•⁠ ⁠25 years as a Nashville resident, immersed in Music City's vibrant scene

Artistry and Legacy

With his fingerpicking style, percussive techniques and emotive expression, Richard continues to tour constantly in the US, and some in Europe, and Asia.

Fingerstyle master Richard Smith will present a guitar workshop to a limited number of participants. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to learn techniques and strategies from a legendary musician!

Richard’s impressive career has earned him:

• 1999 AFG Golden Thumbpick Award

• 2001 National Finger­style Guitar Champion

• 2008 Thumbpicker of the Year

• 2009 National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame Induction

  Richard has played with Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Nato Lima, Boots Randolph, Tommy Emmanuel, John Jor­genson, Marcel Dadi, Tommy Tedesco, Joe Pass, Biréli Lagrène, Mark O'Connor, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Martin Taylor, Jorge Morel, Earl Klugh, Suzy Bogguss, Victor Wooten, John Cowan and countless more.

Workshop fee is $50 for OCA members, $65 for non-members. A very limited number of spaces are available for this workshop.

Join us to celebrate the release of Eric Long's new CD "Honky Tonk Wisdom".

Enjoy an evening of great music featuring many talented local treasures - including a special opening set by Mission Blue!

This is the official record release show for Eric Long’s 4th studio album ‘Honky Tonk Wisdom.’Based in West Sonoma County, Eric Long blends folk, humor, country, blues and soul music with a husky voice and a straightforward approach in his songwriting - find the little nugget of truth that’s hiding in the world and let it bloom. Catch em while you can and smoke em while ya got em. Songs are made to be sung and Eric’s will have you feeling something different with every tune.

The Eric Long Band packs it in with country grooves, rhyme & blues featuring some of West counties finest musicians; Tom Relling on bass (TRB, Hibbity Dibbity, The Stone Foxes), Harry Gold on guitar, and Rhyne Erde on drums (Electric Tumbleweed, Space Orchestra, Casual Country). NPR’s All Songs Considered called Eric's voice timeless, well-traveled, and pure while Relix has written about his records simply as “easy to love.” Fans of John Prine and Jerry Jeff Walker will feel right at home with a sprinkle of an early Jimmy Buffet’s island charm. This will be a show and celebration to remember.

Tickets are $25 advance, $15 for OCA members. $5 more at the door if available. Free for kids 12 and under with paying adult. Beer, wine, refreshments for sale. Doors open at 7 PM.

Mission Blue delivers straight-ahead bluegrass featuring our special brand of rhythm, instrumental craft, and harmony singing. A deep well of tradition informs Mission Blue’s sets – one can expect songs from the The Stanley Brothers, Larry Sparks, Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Mac Martin and Red Allen, as well as bluegrass innovators such as J.D. Crowe and The New South, Hot Rize, Southern Blend and The Johnson Mountain Boys. We also salt each set with reinterpretations of country hits, folk songs and ballads. We are based in Northern California with a focus on regional venues and festivals in California and neighboring states. Our traditional 5-piece format features Dana Frankel on fiddle, AJ Frankel on guitar, Sam Reed on banjo, David Thiessen on mandolin, and Tom Sours on bass fiddle.

Join us as six bodacious women tear up the stage in a celebration of Blues and Blueswomen!

Created by vocalist Pamela Rose, Blues is a Woman debuted as a theatrical concert in 2017, winning Best Musical Direction by Bay Area Theater Critics Circle, and selling out an entire month of performances.

Now - they continue to present their work in theaters, concert stages and schools all over the country. All of the ensemble members are highly-regarded Bay Area musicians: Pamela Rose (vocals), Jennifer Jolly (piano) Ruth Davies (bass), Kristen Strom (saxophone), Daria Johnson (drums) and Pat Wilder (guitar). The Creative Director is Jayne Wenger.

Don't miss this thrilling and soulful performance celebrating the greatest women in Blues history!

Tickets are $25 advance, $15 for OCA members. $5 additional at the door (if available). Limited space - get tickets today! Doors open at 6:30 PM. Refreshments available.

BLUES IS A WOMAN blurs the boundaries between concert and theater, using storytelling and music to bring to life the colorful history of the bold and singular women who wrote and popularized the blues. Some of the names are well known – Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin – and others should be – Ma Rainey, Ida Cox, Memphis Minnie, and so many more. The voices of these women are vibrant, challenging, inspirational, and dynamic, and BLUES IS A WOMAN seeks to ensure that these women, their histories, and their message will be remembered and celebrated.

OCA is pleased to present Wake the Dead in our amphitheater!

Wake the Dead is the World’s Only Celtic All-Star Grateful Dead Jam Band. Since 2000, this hot Northern California septet has been blending Celtic traditional music and the songs of the Grateful Dead—at first impressing the Dead themselves enough for them to release the début CD on Grateful Dead/Arista Records. Now, ever more inventive and ever more energetic, WAKE THE DEAD spreads their reach to embrace the entire Summer of Love, keeping it alive for Deadheads and Celtoids alike as only they can.

Don't miss this fun event in our beautiful amphitheater. Bring your own seat cushion or low backed chair.

Tickets are $25 advance, $30 at the door. Discount for OCA members. OCA is wheelchair accessible. Beer, wine and refreshments for sale. No outside food/drink allowed except water. Leashed/well-behaved dogs welcome. Free for kids 12 and under.

Songs of Enchantment: Jai Uttal with Prajna Vieira

Join us for a heartwarming concert with renowned World Music artist and Grammy nominee Jai Uttal along with vocalist Prajna Vieira. This concert will open the doors to a place of refuge, invocation and celebration. 

The concert will take place in the OCA Amphitheater. Please bring your own cushion, mat or low-backed chair. Doors open at 6:15 PM. Our facility is wheelchair accessible. Refreshments for sale. No outside food/beverage allowed (water OK).

Tickets are $35 advance, $40 at the door (if available). Discount for OCA members. Free for kids 12 and under. We expect this show to sell out - get tickets soon!

Jai Uttal, grammy nominee, kirtan artist, and world music pioneer has been a leading influence in the Bhakti tradition for over 50 years. Jai considers devotion to be the core of his musical and spiritual life, and he whole-heartedly shares his passionate heart through his voice and songs.

Prajna Vieira is the lead singer of the Mukti Kirtan Ensemble, and is also known for her work with world music pioneer Jai Uttal and other artists.