Select Five

Just as sure as the full moon rises, the musical journey continues for The Long Road Society -- an independent label, studio, and artist collective formed in Oakland with the goal of bringing people together around music rooted in tradition and bound by a "cosmic, universal soul." In this episode, co-founder Lisa Pezzino tells us in five genre-spanning songs how a community of like-minded songwriters turned a small, full moon performance series in Oakland into a bona fide label and recording studio.

Photo by Kit Center

Hear Lisa's five selections in full, plus a healthy sampling of tracks from the Long Road Society's stable of eclectic artists: https://tinyurl.com/2553mdar

The yearlong pandemic shutdowns have taken a toll on us all, but after a prolonged hiatus Select Five is finally back! Unfortunately, live music is not (yet). How much longer do we have to wait before our favorite musicians can tour safely again? And what's a concert fanatic to do while stages remain dark? Join host Pam Torno and Bar Shiru co-owner Daniel Gahr as they wax nostalgic about five of their most beloved live music spaces in the Bay and the fascinating history behind each of them. Plus, find out what's up at Bar Shiru as they inch towards reopening sometime in the coming months.

Listen to our companion playlist of famous live performances recorded in the Bay Area: https://tinyurl.com/4mcs7d6y

Hyde Street Studios - the legendary San Francisco recording space where so many iconic albums were created - is struggling to stay alive in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Our fifth and final episode of Season 1 with guest selector Otis McDonald gives you all the reasons why it’s important to keep this crucial landmark in music history alive. Otis, aka Joe Bagale, is a multi-talented music maker whose personal recording space is Studio D, the same room where Herbie Hancock, the Pointer Sisters, Betty Davis, and so many other amazing artists made music. Hear Joe wax poetic about five of his favorite funky tunes recorded in the space he now calls his own.

Listen to Otis McDonald's latest album "People Music" on vinyl or online: https://www.otismacmusic.com/

Follow the Select Five playlist on Spotify or Pandora to hear the songs discussed in this episode: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59

https://pandora.app.link/fAy59i4Mo4

Follow Bar Shiru's Instagram @BarShiruOakland to see how you can support them during the COVID-19 closure.

From Chilean folk to Latin Hip-Hop to G-Funk, the "The North Pole" web series is chock full of amazing sounds from around the Bay. Locally sourced music is a big part of what makes this sharp political comedy about Oakland so ... Oakland. So we invited director Yvan Iturriaga for a deep conversation about five cuts from the series soundtrack (shout out to music supervisor Dion Decibels!) and why they matter to him. Plus, we've got two album recommendations from Bar Shiru's music director Daniel Gahr: one classic compilation from Luaka Bop, and the debut from an up-and-coming avant garde jazz musician from Seattle.

Watch “The North Pole” on YouTube:

https://tinyurl.com/y2ydlo4o

Follow the Select Five playlist on Spotify or Pandora to hear the songs discussed in this episode: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59

https://pandora.app.link/fAy59i4Mo4

This episode was recorded in pre-pandemic times. Follow Bar Shiru's Instagram @BarShiruOakland to see how you can support their staff during the COVID-19 lockdown.

What makes Miss Ollie's fried chicken so remarkable? Why is the callaloo so comforting? The secret ingredient may be music. Back in the day before COVID-19, Pam had a lovely in-person chat with Miss Ollie's chef and owner Sarah Kirnon about five songs she keeps in heavy rotation when she's cooking her Caribbean comfort food, and how her musical menu enhances the restaurant's ambience. We look forward to the day when Miss Ollie's welcomes customers in the dining room again. Until the shelter-in-place is lifted, you can still order takeout. Check Miss Ollie's Facebook page for hours and menu updates: https://tinyurl.com/uvq8tp9

Choosing your Top 5 favorite songs of all time is serious business, but Umber Magazine founder Mike Nicholls came here ready to make that declaration. In episode 2 of Select Five, Mike goes deep on his five beloved selections—from Marvin Gaye to Wham!—and talks about what inspired him to create Umber, a print-only publication made in Oakland dedicated to the perspectives of Black and Brown people. Plus, Bar Shiru’s musical director Daniel Gahr takes us from the Bay to the U.K. with his two exquisite record picks.

Find out more about Umber Magazine: https://www.umbermagazine.net

Follow the Select Five playlist on Spotify or Pandora to hear the songs discussed in this episode: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59

https://pandora.app.link/fAy59i4Mo4

Oakland native David Allen is an architectural engineer on a mission to bring a world class jazz history museum to the Town. David is the creative visionary of the proposed Museum of Jazz & Art, and recently his dream project received unanimous support from the Oakland City Council to be developed on a historic site near Lake Merritt. Hear David talk about his ambitions for the museum, his synesthetic way of approaching architectural design through musical language, and a classic selection of jazz songs he holds near and dear. Plus, Bar Shiru's musical director Daniel Gahr selects two recent releases from jazz label Impulse! Records that you need to hear.

Songs discussed in this episode:

"Hot House" - Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie

"If Only We Knew" - John Handy

"Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)" - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie

"Soul Sauce" - Cal Tjader

"Manteca" - Dizzy Gillespie

"Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet

"The Blessing Song" - Michael White

"Blood of the Past" - The Comet Is Coming

"Blue World" - John Coltrane

Check out the Museum of Jazz & Art website to stay updated on its progress. https://www.moja-us.org/

Follow the Select Five playlist to hear the songs discussed in this episode.

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59

Pandora: https://tinyurl.com/ttmk2kk

Oakland native David Allen is a professional architectural engineer on a mission to bring a world class jazz history museum to the Town. David is the creative visionary of the proposed Museum of Jazz & Art (MOja), and recently his dream project received unanimous support from the Oakland City Council to be developed on a historic site near Lake Merritt. Hear David talk about his ambitions for the museum, his synesthetic way of approaching architectural design through musical language, and a classic selection of jazz songs he holds near and dear.