Tears in Rain

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Tears in Rain

August and quiet, violent and occasionally full of pity, Blade Runner 2049 overwhelms: it’s a technical juggernaut, orchestrated to the bone-rattling sonics of Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch like the sound of some giant rubbing a pair of ocean liners together.

Director Denis Villenueve blends the solemnity of Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky and the studied blandness of Stanley Kubrick with the same lack of dynamism he demonstrated in Arrival. The movie has very little running in it, but the soundscapes will keep people from drowsing, as Ryan Gosling—playing K, a synthetic cop—doubles-down on his minimalism in Drive.

Reprising his role as Deckard, a welcome Harrison Ford brings humanity to a movie peopled with grim synthetics. It’s been some 30 years since Deckard and Rachel (Sean Young) sensibly escaped L.A. and headed north. The sunless megalopolis has grown in vastness and darkness, the streets now about as wide as airshafts. It rains white ash; seawalls attempt to keep monsoons at bay.

K untangles the mystery of a box of bones found buried at the farmhouse of a dead replicant (Dave Bautista). These bones are the relics of a miraculous android. K’s cold, hard-drinking superior (Robin Wright) wants to know more. So does the omniscient replicant maker Niander Wallace (Jared Leto).

K investigates among the tsunami-wrecked ruins of San Diego, and goes deep in the desert, with dust storms, coppery light and giant nude statues—happily for some, the year 2049 looks like Burning Man.On K’s side is the helpful Joi (Ana De Armas), both Suri and electronic courtesan.

The film’s women are knowing and strong. They taunt the beaten up, past-haunted K. It’s a future-verse of femme fatales. The odd thing is that it’s all more grand than threatening. The misanthropy-prone geek bros won’t know what hit them.

‘Blade Runner 2049’ opens in wide release in the North Bay.

Letters to the Editor: October 4, 2017

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Letters to the Editor: October 4, 2017

For Shame!

National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre represents a terrorist organization. The NRA does not represent the Second Amendment; it does not have any interest at all in the safety of humankind or the greater good for society. It is a business that masquerades as a patriotic entity. But the truth is, this business, like all businesses, has as its primary focus increasing profit. LaPierre and the NRA are shameless about exploiting human fear and without care about placing weapons into the hands of anyone, with no regard for their mental state or associations with hate groups. As we increasingly kill each other, their profit goes up.

Here’s a statistic you will never hear them cite: More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.

Shame on you, LaPierre! Shame on you, NRA!

—Kevin Russell

Santa Rosa

Sheriff Shopping

Thank you for publishing Thomas Morabito’s outstanding letter (Sept. 26) regarding the glowing dichotomy exposed by candidate for Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick in his Open Mic piece from Sept. 20.

I agree with each of the observations reflected in his letter and am in a unique position to do so, since I, too, attended many of the same meetings of the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Task Force and was also able to observe and assess Mr. Essick’s conduct while he served as a member. However, I have some assessments of my own that I would like to add.

You do not “correct problems with oversight” by opposing the very vehicle advanced to fulfill this important purpose (the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach and the attendant Citizens’ Advisory Committee), as Mr. Essick did when he cast the lone vote (19–1) against sending a package of final recommendations from this task force to the board of supervisors. Interestingly, at a recent candidates forum on Sept. 28, Mr. Essick tried to give the public the impression that he favored the creation of the IOLERO and supported its mission all along, prompting me to ask: Will the real Mark Essick please stand up?

You don’t “correct problems with community relations” by bitterly and angrily rebuking individuals with whom one disagrees, such as Mr. Essick did when he publicly rebuked a fellow task force member on one particularly memorable occasion. And you sure as heck don’t engender “better community relations” by handling a scene to which law enforcement personnel have been summoned to respond in the abhorrent manner in which he handled the Glenn Swindell matter in Larkfield, which ultimately led to Mr. Swindell’s death.

