Facebook Instagram Donate A Co-presented Concert Series Showcasing Bay Area Small Ensembles + Soloists What is listen local? Listen Local is a concert series co-presented by InterMusic SF and local partners, like Classical California and Rhythmix Cultural Works, that showcases InterMusic’s Affiliated artists. These musical offerings are designed to serve Bay Area communities by connecting listeners to local musicians. Programming highlights early music, jazz, classical, traditional, and everything in between, for an opportunity to hear Bay Area beloved artists in intimate musical settings. What is listen local? Listen Local is a concert series co-presented by InterMusic SF and local partners, like Classical California and Rhythmix Cultural Works, that showcases InterMusic’s Affiliated artists. These musical offerings are designed to serve Bay Area communities by connecting listeners to local musicians. Programming highlights early music, jazz, classical, traditional, and everything in between, for an opportunity to hear Bay Area beloved artists in intimate musical settings. For information on upcoming performances, see below! Azezu: Music of the Americas $32/General; $44/Angel; $114/Group of 4 (prices include all fees) 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Saturday, December 6, 2025 Rhythmix Cultural Works 2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 BUY TICKETS A fresh take on American Jazz, blending Peruvian, Cuban + Venezuelan rhythms Combining Peruvian, Cuban and Venezuelan rhythms with contemporary American jazz, Azesu is a dynamic Bay Area ensemble featuring legendary timbalero Orestes Vilató (Fania All Stars, Santana), Omar Ledezma Jr, David Pinto, Jonathan Alford, Sheldon Brown and Maria Márquez. After a pandemic hiatus, the collective is reuniting to record Legacy, a new album honoring the ensembles’ musical heritage. As part of the Listen Local concert series, Azesu is presented in partnership with Rhythmix Cultural Works. Azesu’s newest album recording, Legacy (coming spring 2026), is made possible in part through the Musical Grant Program, administered by InterMusic SF, and supported by the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Azesu is: Orestes Vilató | percussion, vocals Omar Ledezma Jr. | percussion, vocals Jonathan Alford | piano David Pinto | bass Sheldon Brown | saxophone Freddie Miranda Jr. | Special Guest, percussion Zahra Rothschild |Special Guest, vocals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj4Ajs7n5BQ Artist Bios Cuban percussionist Orestes Vilató is considered to be one of the foremost timbaleros in the salsa genre and has worked with musical legends Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Cachao, the Fania All-Stars and Carlos Santana. He has been a strong musical presence in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene playing with several groups like the Machete Ensemble and Los Kimbos and has been an influential music mentor to many, owing to his deep musical knowledge and generous nature. Omar Ledezma Jr. has built a prolific career as a freelance musician spanning more than 70 recordings, hundreds of live performances each year, and ongoing collaborations with leading Bay Area institutions and bands. With three decades of experience, two Grammy nominations, and a powerful commitment to community and cultural preservation, Ledezma continues to inspire through teaching, performance, and now, production. Learn more at: omarledezmajr.com Jonathan Alford began...
What is listen local?
Listen Local is a concert series co-presented by InterMusic SF and local partners, like Classical California and Rhythmix Cultural Works, that showcases InterMusic’s Affiliated artists. These musical offerings are designed to serve Bay Area communities by connecting listeners to local musicians. Programming highlights early music, jazz, classical, traditional, and everything in between, for an opportunity to hear Bay Area beloved artists in intimate musical settings.
What is listen local?
Listen Local is a concert series co-presented by InterMusic SF and local partners, like Classical California and Rhythmix Cultural Works, that showcases InterMusic’s Affiliated artists. These musical offerings are designed to serve Bay Area communities by connecting listeners to local musicians. Programming highlights early music, jazz, classical, traditional, and everything in between, for an opportunity to hear Bay Area beloved artists in intimate musical settings.
For information on upcoming performances, see below!
Azezu: Music of the Americas
- $32/General; $44/Angel; $114/Group of 4 (prices include all fees)
- 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Saturday, December 6, 2025
- Rhythmix Cultural Works
- 2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda, CA 94501
A fresh take on American Jazz, blending Peruvian, Cuban + Venezuelan rhythms
Combining Peruvian, Cuban and Venezuelan rhythms with contemporary American jazz, Azesu is a dynamic Bay Area ensemble featuring legendary timbalero Orestes Vilató (Fania All Stars, Santana), Omar Ledezma Jr, David Pinto, Jonathan Alford, Sheldon Brown and Maria Márquez. After a pandemic hiatus, the collective is reuniting to record Legacy, a new album honoring the ensembles’ musical heritage.
As part of the Listen Local concert series, Azesu is presented in partnership with Rhythmix Cultural Works.
