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San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jazz, Electro-Punk And Historic Houses

A photo of a house from South Park's Old House Fair.
Christie Turner.
A photo of a house from South Park's Old House Fair.
San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jazz, Electro-Punk And Historic Houses
San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jazz, Electro-Punk And Historic Houses GUEST:Nina Garin, editor/producer, KPBS/Arts Calendar

>> This is KPBS Midday Edition I am Maureen Cavanaugh. Something old, something new, something borrowed something you probably see where I'm going with this, but we are not spending the entire weekend preview talking about the royal wedding. We've got something old, an old house there something blue, Z. And anyway here is KPBS arts calendar. Nina. >> The bluesy jazzy event we are talking about the San Diego ballet, bringing back its popular night of jazz and dance. Can you explain what this is? >> Yes, it's a night of jazz and dance. It's very popular, people really love this and is become one of San Diego ballet's signature events. Basically it's contemporary ballet set to live jazz music. >> This is not any jazz music. It -- it features renowned music right? >> So Charles McPherson who is a renowned saxophonist, has written original pieces in the past in this when he is added to one of his pieces. And then we have Kamal Kenyatta who is a professor but also a Grammy-winning pianist. Is also written a new piece specifically for this event this weekend. >> Lust was into one of Charles McPherson's earlier compositions for San Diego ballet this is sweet synergy sweet. [ music ] >> How does it come together with ballet? >> While it's not easy, as you can hear jazz is free form. And ballet is structured. But the choreographer, works a lot with different styles. So he has been able to get the dancers to loosen up, and be more free, and also the look of it is different. They're not wearing tutus and bonds. Their hair is down, and everything is more slowly and breaks. >> I understand McPherson's daughter is a member the San Diego ballet? >> Yes Camille McPherson is one of the dancers there. She's been dancing with her father on stage so it is going to be like a family affair. >> San Diego's night of jazz and dance happens tonight through Sunday at the lysine -- at the theater. >> There's an old house there happening. Remind us what that is. >> There are tours of historic homes in Southpark it's the 20th events are -- 20th anniversary event. >> Some people think Southpark is a new neighborhood but in reality a lot of it was built in the late 1800s right? there's a 1906 thing they put on their website to say live in Southpark. It's very been the cool place ever since then. >> Some of these old houses will be on the tour. You can go with a shuttle it stops every 15 minutes or you can just go on your own kind of wonder at your pace. Also, in between you can stop at the various businesses, and they will be renovation specialists in case you're interested, there's architects if you want to talk more about how the house was built. >> Since it Southpark, there's also a bicycle element? >> Of course is a bicycle element that will be an architect, leading a tour throughout the home. And you start that at the Rose wine bar at 11 and then at two. You can go round and here with the houses are like from an architect. >> The old house fair happens tomorrow throughout Southpark. And finally there's a band returning to San Diego what is that man? >> The band is MGM T. They started off as best really artsy Brooklyn band that was kind of like electric punk and they played in nightclubs. Now, they're playing in one of the most -- the biggest centers. >> This is called me and Michael. [ music ] >> What are their lives shows like? >> Because a lot of electronics, there's a lot of video, a lot of going on around them. This particular concert, is heavily focused on their new album. If you want to go I would make sure to listen to the new record. >> Okay MGM T performs tomorrow at the civic theater. Before we go, we have to mention the big international event of the weekend the rural wedding of Terry and Megan Markel. British themed pubs like the Shakespeare pub in Little Italy, will be offering a special 5 AM breakfast royal wedding event tomorrow morning for which all seats are already taken. For the rest of us will probably want to watch it at home. How can people watch it? >> The question is how can you not see it. Because every single station and network will be airing it. ABS, CBS, KB BS will be broadcasting live about 1 PM our time. BBC will air it and they will re-air it at 10 PM Saturday. >> There's been a bit of a local angle. Megan Markel's father lives in the area. Now he's officially not attending the royal wedding. He has some heart problems that he has to deal with. So who is going to walk Megan Markel down the aisle? >> Is actually going to be very special, and she will be walked by Prince Charles himself. Unfortunately yes her father cannot make it, and there has been a lot of drama surrounding that. It's kind of overtaken some of the spotlight on her. But yes now it's official Prince Charles will walk her down the aisle, and we will get the grand wedding that we are all hoping for. >> I been speaking with key PBS arts pallet -- arts calendar who probably will not be watching the world wedding. >> I will catch on the reruns.

This weekend brings jazz and ballet, some electro-punk and a tour of South Park's historic houses.

South Park Old House Fair

Architecture

If you’re a fan of vintage houses, South Park's Old House Fair celebrates the neighborhood's historic architecture.

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The South Park community was built in late 1800s and many of those old homes have been restored to their original beauty. This 20th annual event leads you through five featured neighborhood houses. You can go on a docent-led tour, or follow a map and go at your own pace.

Throughout the neighborhood, there will also be renovation workshops, chats with architects and a bicycle tour of the neighborhood.

Details: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Starting point is Rose Wine Bar, 2219 30th St., South Park. $30 to $48; find tickets to the Old House Fair.

A promotional photo for San Diego Ballet's Night of Jazz and Dance. Pictured is Camille McPherson, ballerina and daughter of jazz musician, Charles McPherson.
Courtesy of San Diego Ballet
A promotional photo for San Diego Ballet's Night of Jazz and Dance. Pictured is Camille McPherson, ballerina and daughter of jazz musician, Charles McPherson.

San Diego Ballet's A Night of Jazz and Dance

Music, Dance

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San Diego Ballet presents A Night of Jazz & Dance, featuring original music by jazz greats Charles McPherson and Kamau Kenyatta.

The jazz is played live on stage while ballet dancers perform contemporary choreography by Javier Velasco. Rather than traditional ballerinas in tutus and hair buns, the feel is more relaxed and flirty, inspired by the improvisation of jazz.

Saturday night's performance features the return of Chelsy Meiss Fain, who is now a soloist at the National Ballet of Canada.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, downtown. $35 to $50; find tickets to San Diego Ballet.

MGMT Video "Me and Michael"

MGMT

Music

Indie band MGMT combines psychedelic pop with electronica, resulting in beloved radio hits like "Electric Feel" and "Kids."

Formed in Brooklyn in 2002, the band got its start as a punk performance duo, but has evolved into a (sometimes) radio-friendly band that is set to perform at the San Diego Civic Theatre.

MGMT's latest album is "Little Dark Age," which veers further from the band's art-punk beginnings into a more polished sound, like the song "Me and Michael."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday. Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown. $41 to $47; find tickets to MGMT.

San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jazz, Electro-Punk And Historic Houses