The Rrazz Room Announces Concerts and Events for February

The Rrazz Room has announced its lineup of Concerts and Events for February.

Category: Comedy - Political Satire
Will Durst
"The Lieutenant Governor From The State of Confusion"
Four Monday nights
February 1, 8, 15, 22 / $25 / 8pm
Will Durst -- sworn enemy to tyrants, foreign and domestic -- has managed to patch together a half way decent quilt of a comedy career via syndicated columns, radio and television commentaries, stand-up comedy, stage and screen acting, talk show hosting, voice- overs and now the book. Nominated for 5 Emmys and 7 nominations for the American Comedy Awards Stand up of the Year, he has yet to win anything. Even a toaster for crum's sake. He's performed in 14 different countries, garnered 500+ television appearances including regular current stints on CNN & Fox News, has performed for 3 elected Presidents, a bunch of governors and once made Bill Clinton laugh so hard he spit water through his nose, which durst still considers the highlight of his career.

Category: Music - Jazz / Great American Songbook

Vocalist Paula West & The George Mesterhazy Quartet
"Paula's Back!"
Six-Week Residency: February 2 - March 14 / $35-$45
8pm except Sundays 7pm and the following:
***Feb 13, 10:15pm $45
Feb 14, 7pm $65 and ***Feb 14, 9pm $45
***Just Added Shows
Paula West has been thrilling national and international audiences with her heartfelt renditions of well-known standards and unique interpretations of dynamic jazz songs. With a particular dusky soulfulness, West has captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike from coast to coast - from festivals to concert halls and cabaret clubs - with just the lilt of her voice. The Rrazz Room welcomes Paula home with her brand new show for 2010! Latest CD: Come What May (Hi Horse Records/2001).

Category: Music - Pop / Soul 

The Rrazz Room Concert Series at The Historic Castro Theatre Proudly Presents: A Rare Bay Area Appearance With
The Legendary Vocalist Dionne Warwick
Hosted by Nikki Thomas of KBLX 102.9FM
February 6 / $27.50 - $79.50 / 8pm
415.392.4400 / www.cityboxoffice.com
Winner of five Grammy Awards, she has had 68 Billboard chart hit records; has placed 44 records in the Billboard Top Ten and has had nine records achieve the coveted Billboard #1 chart position. Latest CD: Why We Sing (Rhino Records/2008).

Category: Music - Tango Cabaret

MARIA VOLONTE
February 9 / $25 / 8pm
Celebrated Argentine tango vocalist Maria Volonte fills her songs with
all the sultry passion of Buenos Aires. Deeply steeped in tango's
fearless embrace of love, passion and obsession, Volonte creates an
intense emotional universe that has thrilled critics and audiences
around the world. Winner of the Carlos Gardel Prize, a Latin Grammy
nominee and member of the Tango Hall of Fame, Volonte has come a long way from her humble beginnings singing on the streets of Buenos Aires, but still performs each time as if it is her first and last. Latest CD: Sudestada (Intrepid Patrol/2007).

Category: Theatre 

The Valentine's Weekend Event: Emmy & Academy Award Winner Eva Marie Saint & Jeffrey Hayden in AR Gurney's "LOVE LETTERS"
***February 13 and 14 / $40 (Limited VIP $50) / 3pm
***Just Added: "Talk Back With Jan Wahl" Q&A session immediately following the Feb 13 performance. Hosted by KRON4's Jan Wahl, Your Favorite Movie Critic, Film Historian and the "Hat Lady."
Eva Marie Saint is a motion picture, stage and television star without peer. Among her triumphs are the films On The Waterfront, North by Northwest, Raintree County, Exodus, The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!, All Fall Down, 36 Hours, The Stalking Moon, Grand Prix and Loving. The names of her leading men read like a galaxy: Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Warren Beatty, Richard Burton, Burt Lancaster and Cary Grant. In television, she was nominated five times for an Emmy: the musical version of Our Town, with Frank Sinatra and Paul Newman, Middle of the Night by Paddy Chayevsky, HallMark Hall of Fame's Taxi with Martin Sheen and How The West Was Won. She won the Emmy for the mini-series People Like Us on NBC. Other TV triumphs include: The Trip to Bountiful with Lillian Gish, Fatal Vision with Karl Malden, When Hell Was in Session with HAl Holbrook, Last Days of Patton with George C. Scott, Achille-Lauro Affair with Burt Lancaster, Time to Say Goodbye with Richard Kiley and My Antonia with Jason Robards. Married to Jeffrey Hayden for 58 years, this husband and wife team has collaborated on many theatrical projects. They have been performing together in Love Letters and On the Divide in theatres across America.

