Events

The 25th Annual Summer Series of live music, dinners, cocktails, picnics, dancing, Kid Zone, and fun for all continues on Saturday July 15th with the beloved “Lion of Zimbabwe”: Thomas Mapfumo and his band The Blacks Unlimited. Thomas Mapfumo has been at the cutting edge of the political struggle in his native Zimbabwe, Africa for over 20 years, even as he's become a major figure on the world music scene.

From the bloody years of the country’s liberation war in the ‘70s, right through the present economic and political crises, Mapfumo has used his revolutionary, spiritually charged music to decry injustice and highlight the historical and cultural issues that underlie the news headlines. He and the Blacks Unlimited play Chimurenga music, (or music for the struggle of the people), a unique African music genre whose beats are traditional and timeless. They are delivered through an electric fusion of melodious lyrics accompanied by sounds of the African thumb piano (mbira) and the guitar.

The theme for the music advances various issues in society that include peace, love, civil rights, equality and justice, reggae sound and Afro-beats. Mapfumo is a musical visionary and a fearless social critic and certainly one of the greatest African bandleaders of the past century.

The evening will kick off with a pre-concert African dance class on the turf geared for all ages.

The Summer Nights series has been created to celebrate diversity, find commonalities, and bring generations together through live music. There will be five evenings of community building through the arts.

Tonight’s concert offers dinner for sale from a local favorite: Toast Novato Restaurant, offering cultural flavored dinner for the evening, a children’s hands-on project provided by The O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, festival shopping from Good Will Industries’ Georgi & Willow, and additional pre-concert African dance class geared for all ages.

The 2017 Summer Nights full series: 
7/8~Americana: The Brothers Comatose 
7/15~African: Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited 
7/22~Latin Big Band: Pacific Mambo Orchestra 
7/29~Afro-Cuban: Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca 
8/5~Celebrate the Summer of Love: Melvin Seals & JGB 
Youth in Arts teen a cappella group 'Til Dawn opens with songs from the era.

WHAT: African, Zimbabwe, Reggae beats of freedom with Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited, performing outdoors. 
WHO: All are invited. No membership or affiliation required. Kids 17 and under free. 
TICKETS: From $25. Kids 17 and under free. VIP, Reserved tables & General Admission choices 
WHEN: Sat. July 15, @ 7pm. Doors: 6:15 Gen Ad/ 6:00 VIP 
WHERE: The Osher Marin JCC, 200 N San Pedro Rd, San Rafael, 1/2 mile E off 101 
PARKING: Ample FREE parking. 
TICKETS: Available at http://www.marinjcc.org/arts

The Kanbar Center for the Performing Arts is the Performing Arts Department within the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center in San Rafael, California. All are welcome, no membership is ever required to attend. The Center is a long-standing Marin non-profit, centrally located in Marin County and just 1/2 mile east off Hwy 101.