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Emi Makabe
New York-based Japanese composer, vocalist, shamisen player, pianist and educator Emi Makabe swings by Palo Alto for a show presented by Earthwise Productions. Makabe’s clear, ethereal vocals soar through a unique style of jazz that draws on elements of Japanese folk music and improv, while the shamisen, a traditional Japanese stringed-instrument, brings a quality that can be dreamy and melancholic at turns. She is joined by Thomas Morgan, bass; Kenny Wollesen, drums, and Vitor Gonçalves, piano. Earthwise Productions also presents the La Boeuf Jazz Group in a June 7 show at the Palo Alto Art Center.
June 6, 8 p.m., at Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto; $20; eventbrite.com.
Outside the Bachs
Bay Choral Guild wraps up its 2025-26 season with a pair of concerts that, as the name suggests, think “Outside the Bachs.” The performances, which take place in Campbell and Palo Alto, offer a world tour of choral music, looking beyond traditional Western European repertoire. Music director Sanford Dole leads the 40-voice choir in performing works from five continents in a program that follows a roughly geographical order around the world, from Eastern Europe to Asia in the Northern Hemisphere, then on to Australia, Africa and South America in the Southern Hemisphere. The concerts feature largely 21st- and 20th-century compositions, according to Dole’s program notes. Listeners can learn more about the music at pre-show talks held half an hour before each concert.
June 6, 7:30 p.m., at Campbell United Methodist Church, 1675 Winchester Blvd., Campbell, and June 7, 4:30 p.m., at First Congregational Church, 1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto. $26.65-$31.87; baychoralguild.org.
Jazz on the Hill
The College of San Mateo gives the season of al fresco concerts an impressive start with Jazz on the Hill. This free festival marks its 20th anniversary with a full day of live music. The lineup includes a quartet led by Peninsula-raised reeds player Nathan Tokunaga; vocal and guitar duo Tuck & Patti; Roger Glenn Latin Jazz Ensemble with special guest Ray Obiedo; Miles Davis all-star tribute band Miles Smiles with Essiet Essiet, David Sanchez, Edward Simon, Eddie Henderson and Akira Tana; and saxophonist, singer-songwriter Vanessa Collier. Audiences can also catch the next generation of musical talents with the youth stage, featuring performances by Oaktown Workshop, Stanford Jazz Combo, SF Jazz High School Allstars and San Jose Jazz High School Allstars. There will also be community booths, local craft and artisan vendors and food trucks. The performances will also be simulcast on KCSM.
June 6, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m., at College of San Mateo, 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd., San Mateo; free admission and parking; collegeofsanmateo.edu/jazzonthehill.
Foothill Symphonic Winds
The Peninsula orchestra marks two milestones with its “Celebration” concert, hailing the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary and honoring music director David Bruce Adams, who is retiring after 35 years at the group’s helm. The program, which features music by American composers, includes familiar pieces such as “America the Beautiful” by Samuel Augustus Ward and “The Cowboys” by John WIliams, in addition to newer compositions, such as 2007’s “American Hymnsong Suite” by Dwayne S. Milburn, the 2009 piece “Kindred Spirits by Brian Balmage and Kevin Day’s 2017 composition “A Hymn for Peace.”
June 7, 3:30 p.m., at Cubberley Theatre, 4120 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; $20 adults/$10 students and seniors; FSWinds.org.
Goochapalooza films
Get ready for a “fabulously daft” evening of film, when filmmaker Martin Gooch shares a collection of his short-form work (view a trailer for it here). The British-born director, who recently relocated to the local area, draws on elements of comedy, dark humor, sci fi and surrealism in his original films — two of which will have their world premieres at the Goochapalooza event: the dystopian comedy “Kafka’s Appraisal” and “Children of Time,” a “Doctor Who” fan film. In addition, the evening features shorts from throughout Gooch’s career featuring stars such as Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”) and Russell Tovey (“Being Human”). Gooch’s diverse résumé also includes the BAFTA-winning “Spooks Interactive” game and music videos for punk legends The Damned. According to an event description, Goochapalooza-goers can take to the red carpet and help the director celebrate the launch of his U.S.-based production company, Gothic Manor America.
June 9, 6 p.m., at Alama Drafthouse Cinema, The Village at San Antonio Center, 2575 California St., Mountain View; $15; .eventbrite.com.
‘Poppy Montgomery Gets Even’
Peninsula author Gordon Jack comes to Linden Tree Books to launch his new book about how 80-year-old Poppy Montgomery, after a lifetime of crankiness, finds herself possibly about to turn over a new leaf. The catalyst for her transformation is pretty unexpected, with Poppy setting out for revenge after a friend gets scammed on a seniors’ dating site. But Poppy’s payback scheme seems to roil the scammers because someone begins murdering fellow residents at her retirement home and Poppy must gather all her friends and family to fight back. Jack, who is also Los Altos High’s librarian, will be on hand at Linden Tree to discuss the book. He has previously written two young adult novels, “The Boomerang Effect” and “Your Own Worst Enemy.”
June 9, 6 p.m., at Linden Tree Books, 265 State St., Los Altos; lindentreebooks.com.
BERTHA: Grateful Drag
There’s many a Grateful Dead tribute band out in the world, each bringing their own spin to the favorite tunes of the legendary group. But how many of them are performing “Truckin'” in full drag? BERTHA: Grateful Drag may have a more glam aesthetic than the T-shirts, jeans and flannels of the group they’re covering, but this group of queer and allied artists from Nashville also have the musical bonafides. And they have a truly wild origin story involving Area 51, Jerry’s middle finger, a cloning accident and, uh oh, Woodstock’s infamous “Brown Acid” that all led to the creation of these “musical mutants” and that absolutely probably mostly somewhat could be true.
June 11, 8 p.m., at The Guild Theatre, 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park; $59-$82; guildtheatre.com.
