Internationally touring
singer/songwriter Doria Roberts has lived on the road
since performing at Lilith Fair in 1999 where she was
plucked from the side stage to perform solos with Sarah
McLachlan and the Indigo Girls. Since then she performs
nearly 175 shows a year, appearing in listening rooms,
theaters and festivals across the US, Canada, Sweden and
Australia. She has shared the stage with Odetta, Janis
Ian, John Mayer, Me'shell N'degeocello along with many
others. Doria also received the International Orfeo Musica
Humantarian Award, The Anderson Leadership Award from
the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and was nominated
for the 2005 Colin Higgins Courage Award for lending her
music and talent to fundraising and awareness efforts
for communities in need around the globe. She was also
recently chosen as the international spokesperson for
the activist media campaign entitled “The War on
Apathy: Resist the Urge to Do Nothing.” She is currently
touring in support of her sixth independent release entitled
"Woman Dangerous.
EDISON
GEM
www.myspace.com/orionjadis
THURSDAY,
JULY 19th
OPENING NIGHT CONCERT
CAFE DU
NORD
2170 MARKET STREET
(btw Sanchez and Church)
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
8pm-2am
21+
ADMISSION: $15 at the door
PURCHASE TIX ONLINE
HERE
(also performing, United
By Sound,
DJ
Sokrates)
and poets Amber Tamblyn
and Rachel Kann)
The end of one thing is
often the beginning of another. Edison Gem are proof positive
that destruction can double as a form of creation. The
production team, a collaborative effort between Orion
and Jadis, has focused the energy borne of the failure
of their relationship into an inspired mélange
of expression, class, and dancefloor sensibility. Propelled
by passion and groove, the efforts of the two are seething
with synergy and depth. Both classically trained, they
manage to seamlessly fuse raw emotion with the consummate
articulations of seasoned artistry. Jadis' ethereal voice
gives a haunting edge to Orion's vast pastiches of tense
rhythm and timeless melodic arrangements with breathtaking
result.
After a one-year hiatus
following their breakup, they both felt the pull of their
strong artistic rapport and began working together again.
"I tried working with other singers, but at the end
of the day it boils down to finding that spark between
people that makes something great, and its just not that
easy to find," says Orion. "But we've got it,
and we know it, and its what we're all about with our
music." Jadis adds, "We had built something
together that had been unique and to lose each other would
mean starting completely over from square one. Neither
of us was willing or patient enough to do that."
Orion and Jadis, both
originally from North Carolina, are currently operating
out of Los Angeles. Orion has garnered attention and 12"
vinyl releases from labels such as LTJ Bukems Good Looking
Records, Subtitles Music (with Jadis), Breakbeat Science,
Fokuz, Gamma Ray, and others. Edison Gem (named after
the first mass-produced gramophone) are currently finishing
up their first album and playing select dates around the
US. ~ Andy Abang
EMILY
WELLS
www.myspace.com/emilywells
FRIDAY,
JULY 20th
"SHE SAYS 'SOUL' PARTY"
CELLSPACE
2050 Bryant Street
(btw 18th and 19th)
San Francisco
CLICK HERE
FOR MAP
8pm-2am
ALL AGES
ADMISSION: $5 - $20 Sliding Scale
(also performing, Mystic,
X-Factor, Sparlha
Swa , Doria
Roberts,
and poets Andrea Gibson
and Lyz Soto)
Emily is an anomaly among
musicians, most of who spend their careers striving for
a major label deal. Before she was old enough to vote,
a major label was courting Emily, two music publishing
companies were competing for the rights to her songs and
she was recording with award winning producers. By the
time she was legally buying her first drink, however,
Emily had decided to choose a different path, and with
true indie ethos, packed up and moved from New York, leaving
in her wake a lucrative deal from a major label, the renowned
producers, recording studios, and a manager. During that
period of her life, Emily had been offered everything
that most musicians want. Everything except what she,
as an artist, needed most: creative control.
Wells, recognized as a
child prodigy, is a multi-instrumentalist with a mellifluous,
soulful voice, compared by some to Billie Holiday, who
consistently creates gorgeous lush sonic landscapes imbued
with intelligent and emotive lyrics. Currently living
in Los Angeles, Emily, a definitive indie darling with
a do-it-yourself attitude, wrote, produced, recorded and
mixed Beautiful Sleepyhead and the Laughing Yaks in her
own recording studio. On this record, Emily successfully
combines her myriad talents to create what is being hailed
as her best work to date. The addition of an upright bass
player and a drummer compliment the rich musical arrangements
that include Emily on guitar, violin, piano, Hammond organ,
banjo, xylophones, and glockenspiel.