If this sampling of Mr. Essick’s conduct represents the embodiment of his interpretation and embrace of what it takes to be a “community policeman,” then I’m afraid I’ll have to put my internal candidate-screening software into overdrive and start doing some serious sheriff-shopping for another candidate—that is, if one is left in the dwindling field that remains come election day.

—Thomas David Bonfigli

Sebastopol

Write to us at le*****@******an.com.

Let It Fly

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Let It Fly

Darryl Ponicsan is keeping a low profile these days.

As film festivals and film critics and Oscar-watchers praise, dissect and prognosticate on the merits of Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying—the new film based on Ponicsan’s 2005 novel, itself a follow-up to his 1970 breakthrough novel
The Last Detail—the Sonoma resident has remained steadfastly out of the spotlight. Should predictions prove accurate, however, come Academy Awards time next January, the reclusive novelist and screenwriter may have to put on a tux and attend the show as a nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Ponicsan has spent much of the last decade writing mystery books under the pseudonym Anne Argula (Homicide My Own, Krapp’s Last Cassette, The Other Romanian). When writing novels and screenplays under his own name, he has frequently leaned toward stories about the military (Cinderella Liberty, Taps, School Ties) and regular men facing self-defining challenges (Vision Quest). Those trends continue in Last Flag Flying.

The film features Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne and Steve Carrell in an approximation of characters played under different names by Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, and Randy Quaid in Hal Ashby’s 1973 adaptation of The Last Detail. These and other changes make the film a kind of “spiritual sequel” to The Last Detail, rather than a literal one.

The Stars-and-Stripes is practically a lead character in the film, as it was in Ponicsan’s book. In its adaptation to the big screen, however, Ponicsan and co-screenwriter Linklater, have changed a number of key details. What remains is the story’s unflinching examination of America’s lagging claims at moral superiority over other nations. The time frame is the beginning of the post-911 Iraq invasion.

The plot follows Larry Meadows, played by Steve Carrell, as he reunites with the two men who once escorted him to military prison during the Vietnam War, asking them to accompany him to claim the body of his son, who’s been killed in action. When Meadows abruptly changes his plans to have his son buried at Arlington, the film becomes another kind of road movie, with the folded American flag presented to the dead soldier’s father a constant reminder of broken promises and unfulfilled dreams.

In a culture that has recently seen the president taking on NFL players in a war of words about how to best address our country’s flag and national anthem, and the rancid disappointment so many are feeling at having to salute the emblem of a society that ignores, excludes and kills them, Ponicsan’s Last Flag Flying may have been unfurled at exactly the right moment.

Firestorm

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Firestorm

With fires still raging and thousands evacuated, the North Bay continues to reel from the worst natural disaster in the region’s history. Look for ongoing coverage in the days and weeks to come.

Baked Apples

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Baked Apples

While the 2017 grape crop seems to have survived the withering heat waves of summer, Sonoma County apples did not fare so well.

“It was incredible,” says Stan Devoto, who has been growing apples in West County for 42 years. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Heat stressed the fruit and caused trees to dump their fruit en masse. Early-season Gravensteins avoided the heat damage, but midseason varietals, like Jonathans and Jonagolds, ended up in the dirt, where they were destined for juice or cider—or left to rot on the ground.

“It’s the tree’s way of saying, ‘I’m tired,'” Devoto says.

The price for Grade A apples is already low—about $500 per ton—but apples destined for juice, vinegar or sauce fetch just pennies a pound.

Late-season apples still hanging from trees, like Arkansas Black, Golden Delicious, Rome and Pink Lady varietals, may turn out to be OK, Devoto says.

Apple farmer Dave Hale, whose family has been growing the fruit since 1860, estimates he lost as much as 30 percent of his crop this year. One hundred and twelve degree temperatures and apples don’t mix, he says.

“When you have record temperatures, you have record losses,” Hale says.

The heat damage comes atop bigger challenges for local apple growers. Low wholesale prices coupled with labor shortages make the apple business, once a mainstay of West County agriculture, a difficult one. There used to be about 14,000 acres of apples in West County. Now it’s down to about 2,100 acres, as farmers sell their land or convert to grapes.

