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S2: Trailer 3 History of Film and Theater
Season 2 Trailer 3: History of Film and Theater
As an artistic hub, The San Francisco Bay Area has a long history of theater and film production. The rich landscape of performers, audiences, and artistic innovation makes it home to some of the best community and experimental theater in the country. Its idyllic location, with ocean views, historic landmarks, and a lush natural landscape, draws filmmakers from all over the world as well. In particular, documentary filmmakers are drawn to the Bay because of its reputation for being open and welcoming of ideas that are inventively outside the box.
This five-episode series takes a deeper look into just how outside the box our local artists can be, and gives you the opportunity to get to know some of the amazing work that’s going on in our own backyard. We open our new and exciting History of Film and Theater series with these five guests:
Jo Schuman Silver of Beach Blanket Babylon
Hamilton Actor Brendon Chan
Zoe Elton, Director of Programming for the Mill Valley Film Festival
Margo Hall Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theater
And Jonathan Moscone, Chief Producer at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
Enjoy our History of Film and Theater series!
S2: Ep 11: Mr. Gregory Cole Founder Touch of Class Choir
Season 2 Episode 11: Gregory Cole
Every high school has an adult who has made it their life’s mission to help young people in every way that they can–– a teacher who brings an extra lunch for a hungry student, or a counselor who helps kids with their homework at recess. This week’s guest is one of those people. Mr. Gregory Cole is a musician, vocal and instrumental instructor, music director and educator who has gone the extra mile for kids in the Bay Area for over 40 years.
Having taught and directed music at numerous Bay Area schools and churches, Cole’s greatest endeavor began in 1984 at the Sala and Phillip Burton Academic High school where he founded the Touch of Class Choir (TOCC). Located between 3 underserved neighborhoods in San Francisco, TOCC’s innovative and well-disciplined kids learned all kinds of music, including religious, secular, jazz and R&B. Mr. Cole even toured the choir through a diverse range of countries like France, China, Spain, Jamaica, Australia, and more. His dedication has impacted many of his student’s lives and former TOCC students regard him as a father figure.
Gregory Cole believes in teaching students not just about music, but also about life and the power of personal achievement. He motivates his students academically and encourages them to pursue college, successful careers, and strong healthy relationships. Mr. Cole is a humble and kind man with a very deep soul. Michaela, Jae, and I were honored to interview him for this week’s episode.
For more information about Gregory Cole, please visit: http://touchofclasschoir.org/gregory-cole-director/
Meet Gregory Cole!
S2: Ep 10: Ian Robertson Chorus Director for the San Francisco Opera
Season 2 Episode 10: Ian Robertson
This week’s esteemed guest has been the Director of the San Francisco Opera Chorus for 34 years and is an incredible conductor and musician. A Scotland native, Robertson moved to the States and joined the SF Opera Company in 1987 and led the Opera Chorus in 342 productions, including world premiere commissions and significant expansions of the company’s repertoire and performance capacity. Among these accomplishments include: Prokofiev’s War and Peace, two productions of Britten’s Billy Budd, and the American premiere of Messiaen’s rare Saint François d’Assise, of which he received a prize in 2002 for his work on this premiere. He has even held the longest tenure of any Opera Chorus Director in the Company’s history.
Robertson’s career has also included the 23-year long role as Artistic Director of the San Francisco Boys Chorus, where he also helped expand and invigorate the company’s success and vitality. His leadership in both positions has helped produce wonderful collaborations with the San Francisco Boys Chorus and San Francisco Opera Company over the years.
Many who have worked with and under Ian have only admirable things to say about him: “Robertson has been a pillar of tremendous artistic strength at the San Francisco Opera. He has guided and shaped the sound and musicality of the San Francisco Opera Chorus with insightful leadership” (Matthew Shilvock). Ian has a kind and strong demeanor about him, both in and out of rehearsal. He cares deeply about those he works with, and has a consistent positive outlook on the life of the Company and the legacy of Classical music for future generations. This will be Ian’s final season at the San Francisco Opera, and we were so glad to have had the opportunity to interview him during this momentous time in his career.