FEMI
www.myspace.com/femi
SUNDAY,
JULY 22nd
CLOSING
DAY CONCERT
1PM-5PM
"Women Re-Birthing Justice" Concert
at Dolores Park
(Corner of Dolores and 18th)
ALL AGES
ADMISSION: FREE!!!
(also performing: Imani Uzuri,
Melina Jones,
Youth Speaks Hawaii, X-Factor,
poet Ashley Atoms,
Culture Shock, Velocity Circus, and more...)
Bay area native of Puerto-Rican
ancestry, FEMI has established her musical presence with
powerfully sweet vocals, passionately poetic song writing
and sultry dance moves. Her music has been defined as
neo-funk & soul but its roots go much deeper, using
elements of jazz, hip-hop, salsa and rock to create a
unique sound all her own.
FEMI has taken her magnetic
sound and toured throughout the US in venues from Los
Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and her hometown of the
Bay Area. Her most recent accomplishments have been working
with
and/or opening for international recording artists like
the Black Eye Peas, Mystic, Goapele & Les Nubians.
Excited about her own upcoming release scheduled for Summer
2007 her debut album is tentatively titled, “Taste
the love…Feel the Fire.”
GOD-DES
& SHE
www.myspace.com/goddes
SATURDAY,
JULY 21st
"SISTAZ RISING" CONCERT
111
Minna Gallery
(btw 2nd and New Montgomery)
San Francisco
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
8pm-2am
21+
ADMISSION: $12 at the door
(also performing, Medusa,
Jennifer Johns, Citizen
Fury,
DJ Zita, Bushra
Rehman, Ali Wong
and poet Rachel McKibbens)
In March of 2004, GOD-DES
& SHE packed up their lives in Madison WI and moved
to Brooklyn NY. They took New York City by storm. They
have played sold out shows at the famed Knitting Factory,
opened up for Lyrics Born, played a show at The Supper
Club for GO magazines L word party, and appeared for/performed
for countless other high profile gigs. These women are
magnetic on stage, lighting up the faces of the audience
every time.
GOD-DES has been rhyming
for about nine years. She started out as a percussionist--
Yep, a marching band geek turned rapper. Does it get any
better than that? She spent her school bus rides home
rapping for her friends, a natural performer from the
start. She is also an out lesbian-- Ya'll ever heard of
a dyke Jew rapper from WI? Didn't think so! SHE (Tina
SHE) has a natural born gift. SHE adds a layer to GOD-DES
rarely heard in hip-hop today. Their chemistry is undeniable.
Most people who hear her on a CD do not believe she is
white-- You never heard a white girl have so much soul.
Currently, their documentary
"HIP HOP HOMOS" has been airing on LOGO since
October and the video for "LOVE YOU BETTER"
has been $1 on LOGO's Click List! "LICK IT"
aired March 26 on the L WORD season finale.
IMANI
UZURI
www.myspace.com/herholywater
SUNDAY,
JULY 22nd
CLOSING
DAY CONCERT
1PM-5PM
"Women Re-Birthing Justice" Concert
at Dolores Park
(Corner of Dolores and 18th)
ALL AGES
ADMISSION: FREE!!!
(also performing: Imani Uzuri,
Melina Jones,
Youth Speaks Hawaii, X-Factor,
poet Ashley Atoms,
Culture Shock, Velocity Circus, and more...)
Ecletic, dynamic IMANI
UZURI is often compared to artists like Grace Jones and
Nina Simone as one who defies category. Featured at numerous
international venues/festivals including LINCOLN CENTER,
CENTRAL PARK SUMMER STAGE, THE BLUE NOTE, JOE'S PUB, SOBs,
Atlanta's NATIONAL BLACK ART'S FESTIVAL, THE UNITED NATIONS,
LE LIEU UNIQUE, BAM, THE APOLLO THEATER, THE WHITNEY MUSEUM,
BOWERY BALLROOM, London's BARBICAN CENTER and Morocco's
FESTIVAL D'ESSAOUIRA, this bohemian spirit "... never
fails to mesmerize audiences with her narcotic blend of...ethereal
sounds." (Time Out New York). UZURI has collaborated
and recorded with the likes of music legend HERBIE HANCOCK,
JOHN LEGEND, English drum-n-bass pioneers 4-HERO, TALIB
KWELI, KING BRITT, TONY NWACHUKWU, LOVESLAP, CHEIK TIDIANE
SECK, MARQUE GILMORE, DAVID GILMORE and dub kings SLY
and ROBBIE. Television appeareances include DAVID LETTERMAN
performing with PETER GABRIEL. She is currently preparing
for the upcoming wide release of her debut solo album,
HER HOLY WATER: A BLACK GIRL'S ROCK OPERA. UZURI is also
developing a musical theater piece of the same title,
based on the music from her album, while incorporating
coming-of-age memories from her youth in rural North Carolina
and anecdotes from her nomadic travels around the world.
