NOTE: Names of advance ticket buyers will be on a list at the door for check-in!

The band known as SonoMusette, celebrating its tenth year as a musical force in Northern California, returns to PCA after a brief hiatus with its traditional mix of string bass, drums, accordion, and piano, featuring the inimitable leading presence of vocalist Mimi Pirard, who continues to transport audiences back to the Paris of the mid-1900’s with her presentation of timeless French classics from Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and others. Her interpretations of these songs provide a freshness and excitement that is contemporary, yet faithful to the spirit and tradition of the original renditions.
     SonoMusette transports audiences to the heart of mid-20th century Paris, capturing the romance, drama, and melancholic beauty of the city’s golden age of music. With a repertoire dedicated to the timeless works of Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and their contemporaries, this exceptional group revives the intimate atmosphere of a Montmartre cabaret. At the center of it all is enchanting Parisian singer Mimi Pirard, whose voice is a conduit to a bygone era. She is accompanied by a superb four-piece band, whose masterful performance on the accordion, piano, bass, and drums creates the signature, emotionally rich sound of classic chanson réaliste. The quintessential sound of the accordion, in particular, evokes the melancholic, nostalgic air of the streets of Paris.
     SonoMusette doesn’t just play the songs; they tell the stories within them. Experience the raw, autobiographical emotion of Edith Piaf’s torch ballads, from the defiant "Non, je ne regrette rien" to the iconic anthem of hope, "La Vie en rose.” This is more than a concert, it’s a voyage back in time to the cabarets and jazz clubs of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where stories of love, loss, and life were sung with passion. With SonoMusette, every performance is an invitation to feel the pulse of Parisian life and to fall in love with these unforgettable songs all over again.

ARTIST BIOS:

     Mimi Pirard • vocalist
     Parisian singer Mimi Pirard has a passion for reviving songs from times gone by as sung by Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and their contemporaries. At age thirteen, Mimi began her singing career in Saint Germain en Laye as a member of Atelier Chanson, a Paris music association, learning to harmonize melodies and take leading roles performing traditional and contemporary French songs. At age seventeen, Mimi moved to California, where she and her brother Gabe began performing regularly at local venues. Mimi and Gabe formed the band, Dgiin, which earned The North Bay Music Awards “Best World Music Band” for its unique, high energy mix of gypsy and flamenco, with a touch of funk. Their repertoire included songs in French, Spanish, and English. Today Mimi sings with the band SonoMusette, where she explores and exudes her favorite musical styles and songs. Her interpretations of these timeless French classics provide a freshness and excitement that is contemporary, yet faithful to the spirit and tradition of the original renditions.
     Robert Lunceford • accordion     
     Robert was born on Bastille Day in Maywood, California, located on the west bank of the Los Angeles River. He began playing the accordion at age seven while growing up in the Los Angeles suburb of Huntington Park. Robert’s musical interests have strongly focused on European and traditional music. He has played with numerous traditional Celtic music groups including the Los Angeles-based band Reel to Reel, and Sonoma County’s Atlantic Shore. In 2009, Robert formed the French music trio Un Deux Trois, for which he composes and arranges much of the music. Serving as musical director for Cinnabar Theater’s 2014 production of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, as well as the 2015 production of Edith Piaf: Beneath Paris Skies, Robert was nominated for “Best Musical Direction” by The Bay Area Theater Critics Circle. Robert co-founded SonoMusette with singer Mimi Pirard, debuting the group in February 2016.
     Jan Martinelli • piano and upright bass
     A native San Franciscan, Jan has toured and performed with numerous bands and artists at major festivals and performance halls throughout the country. Known for her stylistic range from Latin, jazz, and funk to blues and folk, her soulful approach to the bass can be heard on more than 30 albums. Jan appeared on the cover of Southwest Airline’s inflight magazine Spirit, in an article “Women & Jazz” and has played major jazz festivals such as Aspen, Barbados, Monterey, San Francisco, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Jan played bass in Cinnabar Theater’s productions Edith Piaf: Under Paris Skies and Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Along with SonoMusette, Jan currently performs with French music trio, Un Deux Trois, and has been touring nationally with Holly Near since 2012.
     Kendrick Freeman • drums
     Kendrick has a background in both drum set and hand drums, having studied with American drumset artists and musicians from Ghana, Congo and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on the traditional music of Haiti. His flexibility has allowed him to work in various settings: with singer/songwriters, jazz and new acoustic musicians, as well as in the dance world. Kendrick has been a member of Ricardo Peixoto’s quintet for the last six years and works in Ruben Valtierra’s Latin trio. Kendrick  has toured with Joe Craven, Alison Brown, David Jacobs-Strain and Rob Ickes, among others, and has worked with Haitian dance companies Group Petit La Croix, led by Blanche Brown, and Portsha Jefferson’s Oakland-based Rara Tou Limen. Kendrick received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for study with drumset artist George Marsh and support from the Alliance For California Traditional Arts as part of his 11-year apprenticeship with Haitian master drummer Daniel Brevil. Kendrick is on staff at Sonoma State University in the jazz department.