For more information about Ian Robertson, please visit: https://sfopera.com/
Meet Ian Robertson!
S2: Ep 9: Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Ambassador for Global Change, Skyler Jett
Season 2 Episode 9: Skyler Jett
This week we sat down with Skyler Jett, a vocalist, songwriter, producer and humanitarian activist. Raised by a single mother across the bay in Oakland, Skyler found a love for music from singing with his family at their church. Fostering his talents and passions from a young age, Skyler has now grown to not only be Grammy-recognized, but also perform and record with an impressive range of artists like Stevie Wonder, Sting, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, and Eddie Murphy. He even sang with Celine Dion on the Grammy-winning song “My Heart Will Go On” from the film Titanic. In 1982, Jett replaced Lionel Richie in The Commodores, which toured over 30 countries.
Jett hit his stride with the founding of Music for Global Change. Through this foundation, he collaborates with socially-conscious music artists to break down barriers of racism and raise awareness around racial stereotypes. Jett also mentors youth about the benefits of positive language in song lyrics to promote societal growth.
Skyler is a kind and generous man who learned from his mother to always help others no matter what. Jett has synthesized the power of music and his love for others in the most extraordinary and effective ways, and his skills and talents have helped him reach communities worldwide. We are so excited to share some of his story with you, and we hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did.
Meet Skyler Jett!
For More Information: musicforglobalchange.com
S2: Ep 8: Raz Kennedy San Francisco Bay Area Premiere Vocal Coach
S2 Episode 8: Raz Kennedy San Francisco Bay Area Premiere Vocal Coach
Raz Kennedy is a premier vocal coach, producer, singer, and a magical human being. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Raz has lived in the Bay Area now for over 40 years. Music is his life’s work, and he has been involved with every aspect of it. From promotion to producing, to vocal coaching and singing alongside some of the world’s leading artists like Whitney Houston and Sting, Raz has experienced it all. He is even a founding member of the internationally renowned Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra. Raz also boasts multiple Platinum and Gold records, and his list of collaborations with other musicians goes into the thousands.
Raz’s voice and musical range has expanded over the years as well, and he is constantly in pursuit of perfecting new techniques, styles, and genres. Raz has traveled through Latin America to hone his rhythmic capabilities, and earned a teaching certificate from Denmark’s Complete Vocal Institute to master vocal technique and teaching. With a wide breadth of tools under his belt, Raz has coached a colorful cohort of musicians and bands like Metallica, Third Eye Blind, Hillary Duff, and even musicians at jazz centers like SF Jazz and Jazz Camp West. He is now faculty at the Blue Bear School of Music in San Francisco.
Regardless of who you are, Raz greets you with his quietly soulful demeanor. When you tell someone you met him the response is always the same: “Ohhh Raz!” followed by a huge smile. His large and charismatic presence is immediately disarming, and anyone he meets is treated with warmth and respect. He is a very special person, and Jae, Michaela and I were delighted to interview him this week.
For more information about Raz, please visit his website: https://www.razkennedy.com/about
Meet Raz Kennedy!
S2: Ep 7 Russell Gatewood /DJ Big Russ and the World Famous Rick & Russ Show
S2 Episode 7: Russell Gatewood/DJ Big Russ and The World Famous Rick & Russ Show
Russell “Big Russ” Gatewood has been a staple name in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 25 years. This DJ’s career started in tandem with the rise of turntables as a hip hop instrument in the 1980’s. From there Big Russ set off and staked his claim in the Bay Area’s music scene. Today, evidence of his influence can be found in many genres of the last 40 years.
