If live theater, which is in crisis, ends up in a doom spiral, it won’t be for a lack of talent and energy from the current generation of performing artists.
The stages at College of Marin and Santa Rosa Junior College have recently hosted productions featuring some very good work by their youthful casts. Napa Valley College now joins the mix with their production of the coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening. The multi-Tony Award-winning musical runs at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center through March 17.
Adapted by Steven Sater from an 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind, it’s the tale of a group of German youth on the cusp of adulthood. The boys, when not struggling with an oppressive education system, are thinking a lot about sex. The girls, when not dealing with clueless parents, are thinking a lot about sex.
Melchior Gabor (Ben Stevens) is a bright, rebellious boy who questions the foundations on which society is built. Moritz Stiefel (Gabriel Reyes) is in a panic about his burgeoning sexuality and seeks counsel from Melchior. Wendla Bergman (Lila Howell) is a young woman with feelings for her childhood friend, Melchior. Their three worlds will collide with devastating results.
The content and trigger warning displayed in the lobby gives you a good idea of how devastating—“This production contains references to sexual assault, child abuse, teen pregnancy, abortion, death, and child loss; depictions of violence, weapons, suicide, and sexual content; as well as use of explicit language.”
Pretty heavy stuff for any age performer. And they have to sing, too.
Director Jennifer King has a lot of fine, young talent involved here. The aforementioned leads are strong, and there’s good work from the diverse group of supporting players and ensemble. Music director Christina Howell leads a seven-piece, on-stage band that is heavy on strings and does Duncan Sheik’s score justice.
Bethany Deal’s costumes adhere to the rigidness of the era until they don’t and the connections to the youth of today become clear. Set designer Brian Watson’s multi-level set of hanging windows and doors reflects the desire of youth for clarity and the closed-mindedness of society.
The rousingly-delivered, show-stopping number, “Totally Fucked,” encapsulates every generation’s feelings around this time in their lives. It’s also how many in the theater community feel right now. Napa Valley College’s production of Spring Awakening should give both groups some hope.
‘Spring Awakening’ runs through March 17 at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, 2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy., Napa. Fri. & Sat., 7pm; Sun., 2pm. $15–$25. 707.256.7500. Strobe lighting and haze effects. Mature themes and explicit language. Recommended for ages 16+. performingartsnapavalley.org.
How we gonna pay last year’s rent? the chorus implores in the song “Rent” from Jonathan Larson’s 1996 musical of the same name.
It’s the same refrain for many Americans today. A new Harvard study found that half of U.S. renter households now spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. And rent increases continue to outpace their income gains. In the wealthiest country on the planet, this is unacceptable.
Over the past decade, according to the Harvard study, most growth in renter households has come from Millennials and Gen Zers who continue to be priced out of homeownership while also paying more for a declining supply of affordable units.
Meanwhile, construction in the high-end “luxury” rental market, which drives up rents for everyone else, remains in an upward trend. And private equity firms like Blackstone, the largest landlord in the U.S., have been expanding their real estate portfolios.
International law already recognizes housing as a human right. Countries are legally obligated to respect, protect and fulfill this right by enacting relevant policies and budgets to progressively realize adequate housing for all.
What might that look like? Possibilities include rent controls, housing assistance programs, reining in corporate landlords, and creating community land trusts and housing cooperatives to build permanently affordable rental units and homes.
The housing justice movement keeps growing, thanks to the sustained advocacy of community groups across the country.
In California, legislation is being pushed that would recognize the right to housing at the state level. Colorado lawmakers are considering legislation offering tenants “just-cause” eviction protections. In Congress, the “Housing is a Human Right Act” introduced last year would provide over $300 billion for housing infrastructure and combating homelessness.
The song “Rent” concludes, “Cause everything is rent.” But it shouldn’t have to be.
Farrah Hassen, J.D., is a writer, policy analyst and adjunct professor in Cal Poly Pomona’s department of political science.
Barry Barnett’s defense of Julian Assange (Feb. 28, 2024 Open Mic) glosses over and ignores pertinent facts. Barnett states that “A fake rape charge (was) filed in Sweden…” As The Intercept has documented, multiple women publicly accused Assange of sexually molesting them, and the only reason the charges were ultimately dropped was that the statute of limitations ran out while Assange was in the UK, refusing to return to Sweden.
