Watch a super-group of local musicians come together for the first time to publicly rehearse historic San Francisco songs they’ve never played before. See this group of strangers from different neighborhoods learn to listen to each other, play together, and collectively interpret music from the past in the context of San Francisco today. As the Bay Area continues to struggle with crises of gentrification, eviction, and extreme neighborhood change, can this type of musical rehearsal be a model for imagining a new city?
Minna Choi is the artistic director of the acclaimed Magik*Magik Orchestra. Choi also records as Magik*Magik and is the choir director for the City Church of San Francisco.
Idris Ackamoor is the founder and executive/co-artistic director of the multi-disciplinary performance company Cultural Odyssey and heads the legendary jazz ensemble The Pyramids.
Marcus Shelby has composed for theater, film, and dance. He has released numerous acclaimed recordings with his Trio and Jazz Orchestra.
Diana Gameros recorded her 2013 album Etorno Retorno in the Bay Area, which explores her experiences as a Mexican immigrant.
Ahkeel Mestayer was raised in the Mission district and speaks out against gentrification. He is a member of the 10-piece salsa/hip-hop/samba/rock band Soltron.
Led by Josh Kun, Hit Parade is a project of Public Knowledge, a collaboration between the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) and SFMOMA. The Open Rehearsals took place July 11–13, 2017 at the Mission, Bayview, and Western Addition branches of SFPL.
Free and open to the public