STERN GROVE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES VOICES OF LATIN ROCK WITH JORGE SANTANA, ABEL SANCHEZ, AND GABRIEL MANZO

SAN FRANCISCO, June 19, 2008 — Stern Grove Festival presents an afternoon of Latin Rock with over a dozen performers from bands such as Santana, Abel and the Prophets, and Malo on Sunday, July 27 at 2:00 p.m.  Performers include Jorge Santana, guitarist of Malo; Abel Sanchez, founder of Abel & the Prophets; guitarist Gabriel Manzo, who played with Bo Diddley and Malo; and trumpeter Bill Ortiz from Santana, among others. Local club favorite SambaDá will open the afternoon with a high-powered concoction of Brazilian beats, samba, funk, reggae, and hip-hop.  This admission-free concert will take place at Sigmund Stern Grove, located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco. A pre-concert Troc Talk with Voices of Latin Rock will take place before the concert in Stern Grove’s Trocadero Clubhouse.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Voices of Latin Rock

Born in San Francisco’s Mission District, Latin Rock was a defining sound of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Bands like Santana, Malo, Sapo, Abel and the Prophets, Azteca, and more, rose to fame with a sound that melded the rhythms of Latin music with funk, soul, and rock—a distinct sound that inspired generations of musicians and bands. Voices of Latin Rock is a collaboration of these original musicians and a celebration of this unique Bay Area sound. Featuring a rotating line-up of talented musicians, Voices of Latin Rock attracts guest artists ranging from George Clinton and Jackie Greene, to Marcos Reyes of War, Lenny Williams from Tower of Power, and Booker T. Jones. For the Stern Grove Festival concert, the line-up includes guitarist Jorge Santana, who was the leader of the original group Malo; guitarist and vocalist Abel Sanchez who founded Abel & the Prophets; guitarist Gabriel Manzo, who played with Bo Diddley and Malo; Richard Bean, the writer and singer of Malo’s hit song “Suavecito;” Tony Menjivar on congas; drummer Grego Errico, who performed with Sly and the Family Stone; Arcelio Garcia of Malo; tumpeter/trombonist Mic Gillette who played with the original Tower of Power and Cold Blood; trumpeter Bill Ortiz from Santana; timbale player Karl Perazzo who performs with Santana; percussionist Gibby Ross, a protégé of Tito Puente; trumpeter Frank Bailey from Malo; and saxophonist and flute player Marcia Miget.

SambaDá

Founded in 1997 in Santa Cruz by Brazil native Papiba Godinho, SambaDá has quickly become a favorite on the club circuit with hard-driving percussion, high-energy performances, and danceable grooves. With a powerful blend of African rhythms, salsa, funk, hip-hop, and rock, SambaDá has performed at festivals and venues up and down the coast, including San Francisco Carnival, Harmony Festival, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Whole Earth Festival, and the Salem World Beat Festival. Along with Godhino, the group includes Brazilian vocalist and dancer Dandha da Hora, drummer Gary Kehoe, saxophonist Anne Stafford, bassist Kevin “Pescador” Dorn, percussionist Marcel Menard, and percussionist Will Kahn. In September 2006, SambaDá released their album Salve a Bahia with Grammy-nominated producer Greg Landau, who has worked with artists like Susana Baca and Buena Vista Social Club’s Juan de Marcos Gonzalez.

ABOUT STERN GROVE FESTIVAL

Stern Grove Festival’s 71st Season of 10 admission-free concerts runs every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. from June 15 through August 17, 2008 at Sigmund Stern Grove in San Francisco. Stern Grove Festival also provides outreach programs at each concert this season and on some weekdays at Stern Grove.

Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis and the concert meadow may be closed when capacity is reached. There is no public parking at Stern Grove and Festival patrons are encouraged to use public transportation to Stern Grove. MUNI metro lines K and M and MUNI bus lines 23 and 28 provide service to Stern Grove. A free bike valet service is provided at the 19th and Sloat entrance to the park. Free shuttle service from the entrance at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard into the Grove is provided to seniors and disabled patrons.

Stern Grove Festival’s 71st Season is made possible with support from Season Sponsor Parkmerced. Additional support provided by Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and media sponsor KPIX - CBS 5, KBCW - The CW 44 Cable 12, and SF Weekly. Media Sponsor is SFStation.com. Radio Sponsor is KPFA 94.1 FM.

PHOTO EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: Photos are available to the media. Please call Monica Ware at (415) 252-6253 or send an e-mail to mware@sterngrove.org.