Assange, a Trump supporter, was very likely responsible for Hillary Clinton losing the 2016 election. Assange swore he would do whatever it took to defeat her, and by carefully releasing documents (reportedly in coordination with Roger Stone) that seriously and negatively impacted Clinton just before the 2016 election, Assange likely made the difference in that close election.
Certainly, he took credit for Clinton’s defeat and Trump’s likely true victory, and that is why I find him unforgivable.
Dan Shiner
Mill Valley
Diss-topia
The former “Republicant” is portraying America as a dystopian, failed state overwhelmed by lawlessness, urban blight and slipping toward World War III abroad.
However, I should add the following three important elements:
Dishonoring American treaties and commitments to other nations. Making America a vassal state to Russia. Making America subservient to China.
Finally, the sad truth is that anyone who has supported this person, has already abandoned America.
Top film and industry notables are converging in Sonoma for the 27th annual Sonoma International Film Festival from March 20 to 24, featuring 43 narrative features, 16 documentary features and 48 short films representing more than 25 countries. “Each year, we showcase the cinematic and culinary worlds to Sonoma over five fun-filled days, but it’s in showcasing Sonoma, and this place and our community, to the world that we really shine,” said Ginny Krieger, SIFF executive director. Highlights include the U.S. premiere of Thomas Napper’s Widow Clicquot starring Haley Bennett, Ethan Hawke’s Wildcat starring Maya Hawke as writer Flannery O’Connor and Luc Besson’s Dogman starring Caleb Landry Jones. Award-winning actor Beau Bridges will be presented the SIFF Lifetime Achievement Award. As part of the tribute to the actor and his 40-year film and television career, Bridges will participate in an on-stage conversation followed by a 35th anniversary screening of The Fabulous Baker Boys. For festival passes, tickets and more information, visit sonomafilmfest.org.
Sebastopol
Stretch Goal
Unwind with purpose at the Food For Thought Yoga Benefit Class, a unique event blending relaxation and philanthropy. Set against the picturesque backdrop of River Road Family Vineyards & Winery in Sebastopol, this session invites one to embrace the tranquility of yoga while supporting Food For Thought, a nonprofit that provides essential nutrition and support to food-insecure individuals facing serious health conditions in Sonoma County. The session goes from 5:30 to 7pm, on Tuesday, March 26, promising a serene escape with a 75-minute hatha/vinyasa yoga class designed to nourish both body and soul. For a donation of $25 to $45, attendees will partake in a rejuvenating yoga session as well as enjoy a complimentary tasting of River Road’s wines, sip selections from the Republic of Tea and procure a chance to win an exclusive raffle courtesy of Bliss Organic Day Spa, this year’s Yoga Benefit Series sponsor.
Single-monikered Marin artist Vickisa will speak at a reception hosted by Gallery Route One regarding her work inspired by music festivals, which includes paintings, drawings and aesthetically crafted fold-out accordion books created using mixed water media such as acrylics and watercolor pencil, and collage. “My passion is creating accordion books from these festivals,” says Vickisa. “My ‘Love Supreme’ is music and of course art. This is the perfect combo. At the recent Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival, I found myself right in front of the stage sketching the exciting activities swirling around me and taking some photographs too, which I often include on the back pages of the books. The process of sketching, collaging, finishing in studio and creating a handwritten story is all-consuming, but it is something I never tire of.” Vickisa’s ‘Love Supreme’ opens with a reception and artist talk at 3pm on Saturday, March 23 at Gallery Route One, 11101 Highway One, Ste. 1101, Point Reyes Station. For more information, visit vickisa.com or galleryrouteone.org.
Santa Rosa
Impractical Joker
Perhaps best known for the popular TV shows Impractical Jokers and The Misery Index, Joe Gatto brings his comedy styling to the Luther Burbank Center next week in a performance simply billed as “Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy.” Gatto has toured to sold-out crowds worldwide, including Madison Square Garden in New York and the O2 Arena in London. “We’re barely a prank show, in my opinion. We don’t consider it that; we don’t call our stuff pranks. The challenges that we do are more social experiments that put each other in awkward situations,” says Gatto of his TV work. Additional bonafides include co-hosting the Two Cool Moms Podcast and appearing on podcasts, including This Past Weekend with Theo Von, What A Joke with Papa and Fortune and Life is Short with Justin Long. His debut children’s book, Where’s Bearry? hits bookstore shelves next fall. The show commences at 7pm, Saturday, March 23, at the Ruth Finley Person Theater at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets are $25 to $65.75 (with a dynamically-priced ‘Meet & Greet’ option also available). Visit bit.ly/gatto-lbc for more information.
