“Rising” in 2021

by Noella Noelophile®
Two women in sparkly siler dresses face each other and sing on mic with choir in the background
(Photo courtesy of Alain McLaughlin, and used with permission.)

Music, storytelling and celebration are back on the agenda for Christmas season 2021.

After the past year and a half of upheaval and distancing, the GLIDE Annual Holiday Jam is set to take place on Thursday evening, September 18th. It’s themed “Still We Rise”, and dedicated to someone special: GLIDE co-founder and Holiday Jam creator Janice Mirikitani, who passed away recently.

And if you can’t attend the live, in-person benefit concert, you’ll still get to be “present”, virtually, via livestream.

Performing artists will include 10-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin, and three-time Grammy awardee and NPR Tiny Desk contest winner Fantastic Negrito. The renowned GLIDE Ensemble and Change Band will perform, under the direction of Vernon Bush. Renel Brooks-Moon, “the voice of San Francisco”, returns for her traditional role as the evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies.

At the heart of the program: inspiration, and empowerment.

And it’s all for a great cause.

Supporting the supporters

Two hands cup a white lighted candle in the darkness
Royalty-free image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay

The GLIDE Annual Holiday Jam: Still We Rise is the latest in GLIDE Foundation’s annual holiday benefit concerts. Nonprofit GLIDE Foundation, according to their website, serves more than 750,000 meals annually, through their daily Free Meals program. GLIDE also offers an Unconditional Legal Clinic; testing, treatment and education for individuals vulnerable to HIV; and childcare and educational programs among their services. Their mission, as stated on their website: transforming lives as they serve San Francisco’s homeless population.

Towards that goal, GLIDE have also been offering a number of virtual events during the pandemic. These include a “Harm Reduction” session, equity workshops and a celebration of the LGBTQ community.

Royalty-free image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay

And during the pandemic, GLIDE expanded its services, providing COVID testing and vaccines in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. They also expanded access, both for individuals and for families, to housing, legal, and other resources.

In addition to supporting a worthy cause, the GLIDE Annual Holiday Jam: Still We Rise will offer an incredible program. Before I tell you whom, though, there are some safety considerations.

Here is the COVID Safety Page link from GLIDE’s webpage. To attend the concert, they require that you be fully vaccinated. And please be sure to wear a mask at all times, unless eating and drinking. In addition, given the unpredictability of our current times, they’d like you to know that entry requirements may be subject to change. Please be prepared to be flexible and obey all COVID protocols, as we want you, along with all these amazing, kind people, to continue to make a positive difference in our world for a very long time.

Now. about the artists!

Royalty-free image by Céline Martin from Pixabay

Say Bobby McFerrin’s name, and someone’s likely to break into a chorus of , “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” With that a cappella hit, McFerrin charted new ground–inspiring a whole new generation of a cappella singers and redefining the role of the human voice.

But, this ten-time Grammy winner is so much more than that

Seen as a music-industry rebel, McFerrin has appeared barefoot in the world’s finest concert halls. His work has blurred the distinction between pop music and fine art, inspiring the beatbox movement and revolutionizing the role of the human voice. He has collaborated with artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea and the Vienna Philharmonic.

Microphone on stand, pointed to viewer
Royalty-free image by Irina L from Pixabay

Meanwhile, Fantastic Negrito is a storyteller who will take you along with his incredible narrative of highs, lows and rebirth. This multiple Grammy winner from Oakland shares his life through his songs, channeling his experiences, from a million-dollar record deal through a near-fatal automobile accident which left him in a coma. Fantastic Negrito communicates his edgy and urgent message through slide guitar, drums, and piano, as he presents his life through black roots music. His latest singles are “Root City”, an anthem for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, and “Rolling Through California”, a call to action in the wake of California’s natural disasters.

And the GLIDE Ensemble and Change Band have grown, from their start in 1966 as a group of 10 musicians. Today they include more than 100 voices and eight musicians, under the direction of Vernon Bush. The talented leaders with whom they’ve worked include Donnell Hickman and Clifford Coulter. And they’ve worked with luminaries including Maya Angelou, Bono and Marvin Gaye.

Tickets for this special evening range from $50 to $100 and include complimentary refreshments. Here’s the link for more information. Sponsorship opportunities are also available–and if you’re isolating, by choice or necessity, admission is free to their livestream, with tickets available at the above link!

The 2021 GLIDE Annual Holiday Jam: Still We Rise happens Thursday, November 18th, at The Masonic, in San Francisco, 1111 California Street (at Taylor). Doors open at 5:30 pm, and the show starts at 7:00 pm. Here’s the link for information. If you are attending the event in person, please follow these COVID protocols on their COVID Safety page. And here’s the link for complimentary tickets to their livestream, if you can’t attend in person!

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