23-year-old, San Jose–raised singer and rapper Ervin Wilson displays the self-confidence and conviction of someone much older. He sums up this purpose with the motto, “The Authentic Speaks,” which represents all facets of his life, from his music to his spiritual conviction, to the way he walks into a room.

With every show Derrick Sanderlin played with his band Sine Wave, he transformed tension into a story for justice.

For singer-songwriter Jess Sylvester, growing up in the Bay Area and discovering Mexico has allowed him to create music that brings together diverse and seemingly disparate influences that reflect on chicanx realities.

Brother-sister folk-rock duo known as Bird and Willow creates poignant, delicate melodies braced by lush orchestral soundscapes.

Album Picks 15.3 Curated by Needle to the Groove

Calpulli Tonalehqueh is an Aztec Dance Group based on the foundation of wisdom, harmony, and culture.

“The Changing Same [production] was a concept that literally came from a conversation me and Tommy had about music and society, the idea that ‘roots’ and urban music forms can [be] and often are the most progressive, quickly evolving, and influential genres,” shares Sake.

While other children played at house or hospital, Anjelah Johnson stacked books onto an imaginary desk, scattered papers everywhere, and fantasized that she was a stressed-out white-collar worker. “That was my dream growing up,” Anjelah reminisces.

Since first forming his thoughts around beats, Andrew Vicente has been relentlessly documenting his truth in song. The man known as Amplified shares his grassroots journey.

Born and raised in San Jose’s Alum Rock neighborhood, saxophonist Oscar Pangilinan began playing in jazz ensembles in middle school, and his passion for music continued as he pursued a degree in jazz studies at San Jose State.

Album Picks and review curated by Needle to the Groove

How a young rapper from North Carolina found his creative wonderland in San Jose.

Andersen portions his time among Greaseland, recording and producing for blues artists, and touring as the guitar player for the blues band Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, a band he has played with for several years. He bears the visual cues of a bluesy character: his blonde hair is slicked back; he wears a pair of brown-hued, tinted Ray-Bans; his voice rumbles agreeably, like the sound of a motor engine idling; and he carries an almost-Southern drawl when he talks.

It was the end of July 2019—just days after a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Monday morning ICE deportation raids in Chicago were dominating the news—and Teatro Visión was about to present Raíces, a theatrical piece focused on the boundless human journey of immigration.

Randall King is the kind of artistic director that most theater companies dream of having. With a focus on the importance of the midsize theater companies and an ability to work both backstage and front and center, King has transformed San Jose Stage Company into one of the finest theaters in the area

When you first hear “CVNT KALL ME BRO,” the sheer force of the two-minute onslaught feels like the sonic equivalent of running into a brick wall.

The theater is showcasing its first ever murder mystery performance and they’re starting with a bang. The Hollow is a play written by the Queen of Crime herself, Agatha Christie, and takes the audience on a trip to the sunny English countryside… but there’s a storm coming.

Comics Brian “BMo” Moore and Ruben Escobedo III decided to not only be comics in their own right, but to also take on hosting their own show, where five of the Bay Area’s best comedians compete against each other in a format that’s half improv, half standup, a dash of weirdness, and all laughs.

Cultivated from a love for classic rock and strengthened by music’s potent connectivity, Magick Blues Band’s debut is the realized vision of an idea conceived years back by its founding members.

For ten years I have heard booming thunder during springtime in downtown San Jose. It wakes me up and makes the windows hum. The sound motivates me to slip on some sandals and hustle down to Japantown. That thunder means San Jose Taiko, every bit as powerful and exciting as the first day I heard them.

People don’t know what race or age I am under the mask, under the guise of the character. The mask lets people develop their own interpretation of who Dru is. I like that people can have their own personal experience with the music.

At the age of 12, Marissa Martinez started writing fan fiction about her favorite show, Avatar: The Last Airbender (still her favorite show to this day). Greatly invested in the storytelling and character development, especially those of her favorite characters, Toph and Katara, she joined an online community that gave her a platform to share fan fiction for books she was reading as well.

A San Jose native, Ray Furuta has devoted his career to the flute. As a prodigious high school student, he was invited to take private lessons with renowned flutist Carol Wincenc and continued to study under her private instruction through college.

How does a professional dancer survive a global pandemic?

Juan Miguel Saucedo’s work as Miguel Kultura may have been birthed out of a time of crisis, but he’s since used his creative message to inspire cultural pride and compassion...

When Chike Nwoffiah arrived in the Bay Area from Nigeria to pursue a career in biotech, he was shocked to see the way Africa was portrayed. Home to over one billion people, it’s a vibrant land full of both modern cities and rural villages, yet few are exposed to the rich diversity and vitality of the continent and its people.

Joey “Jam” Flores pays tribute to War and to his uncles, Sonny and Rudy Madrid, who paved his way in the culture of music.