It’s hard to believe that progressive/folk rock band Jethro Tull started 57 years ago. Although the group’s most important and longest-running contributor, Martin Barre, would join forces with singer/bandleader Ian Anderson just a year later, it’s important not to understate his relevance in the annals of classic rock history.
And while the name Jethro Tull means something entirely different to longtime fans today, with only original member Anderson at the helm, Barre’s live shows are a better representation of the music fans most want to hear. His current run of shows will celebrate the music he and Ian collaborated on that provided the soundtrack for many generations. The 77-year-old guitarist is still very much a live force, and his ferocious live band is a wonderful interpreter of the Jethro Tull catalog fans have come to know and love.
We caught up with Barre as he was preparing for his run of US shows.
Bohemian: Your run with Jethro Tull lasted 43 years and longer than any other member besides Ian. Are there any periods or records you enjoyed more than others?
Martin Barre: The early years were so exciting for all of us. We shared a common journey of travel, learning to be better musicians and performers, and were living on the road as a single unit. The many countries we visited were very open to new music, so we had a fantastic reception wherever we played.
Bohemian: Jethro Tull played all over the place during its formative years. What was the longest tour you’ve done to date?
Martin Barre: We would be on the road for 3 months plus, but we were also single, didn’t have roots in any country, and were so eager to travel and spread the music of Tull in new territories. Essentially the life of a musician is nomadic by nature, so we never thought about putting down roots. Because of that, we could play and record anywhere.
Bohemian: Although Tull’s songs were primarily written by Ian Anderson, did he have much influence on your solos and additional guitar licks on any give song?
Martin Barre: I had carte blanche with my guitar parts and, in particular, my solos. Rarely Ian would have an idea, but we would use it if it worked, of course. There was never an issue with egos. We all had a job to do and we all had a voice to be heard. Input, musically speaking, was always welcomed by all members.
Bohemian: You’ve been quite prolific as a solo artist. Do you have plans for a new record in 2024?
Martin Barre: My band tours continually, and this puts recording on the sidelines as it is so time-consuming. I have a lot of ideas “on tape,” but I will start fresh as soon as I can put aside the time for a new recording. I will have to consciously hold back on live gigs.
Bohemian: Do you and Ian ever talk about playing together again? It’s been 13 years since the dissolution.
Martin Barre: That’s really a question for Ian. There is no communication between us.
Bohemian: Is the upcoming show featuring only Tull music or will we hear some solo material?
Martin Barre: I always try and include my solo material and am so pleased that the audience recognizes it. The show is a history of Tull’s music so I am quite focused on that. However, I will always throw in a curve ball for the hell of it.
Martin Barre plays Sunday, March 17 at Blue Note located at 1030 Main Street in Napa. Doors open at 5pm and the evening-with show starts at 6:30pm. Tickets range from $49 to $89 advance and can be purchased at www.bluenotejazz.com. Ages 8 and over are welcome.
Did you know that the historic Chanslor Ranch near Bodega Bey — a 380-acre dairy and horse ranch alongthe Sonoma coast, just about a mile south of Salmon Creek Beach — is now public land? After years of eying it, the county reportedly bought it from the owner last year. It will become an official county park later this year — but you can start visiting now! And here’s a hot tip: During this liminal period of “ownership transition,” over the next few months at least, there will be no cost of admission. (After that, “visitors will be required to have a park pass or pay the $7 day-use fee they would at other Regional Parks properties,” the Press Democrat reports.) The new park includes at least five hiking trails with views of Bodega Harbor, Doran Beach, Salmon Creek and the ocean; “opportunities for picnicking, fishing, wildlife-watching and paddling on Salmon Creek”; and horseback rides “available under an existing lease Chanslor Stables.” One county park official tells the Press Democrat: “It’s such a cool property. The views, the hike, being able to look down at Salmon Creek and just ecosystems down there, it’s pretty amazing.” More from the PD: “The property also fits into an expanding mosaic of publicly owned, protected coastal lands that include the oceanfront state park property to the west, and Carrington Coast Ranch Regional Park and Open Space Preserve, a 335-acre property that shares a boundary with Chanslor Ranch along Salmon Creek on the north. Whether andhow the two county parks might eventually be connected has yet to be determined. Salmon Creek runs through a deep, steep-sided crease where the properties meet. But they will connect at Highway 1, part of the California Coastal Trail, and their mutual preservation will allow easier wildlife movement between the properties.” County officials hosted an open house at the new park