Category: Music - Pop / R&B / Big Band

The Rrazz Room Concert Series At The Marines Memorial Proudly Presents: A Very Special Valentine's Evening With
BOBBY CALDWELL & His Big Band For A Brand-New Program Of Material Cultivated From The Era Of Swing And Timeless Classics.
February 14 / $47.50 - $67.50 / 7pm
Hosted by Sterling James of KBLX 102.9FM
415.771.6900 / www.marinesmemorialtheatre.com
Tracing a 30-year history from acclaimed soul stylist to in-demand pop and R&B songwriter, Bobby Caldwell is one of the most revered vocalists and songwriters in contemporary music today. As a singer, he has a successful career with numerous solo releases, which have earned accolades far and wide. His songwriting skills have earned hits not only for himself, but also for well-known artists like Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Peter Cetera & Amy Grant, Neil Diamond and Al Jarreau. Bobby's timeless classic, "What You Won't Do For Love" (1978) has recorded and sampled by more than 100 artists. In addition to his extremely strong body of recording work, Bobby has gained a worldwide reputation of being a truly electrifying live performer. Latest CD: Live At The Blue Note Tokyo (Starmine Records/2007).

Category: Music - Folk / Jazz / Blues

Singer / Songwriter LIZ KENNEDY
and The Clean White Shirt Band
February 16 / $32.50 / 8pm
Liz Kennedy is a singer-songwriter from San Francisco. At the piano, her blend of folk rock, blues, R&B, and 30s jazz suggests some of her influences (Bonnie Raitt, Randy Newman, Paul Simon, and Cole Porter) yet she has her own earthy style. Beautifully crafted melodies and lyrics create a mood of intimacy and intelligence seldom heard in today's contemporary music. She will perform songs from her three CDs -- Clean White Shirt (2006), Nothing Like An Angel (2009) and A Good Peach (2009) -- plus some new songs with first-class studio musicians: Joel Jaffe on guitars, renowned producer/engineer of Studio D (The Call, Ringo Starr, Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Raitt, Huey Lewis, and Carlos Santana), Eamonn Flynn on keyboards (The Commitments, Elvin Bishop), Billy Johnson on drums (Santana, Maze), Don Bassey (Volker Strifler Band) and Jim Rothermel on horns (Boz Skaggs, Van Morrison, John Prine).

Category: Music - Jazz

Bay Area Legendary Vocalist FAYE CAROL
"From Louie to the Duke and Beyond"
Honoring Black History Month
February 23 / $30 / 8pm
Join the Dynamic Miss Faye Carol as she reminds us why we love and honor the cultural contributions of African American performers and composers. With an energy and style like no other, Carol will wring out the blues, deliver love songs with fervor and passion and be bop with the best of them. Whether it is Ella or Louie, Coltrane or Monk each selection will be stamped with Miss Carol's unique interpretation. Faye Carol has been a premier Bay Area performer for more than 40 years. She was influential in the East Bay funk sounds during the 1960s. The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol and her trio was formed in the 1970s. She has performed throughout the Bay Area and has toured around the country and in Europe since then. Miss Carol also gives back to the musical community by teaching voice & the History of Black Music. Her teaching career began in 1988 & continues to the present with the after-school program she founded at the Black Repertory Group, called Music in the Community. Latest CDs: Faye Sings Lady Day (2008) and Carolizing Christmas (2009).

