Thursday, Nov. 7
Perfect Pairing
Shawn Colvin burst onto the music scene in 1989 with her debut album Steady On, which went on to win a Grammy for best contemporary folk album. She was recently inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, where Jackson Browne praised her, calling her “utterly original in her singing and original in what she speaks about in her songs.” Fifteen years after Colvin’s momentous entrance, KT Tunstall took the music scene by storm in her multi-platinum debut album Eye to the Telescope in 2004, featuring “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See.” Tunstall is a skilled singer-songwriter and engaging performer, balancing folk music with rock ‘n’ roll. The two met a few years ago at the Girls Just Wanna Weekend in Mexico organized by Brandi Carlile. They hit it off and have been touring together in a show where their individual styles, instrumentalism and vocals are the perfect complement to each other. [PM]
7:30pm Thursday, Nov. 7. Sunset Center, San Carlos Street at 9th Avenue, Carmel. $65-$95. 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org.
Friday, Nov. 8
Jazz Hot
Is there anything Daniel Harris III doesn’t do? He’s a noted jazz trumpeter, producer, educator, founder of a record label and a jazz foundation. He leads two bands, has played Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center and earned the Woody Herman Jazz Award. Geez – and he is a recent graduate of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. And if overachieving young people like Harris piss you off, the news only gets worse (or better, if you are more open-minded). He’s playing with Ayo Brame, a 17-year-old saxophone player and jazz purist who is so impressive that the likes of Kev Choice and Stabe Wilson seek him out. This is the present and future of jazz. And they are playing two sets – an entire jazz festival on one stage. [DF]
8pm Friday, Nov. 8. Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave St., Monterey. $33.85; $23.18/outdoor seating; $17.85/students, military. 655-2010, wavestreetstudios.com.
Saturday, Nov. 9
’Tis the Season
By season, we mean shopping season. Fortunately, that does not necessarily mean scrolling online and ordering something made far, far away. It can also mean meeting local artisans, while finding handmade treasures that speak to you as a gift-giver or just mingling and getting creative inspiration. The 14th neighborhood holiday artist fair in Pacific Grove features woodwork, jade jewelry, calligraphy, beaded sun catchers, ceramics, knitted clothing, quilted table runners, sea glass art and more. Proceeds from sales of hot cider and baked goods go to Hitchcock Road Animal Services. [SR]
9am-3pm Saturday, Nov. 9. Front yard at 1150 Pico Ave., Pacific Grove. Free to attend. 372-3481, jandhbeach@comcast.net.
Native Roots
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium is showcasing two poets, Stephen Meadows and Stan Rushworth. Meadows’ roots run deep in the Monterey Bay region, descending both from the Ohlone people who built the Carmel Mission and pioneer families who settled in Gold Country during the Gold Rush and on a farm in Carmel Valley. He himself was born and raised locally. His poems have been published nationally in anthologies and collections. Rushworth is faculty emeritus from Cabrillo College where he taught Native American Literature and English. He is the author and co-editor of We Are the Middle of Forever: Indigenous Voices from Turtle Island on the Changing Earth, which has been described by Legends of the Fall author Jim Harrison as “a mysterious and extraordinary book, written out of the divine ordinary.” [PM]
5:30pm Saturday, Nov. 9. Pacific Grove Public Library, 550 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. kent.leatham.poet@gmail.com.
Play On
In any ensemble, every musician’s precision and skill matters, but that is especially true in a string quartet – each of the four musicians are as vulnerable as a soloist, but must keep time perfectly together. The Pacifica Quartet has won acclaim for its famously cohesive sound, and masterful performances of beloved works by the old masters. They also gravitate toward more contemporary work. That blend underlies the program at this Chamber Music Monterey Bay concert, including 20th-century works by Samuel Barber and George Crumb (see story, p. 29). Learn about how it all fits together in musical tradition during a pre-concert presentation by Artistic Director Luke Fleming. [SR]
6:30pm pre-concert talk, 7:30pm show, Saturday, Nov. 9. Sunset Center, San Carlos Street and 9th Avenue, Carmel. $25-$75. 625-2212, chambermusicmontereybay.org.
Trio Strings
With strings – violin, cello and viola – a trio of musicians bring to life music from different composers with emotion, sensitivity and charm. One of the performers, violist Kimberlee Uwate, grew up in Monterey and attended Monterey High in the early 2000s. She returns home and brings her friends, violist Aromi Park – the acting concertmaster for the Bozeman Symphony – and Oregon Symphony cellist Seth Biagini, for this performance. [CJ]
7pm Saturday, Nov. 9. First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado St., Monterey. Free. 373-3031, office@fpcmonterey.org.
Sunday, Nov. 10
Salute to Veterans
The Veterans Transition Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end veteran homelessness throughout Monterey County. Since 1966, they’ve been working hard on historic Fort Ord land to support not only veterans but also their families and pets, providing meals, clothing, assistance with health benefits, employment and more. They’ll host their first-ever Veterans Day party, a free event open to the public where people can play games, listen to live music, eat, drink and honor those who have served our country. [KR]
11am-4pm Sunday, Nov. 10. Martinez Hall, 220 Twelfth St., Marina. Free. 883-8387, vtcofcalifornia.org/veteransday.
Doggin’ It
Somewhere along the line, Chris Perondi must have gotten confused. When people use phrases like “dog days” or “gone to the dogs,” it’s not meant as a positive. But for Perondi, dog days involve amazing feats by four-legged performers who astound audiences at fairs, festivals, even sold-out NFL stadiums. Chris Perondi’s Stunt Dog Experience features dogs turning tricks, catching big air, flying through hoops, nabbing frisbees mid-air, balancing, dancing, playing poker… OK, there’s no gambling involved. Instead, it’s all action, amazement and fun from the world’s longest-running stunt dog show. The dogs are all rescues, given new lives as superstars. As they say, it’s a dog’s life. [DF]
3pm Sunday, Nov. 10. Sunset Center, San Carlos Street and 9th Avenue, Carmel. $35-$45. 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org.
Race with a View
The Monterey Bay Half Marathon is back. This race is more than running 13.1 miles; it’s a race for the eyes. The route is full of historic places and beautiful natural scenery. Runners start their journey in downtown Monterey, followed by Cannery Row, and continue along the Pacific Grove coastline before heading back along the Coastal Recreation Trail to end at Custom House Plaza. The race is open for ages 12 and older. The money collected from the race is distributed for local grants and charity groups. [CJ]
7am Sunday, Nov. 10. Del Monte Avenue in downtown Monterey. $160.54/ages 12-17; $171.32/ages 18 and up. Free to watch. 625-6226, montereybayhalfmarathon.org.
Wednesday, Nov. 13
Christmas Magic
It’s a fact of life that the holiday season doesn’t officially begin until the Nutcracker makes its way to the stage. For 2024, we have a date: Nov. 13. Talmi Entertainment’s Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet stops in Monterey on its 32nd annual tour across the United States. Nutcracker fans know the tunes of Tchaikovsky by heart – but each viewing of the ballet is just as magical as the first. [EC]
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