It has successfully been showcased at Joe's Pub, The Culture
Project's Women Center Stage Festival, The Hip Hop Theater
Festival, during her Artist-in-Residency at The Kitchen,
NJPAC and Philly's Painted Bride. .
JENNIFER
JOHNS
www.myspace.com/jenniferjohns
"Jennifer
continues the bay area tradition of eclectic music, putting
her soul on the table and offering sweet sadness that
glows with hope. Definitely a worth while journey."
~ Mystic
"A
true talent who is immune to musical boundaries."
~ Rolling Stone
SATURDAY,
JULY 21st
"SISTAZ RISING" CONCERT
111
Minna Gallery
(btw 2nd and New Montgomery)
San Francisco
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
8pm-2am
21+
ADMISSION: $12 at the door
(also performing, Medusa,
God-Des & She, Citizen
Fury,
DJ Zita, Bushra
Rehman, Ali Wong
and poet Rachel McKibbens)
Innovative,
driven, compassionate, and powerful are all words that
have been used by publicists and critics alike to describe
Oakland, CA born singer, songwriter, and spoken word artist
Jennifer Johns. With the release of her album ‘Heavyelectromagneticsoularpoeticjunglehop’,
the listening public is getting the chance to have an
opinion too. That might in fact be the problem as those
people, who tend to buy records not only on commendation
but also on impulse and instinct, may dismiss this CD
on the basis of the title alone. Yet those who choose
to do so will really be missing a musical experience from
an artist who knows where she is going. Since birth, Jennifer
has been making this world, in her words, ‘just
a little bit more melodic’ with her some times boisterous,
some times soft, but always powerful voice. ~ Dennis Poole,
Soultracks.com
MEDUSA
www.myspace.com/medusa
SATURDAY,
JULY 21st
"SISTAZ RISING" CONCERT
111
Minna Gallery
(btw 2nd and New Montgomery)
San Francisco
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
8pm-2am
21+
ADMISSION: $12 at the door
(also performing, Jennifer Johns,
God-Des & She,
Citizen Fury, DJ Zita,
Bushra Rehman, Ali
Wong
and poet Rachel McKibbens)
Once dubbed “the
Angela Davis of hip-hop” Medusa continues to cultivate
hip-hop seeds across the country in unprecedented numbers.
The love of hip-hop encouraged her to follow higher callings
than her knowing. Pop-lockin with the Groove-Atrons gave
her talents a platform to win the Beset Female Dancer
in the 1st Hip Hop Dance Awards at The Paladium. “Medusa
has been compared to a medley of amazing artist”
Including, Gil-Scott Heron for their ways of expressing
the revolutionary state of mind, Chuck D. (imagine a female
Chuck D.), Lauren Hill for having the ability to posses
an international talent in the voice world and like the
Game, who’s a versatile heavy hitter on speaking
his life’s truth’s, Medusa gives you the key
to real truth and allows you to feel it and even though
the comparisons could go on, Medusa is on a Goddess list
of her own. You will find no other who will bring it to
you like this, someone’s music that makes you feel
strong, proud, and encourages with the manner of ONE Love.
She has also received
a Grammy with the band Ozomatli and LA Weekly has voted
MEDUSA “BEST HIP-HOP ARTIST” two years in
a row. She was part of the hot line up for the Beats for
Peace Tour with Slum Village, Pharoahe Monch, Anwar Superstar,
The Jazz and Hip-hop Orchestra, Super Natural, and Cee-Lo.
The Year before that she was a t the Bumper Shot with
De La Soul, Macy Gray, Common, and the Black Eyed Peas
in Seattle, Washington. Selling out at every venue and
killing the mic on every stage, holding it down independent-indie
style hasn’t been hard when you’re doing it
for the love of music, the reason and unity.
MELINA
JONES
www.myspace.com/melinajones
SUNDAY,
JULY 22nd
CLOSING
DAY CONCERT
1PM-5PM
"Women Re-Birthing Justice" Concert
at Dolores Park
(Corner of Dolores and 18th)
ALL AGES
ADMISSION: FREE!!!
(also performing: Imani Uzuri,
Melina Jones,
Youth Speaks Hawaii, X-Factor,
poet Ashley Atoms,
Culture Shock, Velocity Circus, and more...)