today, showing off the months of work they’ve put into upgrading the parking area, installing trash bins and bathrooms, trimming back hazardous trees, etc. The county supervisor who reportedly made the deal happen — Lynda Hopkins, our lady of the river and coast — writes in her latest newsletter: “This area, known for its natural beauty, scenic vistas, and recreational opportunities, is now the newest regional park and open space preserve in our county, and it fills us with pride to see such a cherished piece of our coastal environment preserved for public enjoyment.” Amen! Oh, and while I have all you nature people on the line, FYI: Another 650 acres or so of private land was recently added to Jack London State Historic Park outside Glen Ellen, in the Sonoma Valley area — preserving a critical wildlife corridor and making the whole park way more accessible for visitors. You might know the land as the beleaguered, abandoned (and definitely haunted) campus of the Sonoma Developmental Center, which once housed people with disabilities. Its transfer over to Jack London was reportedly “the largest addition to state park lands in Sonoma County since 2010.” (Source: Sonoma County Regional Parks & Supervisor Lynda Hopkins via ConstantContact & KRCB & Press Democrat & Press Democrat & SF Chronicle; paywall)
Let’s take a look atwhere all the local races stand right now in Sonoma and Napa counties. Keeping in mind, of course, that we’re currently in that awkward stage after an election where officials are still just counting, counting, counting all our ballots. (You can even watch them do the counting live on the Sonoma County government’s YouTube channel. It’s kind of meditative, TBH.) It could reportedly take weeks for California’s many counties to finish their local tallies. “Results will be certified by April 12,” state officials say. So with that as a disclaimer, here’s who and what is winning as of Saturday evening. For the statewide U.S. Senate seat left empty when Dianne Feinstein died last year, there are two candidates with a significant lead, which should take them both to the general election this November: Democrat Adam Schiff, a longtime state politician, and Republican Steve Garvey, a former professional baseball player who’s new to politics. And progressive Democrat Katie Porter is trailing way behind. (The Press Democrat just published an interesting piece on that race. The Schiff campaign “shelled out tens of millions of dollars elevating Garvey’s name among Republican voters to make sure of that outcome,” the PD reports.) For our local seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat Mike Thompson and Republican John Munn are safely leading in the fourth district, and same goes for Democrat Jared Huffman and Republican Chris Coulombe in the second district. As for that contentious race to replace Jim Wood,who’s giving up his seat in the second district of the California State Assembly (covering much of Sonoma County, and the rest of the North Coast): Republican Michael Greer is in first place, and a few of the Democratic candidates are neck and neck for the other spot. Santa Rosa City Councilmember Chris Rogers is still leading the pack by a slim margin, with California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks right behind, followed by Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelley. In the State Assembly’s twelfth district,incumbent Democrat Damon Connolly is way ahead; the two Republican candidates are coming in close for that second spot, but it looks like Andy Podshadley still has a slight lead. The race for the third district of the California State Senate is fairly tight, too — with Republican Thom Bogue and Democrat Christopher Cabaldon in the lead, and Democrats Rozzana Verder-Aliga and Jackie Elward right behind. Measure-wise, that statewide one about mental health funding is a super close call, with a sliver of a lead for “Yes” — and Measure H for more fire-department funding in Sonoma County is more of a landslide “Yes.” Lastly, Biden and Trump will move forward in the race for president, of course. You can click through to the state and county election websites to monitor the results as they come in, as well as check out the other races for local judges, county supervisors, committees and measures. (Source: California State Government & Sonoma County Government & Napa County Government & Press Democrat; paywall)
The sweeping federal investigation into Napa County government officials and other local power players has a new poster child: County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. That’s partly because the two main news outlets covering this story closely, the Napa Valley Register and the Press Democrat, were finally able to confirm that the FBI raided his home near the Silverado Country Club back at Christmastime. There have been rumors going around for months to this effect — including a direct accusation during the public comment period at a recent county supervisor meeting — but now our local papers of record have their hands on the cold, hard documents. “Records show that the FBI apparently searched a house owned by Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza in the Silveradoarea on Dec. 18,” the Register reports. “This comes at a time when Napa County has been served with several federal subpoenas asking for information kept by the county. Though none mention Pedroza, one required information for Vinedos, an Atlas Peak-area land deal completed in 2021 by Pedroza’s in-laws with Pedroza’s help. The document shows Shaun Owen, an FBI supervisory agent, informed local law enforcement officials by phone he intended to search the Silverado Springs Drive house. Owen on LinkedIn is listed as an agent who deals with cases of public corruption and civil rights. As with the subpoenas, the document doesn’t accuse Pedroza or anyone else of wrongdoing. It doesn’t mention Pedroza’s name. It doesn’t say what the object of the search might be. The ‘remarks’ section of the document says no assistance is needed and ‘should be pretty low key.