A renovated theater is easy to miss on the outside, but 3Below promises multifaceted entertainment for those who come in search of adventure.

Beneath the light-hearted narrative frame, there lies the distinct punk-rock ethos of urging viewers to “do it yourself,” despite what supposed gatekeepers may say. The storyline mirrors the way BAMN’s core unit of creative partners feel about their own road to success. Self-described underdogs of the scene, BAMN strives to share compelling stories that inspire community pride. That inspirational, and at times political, message stretches across several forms of media.

A love for underground bass music culture has guided Aaron Schwartz’s journey as both a DJ and producer. With a record deal newly inked, he’s set to continue sharing his heavy grooves and whirlwind rhythms.

If you want to visit a real-life Moe’s Tavern, visit the Caravan Lounge, San Jose’s grand dive bar. You won’t see Homer Simpson or Barney, but Jägermeister is on tap and on Wednesday nights you’ll meet Ato Walker, who hosts its weekly comedy show.

Hailing from Monterey and San Jose, Rachel and the Soul Service deliver sparkling musical freshness—a groovy yet unprocessed blend of soul and R&B. The group’s tight chemistry is the clearest quality of their performance, resulting in a unity of sounds that comes across as fun, entertaining, and constantly innovating.

Some storytellers steadfastly hold that plot should sweep a narrative’s characters along on a journey. Others adamantly advocate that characters’ reactions to their surroundings and circumstances should drive the plot. It’s a heated debate among fiction aficionados. Sean McCarthy, founder of video production company Guerilla Wanderers, seasoned director, writer, producer, visual effects supervisor, and actor, lands in the character-driven camp.

Knowmadic is a rare example of the San Jose artist who has found legitimate financial success through music. “The first real royalties check that I got that let me know I could quit my shitty day job and do what I love for a living.” He also pointed out that he found his unique sound four or five years into his career, and that is where he marks the beginning of both his artistic and monetary success.

With the vision of empowering artists through greater exposure in the marketplace, April Gee's Petite Galleria offers carefully curated, individual, handcrafted art. April seeks people whose art embodies that passionate maker spirit, so it is unsurprising that her work at Petite Galleria empowers April to pursue her own passion: making music as Containher.

Joe Kaplow Keeps the Folk Tradition Alive in Santa Cruz County...

Local indie rocker Natasha Sandworms is learning to write from a place of happiness.

With years on the scene and a wealth of connections, DJ ThatGirl is now harnessing her network to empower female DJs through recently launched DIME Talent Group.

Crooner Thiccricc offers honest music from his bedroom to yours.

The Life of a Modern-Day Opera Singer

Henry Stein, a.k.a. Mild Monk, can cover a lot of ground. Lately, he enthuses about Japanese city pop, works of Haruki Murakami, Ella Fitzgerald, Tennis (the band), Studio Ghibli movies, and the composition of skate videos. “I want to be like a YouTube suggestion box,” Stein jokes. He wears his eclectic tastes on his sleeve, and all his projects seem methodically arranged and curated—from his album art to the videos he edits for his songs.

As a stylist and vocalist, Kia Fay utilizes her disparate creative outlets for the same unified purpose: helping others celebrate their authentic selves...

Raised in San Jose’s Evergreen neighborhood, Lewis attended Expression College in Emeryville, where he studied audio engineering. His remixes have flipped songs by artists as disparate as jazz pianist Robert Glasper and Bay Area rapper K. Flay, and he’s collaborated with a number of producers who have been key players in electronic music’s new vanguard, including Sweater Beats, KRNE, and Sango, a heavyweight in the buzzing crew Soulection.

John Beaver has three passions: animals, music, and life itself. As a zookeeper at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, Beaver educates the community about…

In 2012 the group began to explore their sound, performing extended re-interpretations of hip, melodically rich tunes like James Blake’s “The Wilhelm Scream” or Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games.” Now their shows involve the three diving into the great creative unknown: completely improvising every number they play. The approach isn’t without precedent—jazz pianist Keith Jarrett has made a career of touring concert halls to improvise an entire evening of music—but it is unique to the San Jose scene.

Demone Carter is an emcee with an encyclopedic understanding of hip-hop’s history and cultural influence. His lyrics are punchy, candid bits of verse that…

Ren Geisick isn’t a typical jazz singer. Equally influenced by Bob Dylan and Nina Simone, her music flows seamlessly, from the soulful delivery of…

Chris Reed radiates positivity, and like his music, it’s infectious. He offers up an emotional integrity as he engages listeners with lyrical themes ranging…

What if we had a culture of support, rather than a culture of competition? I believe in creating alliances in the music and artistic…

Two movie buffs turned their love of short films into the internationally known San Jose Short Film Festival. We want our films to speak…

Written by Jon Havens Jon Havens plays guitar and occasionally sings for Hurricane Roses. We asked the former Content Magazine contributor to give us…