Even more well known is the World Famous Rick and Russ Show, a DJ group started by Gatewood and his partner Rick Patrick in the 90’s. The duo came up with the concept of DJ’s playing records prior to, in between, and after live music concerts. With this approach to live performance, the two became immediately successful. From expos and conventions across the country, to the U.K, Guam, South America, The World Famous Rick and Russ Show never displeased a crowd. Of course, their fame started in the Bay Area, and although the two no longer perform together, they remain one of the most well known Bay Area DJ duos.
Big Russ’s love of music, curiosity, and drive is what made him today. His attention to detail gave him an edge against other DJ artists, as he is a master of combining artistry with the mechanics of electronic music. His knowledge of the business and reputation for professionalism has helped him not only make a living as a DJ, but also as a successful marketing consultant. He can still be found opening for music concerts and festivals in the Bay Area and beyond.
Overall, Russel Gatewood is a soft spoken, very gentle and kind soul. Beyond the Fog Radio is grateful to have had the opportunity to interview him for this week’s episode.
Meet Russell “Big Russ” Gatewood!
For More Information:
https://www.celebdjs.com/index.php/thedjs
S2: Ep 6 The Bay Area Club Scene & DJing W/ DJ Mind Motion
S2 Episode 6: The Bay Area Club Scene & DJing W/ DJ Mind Motion
Erick Recinos– or better known to The Bay as DJ Mind Motion– is a legendary San Francisco Bay Area Hip Hop DJ. He and his partner Chuy Gomez started DJing in high school for parties, weddings and community events, and when hip hop influence started to spread, Mind Motion and the Pirate DJ’s played a huge role in its success in the Bay Area.
This spread was in part influenced by Mind Motion and other DJ’s efforts to have the “ear of the street” and take control of laying down what was the newest hot music. By forming a partnership with other artists and DJ’s in the City, they paved the way to change how records were played. No longer did record companies and radio stations dictate what music was popular, and for the first time, the community and artists themselves got to influence their musical tastes. DJ Mind Motion has become a force in the Bay Area because of his leadership in this change, and now a second generation of people are flocking to his and the Pirate DJ’s famous parties.
DJ Mind Motion is a master at reading the crowd. He is kind, honest, charming, down to earth and so joyous. His positive energy is infectious– a large reason why he is so successful and legendary in the San Francisco Bay Area today. Probably the best testament to his ecstatic character would be his favorite quote: “GO GET MY SHINE BOX!”
We are thrilled to have him on Beyond the Fog Radio this week.
Meet DJ Mind Motion!
Additional information about DJ Mind Motion can be found at: http://blog.trueclothing.net/tag/dj-mind-motion/
S2: Trailer 2 History of Music in The Bay Area
S2 Trailer 2: History of Music in the Bay Area
The history of music in the Bay Area could not be a larger or more exciting topic for us to explore. Music is the life blood of our city and it may be one of the biggest reasons why so many people have found themselves here over the years. It colors our world and is what keeps San Francisco going.
In the 1950’s, Jazz was everywhere. San Francisco became known as the Harlem of the West as musicians on tour would often come straight here after New York City. The City was also the home of free love, free expression, anti-war and anti-establishment movements in the 1960’s. From these movements and San Francisco’s Summer of Love in 1967 came artists like Janis Joplin from Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Grateful Dead, Earth Wind and Fire, Green Day, Carlos Santana, Joan Baez, Crosby Stills & Nash, MC Hammer… the list goes on and on.
The collection of phenomenal musical artists still grows today, and we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing several of them for this season’s second series. The first is prolific Jazz singer Paula West. Up next we have:
Erik Recinos– also known as hip-hop DJ Mind Motion,
“Big Russ” Russel Gatewood– a versatile DJ, producer, songwriter, arranger and musician,
Raz Kennedy– a veteran music and vocal educator, vocalist, and producer,
Skyler Jett– a Grammy-recognized vocalist and founder of Music For Global Change,
Gregory Cole– Director of Touch of Class Choir,
and Ian Robertson– Director of the San Francisco Opera Chorus and former Artistic Director of the San Francisco Boys Chorus.