Category: Music - Dance / 70s / 80s

The Rrazz Room Concert Series at The Historic Castro Theatre Proudly Presents: THE QUEENS OF DANCE MUSIC!
Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive 30th Anniversary Tour
with Cece Peniston
February 27 / $27.50 - $69.50 / 8pm
Hosted by: TBD
415.392.4400 / www.cityboxoffice.com
Gloria Gaynor was 19 when she signed her first record contract. In 1973, Gloria made history as Billboard gave birth to the Disco Action Charts. "Never Can Say Good-Bye" bowed at #1 on the charts and became the first Dance Song to reach #1 status in dance music. Ever since that time, for more than 30 years, Gloria keeps setting the standard. In March of 2001, her single, "Just Keep Thinkin' About You," topped the Billboard Dance/Club charts at #1, while her international hit "Last Night" with Giorgio Moroder debuted at #1 throughout Europe. In keeping with the theme of #1, Gloria Gaynor was the first to record an album especially for clubs, and the first to do a mega-extended dance medley party mix, releasing 12" dance singles that are now high-end collectors items. Party the night away with Gloria Gaynor, one of the greatest 70's dance music legends, as she performs her hits "I Will Survive," "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Just Keep Thinkin' Of You," "I Am What I Am" and more! Gloria's chart toppers span the decades and take us back to a time of fun that inspires all to keep on surviving! Latest CDs: I Wish You Love Live! (Bell/2002), At John J. Burns Town Park (Instant Live/2005) and Christmas Presence (Golo/2007).

Cece Peniston is a multi-platinum recording artist with sales and fans worldwide. The title track of her debut Finally (A&M/1992) was a #1 Billboard hit and went multi-platinum worldwide. She continued to achieve Billboard Top Ten status with singles like: "We Got A Love Thang," "Keep on Walkin," "I'm Not Over You" and her hit single released in 2001 "Lifetime To Love." All of her other singles released have achieved Top 40 status, including: "Inside That I Cried," "Crazy Love," "I'm In The Mood," "Hit By Love," "Movin' On," "Before I Lay (You Drive Me Crazy)" as well as "I Know That He Loves Me Too" and "Nobody Else" with MCA recording artist JoJo of KC & JoJo. Lastest CD: Cece Peniston - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection. The Best of Cece Peniston (Interscope Records/2001).

Category: Music - Jazz / Big Band

Denise Perrier with the Junius Courtney Big Band
One Fabulous Vocalist + A Swingin' 18-Piece Jazz Band
February 28 / $30 / 3pm
Denise Perrier brings swinging surprises and an elegant entourage of eighteen when she alights in The Rrazz Room for an afternoon for Jazz High Tea. Ms. Perrier's burnished contralto, thirty-year international singing career, and unstoppable charm infuse this hot jazz session with authentic soul. With four CDs to her credit, including her latest - The Second Time Around (Chez Perrier Records/2009) -- with Houston Person, where JazzTimes compared their rapport to Billie Holiday and Lester Young, and her featured billing on Grammy-nominated Jack McDuff's "Color Me Blue," Denise Perrier's artistry is solidly documented. Her live-performance presence, honed in myriad tours of Russia, Mexico and Asia, a robust West Coast schedule, and acting and cabaret turns, is exhilarating and sincere. Backed by the powerhouse jazz orchestra, the Junius Courtney Big Band (Denise has been with the band for ten years), Ms. Perrier escorts her listeners to the stratosphere.

The Junius Courtney Big Band, established in 1962, delivers the power and subtlety of absolute swing. Led by drummer Nat Courtney, son of the late bandleader and trumpet player Junius Courtney, and under the musical direction of George "Jazzbeaux" Spencer, (Esther Phillips, Dakota Staton) the Junius Courtney Big Band thrives via a combination of exciting jazz charts and impressive jazz chops. San Francisco Jazz Heritage Hall of Famers Frank Fisher (Earl Hines, John Coltrane) and Terry Hilliard (Cal Tjader) augment the ranks of of this deepest-digging of Bay Area bands.

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The Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko is San Francisco's premier nightclub, offering the finest in world-class Cabaret, Jazz, Comedy and Popular music entertainment. This intimate and acoustically perfect venue has been the home for past performers such as: Ashford & Simpson, Oleta Adams, Larry Carlton, Bobby Caldwell, Spyro Gyra, Hiroshima, Diane Schuur, Ben Vereen, Martha Reeves, Miki Howard, The Zapp Band, and ConFunkShun. Host-escorted seating assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Doors open 90 minutes prior to show. The Rrazz Room is a two-drink minimum, all-ages venue, and tickets are non-refundable. 

For more information, visit http://www.therrazzroom.com/

Photo of Paula West. Photo Credit: Pat Johnson

 

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