“Grapes and cannabis are the only crops that have kept pace with inflation,” says Devoto.

To adapt, Hale has downsized from 90 acres of apples to 20. He abandoned the wholesale-commodity market because of the poor prices paid by processors in favor of direct-to-market sales—farmers markets and his farm stand on the Gravenstein Highway across from Andy’s Market— to keep him afloat. He’s also added pumpkins to his crop mix.

“It’s real people who support the farm,” says Hale.

The other challenge vexing apple growers is labor—or the lack thereof.

“Workers were never a challenge in the West County,” says Devoto. “There used to be carloads. Now there is nobody.” He has a crew of long-term workers who range in age from
58 to 76.

“That’s old,” he says, and because of tighter border security and an improving Mexican economy, there isn’t a new generation of workers to replace them.

The one bright spot in West County apples is cider. The growth of this Sonoma County industry means some cideries are willing to pay more for fruit than Manzana, the county’s sole apple processor.

Devoto says he gets a good price for his apples from his daughter’s cider companies, Devoto Orchards Cider and Golden State Cider. He’d like to see more cider houses support local agriculture and pay more.

“I’m hoping the cideries step up to the plate.”

Yes It Can

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Yes It Can

It can’t happen here. When Sinclair Lewis chose that phrase for the title of his satirical 1935 novel about a fascist American dictatorship taking control and essentially eradicating democracy, the title meant several things.

It was comforting, as we watched Hitler and others take power in Europe, to believe that our Constitution’s checks and balances would prohibit such tyrants from taking control in America. The title was also ironic, suggesting that, of course, it can happen here, a reminder that history is full of freedoms falling to self-serving despots.

Finally, it was meant as a plea—it cannot, must not, happen here—a call to resist the lure of political leaders offering safety and posterity in exchange for the sacrifice of a few “dangerous” freedoms.

The Santa Rosa Junior College is about to open a two-weekend run of Tony Taccone and Bennett Cohen’s 2016 adaptation of Lewis’ book. Like the novel, the play follows the presidency of the fear-mongering populist Berzelius “Buzz” Windrip (Neil Thollander), and attempts by liberal journalist Doremus Jessup (Khalid Shayota) to rally a resistance effort against him, as America rapidly falls into deeper and deeper levels of despair and fear.

Did I mention it’s a comedy?

“The play is highly entertaining and often very, very funny,” says Leslie McCauley, director of the production. In other words, there are laughs in It Can’t Happen Here.

But they come with a sting. Especially now under President Trump.

“The important thing to remember about this play is that it is not about a specific personality,” says McCauley. “It simply asks the question, ‘Why does America dally in fascism every 50 years or so? What is inherent in the American DNA that causes that? How do we protect this fragile thing called democracy? And what happens to a family when they are politically divided?'”

One of McCauley’s directorial touches is the addition of singer-songwriter Teresa Tudury as a kind of musical narrator to the action.

“This is a critical moment in our history,” McCauley says. “By comparing our contemporary political situation to a novel written in 1935, when fascism was on the rise worldwide, we can’t help but be struck by how prescient it was. Every day I read the headlines, and they parallel pretty exactly what happens in the play. I don’t think we’ve done a play here that feels quite as important as this one does, right now.”

Hold the Alcohol

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Hold the Alcohol

Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. The classic phrase suggests that rock music is best experienced when stoned or drunk. It’s a misconception that musician Stefanie Keys is eager to correct.

“In my experience, people in recovery, people who are clean and sober, tend to be having a whole a lot of fun,” says Keys. “We’ve lost our lives, and have somehow gotten them back. We’re ready to party. We’ve just learned how to party without the drugs and alcohol.”

Keys, formerly of Big Brother and the Holding Company, with whom she toured for five years, will be headlining the inaugural Clean & Sober Music Fest on Oct. 14 at the Mendocino Fairgrounds in Booneville. The event is the first of its kind in the area, a daylong, family-friendly celebration of music, sunshine and sobriety.

