Steven Short

Wouldn’t it be great to hear blues legend Billie Holiday on stage? While that’s not possible anymore, but you can experience a pretty good version of that sound in Kally Price, from Oakland.

The Family Crest is a San Francisco group considers itself “an orchestral indie collective” rather than a band. They’re primarily a six-piece group, but over 250 ‘Extended Family Members’ have participated in their recordings, live performances, and other media and art projects -- so you’re never sure how many people you’ll see on stage.

Whenever people gather, ideas seem to flow more freely when they take place around a table that includes some “refreshments.” This was part of the idea behind a tea party, or a salon, where a witty host brought together friends for art appreciation and clever conversation.

Today we are featuring the San Francisco techno-acoustic performer known as Tycho. 

He doesn’t just twiddle knobs on a computer keyboard at his shows. Real guitars and drums are also part of the sound. And aside from music, Tycho – whose real name is Scott Hansen – is also a graphic designer. He creates abstract patterns and designs to accompany his ambient songs, which he calls “artifacts from the future.”

New methods of music delivery seem to appear about every month. Once the new one is in place, the old one is quickly forgotten. This was as true in the pre-electronic days as it is now, which is part of the reason the Society of California Pioneers in San Francisco is showcasing the nearly forgotten but all-time champion in home music delivery: sheet music.

Today whole rooms are devoted to home entertainment, but in this earlier time, “the high point of entertainment would be gathering around the parlor piano and singing,” says exhibit curator James M. Keller.