This is only the tip of the iceberg of an enormous community of music and music artists who call the San Francisco Bay Area their home. Stay tuned weekly to learn more.
Enjoy the History of Music series!
S2: Ep 5 Music of San Francisco with Paula West
Music of San Francisco with Paula West
This week’s musical guest has been a San Francisco Bay Area-based artist for many years. Jazz singer Paula West began her successful career singing at the York Hotel in the city. Her career grew by word of mouth and excellent reviews from the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. Since her early years, Paula has had a lot of success nationally, with performances in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Europe, and regular appearances at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City and with Wynton Marsalis Jazz at Lincoln Center. Back in the bay, she regularly performs at Yoshi’s in Oakland and SF Jazz in the city.
Paula West’s contralto voice is rich and resonant. She is skilled at clearly articulating a strong combination of technique and soul. She is creative and willing to reimagine the ways in which Jazz singers perform. Her musical dynamism even goes beyond vocal technique, as she is well known for her “highly nuanced interpretations” of music from other genres of artists like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, David Bowie, and Lou Reed.*
We at Beyond the Fog Radio were very fortunate to interview Paula in August 2021 in between her first live performances in a year and a half. She is a household name when it comes to Jazz, and we proudly claim her as one of our own here in the Bay Area.
Meet Paula West!
*for more information about Paula West, please visit her website: https://www.mspaulawest.com/about
S2: Ep 4 China Live and China Town with George Chen
China Live and Chinatown with George Chen
Whatever your idea is of Chinese food, throw it out. This week’s episode will have you astonished by the executive chef and owner of China Live, Eight Tables, Shanghai 1939 and the Betelnut restaurants–– George Chen. Together with his wife Cindy Wong, Chen runs 16 restaurants in the United States and China, boasting culinary experiences that are award-winning and one of a kind. TIME Magazine named Eight Tables one of the “World’s Greatest Places 2018, 100 destinations to experience right now.” Betelnut, Chen’s first restaurant, was also nominated for a James Beard Award for the Best New Restaurant in America in 1995 (the “Oscar’s of the culinary world.)
Chen spent many of his early years working for top restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco. During his time attending UC Berkeley, Chen worked at The Mandarin under the mentorship of Madame Cecelia Chiang, a lifelong friend of his. Because of his culinary expertise and impact on San Francisco’s culinary world, we were so excited when we received a YES to interview George Chen. We at Beyond the Fog Radio love all things food, and George helped us give you a wonderful opportunity for an inside peek into his world.
Please meet George Chen!
S2: Ep 3 Carl Nolte & The Waterfront
Carl Nolte & The Waterfront
This week’s guest is a walking encyclopedia for the history of San Francisco, with expertise that extends far before humans ever inhabited this area. Carl Nolte–– a 4th generation San Franciscian–– has served as both a writer and editor for the San Francisco Chronicle for 60 years. He has a weekly column called Native Son. Though he mostly scribes stories of the city and the western coast, he has also reported on larger events, such as SS Jeremiah O’Brien when it Sailed to Europe for the D-Day Anniversary, the Persian Gulf War, and the Invasion of Iraq (the latter two of which he also served as a war correspondent.)
Nolte has likewise received many accolades, including the President’s Medal for Public Service by the California Maritime Academy (2011), the Maritime Heritage Award by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association (2010), and the Award of Merit by the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society (2012). In 2016, Nolte received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
Carl describes himself as a storyteller more than a historian and journalist, as he writes with such conviction and creativity. In return, we at Beyond the Fog Radio describe him as charming, intelligent, highly articulate, and hilarious. We are so pleased to have him share his knowledge of San Francisco and history of the Bay Area with us this week.
Meet Carl Nolte!