‘ Owen apparently contacted local law enforcement at 6:59 a.m. and the search ended at 1:23 p.m.” As has been constant throughout this developing story, no one can say what the FBI’s suspicions were or what they found or what kind of evidence they’re sitting on. (And Pedroza isn’t talking.) There are just these breadcrumbs the feds are leaving for us, in the form of which specific people and places and decisions and deals they’re choosing to look into. Meanwhile, the handful oflocal activists in the Napa Valley who’ve been suspicious of Pedroza for years now are having a bit of an “I told you so” moment right now; indeed, they will happily tell you precisely what they think he did to deserve this federal scrutiny. Another interesting thing to note is that Pedroza’s challenger four years ago in the race for the fourth-district supervisor seat, Amber Manfree, now might be the one to take over his seat this November, if the most recent ballot count holds from the March 5 primary election. Her challenger this time around, Pete Mott, is a longtime local politician and more of a pro-business type, while she’s a career scientist with an emphasis on environmental issues. Which does seem to sum up the divide in Napa County politics right now. And in the fourth district at least, covering the northeast part of Napa, the voters are speaking. Pedroza’s successor, the Press Democrat writes, “will be tasked with rebuilding public trust within the district.” (Source: Napa County Government & Napa Valley Register & Napa Valley Register & Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)
During the stormy weather last weekend, more than a quarter million gallons of sewage escapedfrom Sonoma County’s wastewater treatment plant just downriver from Guerneville, according to county government officials — an unknown amount of which then leaked into the Russian River. The plant is operated by Sonoma Water, the county’s water agency, and is situated at the end of Neeley Road near the Northwood Golf Club. A power failure overnight at the plant on Friday, March 1, reportedly caused “flows to build up between the second and third treatment phases until the basin overflowed” into the “wet and boggy” land surrounding the plant. It then “traversed approximately a third of a mile through a forested area before reaching the mainstem of the Russian River,” the county says. In interviews with the press, higher-ups from Sonoma Water make it seem like we shouldn’t be that worried about what happened — especially since the river was rushing so fast due the storm that night. Pam Jeane, an assistant general manager at the agency, tells the San Francisco Chronicle: “We are not sure how much of the partially treated wastewater made it to the river. Fortunately the spill happened in the middle of the night when there was nobody out in the river. By the time people were up on Saturday morning the water had already passed through the community.” In addition, a press release issued by Sonoma Water stressed that “environmental specialists” who were “dispatched to the site to assess impacts” found “no effect on aquatic or terrestrial life.” The press release also makes the case that the sewage wasn’t all that sewage-y when it spilled: “Secondary treated effluent has had the large, inorganic material removed, and much of the organic material has been biologically neutralized. Secondary effluent has flowed through clarifiers to remove solids, but some suspended solids can remain that would be removed in the third, and final stage of the wastewater treatment process.” For what it’s worth, though, that same lady from Sonoma Water does add in an interview with the Press Democrat: “It’s still not OK. It’s still not supposed to happen.” (Source: Sonoma County Government & Press Democrat & SF Chronicle; paywall)
Almost 40 years ago, dozens of ’80s icons gathered overnight in a Los Angeles studio to record “We Are the World,” the hit single that has raised more than $80 million to provide humanitarian relief in Africa.
The fundraising vinyl record was the brainchild of Harry Belafonte, who wanted to help fight famine in Ethiopia. The song was recorded on Jan. 28, 1985 because the American Music Awards were held earlier that evening, affording producer Quincy Jones the perfect opportunity to assemble superstars from rock, country, soul and pop in the same studio.
Netflix recently released The Greatest Night in Pop, a fascinating documentary on how the 21 A-list artists, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder and Marin’s own Huey Lewis, gave life to the song with their solos.