Hailing from the city
of San Francisco, Melina Jones takes a more classic approach.
She has music in her blood, thanks to the influence of
her father, a renowned local soul singer who has worked
with a variety of acts over many decades. She's been down
for the cause ever since childhood, recording and performing
diligently all over California since the early 1990s.
Not confined to one specific talent, she can rap, sing,
drop poetry, and play live instruments. She is the epitome
of what they call "a total package."
Equally proficient on-stage
or in the studio, Melina has developed a strong following
in the Bay and recently rocked for hundreds of fans at
a sold-out show opening for golden era New York legends
Brand Nubian. She can deliver ferociously hardcore battle
bravado as well as sensitive musings on personal issues,
and everything in between. She is one of the most promising
young artists on the scene--male or female--and is currently
putting the finishing touches on her long awaited solo
album Swearing Off Busters, to be released in early 2007.
MYSTIC
www.myspace.com/thatgirlmystic
FRIDAY,
JULY 20th
"SHE SAYS 'SOUL' PARTY"
CELLSPACE
2050 Bryant Street
(btw 18th and 19th)
San Francisco
CLICK HERE
FOR MAP
8pm-2am
ALL AGES
ADMISSION: $5 - $20 Sliding Scale
(also performing, Doria Roberts,
X-Factor, Sparlha
Swa ,
Emily
Wells, and poets Andrea
Gibson and Lyz Soto)
Originating from Oakland,
CA, hip-hop singer Mystic merges literate rhymes charged
with poetry and a lush singing voice beaming with a sense
of soul. Signed to the Goodvibe roster -- also including
Slum Village and Bahamadia -- she worked with a cast of
respected underground hip-hop producers for her 2001 debut
album, Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom. She participated
in the summer 2001 Tree of Life tour with her labelmates
to promote the album. Her debut was reissued the following
year on Dreamworks with two new songs appended to the
release. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
DJ
SOKRATES
www.myspace.com/djsokrates
THURSDAY,
JULY 19th
OPENING NIGHT CONCERT
CAFE DU
NORD
2170 MARKET STREET
(btw Sanchez and Church)
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
8pm-2am
21+
ADMISSION: $15 at the door
PURCHASE TIX ONLINE
HERE
(also
performing, Edison
Gem,
United by Sound)
and poets Amber Tamblyn
and Rachel Kann)
"Sokrates is clearly
of the most erudite of Bay Area emcees - his SF State
urban studies degree and fascination with the Socratic
method shows that hip-hop may actually be too light a
medium for him - but he's also one of the sickest up-and-coming
DJ's in the East Bay, and an accomplished pianist to boot."
- East Bay Express, Jan '07
SPARLHA
SWA
www.myspace.com/sparlhaswa
FRIDAY,
JULY 20th
"SHE SAYS 'SOUL' PARTY"
CELLSPACE
2050 Bryant Street
(btw 18th and 19th)
San Francisco
CLICK HERE
FOR MAP
8pm-2am
ALL AGES
ADMISSION: $5 - $20 Sliding Scale
(also performing, Mystic,
X-Factor, Emily
Wells, Doria
Roberts,
and poets Andrea Gibson
and Lyz Soto)
Solo on guitar, Sparlha
is a velvetine clash of impeccable vocals and haunting
modal chords. With her band comes a maddeningly satisfying
concoction of solid Latin-tinged bass lines, intelligent
and inventive beats, and a wildly roving jazz-rooted piano.
Hers is a sound that ascends to Sade-like smoothness but
with rougher rock edges, catchy hooks, and an international
feel. Stunning, tender, contagious and wise, her songs
speak about love, life and actualizing the true potential
of the human spirit. She is a sure promise of wonder for
music listeners of any genre.
Her recent musical exploits
include securing a Japanese distribution deal for her
debut album In The Distance, licensing 2 songs (Love Addiction
and Too Late) to the nationally syndicated TV show Girlfriends,
and having her music video chosen for airing on BETJs
Soul Sessions 3 times a day since April 21st. She has
also been selected twice to perform at the NXNE Music
Festival in Toronto, Canada, and also at the Atlantis
Music Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. In January she opened
for Bilal at Londons premier venue for international music,
the Jazz Café, 3 nights in a row. In May her band
was chosen to perform at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
(BAM) Café in collaboration with Sista Factory.
