by Tom W. Kelly for Bay Times – September 22, 2011 Actress, singer and dancer (aka triple threat) Rita Moreno shares her life story at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup. Her graciousness, humility and generosity make the 2-1/2 hour show an absolute delight. And her life story proves to be as […]
Posted: KTVU.com – September 12, 2011 During her remarkable career, Rita Moreno has portrayed some tough women, from Anita in ‘West Side Story’ to Maria Callas in ‘Master Class.’ Now this legendary performer takes on the toughest woman of all – herself. The star of stage and screen returns to Berkeley Rep for the first […]
Posted: by Clinton Stark on StarkInsider.com – 09/08/11 Yes, she is younger than spring. Last night in Berkeley, timeless diva Rita Moreno proved why her career has successfully spanned over six decades, including the rare feat of winning every major award in show business (Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Tony). It was talent gone wild on the […]
Published in the Oakland Tribune – June 13, 2010 Housed in a century-old European show tent, Teatro ZinZanni blends hometown cuisine with entertainers from around the world to offer a unique brand of entertainment that may include a contortionist with your salad and a trapeze artist with the main course. It offers a controlled sort […]
Posted: JazzChicago.net – May 2010 A musician you should be aware of is Bay-area pianist Debbie Poryes. We loved her 2007 CD – A Song in Jazz and this follow-up is even better – in part due to the lucky presence of saxophonist Bruce Williamson on some of the tracks. Williamson is a perfect fit […]
The Rubinoos: Biff-Boff-Boing! Kid-friendly album from the kings of power-pop harmony Though it’s been five years since the Rubinoos released their last album of new material, Twist Pop Sin, they’ve been busy boys (and girl). Tours of Japan and Spain were accompanied by odds ‘n’ sods collections (One Two That’s It and HodgePodge) and their […]
Review by Rob Johnson posted on jazzreviews.com in 2009 Featured Artist: Debbie Poryes Trio CD Title: A Song in Jazz Year: 2007 Record Label: Jazzschool Records Style: Contemporary Jazz Musicians: Debbie Poryes (piano), Bill Douglass (bass), David Rokeach (drums) Review: Bill Evans’ 1961 trio recordings from the Village Vanguard cast a long shadow in modern […]
By Don Heckman Sept. 22, 2008 Carla Zilbersmith may be too talented, too versatile for her own good. How else to explain why this extraordinary artist has had such relatively low national visibility, never signed with a major label, other than to say that she’s been spreading her abilities too generously in every direction. . […]
by Paul Chinn / The San Francisco Chronicle – July 9, 2008 Carla Zilbersmith is hoping her Berkeley gig Friday isn’t her last. People usually don’t cry when they hear “Cold Sweat,” the James Brown funk classic that Carla Zilbersmith sang at Berkeley’s Hillside Club in January. So the red-headed performer felt obliged to tell […]
by Paul Freeman / Palo Alto Daily News – 6/20/08 Power-pop veterans at it again The Rubinoos are, indisputably, one of the most entertaining bands to ever emerge from the Bay Area. Phenomenal sources of power-pop energy and fun, buoyed by bracing harmonies, the group has influenced performers ranging from Green Day to Avril Lavigne […]