Encore: Vernaculars Plays Sonny Sharrock’s Ask the Ages

Karl Evangelista, guitar
David James, guitar
Francis Wong, sax
Chris Trinidad, bass
Jimmy Biala, drums

$25 cover charge (cash at the door please) / byob.
Students $10.

For a reservation, all the bookshop at 415-586-3733.

Fresh from an SRO performance at The Back Room in Berkeley this past weekend, Vernaculars convenes at Bird & Beckett for an encore performance of “Ask the Ages,” the final album by legendary free jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock. In a departure from other live versions of this recording, this evening will feature a twin-guitar frontline: local firebrands Karl Evangelista and David James. Bassist Chris Trinidad, drummer Jimmy Biala, and renowned saxophonist Francis Wong complete the quintet.

Vernaculars is a collective ensemble of Bay Area-based artists pushing the language of Filipino American music, Asian American jazz, and avant-garde concepts into the future. The group draws inspiration from the landmark Asian Improv aRts organization (AIR). AIR, confounded by Wong and pianist Jon Jang, blazed a trail for Asian Americans in the realms of creative music and contemporary art.

“Ask the Ages” is widely heralded as one of the most important albums in the free jazz canon. Comprised of Sharrock’s original compositions and boasting the monumental ensemble of Sharrock, Pharoah Sanders, Charnett Moffett, and Elvin Jones (with production from Bill Laswell), this album is one of the most influential and critically lauded modern guitar records.