UNITED
BY SOUND
www.myspace.com/unitedbysound
THURSDAY,
JULY 19th
OPENING NIGHT CONCERT
CAFE DU
NORD
2170 MARKET STREET
(btw Sanchez and Church)
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
8pm-2am
21+
ADMISSION: $15 at the door
PURCHASE TIX ONLINE
HERE
(also performing, Edison
Gem,
DJ Sokrates)
and poets Amber Tamblyn
and Rachel Kann)
United By Sound is the
music of Jeni Ivey and Tmo Ceniceros. Their music deconstructs
distinctions like live vs. electronic and producer vs.
artist, combining elements of electro, dancehall, rock,
dub, and pop. Their method is simple; a tireless love
for exploring melody, beats, harmony, bass, and sonic
texture. As much a production team as a duo of artists
and songwriters, United By Sound is able to bring a raw
D.I.Y spirit to grade A music production. The result is
music that is conceived in a B-Boy -B-Girl ('fuck it,
were doing our thing')stance, while transcending into
the rich, polytextural, uber-sexy, genre bending sound
they call home.
UBS cannot however separate
their music from their time, as they find themselves living
in the middle of a decomposing American dream. "There
is so much gluttony in our pop culture that it is impossible
to not speak to it, especially when your a product of
the industry," Tmo replies when discussing the pop/political
irony that lives in their lyrics. "What we don't
want is to be preachy about it though. We just want to
help expose the natural absurdity and humor of it all.
People have to make up their own minds, and we all need
to enjoy music, and have a good time without being told
what to think whether it's an artist or Clear Channel
telling you.
X-FACTOR
www.myspace.com/xfactorlive1
FRIDAY,
JULY 20th
"SHE SAYS 'SOUL' PARTY"
CELLSPACE
2050 Bryant Street
(btw 18th and 19th)
San Francisco
CLICK HERE
FOR MAP
8pm-2am
ALL AGES
ADMISSION: $5 - $20 Sliding Scale
(also performing, Mystic,
Sparlha Swa, Emily
Wells, Doria
Roberts,
and poets Andrea Gibson
and Lyz Soto)
Take the
head off Rage Against the Machine, place it on the body
of Medusa, transplant a heart from Ani Difranco, fill
it with soul from Aretha Franklin, and vocal chords from
Janis Joplin…. then you might have something that
resembles X-FACTOR. Blending an alternative fusion of
funk, soul, rock, and hip-hop, X-FACTOR’s sound
can’t be boxed in any existing genre. Front womyn,
Rebel Girl, courageously and honestly speaks from almost
every margin of life. Rap song “Don’t Hate
Me Cuz I’m Beautiful” explores the trials
of growning up gay. “Rebel Girls Don’t Wanna”
is a firey feminist anthem provoking womyn to speak up
for their rights. “Keep On,” begs a friend
to hang on while going through a domestically violent
separation from an ex-lover. From bluesy love ballads
to nasty old school funk, X-FACTOR covers it all.
X-FACTOR
has an album release due this summer. They have shared
stages with Medusa, Quadrophonix, O-Maya, Moemoea, Jennifer
Johns, and Doria Roberts. Girl Fest Hawaii, Summer Sunsplash,
Katrina Relief @ Next Door, and numerous Not In Our Name
benefits have also bared X-FACTOR’s mark.
DJ
ZITA
www.myspace.com/djzita
SATURDAY,
JULY 21st
"SISTAZ RISING" CONCERT
111
Minna Gallery
(btw 2nd and New Montgomery)
San Francisco
CLICK
HERE FOR MAP
8pm-2am
21+
ADMISSION: $12 at the door
(also performing, Jennifer Johns,
God-Des & She, Citizen
Fury,
Medusa, Ali Wong
and poet Rachel McKibbens)
DJ Zita (real name: Maritez)
spins a variety of musical styles ranging from conscious/underground/old
school hip-hop…to original breaks and beats...to
70’s, 80's, and 90’s classic joints…to
deep, soulful, funky house…to the sexiest chilled-out
downtempo and R&B beats. She is a lover of soul, funk,
and jazz. Her passion about the music is obvious when
you witness her spinning; she is often grooving along
with her mix. Zita has become known for her innovative
style, smooth mixing, creatively-crafted versatile sets,
and rockin' the dancefloor.
She is one of the four
founding members of Hawaii’s first all-female DJ
collective, “Sisters in Sound.” Now residing
in San Francisco, California, Zita is currently sponsored
by two San Francisco-based clothing companies: Mama Clothing
(www.mamaclothing.com) and Mixerfriendly (www.mixerfriendly.com).
DJ Zita has recorded several CDs in which she seamlessly
mixes various shades of downtempo, hip-hop, and/or deep
house: Contagious, Night Flight, Blu Soul, One, Mama Mix
1, and Mama Mix 2. djzita@sistersinsound.com
