From the marshlands and forests of the Chochenyo, Muwekma and Ohlone people, to railroads, bathing resorts, saloons and tattoo parlors; from Neptune Beach, the Aerodrome and the Naval Air Station to the large-scale commercial and housing developments we see today, Alameda’s West End has always been home to a vibrant mix of people, cultures and traditions.
Rhythmix Island City Waterways Art Walk: West End celebrates where we came from, where we are today, and where we’re going, with live performances of music and dance from Zimbabwe, Colombia, Oakland and Alameda on Webster Street, Friday, October 15th from 5:00-8:00pm. Free to the public, the Art Walk is intended to invigorate the streets with vitality and recognition of Alameda’s ever-changing West End.
Locations & Schedule
Former US Bank, 1414 Webster St, Alameda
Mbira dzaSoko (Zimbabwean Music & Dance)
5:00–5:30, 6:00–6:30, 7:00–7:30
Feathered Outlaw & Pacific Pinball Museum, 1506-1510 Webster St, Alameda
Youth Expressions of Unity through the Arts (Spoken Word & More)
5:00–5:15, 6:00–6:15, 7:00-7:15
Bryan Dyer Live w/the 505! (World-Flavored Vocal Soundscapes)
5:20–5:50, 6:20–6:50, 7:20–7:50
Al Fresco Dining Park, 1435 Webster St, Alameda
Los Bahianatos (Colombian Music)
5:30–6:00, 6:30–7:00, 7:30–8:00
Transportation and parking:
Webster Street is accessible via the tube with nearby access to I-880 and public transportation such as BART and AC Transit. There is street parking on Webster, both metered and non-metered. ADA Parking is available at any metered space free of charge with a CA Disabled Placard. There is a parking garage on Park Street with a direct bus line to Webster via Santa Clara on bus 51A. Please be respectful to our neighbors and avoid blocking driveways or parking in lots posting private parking spaces.
Featured Artists
Mbira dzaSoko performs celebratory and spiritual mbira music from Zimbabwe. With Zimbabwean artistic director Salani Wamkanganise’s powerful bass singing to Kanukai Chigamba’s solid percussive playing and Kelly Takunda Orphan’s vocal harmonizing, this trio will perform on mbira, ngoma (drums) and hosho (shakers), all traditional instruments from Zimbabwe, while singing and dancing. Mbira music instantly draws people together to be transformed by the joy of Zimbabwe!
Mbira dzaSoko is a traditional Zimbabwean mbira group founded by Salani Wamkanganise and Kelly Takunda Orphan. Zimbabwean mbira music is played both in ancestral ceremonies and in celebration with the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
Alameda youth from the Black Achievers Alliance and Unite Alameda 4 Change come together under the direction of Robbie Wilson to share songs and spoken word in Youth Expressions of Unity through the Arts.
Where man and machine meet to create – musician and a capella specialist Bryan Dyer uses his voice in pre-recorded and spontaneous improvised tracks to create soundscapes flavored in Jazz, Soul, R&B, and World Music. Bryan has extensive experience in vocal music and currently works with SoVoSo, Juke Joint, Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir, and Bobby McFerrin.
Los Bahianatos is a four-piece band with a small footprint and a big sound. Featuring the button accordion, caja vallenata, güira and vocals, Los Bahianatos specializes in Colombian dance music including cumbia, vallenato, música sabanera and salsa colombiana. Lead vocalist, José Rivera, will also share his historical knowledge of Latinos in the Bay Area.
Island City Waterways
On May 20-22, 2022, Rhythmix will present Island City Waterways: Uprooted at the site of the former Naval Air Station on Alameda Point. The theme “uprooted,” refers to the young draftees, military families, and workers who pulled up roots to follow the war industry, as well as those of Japanese ancestry who were forcibly removed to WWII internment camps.
Five ICW Artwalks will expand the project’s community impact throughout 2021 and 2022 on Alameda’s historic main streets and new development sites on Alameda Point. The Art Walks will celebrate and honor the community’s inhabitants, past and present, with music, art and stories, creating opportunities for social engagement and a positive outlook for the future.
The site-responsive performances evolve out of the story of the land where it is staged, asking: “What happened here? How did the Naval Air Station, Gateway to the Pacific” through four wars, shape Alameda? How does the theme of “Uprooted” resonate with you and your family?
This event is made possible with support from:
Arts Angel
Impressarios
Visionaries
Innovators
Partners
Banner photos courtesy of the Alameda Museum and Alameda Architectural Preservation Society.