S2: Ep 2 Hon. John L. Burton & The Waterfront
John was kind enough to let us interview him this week to talk about San Francisco’s Waterfront, and how fitting, as he was just recently appointed to the San Francisco Port Commission! Mr. Burton was the Chairman for the Democratic Party for 8 years, as well as a twice-elected State Assemblyman for the State of California. He was also a United States Congressman and a Senator for the State of California.
S2: Ep 1 Kimberly Brandon & The Waterfront
Kimberly Brandon is the current President of the San Francisco Port Commission. She is the first African-American woman to serve on the Commission and is the initiator of the Southern Waterfront Advisory Committee through which she engages the SE waterfront communities with development planning in their neighborhoods.
S2: Trailer 1 Exploring the Waterfront
S2 Trailer: SF Waterfront
Welcome to Season 2 of the Beyond the Fog Radio!
To start us off we decided to explore the history of San Francisco’s Waterfront. It is in many ways the main event here, and is often why so many have come to visit our beautiful city even before the construction of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges! Since the Gold Rush era when the population boomed, San Francisco has been a vital destination for ships of goods and people from all over the world. The city’s Waterfront is a testament to this, and is why it has such a rich history and significance to the city to this day.
To give us a deeper look into the Waterfront, we interviewed three fantastic and knowledgeable people: Kimberly Brandon– President of the San Francisco Port Commission, John L. Burton– author of the Burton Act that gave the City and County of SF responsibility over the San Francisco Port, and Carl Nolte– journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle who authors the weekly column “Native Son.” All three give us a unique and curious take on the Waterfront of San Francisco.
We cannot wait to share our second season with you and thank you kindly for listening!
Ep: 20 Chef Arnold Eric Wong
Arnold Eric Wong
Our guest this week is a chef, restaurant and two-time bar owner, a baker, a cheesemaker, and a beloved San Francisco native. Arnold Eric Wong has been a leading revolutionary in San Francisco culinary innovation for more than two decades. He studied at the California Culinary Academy, and after opening his first restaurant EOS Restaurant and Wine Bar in Cole Valley, Wong went on to be rated as one of five “Rising Star Chefs of the Year under 30” by the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2000, Wong opened his second and also very successful restaurant Bacar. Since then, he’s opened two excellent bars: The Treasury in one of San Francisco’s notable Beaux Arts skyscrapers in 2016, and The Beehive, a 60’s style cocktail bar that, according to him, “exudes modern Mad Men vibes.”
Wong’s culinary expertise extends beyond restaurants and bars to also bakeries and cheesemaking. In 1994, Wong founded a wholesale artisanal bakery called Raison D’etre. Starting in the deli of his family’s corner grocery store Ashbury Market, Wong and his brother Richard continued to cultivate the bakery into a South San Francisco facility that now delivers pastries to Peet’s Coffee and Tea nationwide as well as local independent markets and cafes. Likewise, Wong has invested himself in cheesemaking and founded Joyfull Bakery through his family business. Their products include parmesan cheese crisps that can be found in grocery stores like Whole Foods, Raley’s, Safeway, Andronico’s and more nationwide.
Arnold has received acclaim on both a national and international scale from reputable sources like The New York Times, USA Today, Wine Spectator and more. Nevertheless, he is a humble and kind man who is very family and community oriented. Throughout his work, Wong strives to maintain integrity and attention to detail in order to make his customers feel as if they are home.
Meet Arnold Eric Wong!
Ep:19 Marc Capelle & The Mission
Marc Capelle & The Mission
This week Susan and Michaela sit down with native San Franciscan Marc Capelle to talk about his artistic career and the city’s sunny Mission District. A musician, composer, producer, educator and entertainer, Capelle has performed with the American Music Club, Tommy Guerrero and The West Coast Spiritual Corinthians for decades. He’s even had guest performances with artists like The Plastic Ono Band, Rodriguez, Grandaddy, and Kelley Stoltz. Capelle founded SFO’s live music program “ You Are Hear,” and remained the programmer and producer of it for nine years. Likewise, Capelle is the founder and musical director of the Red Room Orchestra and the soul and pop dance ensemble Marc & the Casuals. He studied at Columbia College at Columbia University, and since returning to his home city, Capelle has taken advantage of the deep concentration of arts and music that the city offers.
