Wanda's Picks

María Fernanda Acuña, vocals, percussion & Venezuelan cuatro, was born and raised in Venezuela. She specializes in a variety of drums and Latin American percussion instruments. For her work with Quijeremá she has developed a unique drum-set incorporating folk instruments from around the world combined with traditional cymbals, snare and kick drum. Michael Warr, Poet Michael Warr’s books of poetry include The Armageddon of Funk (October 2011). His literary awards include the Gwendolyn Brooks Significant Illinois Poets Award. A frequent collaborator with musicians, visual and performing artists, Michael’s poems have been dramatized on stage, depicted on canvas, and set to original music compositions. Sheila E, drummer, became a solo artist in 1984, played with Azteca, the Latin jazz-fusion band led by her father, percussionist Pete Escovedo; she also played on two of his solo albums recorded for Fantasy Records. Prince discovered Sheila E. around 1983 and had her sing on "Erotic City," the B-side to his number one 1984 single, "Let's Go Crazy."Her latest is Now & Forever and the family performs at KBLX Stone Soul II Concert, Oct. 1, 2011. Zoë Elton works in film and theatre as a programmer, writer, director and educator, & the long-time director of programming for Mill Valley Film Festival. Don Reed wasn't able to join us, his mother is ill. We hope to have him on at another time to talk about his latest work: THE KIPLING HOTEL which picks up where the earlier show, E-14TH, left off. Ericka Huggins, Black Panther Party leader, activist, artist, teacher, joins us instead of Don, to talk about The Black Power Mixtape, a film which has had an extended run in the San Francisco Bay Area.