Adrian West Band

Adrian West Band will perform in the Vukasin Theatre from 7:45 - 9:45 pm (doors open at 7:15pm).

Adrian West Band is a rising force in the Bay Area music scene. Based in Oakland, the six-piece band plays original acoustic rock which they dub "Paul Simon meets Talking Heads". A classically trained violinist who later turned to drums, guitar and singing, Adrian is a gifted composer and arranger. His lyrics, which range from whimsical to philosophical, ride atop a steady wave of catchy music. He always writes the music first and lyrics second, only adding lyrics if he feels the music stands tall on its own. Fun fact: Paul Simon and David Byrne (of Talking Heads) work pretty much the same way.

Adrian figured out a while ago that he likes having trained jazz musicians in his band. Jazz musicians bring technical chops and versatilty. They know how to listen to each other and make a song flourish. And so to keep things interesting (for bandmembers and audience alike), the band also plays riveting renditions of cool Jazz standards.

To top it off, the band throws in a rock cover or two ... anything from Supertramp to Dolly Parton.

This concert will feature a six-piece ensemble, bringing together some top Bay Area talent (musicians listed below). The rip-roaring solos of pianist Michael Echaniz are worth the price of admission alone. Vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar, electric violin, piano, alto sax, upright bass, drums and live looping. You will leave wanting more, but knowing you've witnessed something new and special.

Visit www.adrianwest.com for more information including live performance videos and audio recordings.

The musicians:

Adrian West - vocals, acoustic guitar, elec. violin & live looping
Larisa Roberts - vocals, percussion
Michael Echaniz - piano
Chris Haag - alto sax
Aaron Germain - upright bass
Shawn Urbi-Tennie - drums