The doc also has plenty of footage of the 23 singers who completed the celebrity chorus, hitting those high and low notes of “We are the world. We are the children. We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving.”
Among the choir members on the four-level riser, I spied my favorite hometown musician—saxophonist, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Johnny Colla of Huey Lewis and the News. The handsome young Colla stood below Belafonte and shoulder to shoulder with Ruth Pointer of The Pointer Sisters, belting out those now familiar lyrics. The rest of his bandmates were there, too.
It’s not surprising that Huey Lewis and the News, one of the most successful bands to materialize from Marin, was front and center during the recording of “We Are the World.” The group had been a staple on contemporary radio stations since the early ’80s, topping the charts the previous year with “I Want a New Drug,” “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “If This Is It” and “Walking on a Thin Line.”
While Lewis has left Marin for Montana, Colla, a gifted storyteller, still lives in San Anselmo. I called Colla to ask about his memories of what’s come to be known as The Greatest Night in Pop.
The band, nominated for two American Music Awards, would be traveling from Marin to Los Angeles for the upcoming televised awards show, according to Colla. Just days before their trip, Lewis received a demo cassette tape of “We Are the World” and an invitation for the band to participate in the recording session to take place after the awards. Lewis and his newsmen immediately agreed they were in.
First stop, the American Music Awards at the Shrine Music Theatre, where Huey Lewis and the News were honored as the favorite pop/rock video artists. After the show, they went to A&M Studios in Hollywood for “We Are the World.”
“I was thrilled to be a part of the whole thing, and walking into that studio was like something out of a strange movie set,” Colla said. “I’m fully aware that the News, The Pointer Sisters and the Jacksons—other than Michael—were the vocal wallpaper to fill out the riser.”
Johnny Colla holds the gold. “We Are the World” achieved Gold status within the first week of its release in 1985, selling more than 500,000 copies. Later that year, it became the first multi-Platinum song, with sales in the millions. Photo courtesy of Christie-Claire Colla.
The modest Colla said there was a moment that night when he became so excited that a four-letter word involuntarily left his lips—loudly enough to be caught by one of the cameras documenting the production. While he was getting his makeup done, Ray Charles walked by. As a 10- or 11-year-old boy, when Colla thought no one was watching, he’d play “I Can’t Stop Loving You” on his parents’ one-speaker record player and stand on the piano bench to sing along with Charles.
“Now, I am in the room with Brother Ray,” Colla recounted. “He isn’t just my hero; this guy’s a national treasure.”
Other recollections from the recording session also stand out. An Ethiopian woman spoke to the singers about the gravity of the famine in her country, tugging his heartstrings. Another wasn’t quite as touching—Colla’s quick encounter with Waylon Jennings.
“I got to hang out with Waylon for seven seconds,” Colla said. “I introduce myself and tell him that I’ve been a big fan forever. Waylon doesn’t even say hello. He just says, ‘Hey, you know where a guy can get a beer around here?’”
According to The Greatest Night in Pop, it wasn’t just Colla who Jennings slighted. The country singer later walked out of the session never to return when Stevie Wonder brought up adding Swahili lyrics to “We Are the World.” Colla remembers something else said about that situation.
“The conversation lost steam, partly because Swahili isn’t the Ethiopian language,” Colla said. “Stevie came back to it, still trying. I hear one of the Jacksons say affectionately, ‘Aw, shit. Here goes Stevie again.’”
While Colla enjoyed singing the harmony, his cherished hours occurred after the chorus had finished their part and been dismissed. He quietly slipped into the control room with the engineers and news reporters to watch the singers perform their solos.
“I put on a look of importance, like I had business being there,” Colla said. “You know, Quincy and Lionel had started the night with that line, ‘Check your ego at the door.’ Of course, there were a few folks who didn’t. But when I was in the control room, I was taken by how no one tried to be anything but who they were and what they sounded like. I was struck by the professionalism of everybody and how they took direction.”
Colla felt nervous when they gave Huey Lewis his line to sing—a line out of his range because it was intended for Prince, who didn’t show up. But he needn’t have worried.
“Huey nailed it,” Colla said proudly. “My hero pulled it off.”
The conversation about “We Are the World” eventually wound down. With emotion in his voice, Colla talked about the abrupt end to Lewis’ singing career in 2018, caused by hearing loss from Meniere’s disease. Calling Lewis his “fearless leader,” Colla said the band members remain close.
