NEWS & EVENTS

Renegade Queens featuring Calle Ocho

Group of eight people standing outdoors on a paved path, holding musical instruments, with greenery in the background.

Friday, March 20, 2026 7:30 PM
The Jazzschool
2087 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704

Behind the scenes of a new documentary film about Bay Area Women in Latin Jazz

7:30pm – Demonstration and panel discussion moderated by filmmaker Rita Hargrave, with musicians Christelle Durandy, Nzingah Smith and Rebecca Rodriguez, and KCSM program manager Jesse Chuy Varela

8:30pm – Concert and dancing with charanga ensemble Calle Ocho

Renegade Queens, a documentary film-in-progress by Rita Hargrave and companion to a double-disc CD anthology produced by Wayne Wallace, celebrates the women who shaped the Bay Area’s Afro-Latin music community. The film shines a spotlight on the female musicians who muscled their way into this scene through talent, commitment, imagination, and moxie. This special presentation begins with a presentation of archival photos and footage with a panel discussion, and concludes with a performance by the Berkeley charanga ensemble Calle Ocho, specializing in Cuban son, danzón, bolero, and Afro Latin jazz.

Annette Oropeza, lead vocals & percussion
Chris Cooper, violin
Ahni Robinson, flute
Kit Robinson, tres guitar & backup vocals
Suzanne Schrift, bass
Rita Hargrave, timbales & backup vocals
Manuel Mejia, bongo & bell
Salvador Vega, congas
Charmaine Giel, lead vocals, backup vocals & percussion

Featured

Salsa de la Bahia Vol. 3, Renegade Queens, delves into the largely untold story of the pioneering women of Latin jazz in the San Francisco Bay Area

With the first two volumes of Salsa de la Bahia, arranger and trombone maestro Wayne Wallace and filmmaker Rita Hargrave have provided a detailed history of the San Francisco Bay Area’s vibrant and often-overlooked Latin jazz scene.

Renegade Queens: The Documentary - LatinJazzNet

Renegade Queens is more than just a project—it’s a movement. This groundbreaking documentary, alongside the double-disc anthology Salsa De La Bahía Vol. 3: Renegade Queens, shines a long-overdue spotlight on the fearless women of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Afro-Latin music scene.

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“We Were Born to Drum” – the powerful new single from Salsa de la Bahía Vol. III: Renegade Queens is OUT NOW on Patois Records! Experience the rhythm and soul of the Bay Area’s legendary women in Latin music.