“Sobriety is growing by leaps and bounds,” says Jeffrey Trotter, a longtime North Bay theater director and the producer of the event. “The Grateful Dead always had clean and sober areas at their concerts. There are clean and sober sections at Burning Man. But there aren’t that many festivals where the whole thing is clean and sober.”

As someone who long ago took the path of sobriety, Trotter understands the need for such events.

“It’s basically just a darned good idea,” he says with a laugh. “This could easily be an annual thing.”

In addition to the Stefanie Keys Band, the lineup includes the Real Sarahs, Deep Blue Jam and the Cole Tate Band, along with inspirational appearances by clean-and-sober Buddhist speaker Kevin Griffin and others. Festive AA meetings will be part of the day, including meetings at the adjoining campgrounds on Friday and Sunday.

“Basically, it’s going to be a lot of very grateful people having a really good time together,” says Keys, noting that such events are a breath of fresh air for people who’ve chosen to put drugs and alcohol behind them.

“I’m in recovery myself,” she says. “I’ve been clean and sober for 16 years. I know it’s hard sometimes for people in recovery to go to these big music festivals where drinking and drugs is such a big part of the culture. And for people who are new to sobriety, an event like this allows them to come and have fun, and not have to worry about being surrounded by people drinking and using.

“And the music? The music’s going to be off the chain!”

Spotlight on Healdsburg

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Spotlight on Healdsburg

Healdsburg Jazz Festival turns 20

‘I love the ability to bring music to people,” says Healdsburg’s Jessica Felix, founder and artistic director of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, which marks its 20th anniversary when it returns in June 2018.

From an initial three-day venture in 1999—which featured performances by hard-bop pianist Cedar Walton, free-jazz drummer Billy Higgins and vibraphone master Bobby Hutcherson—the Healdsburg Jazz Festival has grown into a massive 10-day affair that in recent years has boasted performances by revered jazz figures like the Heath Brothers, drummer Billy Hart and Blues Hall of Famer Charlie Musselwhite, who lives part-time in Healdsburg.

Born in Los Angeles, Felix got her first taste of Sonoma County attending college at Sonoma State University. “Even in college, I used to think Healdsburg was a great area,” Felix says. “I loved the river, and we’d always stop at the Singletree Cafe to have breakfast.”

After college, Felix lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years. The longtime jazz aficionado began producing events in the 1980s at a converted Victorian house in Oakland, and in 1990 she founded the popular Eddie Moore Jazz Festival at Yoshi’s, which she ran for five years.

A jewelry designer by trade, Felix relocated to Healdsburg full-time in 1994 and opened a shop and gallery for her jewelry studio called Art and All That Jazz.

“Something in my head said, ‘Go to Healdsburg,'” she says. “Then this storefront became available, and I couldn’t resist.”

“I’ve always loved small towns,” Felix says. “Being able to know people and feel like you’re part of a community is important to me.”

Felix founded the Healdsburg Jazz Festival as a way to bring the community together through music in the town’s intimate venues, with a commitment to represent the best in what she calls strong jazz, authentic representations of the genre’s multifaceted culture. “Jazz has always been an exploring music. It’s not supposed to stagnate; it’s supposed to grow and evolve and push boundaries,” Felix says. “It works with all the emotions. My true goal is to turn people on to the live jazz experience.”

In addition to the annual 10-day fest, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival offers an array of performances year-round. The festival hosts weekly jazz performances in the lobby lounge of Hotel Healdsburg, with jazz trios fronted by local talents like Susan Sutton and Bay Area–based drummer Lee Charlton, who performs with Norris Clement and Richard Saunders on Saturday, Oct. 7.

Saturday also marks the next in the Healdsburg Jazz Festival’s ongoing Parlor Series, presenting world-class talents at the Paul Mahder Gallery. This week, saxophonist Dayna Stephens returns to town with pianist Billy Childs, who makes his Healdsburg debut.

Education is also a huge factor in Felix’s mission to share the music she loves. Last year, she started the Student Jazz Combo Competition to encourage students to explore their creativity while learning from professional musicians and forming tight-knit combos to engage in friendly competition with other schools.