Although the group no longer visits the studio to record new music, Huey Lewis and the News is experiencing a resurgence. Their blockbuster song, “The Power of Love,” is currently featured in the Broadway show, Back to the Future: The Musical. Next month, a repertoire of the band’s songs will be showcased in a new Broadway show, The Heart of Rock and Roll, also the title of the wildly popular song co-written by Lewis and Colla about 40 years ago.
These days, Colla is working on material in his own studio. He just put the finishing touches on Voices Only!!!, the final album in his critically acclaimed trilogy—all three inspired by his love of a cappella. The new release will be out next month.
Voices Only!!!, Johnny Colla’s new album, will be released in April. Photo courtesy of Christie-Claire Colla.
Until then, fans can sing, clap and stomp their feet to the first two albums, I Hear Voices! and I Hear Other Voices!! Filled with cover songs from the ’50s and ’60s,” the rip-roaring collection showcases Colla’s smooth vocals and a chorus of other familiar voices, including Santana’s Tony Lindsay and Gabi Wilson, now known as H.E.R.
While the Voices trilogy is complete, Colla promises there’s more to come. Solo projects and new albums from Huey Lewis and the News.
“I’ve become the gatekeeper to Huey Lewis and the News’ extensive analog library, including live performances from around the world,” Colla said. “We hope to have three to four live releases in the next few years.”
Colla also has at least two records written that he’ll soon be producing. And he’d like to get back on stage.
“I wanna put a local band together so I can open shows for big shots,” Colla said.
If live theater, which is in crisis, ends up in a doom spiral, it won’t be for a lack of talent and energy from the current generation of performing artists.
The stages at College of Marin and Santa Rosa Junior College have recently hosted productions featuring some very good work by their youthful casts. Napa Valley College now joins the...
How we gonna pay last year’s rent? the chorus implores in the song “Rent” from Jonathan Larson’s 1996 musical of the same name.
It’s the same refrain for many Americans today. A new Harvard study found that half of U.S. renter households now spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. And rent increases continue to outpace...
WikiPeaved
Barry Barnett’s defense of Julian Assange (Feb. 28, 2024 Open Mic) glosses over and ignores pertinent facts. Barnett states that “A fake rape charge (was) filed in Sweden…” As The Intercept has documented, multiple women publicly accused Assange of sexually molesting them, and the only reason the charges were ultimately dropped was that the statute of limitations ran out...
Sonoma
Sonomawood
Top film and industry notables are converging in Sonoma for the 27th annual Sonoma International Film Festival from March 20 to 24, featuring 43 narrative features, 16 documentary features and 48 short films representing more than 25 countries. “Each year, we showcase the cinematic and culinary worlds to Sonoma over five fun-filled days, but it’s in showcasing Sonoma, and...
It’s hard to believe that progressive/folk rock band Jethro Tull started 57 years ago. Although the group’s most important and longest-running contributor, Martin Barre, would join forces with singer/bandleader Ian Anderson just a year later, it’s important not to understate his relevance in the annals of classic rock history.
And while the name Jethro Tull means something entirely different to...
Did you know that the historic Chanslor Ranch near Bodega Bey — a 380-acre dairy and horse ranch along the Sonoma coast, just about a mile south of Salmon Creek Beach — is now public land? After years of eying it, the county reportedly bought it from the owner last year. It will become an official county park later this...
Let's take a look at where all the local races stand right now in Sonoma and Napa counties. Keeping in mind, of course, that we're currently in that awkward stage after an election where officials are still just counting, counting, counting all our ballots. (You can even watch them do the counting live on the Sonoma County government's YouTube...
The sweeping federal investigation into Napa County government officials and other local power players has a new poster child: County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. That's partly because the two main news outlets covering this story closely, the Napa Valley Register and the Press Democrat, were finally able to confirm that the FBI raided his home near the Silverado Country Club...
During the stormy weather last weekend, more than a quarter million gallons of sewage escaped from Sonoma County's wastewater treatment plant just downriver from Guerneville, according to county government officials — an unknown amount of which then leaked into the Russian River. The plant is operated by Sonoma Water, the county's water agency, and is situated at the end...
Almost 40 years ago, dozens of ’80s icons gathered overnight in a Los Angeles studio to record “We Are the World,” the hit single that has raised more than $80 million to provide humanitarian relief in Africa.
The fundraising vinyl record was the brainchild of Harry Belafonte, who wanted to help fight famine in Ethiopia. The song was recorded on...
