The newspaper serving the senior adult community of Rossmoor. For more information, go to the Web site at www.rossmoor.com


Dixieland Jazz Club sets April program with Natural Gas Jazz Band

By Ruth Gardner Club correspondent

The San Francisco based Natural Gas Jazz Band will perform their dynamic sounds for the Dixieland Jazz Club on Wednesday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sierra Room at Del Valle Clubhouse.

Listeners as well as dancers will enjoy this most accomplished and widely noted band.

The Natural Gas Jazz Band has been delighting audiences since 1970. It is strongly imprinted with the influences of its late San Francisco friends, jazz legends Lu Watters and Turk Murphy.

Its book is also rich with the music of Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke, Fats Waller and others. The listener can expect to hear stomps, blues, rags, marches, spirituals, and dances of all moods and tempos.

The Natural Gas Jazz Band members have become internationally known ambassadors of jazz. Their travels have taken them from coast to coast and border to border in the U.S. In addition to cruise ship gigs in Mexican and Caribbean waters, the band has played in Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Scotland, England, Holland, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia to name a few places.

They were the first American jazz band to play in Siberia in 1989. France and Germany with its Oktoberfest in Munich joined the list in 1997.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival was the international highlight of a 1998 tour of Ireland. In April 2002, they were featured at Germany's prestigious Dresden International Dixieland Festival.

Their 2005 tour included performances in Switzerland, Italy and the Ancona Classic Jazz Festival. At home, jazz festival appearances include repeated visits to most of the country's major events.

All Rossmoorians are invited to this performance. Soft drinks, mixers and snacks will be served. Bring other beverages, if desired.

There will be door prizes to be won during intermission.

Admission is $5 for members and $8 for nonmembers. Annual membership is $10 per person. Send checks, payable to Dixieland Jazz Club, to Secretary Jean McConnell, 1929 Lakeshire Drive.

April Special Events sponsored by Recreation

The following are the April Special Events sponsored by the Rossmoor Recreation Department. For more information on any of these events during the month, check the Special Events listing on the calendar page each week, look for the article in the Arts and Leisure section of the News, or call the Recreation Department at 988-7732. Events are free unless otherwise noted. This information is posted throughout the month of April on the Rossmoor News Web site at www.rossmoornews.com

Acalanes High orchestra performs at Fun Day

The Acalanes High School Orchestra will perform at Fun Day on Thursday, April 13, at noon in the Sierra Room at the Del Valle Clubhouse.

Al Geto presents dramatic reading

Al Geto will present his popular dramatic reading program about Irwin Shaw on Tuesday, April 18, at 1:30 p.m. in Peacock Hall at Gateway.

Ashmolean Singers to present spring concert in Fireside Room

The first annual spring concert of the Ashmolean Singers is scheduled for Sunday, April 30, at 3 p.m. in the Fireside Room of Gateway Clubhouse.

Ballroom dance features Manny Guiterrez band

Rossmoor Ballroom Dance Club members will be entertained by the Manny Guiterrez band at the monthly dance on Saturday, April 15, at 7 p.m.

Bonnie Weiss to perform “The Poets of Broadway”

Popular presenter Bonnie Weiss will present her program, “The Poets of Broadway,” on Monday, April 17, at 11 a.m. at Peacock Hall at Gateway. The program this week will cover the career of Sheldon Harnick.

Cabaret singer Wesla Whitfield to perform at Regional Center

Wesla Whitfield will sing her repertoire from the Great American Songbook, featuring selections from her latest recordings, “Livin'on Love,” for one show only on Sunday, April 23, at 2:30 p.m. at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. She will be accompanied by the Mike Greensill Duo.

Community chorus presents spring concert

The Rossmoor Community Chorus will present its spring concert on mother's Day, May 14, at 3 p.m. in the Fireside Room at Gateway.

Contra Costa Wind Symphony program commemorates S.F. earthquake centennial

In a concert on the same date as the great earthquake and fire in San Francisco 100 years ago, Tuesday, April 18, the Contra Costa Wind Symphony celebrates its 25th season with the premiere of a composition it commissioned to commemorate the centennial of the disaster.

Dixieland Jazz Club sets April program with Natural Gas Jazz Band

The San Francisco based Natural Gas Jazz Band will perform their dynamic sounds for the Dixieland Jazz Club on Wednesday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sierra Room at Del Valle Clubhouse.

Father Mark presents a cabaret show at Hillside

Father Mark will present a cabaret show in the Diablo Room at Gateway on Sunday, April 23, at 5 p.m., sponsored by St. Anne's Society.

Foreign Film Fans Club to see “Tango”

The Foreign Film Fans Club will see “Tango” on Monday, April 17, at 4 p.m. at Peacock Hall at Gateway.

Free recital presented Saturday at Gateway

A free recital of classical, art song, opera and musical theater will be presented on Saturday, April 15, at 3 p.m. in the Fireside Room at the Gateway Clubhouse.

Learn to draw the human figure with Norman Weiner

Norman Weiner, a Rossmoor art instructor, will introduce a six-week figure drawing class. Participants will learn how to draw the graceful forms of nude and draped models.

“Memoirs of a Geisha” shows Thursday, Friday

The 2005 drama, “Memoirs of a Geisha” starring Ziyi Zhang and Ken Watanabe, will be shown in Peacock Hall at Gateway on Thursday, April 13, at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. and again on Friday, April 14, at 10, 1, 4 and 7 p.m.

Norman Weiner will teach quick sketching

Rossmoor resident Norman Weiner will conduct a six-week sketching class beginning on Wednesday, May 3, and ending on June 14. There is no class on May 10. Classes are 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Studio I at Gateway.

Oakland children's chorus to sing at Gateway

The All Star singers, an auditioned group of middle school students from 10 Oakland schools, will present a concert on Friday, April 21, at 4 p.m. in the Fireside Room at Gateway.

Pianomania features six classical pianists

The Pro Art Symphony will present Pianomania, an evening of dazzling classical piano music played by Bay Area professional pianists, on Saturday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church.

Role Players Ensemble Theatre presents “Gun Shy”

What do you do when your divorce isn't working?

Rossmoor Hour features Community Club programs

Each week on Channel 28's Rossmoor Hour, programs produced by Rossmoor's Video Club are featured. The programs for the week are seen daily from 4 to 5 p.m. and repeated on Monday at 9 p.m., giving viewers many opportunities to see each show.

Single men and women invited to Fourth Sunday Dance

The Fourth Sunday Dance Club will hold its next dance at Del Valle Clubhouse from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 23.

Theatre Review: “Beauty and the Beast” and “Live From Lafayette Radio” and “Joseph”

Music and nostalgia at local theater

“The Constant Gardener” is Saturday movie

The 2005 drama, “The Constant Gardener” starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, will be shown again by popular demand in Peacock Hall at Gateway on Saturday, April 15, at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. The showing at 1 p.m. will feature language captions.

Town Hall Theatre presents “Live From Lafayette Old-Time Radio Series”

The Lafayette Town Hall Theatre Company presents “Live from Lafayette Old Time Radio Series” through June 19.

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