Looking ahead to next summer, the festival is also hosting a 20th-anniversary fundraising gala on Nov. 11 (see Spotlight events listings, p10) to support the upcoming 2018 festival and the ongoing music education programs.

“The 20th anniversary is going to be the biggest event we’ve ever done,” says Felix. “There’s going to be something for everybody.”

For more info, visit
healdsburgjazzfestival.org.

[page]

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Raven Theatre executive director
Tom Brand dishes on Healdsburg

Describe your perfect day in Healdsburg?

I would gather my family. After brunch at Flakey Cream, we would walk to the Healdsburg Plaza and people-watch the visitors from around the world. If, by chance, an establishment selling libations could be found, we would stop and perhaps have a drink. Then it would be time to experience real Americana. We would grab chairs and watch the Healdsburg Future Farmers Twilight Parade with all of its local politicians, schoolchildren, horses and fire trucks. Finally, we would saunter over to the Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair and have some of the best cotton candy in America.

Where is your favorite place to eat in Healdsburg and why?

This is a tie: Costeaux French Bakery and Bear Republic Brewing Company. Both feature high-quality, affordable food, a friendly staff and are owned by families that are huge supporters of all the not-for-profits in Healdsburg.

Where do you take first-time visitors to Healdsburg?

It is a little clichéd, but to the plaza, the river, and a few select wineries, then to Healdsburg Hotel to hear some jazz.

What do you know about Healdsburg that others don’t?

Healdsburg has the largest living moss wall in America at the Paul Mahder Contemporary Art Gallery.

If you could change one thing about Healdsburg what would it be?

The laws of economics. A wise person once told me that everyone’s perfect version of Healdsburg is the day they that they moved here. Currently, a very large percentage of all home sales in Healdsburg are to people buying a second, third, fourth home. This eliminates housing for people who will become part of our community, people who donate time, money, and energy to the elements that created our wonderful community.

Learn more about the Raven Performing Arts Theater at raventheater.org.

[page]

THINGS TO DO IN HEALDSBURG

Social Cause Films

Co-founded by photographer, musician and educator Kim Carroll and marketing professional Josie Gay, Healdsburg’s Social Cause Film Series kicks off this week with a goal of highlighting and benefiting an array of social causes. The series debuts with the screening of Unrest, in which documentarian Jennifer Brea turns the camera on herself for an intimate look at the often-misunderstood illness known as chronic fatigue syndrome. Unrest screens with Brea on hand for Q&A, followed by a hosted wine hour where the conversation continues. The screening benefits Brea’s Time for Unrest organization, helping those suffering from chronic fatigue get the recognition and help they need. In light of recent events, proceeds will also go to hurricane relief efforts. Social Cause Films presents Unrest
on Thursday, Oct. 5, at Raven Film Center, 415 Center St., Healdsburg. 6pm. $20–$40. Advance tickets required. socialcausefilms.org.

Healdsburg
Half Marathon

It’s hard to find a more scenic run than Dry Creek Valley in and around Healdsburg, where the annual Healdsburg Half Marathon takes place this weekend. Starting and ending in downtown Healdsburg, the epic 13.1-mile fully paved course winds through historical residential neighborhoods before setting out among picturesque vineyards and wineries. After the run, the fun continues with an Oktoberfest-style wine and beer tasting, featuring 10 local wine and beer purveyors and hot food to nourish those worn-out muscles. Both the half marathon and a 5K run take place Sunday, Oct. 8, and begin at Healdsburg City Hall,
401 Grove St., Healdsburg. 7:30am. Entry fee, $130–$135; 5K entry fee, $50. runwinecountry.com.

