Walker Brents III weaves a fascinating web of insight, association, speculation and delight the last Sunday of every month, following his muse where it takes him on topics divers — from epic literature to mythological tales to the enigmas of poetry and the profundities of philosophy and religion. This afternoon, Walker takes a personal and historical tour through the nine muses, daughters of memory in the primodial domains of beauty and truth… contextualized within the musical echoings of doctor, guitarrero and long-time friend Chris Nauman.

Kim Shuck presents poems from her new collection, Clouds Running In, (Taurean Horn Press, 2014). Kim Shuck is a poet, weaver, educator doer of piles of laundry, planter of seeds, traveler and child wrangler. She was born in her mother’s hometown of San Francisco, one hill away from where she now lives. Her ancestors were and are Tsalagi, Sauk and Fox and Polish, for the most part. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in weaving in 1998 from San Francisco State University. As a poet Kim has read her work around the US and elsewhere. In late 2005 she toured through Jordan with a group of poets from all over the globe in the interest of peace and communication. Shuck reads her work on local radio frequently. Kim’s visual art has been included in shows both locally and abroad such as a textile show at the National Museum…

The mighty North Beach Brass Band takes over the venerable Bird & Beckett Books shop in Glen Park on Saturday January 30th. San Francisco’s talented North Beach Brass Band is at once a traditional brass band playing early jazz and golden standards, and an electrified funky jazz act playing classic blues, Motown and soul tunes. Band leader Ed Ivey, wielding his sousaphone like it’s weightless, takes this unit through classic grooves in the New Orleans tradition and forays deep into the bebop and funk realms. North Beach Brass Band covers almost every American genre, from Louis Armstrong’s favorites to danceable covers of Seventies hits from legends like Aretha Franklin, Jimmy Reed, Buddy Guy, War, Hugh Masekela, The Meters, Jobim, and Miles Davis Ed Ivey, tuba and bass Dave Bullers, sax Daniel Herrera, trumpet Blake Ritterman, trap set Byron Rynes, guitar

Parents, teachers and anyone who works or plays with young children will find much of value in Sydney Clemens’ new work, which springs from Reggio Emilia pedagogical principles and insights. For decades, Sydney, who has been a Glen Park resident for more than half her life, has written about young children and has given talks internationally. She is particularly known for her respectful attitude toward young children. Sydney’s new book, Seeing Young Children with New Eyes: What We’ve Learned from Reggio Emilia About Children and Ourselves, co-written with Leslie Gleim, is available at Bird & Beckett.

Take singer-songwriter-guitarist Todd Novak from the Cowlicks, drummer Martyn Jones from the Mermen (who also drums for the Cowlicks) and Cowlicks bassist Johnnie Hamilton, add ScottTheakston (who’s played with George Clinton) playing some killer surf green guitar, then set them loose for 90 minutes with a rip roaring repertoire of surf n’ turf, ska, rockabilly and movie music, and yeehaw! you’ve got the Benny Hillbilleez playing the latest installment of our Surf-a-billy Swing Time Dance Party… now happening every second Sunday of the month!  

Forum is the student-run literary journal put out twice a year by students at City College of San Francisco.  Join us for a party and reading to celebrate the launch of the spring 2015 issue, which features the work of dozens of fiction writers, essayists, poets and visual artists. Dedicated to providing a platform for the contemporary, urban voices of CCSF, Forum collects, edits and publishes quality works of literature and the visual arts as produced by the CCSF family. Publication is open to any who have ever been involved with the school, whether as student, educator or employee.  Many fine creative artists have been associated with CCSF through the years, and many have had work in Forum since its founding in 1937.  Here’s to a long, long run for a fine publication and a crucial institution!

Come out this first Tuesday, February 3rd 7–9pm for the grand opening of Gallery Ex Libris (tucked inside Bird & Beckett), exhibiting recent lithographic monoprints by local artist Robbie Sugg! galleryexlibris.com