Such concentration of the arts can be found in Capelle’s own neighborhood, The Mission. In the mid 20th Century, artists and musicians flocked to The Mission to find affordable housing, thus spawning an explosion of creativity that spilled out of every bar and restaurant. Its cultural history fueled the district’s colorful character, first by its inhabitance of the city’s Native American population, to the Irish, and now to the cherished Latinx community. Today, not only is the neighborhood dominated by an abundance of the arts, but the food, music, and culture has a vibrant Mexican and Latinx flare. There was even a time when Spanish could be heard more than English on the neighborhood’s streets.
The Mission has had its fair share of challenges, such as increased gang violence in the 80’s and rising costs from the growing tech industry of the last 20 years. Nevertheless, it maintains its lively artistic spirit, and who better to tell its story than Mission musician Marc Capelle, who can be found making music on The Mission’s streets or at various venues like The Chapel on Valencia St.
Check out Capelle’s compositions and sound design in the Bay Area art scene documentary “Tell Them We Were Here,” or read more about him on the local news website Mission Local: https://missionlocal.org/2021/06/people-we-meet-a-san-francisco-musician-who-never-left/
Meet Marc Capelle!
Ep 18: Nina Clima and the Gang & North Beach
In the beloved Italian North Beach neighborhood, three San Francisco natives Nina Clima, Charles Farruggia, and Don Di Basilio join Susan and Jae to reminisce on the rich cultural history North Beach offers the city. Nina, Charles, and Don grew up together in North Beach and are all 2nd or 3rd generation Californians. Now 80 years young, the three friends boast healthy, independent, and active lifestyles. They remain dedicated residents of this incredible neighborhood.
Ep 17: David Katznelson Haight & Divisadero
Ep 17: David Katznelson and Haight & Divisadero
The best way to describe GRAMMY-nominated producer and San Francisco native David Katznelson is “larger than life.”
The 30-plus-year music industry veteran is the Executive Director of Reboot, founder of the independent Birdman Records label, and board member of the Stern Grove Music Festival. David worked for Bill Graham Presents in high school and was former Vice President of A&R at Warner Bros. Records; today, he has a podcast, a daily newsletter called “The Signal,” and an upcoming first-of-its-kind double album box set.
Just as there’s no one on Earth quite like David, there‘s no place on Earth quite like the neighborhood of Haight & Divisadero — where soul and rock & roll music meet. And who better to tell the story of the neighborhood than David himself?
Meet David Katznelson!
Ep 16: Sheila Von Driska & SOMA
Shelia Von Driska is the owner and founder of White Space, a full service creative design and advertising agency located in SOMA in San Francisco. SOMA, or South of Market, was historically an industrial neighborhood, full of almost exclusively warehouse buildings. During the 90s it became a hotspot for boutique design and advertising agencies to set up shop. Shelia moved into an industrial loft space in SOMA in the 90s and built her career and her company in this incredible neighborhood. Meet Shelia Von Driska!
Trailer 3: Exploring the Neighboods
We are ending our first season with exploring the neighborhoods. In this series we explore South of Market a former industrial area now artist lofts. The Mission a vibrant neighborhood that was formerly Latin X and over the last ten years it’s become hipsters and eclectic. The Haight/and Divisadero
And we will take a deep dive into the beloved North Beach which is a wonderful Italian neighborhood with its roots in the beat area of the 1950’s. We interviewed four dynamic people Shelia Von Driska, David Katznelson, Nina Clema, and Marc Capelle.
Our food episode closes the Season 1 with an interview with Arnold Wong a San Francisco native who has a fascinating story
So please join us for Exploring the Neighborhoods!!