Shed Supper

The tight-knit kitchen staff at Healdsburg Shed, led by culinary director and chef Perry Hoffman, creates immaculate flavors from locally sourced foods at its monthly Shed Supper event. October’s supper embraces Latin flavors and traditional dishes of Mexico for a family-style meal accompanied by live entertainment. This special edition of the supper is also a fundraiser for Corazón, a Healdsburg nonprofit dedicated to supporting multiculturalism and bridging racial and economic division in the community by connecting residents to health programs and services to better their quality of life. Healdsburg Shed will match all proceeds from the event so give generously while enjoying a casual community meal and performance
by Ballet Folklorico El Valle,
St. Helena’s troupe of Oaxacan dancers. Sunday, Oct. 8, at Healdsburg Shed, 25 North St., Healdsburg. 6:30pm. $50 and up. healdsburgshed.com.

Get Downtown

Anchored by a massive gazebo and surrounded by world-class businesses, Healdsburg Plaza is the town’s favorite focal point for community events and gathering like the upcoming Get Downtown Business Showcase & Community Resource Fair. This fifth annual showcase features several local businesses and resource providers, as well as members of the city council. Learn more about the community, enjoy free samples and get lots of giveaways in this family friendly evening at the plaza on Wednesday, Oct. 11, Healdsburg Avenue and Matheson Street, Healdsburg. 4pm to 7pm. Free admission. healdsburg.com/events.

Dancing with the Stars

Just like the popular television show, Healdsburg’s own Dancing with the Stars annual fundraiser features local stars and professional dancers paired up for a rousing performance competition. This year’s theme is “Bubbles & Bling,” offering a lineup of local stars like school principal James Brandt, business owner Marsha Croft, disability advocate Lake Kowell, architect and real estate agent Bob Pennypacker and others. Audiences vote for their favorite teams by donating money to benefit the Raven nonprofit performing arts theater. Each dollar equals one vote, and there’s no limit to voting, so vote early and often at the preview show on Thursday,
Nov. 2, and the big dance on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg. 7:30pm. $35–$45; preview, $10–$20. raventheater.org.

20th Anniversary
Jazz Festival Gala

Healdsburg Jazz Festival is marking two decades of bringing the best contemporary jazz music to town with a 20th Anniversary Jazz Festival Gala that celebrates the event’s enduring legacy and raises funds for the upcoming 2018 season. Turning the Paul Mahder Gallery into a Roaring Twenties speakeasy, the gala includes a sparkling wine reception and auction before showcasing Jazz Age hits from the likes of Duke Ellington and George Gershwin as performed by the Marcus Shelby Quintet and featuring guests Kenny Washington and Tiffany Austin. A sit-down dinner and late-night dancing completes the party, going down on Saturday, Nov. 11,
at the Paul Mahder Gallery,
222 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 6pm. $150. healdsburgjazzfestival.org.

Like a Rock

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Like a Rock

Formed in San Francisco 51 years ago, psychedelic funk legends Sly & the Family Stone broke all the rules and revolutionized soul music.

Groundbreaking not only for a genre-bending sound, Sly & the Family Stone was the first major band in America to integrate race and gender, and the group solidified its place in rock and roll history with huge hits and critical acclaim. But drugs and a decline in output turned Sly Stone into a recluse nearly 30 years ago.

Fast forward from then to 10 years ago, when first-time filmmaker Michael Rubenstone set out to find the reclusive Stone, chronicled in the recently completed documentary,
On the Sly, screening at this year’s Mill Valley Film Festival.

Drummer Greg Errico and other members of the Family Stone are featured in the film, and the screening is accompanied with a concert performance by the group (minus Sly) as part of MVFF’s music lineup. “It’s wonderful to get it going again,” says Errico. “As performers, we’re seeing the power of the music, the wave of what we had originally created, still moving.”

On the Sly screens Friday, Oct. 13 at CinéArts Sequoia, 25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, 6pm (mvff.com). The Family Stone perform that night at Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave.,
Mill Valley. 9pm. $45–$50. 415.388.3850.

