2006 Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2006

MEDIA CONTACT:
Marshall Lamm
510-928-1410
marshalllamm@earthlink.net

YERBA BUENA GARDENS FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES  PERFORMANCE BY THE MO’ROCKIN PROJECT - NORTH AFRICAN INSPIRED JAZZ!
 
(San Francisco, CA) - The 2006 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival announces a performance of The Mo’Rockin Project, Saturday, July 15 from 1pm-2:30pm. The Mo’Rockin Project is the brainchild of Bay Area jazz master and music education leader Khalil Shaheed and Moroccan musician Yassir Chadly.  The group will present their unique synthesis of North African and Moroccan music with jazz.  Shaheed, founder of the Oaktown Jazz Workshop, received an individual artist grant from the City of Oakland Cultural Funding Project in 2005 that allowed for this project. The new CD, Sahabah, Arabic for “companions,” features traditional Moroccan melodies reworked within the jazz idiom.  Shaheed says, “For the last three years, I have been seriously exploring North African music through my friendship with Chadley. I feel a kindred spirit with him and this project was hatched from our mutual respect and admiration of each other’s musical abilities.  We are both intrigued by the possibilities of this music and how natural the mix feels.  So for all of us involved with The Mo'Rockin Project, it has become a brotherhood of kindred North African and Jazz musicians traversing the inner experience of the human soul.” Yassir Chadley has played and/or recorded with Pharoah Sanders, Omar Sosa, Hamza El Din, Steve Coleman, and others. He plays Oud and Gembre and sings in Arabic, French and English. Chadley and Abdulhadi are both from Casablanca and the vibe and atmosphere of this historic city permeates the music.
 
The Mo’Rockin Project features Khalil Shaheed on Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Voice; Yassir Chadley on Oud, Gembre/Voice; Boushaibe Abdulhadi on Oud, Dembek, Violin, Frame Drum; Richard Howell on Tenor/Soprano saxes/Voice; Glen Pearson on Piano; Ron Belcher on Bass; Deszon Claiborne on Drums; Charles Spikes on Guitar.
 
Yerba Buena Gardens is located at Mission Street between 3rd and 4th Street in San Francisco's SOMA District.  The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, which takes place from May through October, features over 100 events, including classical and jazz concerts, opera, international music events, theater, dance, children's and family programs, visual art exhibits, educational programs and cultural events. All performances and events are free and open to the public, drawing an audience of San Francisco and Bay Area residents and tourists that numbers more than 100,000 each year.  Free Artistic and Cultural Programming in Yerba Buena Gardens is made possible through the generosity of The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency; The Walter & Elise Haas Fund; The Creative Work Fund; The Bernard Osher Foundation; The San Francisco Art Commission; The JPMorganChase Foundation; The San Francisco Foundation; The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; Fleishhacker Foundation; The Zellerbach Family Foundation; Forest City Development; and individual contributions.  We gratefully acknowledge pro-bono contributions from MJM Management Group; John Spicer Photography; Millennium Partners; Steefel, Levitt, and Weiss; Latino Entertainment Partners; David Wong; LaserCom Design; Moisa & Associates; Pro Piano; The San Francisco Marriott; San Francisco Downtown Magazine; KPFA-94.1 FM, KOIT-96.5 FM, KPOO-89.5 FM.
 
Yerba Buena Arts & Events, producer of The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival is located at 760 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Phone (415) 543-1718; Fax (415) 543-1755; website: http://www.ybgf.org <http://www.ybgf.org/> .
 
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Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

produced by Yerba Buena Arts & Events

Mailing Address:
760 Howard Street
San Francisco CA 94103
Phone: 415 543 1718
Fax: 415 543 1755
info@ybgf.org
www.myspace.com/ybgfestival