Azesu’s newest album recording, Legacy (coming spring 2026), is made possible in part through the Musical Grant Program, administered by InterMusic SF, and supported by the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Azesu is:
Orestes Vilató | percussion, vocals
Omar Ledezma Jr. | percussion, vocals
Jonathan Alford | piano
David Pinto | bass
Sheldon Brown | saxophone
Freddie Miranda Jr. | Special Guest, percussion
Zahra Rothschild |Special Guest, vocals
Artist Bios
Cuban percussionist Orestes Vilató is considered to be one of the foremost timbaleros in the salsa genre and has worked with musical legends Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Cachao, the Fania All-Stars and Carlos Santana. He has been a strong musical presence in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene playing with several groups like the Machete Ensemble and Los Kimbos and has been an influential music mentor to many, owing to his deep musical knowledge and generous nature.
Omar Ledezma Jr. has built a prolific career as a freelance musician spanning more than 70 recordings, hundreds of live performances each year, and ongoing collaborations with leading Bay Area institutions and bands. With three decades of experience, two Grammy nominations, and a powerful commitment to community and cultural preservation, Ledezma continues to inspire through teaching, performance, and now, production. Learn more at: omarledezmajr.com
Jonathan Alford began playing classical piano at 5, taught by a musical father. He started exploring the world of jazz and Latin music in his late 20s and has been a mainstay of the vibrant Bay Area music scene for over 30 years. Jonathan has played with many Latin legends including Orestes Vilato, Chocolate Armenteros, John Santos and Pete Escovedo. He has performed at the SF and San Jose Jazz festivals and many venues worldwide.
David Pinto is a Peruvian native best-known for his work as music director, arranger, and bassist for Grammy-winner Susana Baca, Diva of Afro-Peruvian song. He was member of Peru Jazz, a group highly praised for their innovation and fusion of Peruvian roots and jazz. He has performed at various international jazz and world music festivals, and in theaters, including The Kennedy Center, The Hollywood Bowl, and Royal Festival Hall (London).
about this listen local concert
In partnership with Rhytmix Cultural Works, Listen Local is a dedicated effort toward increasing access to world-class music. Many featured performers of Listen Local are members of InterMusic’s Fiscal Sponsorship Program roster or have received funding through Musical Grant Program. Programming highlights classical, jazz, world music, and the countless genres that come from intersecting traditions celebrated in the Bay Area region, providing local audiences an opportunity to hear world-class music in intimate musical settings. This concert is made possible through partnership with Rhythmix Cultural Works.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Past EVENTS
violinist Nancy Zhou
sunday, May 19, 2024
Experience one of today’s brilliant musical voices, violinist Nancy Zhou. Her thoughtful musicianship resonates with a global audience in such a way that brings her on stage with leading orchestras and chamber musicians around the world. Listen Local will showcase a solo violin recital by Zhou, with a dynamic collection of works that fall both in and outside the traditional canon of classical music by composers J.S. Bach, Eugène Ysaÿe, John Corigliano, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Fritz Kreisler.
AGAVE
sunday, march 17, 2024
Listen Local presents: Agave, the GRAMMY-nominated Bay Area ensemble that specializes in string-music of the seventeenth through twentieth centuries, performing as a string quartet featuring Katherine Kyme, Anna Washburn, Aaron Westman, and William Skeen. Their program will exclusively celebrate women composers with works by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, Dora Pejacevic, Claudia Rusca, Clara Schumann, Rosy Wertheim, Margaret Bonds, and Florence Price, inspired by their latest recording effort, AGAVE: In Her Hands.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Past EVENTS
violinist Nancy Zhou
sunday, May 19, 2024
Experience one of today’s brilliant musical voices, violinist Nancy Zhou. Her thoughtful musicianship resonates with a global audience in such a way that brings her on stage with leading orchestras and chamber musicians around the world. Listen Local will showcase a solo violin recital by Zhou, with a dynamic collection of works that fall both in and outside the traditional canon of classical music by composers J.S. Bach, Eugène Ysaÿe, John Corigliano, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Fritz Kreisler.
AGAVE
sunday, march 17, 2024
Listen Local presents: Agave, the GRAMMY-nominated Bay Area ensemble that specializes in string-music of the seventeenth through twentieth centuries, performing as a string quartet featuring Katherine Kyme, Anna Washburn, Aaron Westman, and William Skeen. Their program will exclusively celebrate women composers with works by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, Dora Pejacevic, Claudia Rusca, Clara Schumann, Rosy Wertheim, Margaret Bonds, and Florence Price, inspired by their latest recording effort, AGAVE: In Her Hands.
violinist Nancy Zhou
sunday, May 19, 2024
Experience one of today’s brilliant musical voices, violinist Nancy Zhou. Her thoughtful musicianship resonates with a global audience in such a way that brings her on stage with leading orchestras and chamber musicians around the world. Listen Local will showcase a solo violin recital by Zhou, with a dynamic collection of works that fall both in and outside the traditional canon of classical music by composers J.S. Bach, Eugène Ysaÿe, John Corigliano, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Fritz Kreisler.
