Avotcja & Modúpue

Join us in celebrating the 85th birthday of Avotcja — poet, musicologist, DJ, percussionist, and true Bay Area cultural treasure — as she brings her award-winning ensemble Modúpue (“Gratitude”) to Bird & Beckett. Named a Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2015 and honored with lifetime achievement awards from PEN Oakland and BAJABA, Avotcja has been feeding souls for decades through her radio shows on KPFA (Bebop, Cubop & the Musical Truth) and KPOO (La Verdad Musical) — and as for her poetry, no one taps deeper wells of humanity. With Modúpue, twice named best jazz group of the year by the Bay Area Blues Hall of Fame, tonight promises poetry, rhythm, and joy in equal measure — come help sing happy birthday to a legend. Avotcja, poetry & small multi-percussion Sandi Poindexter, violin Jon Jang, piano Francis Wong, saxophone & flute Heshima Mark Williams, bass Raul Ramirez, multi-percussion