From quirky indie rock, roots reggae and Scottish fiddling to jazz, Americana and gospel, MVFF Music performances by artists featured in MVFF films boasts something for everyone.
Organizers of the 39th Mill Valley Film Festival are continuing the festival's tradition of producing an accompanying live music series of artists and bands connected to MVFF films. In doing so, they've ensured that the Sweetwater Music Hall will be home to an incredibly diverse lineup of music from Oct. 7-15 for MVFF Music, nine nights of shows from local, national, and international musicians.
Here's the lineup:
Oct. 7 – Thao Nguyen (of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down)
An established San Franciscan who packed the Fillmore earlier this year, Thao brings a special solo version of her “country-tinged indie folk-pop” (AllMusic) to MVFF Music. Film pairing: A Song for You: The Austin City Limits Story. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 8 – Prezident Brown & The Itals
Join Jamaican roots reggae artist Prezident Brown and reggae veterans The Itals as they take the spirit of MVFF39’s Cannabis Focus day into the night. With decades of music-making behind them, The Itals are still going strong, stalwarts of the Jamaican harmony group sound. A hard working artist who’s been touring the US with his band for the last decade, Prez is a champion of the new roots and reality consciousness reggae movement that entertains, informs and inspires. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 9 – Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas
Dubbed “the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling” by The San Francisco Examiner, Fraser, along with Juilliard-trained cellist Natalie Haas, presents an evening of Scottish fiddle and cello music of unrivaled beauty, eloquence, and passion. Film pairing: The Groove is Not Trivial. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 10 – Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards (with Peter Stakee of Alberta Cross)
Best known as the leader and energetic core of the indie rock band Heartless Bastards, Erika Wennerstrom steps into her own spotlight as a solo artist, her powerful, soulful voice “exquisitely engaging in its world-weary twang” (Pitchfork). MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 11 – BANG! Bert Berns Celebration feat. Betty Harris
Celebrating the release of the documentary BANG! The Bert Berns Story, MVFF Music in collaboration with Steep Productions presents a special live concert honoring the astonishing body of work by songwriter Bert Berns and featuring legendary soul singer, Betty Harris. The movie is based on NY Times best-selling author and SF Chronicle critic Joel Selvin’s book, Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues. Melvin curated and will host the concert, pairing some of the world’s most celebrated soul singers (Bert Berns originals) with dynamite backup singers for over a dozen of Bert Berns brilliant songs including “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love”, “Piece of My Heart”, “Twist and Shout”, “Cry Baby”, “Hang on Sloopy”, “I Want Candy” and many more. Mill Valley music producer and multi-instrumentalist Scott Mathews serves as music director of the show. Film pairing: BANG! The Bert Berns Story. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 12 – Fred Hersch
Named the Jazz Journalists Association’s “Jazz Pianist of the Year” for 2016, the eight-time Grammy® nominee graces the MVFF Music stage with a solo performance to complement a new documentary about his life and career. Film pairing: The Ballad of Fred Hersch. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 13 – Trevor Hall
Trevor Hall’s has toured with Michael Franti, Matisyahu, and Jimmy Cliff, presenting an eclectic mix of acoustic rock, reggae and Sanskrit chanting, unified around a refreshingly positive, universal message. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 14 – Alejandro Escovedo Trio
After a multi-decade solo career encompassing everything from punk to country to Americana, Escovedo’s musical range manifests as guitar-forward roots rock with emotional depth and sing-along choruses. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 15 – The Great Mill Valley Gospel Show featuring musician and multiple-Grammy-winner Narada Michael Walden (who produced hits for Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston, among many others) returns for a second year, curating a spirit-moving, hand-clapping performance to close out year two of MVFF Music. Show will feature: Narada Michael Walden on drums, Troy Lampkins on bass, Willis Hickerson on B-3, Kevan Peabody on Keys, Matthew Charles Heulitt on Guitar. Vocalists: Jeanie Tracy, Nate’ Soul Sanger, Cornell Carter, Rusty Watson (director of the Love Center Choir), Gospel Choir. MORE INFO & TIX.
Here's the lineup:
Oct. 7 – Thao Nguyen (of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down)
An established San Franciscan who packed the Fillmore earlier this year, Thao brings a special solo version of her “country-tinged indie folk-pop” (AllMusic) to MVFF Music. Film pairing: A Song for You: The Austin City Limits Story. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 8 – Prezident Brown & The Itals
Join Jamaican roots reggae artist Prezident Brown and reggae veterans The Itals as they take the spirit of MVFF39’s Cannabis Focus day into the night. With decades of music-making behind them, The Itals are still going strong, stalwarts of the Jamaican harmony group sound. A hard working artist who’s been touring the US with his band for the last decade, Prez is a champion of the new roots and reality consciousness reggae movement that entertains, informs and inspires. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 9 – Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas
Dubbed “the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling” by The San Francisco Examiner, Fraser, along with Juilliard-trained cellist Natalie Haas, presents an evening of Scottish fiddle and cello music of unrivaled beauty, eloquence, and passion. Film pairing: The Groove is Not Trivial. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 10 – Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards (with Peter Stakee of Alberta Cross)
Best known as the leader and energetic core of the indie rock band Heartless Bastards, Erika Wennerstrom steps into her own spotlight as a solo artist, her powerful, soulful voice “exquisitely engaging in its world-weary twang” (Pitchfork). MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 11 – BANG! Bert Berns Celebration feat. Betty Harris
Celebrating the release of the documentary BANG! The Bert Berns Story, MVFF Music in collaboration with Steep Productions presents a special live concert honoring the astonishing body of work by songwriter Bert Berns and featuring legendary soul singer, Betty Harris. The movie is based on NY Times best-selling author and SF Chronicle critic Joel Selvin’s book, Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues. Melvin curated and will host the concert, pairing some of the world’s most celebrated soul singers (Bert Berns originals) with dynamite backup singers for over a dozen of Bert Berns brilliant songs including “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love”, “Piece of My Heart”, “Twist and Shout”, “Cry Baby”, “Hang on Sloopy”, “I Want Candy” and many more. Mill Valley music producer and multi-instrumentalist Scott Mathews serves as music director of the show. Film pairing: BANG! The Bert Berns Story. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 12 – Fred Hersch
Named the Jazz Journalists Association’s “Jazz Pianist of the Year” for 2016, the eight-time Grammy® nominee graces the MVFF Music stage with a solo performance to complement a new documentary about his life and career. Film pairing: The Ballad of Fred Hersch. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 13 – Trevor Hall
Trevor Hall’s has toured with Michael Franti, Matisyahu, and Jimmy Cliff, presenting an eclectic mix of acoustic rock, reggae and Sanskrit chanting, unified around a refreshingly positive, universal message. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 14 – Alejandro Escovedo Trio
After a multi-decade solo career encompassing everything from punk to country to Americana, Escovedo’s musical range manifests as guitar-forward roots rock with emotional depth and sing-along choruses. MORE INFO & TIX.
Oct. 15 – The Great Mill Valley Gospel Show featuring musician and multiple-Grammy-winner Narada Michael Walden (who produced hits for Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston, among many others) returns for a second year, curating a spirit-moving, hand-clapping performance to close out year two of MVFF Music. Show will feature: Narada Michael Walden on drums, Troy Lampkins on bass, Willis Hickerson on B-3, Kevan Peabody on Keys, Matthew Charles Heulitt on Guitar. Vocalists: Jeanie Tracy, Nate’ Soul Sanger, Cornell Carter, Rusty Watson (director of the Love Center Choir), Gospel Choir. MORE INFO & TIX.
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