Levi’s Granfondo Features Free Music Fest

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image_FreeMusic2017
Bicycle lovers have long flocked to Santa Rosa each autumn for Levi’s Granfondo, a bike ride that draws nearly ten thousand pros and amateur riders to the streets of Sonoma County.
This year, the granfondo has upped the experience for both riders and spectators with the all-day FondoSonoma Expo & Music Festival at Finley Park in Santa Rosa on Saturday, Sept 30.
Live music from Bay Area favorites gets the festival into the groove, with Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra, La Gente, Sonoma County’s own Jon Gonzales & Family and others taking the stage. Crowds and riders will also get a look at several local bike-oriented vendors and exhibitors, enjoy food and drinks from Gerard’s Paella, Firetail Pizza, Tri Tip Trolley and others, and relax in the REI Lounge base camp.
The Sept 30 post-ride celebration is free for all and runs 10am to 6pm at Finley Park, 2060 west College Ave, Santa Rosa. For more info, click here.

Tears in Rain

August and quiet, violent and occasionally full of pity, Blade Runner 2049 overwhelms: it's a technical juggernaut, orchestrated to the bone-rattling sonics of Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch like the sound of some giant rubbing a pair of ocean liners together. Director Denis Villenueve blends the solemnity of Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky and the studied blandness of Stanley Kubrick with...
Read more

Letters to the Editor: October 4, 2017

For Shame! National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre represents a terrorist organization. The NRA does not represent the Second Amendment; it does not have any interest at all in the safety of humankind or the greater good for society. It is a business that masquerades as a patriotic entity. But the truth is, this business, like all businesses,...
Read more

Let It Fly

Darryl Ponicsan is keeping a low profile these days. As film festivals and film critics and Oscar-watchers praise, dissect and prognosticate on the merits of Richard Linklater's Last Flag Flying—the new film based on Ponicsan's 2005 novel, itself a follow-up to his 1970 breakthrough novel The Last Detail—the Sonoma resident has remained steadfastly out of the spotlight. Should predictions prove...
Read more

Firestorm

With fires still raging and thousands evacuated, the North Bay continues to reel from the worst natural disaster in the region's history. Look for ongoing coverage in the days and weeks to come.
Read more

Baked Apples

While the 2017 grape crop seems to have survived the withering heat waves of summer, Sonoma County apples did not fare so well. "It was incredible," says Stan Devoto, who has been growing apples in West County for 42 years. "I've never seen anything like it." Heat stressed the fruit and caused trees to dump their fruit en masse. Early-season Gravensteins...
Read more

Yes It Can

It can't happen here. When Sinclair Lewis chose that phrase for the title of his satirical 1935 novel about a fascist American dictatorship taking control and essentially eradicating democracy, the title meant several things. It was comforting, as we watched Hitler and others take power in Europe, to believe that our Constitution's checks and balances would prohibit such tyrants from...
Read more

Hold the Alcohol

Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. The classic phrase suggests that rock music is best experienced when stoned or drunk. It's a misconception that musician Stefanie Keys is eager to correct. "In my experience, people in recovery, people who are clean and sober, tend to be having a whole a lot of fun," says Keys. "We've lost our lives, and...
Read more

Spotlight on Healdsburg

Healdsburg Jazz Festival turns 20 'I love the ability to bring music to people," says Healdsburg's Jessica Felix, founder and artistic director of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, which marks its 20th anniversary when it returns in June 2018. From an initial three-day venture in 1999—which featured performances by hard-bop pianist Cedar Walton, free-jazz drummer Billy Higgins and vibraphone master Bobby Hutcherson—the...
Read more

Like a Rock

Formed in San Francisco 51 years ago, psychedelic funk legends Sly & the Family Stone broke all the rules and revolutionized soul music. Groundbreaking not only for a genre-bending sound, Sly & the Family Stone was the first major band in America to integrate race and gender, and the group solidified its place in rock and roll history with huge...
Read more

Levi’s Granfondo Features Free Music Fest

Bicycle lovers have long flocked to Santa Rosa each autumn for Levi's Granfondo, a bike ride that draws nearly ten thousand pros and amateur riders to the streets of Sonoma County. This year, the granfondo has upped the experience for both riders and spectators with the all-day FondoSonoma Expo & Music Festival at Finley Park in Santa Rosa on Saturday,...
Read more
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