Musical Notes in Sonoma County by Shekeyna Black •
Shekeyna@AMiracleProductionAMP.com
SONOMA COUNTY, CA. ~ Women’s History Month is celebrated annually in March; w hic h makes it a good time to honor longtime Sonoma County resi- dent and ac- complished musician, Sarah Baker for her con- tributions as both an edu- cator and an artist. Growing up near Memphis, Tennessee, she reminisces, “I cannot remem- ber a time when I didn’t sing.” She had her first piano lesson when she was in the first grade. She went on to learn to play other instruments in her forma- tive years, including the cornet, trumpet and French horn. She no longer plays Brass; howev- er, she explains that her under- standing of those instruments helps her to “use the knowledge for orchestration” in her work. She earned her doctorate from Union Institute & Univer- sity, blending the interdisciplin- ary studies of Language and Music, because as she explains, the two subjects are “closely
related and have much in com- mon.” Baker recently retired as professor from Sonoma State Universi- ty, where she taught courses for the Music, Women’s Studies and Eng- lish de- partments including lectures and classes on Women Compos- ers, Wom- en in Jazz,
Women in Blues and Black Women Composers. Baker currently focuses on teaching private music les- sons; including song writing and performance. She prefers to customize the lessons for her individual students. She notes that the one-on-one music ses- sions are “student guided” to showcase their talents. Her own repertoire of music includes the relevant and poignant song that she wrote called, Child of My Time. One of her albums enti- tled, Maybe Someday, features world-renowned harmonic- player and resident of Sonoma County, Charlie Musselwhite. Last
year she produced CD
called, Campfire Songs for Children and Families, which serves as fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Health. Asked about her greatest fe- male artist influences, Baker reflects, “so many to choose from…Nina Simone is my number one favorite, Aretha Franklin, all the Blues Women, Bessie Smith, Victoria Spivey, Ida Cox…because of who they are and how they were success- ful in an era when they had to handle challenging social con- ditions.” Baker has played with many musicians over the years and has been in several bands including, Red Hot Mamas and Blues Kitchen.
Visit her website at SarahBak-
erStudios.com and be sure c he c k out her perfor- mance at the Graven- stein A pp le F air
in Sebastopol on August 8th when she plays with the Sarah Baker Trio. Baker shares her words of wisdom, “Music is a therapy that is available to everyone! Are you dancing? Are you singing?”
Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant. ~Anthony Robbins
Secret in Sonoma Best Kept
Sonoma, CA ~ Love music and love to sing? Join the
fabulous Vintage Singers every Wednesday from 10:00 to 11:30 at the Vintage House Se- nior Center on 264 1st Street East, Sonoma, CA 95476. This is a friendly, fun, talented and spirited group!
Call (707) 996-0311 for more information.
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UPBEAT TIMES • March 2015 • 13
SONOMA COUNTY OPENS PARK ON SONOMA MOUNTAIN
SONOMA COUNTY, CA. ~ Bay Area Ridge Trail segment offers stunning views, through hiking to Jack London State Historic Park North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park & Open Space Preserve in now open to the public. The 820- acre park southeast of Santa Rosa features a 4-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail connection to Jack Lon- don State Historic Park. The trail climbs to nearly 2,000 feet on the north face of the mountain, lead- ing hikers across creeks and for- ests and offering stunning views of Sonoma County.
This addition to the Regional
Parks system provides the first public access to the north side of Sonoma Mountain, one of the county’s defining landforms. It includes the headwaters of two branches of Matanzas Creek, the only remaining coast redwood groves on the mountain’s north slope, large areas of continuous oak woodlands, and a vernal pool with a rare buttercup plant species. It also supports the Sonoma Valley wildlife corridor, providing habitat for mountain lions, bobcats, gold- en eagles, western pond turtles,
and other animals.
The site is comprised of six prop- erties, five of which were acquired by the voter-funded Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District over the past decade and transferred to Re- gional Parks last year by the Board of Supervisors. “We are thrilled that this day has arrived,” said Board Chairwoman Susan Go- rin, whose First District includes the park. “North Slope Mountain provides spectacular views and ac- cess to a rare and wonderful land- scape.”
Before the transfer, the District
and Regional Parks collaborated with the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council, the California Coastal Conservancy and California State Parks to build the Ridge Trail segment and a parking area. The segment standouts among county trails due to its quality design and through-hiking opportunities. When combined with Jack Lon- don’s existing and new trail seg- ments, Sonoma Mountain now has more than 8 miles of Bay Area Ridge Trail.
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John Van Dorp CMT # 19168
By appt only: $70/60 min (50% OFF fi rst session with this ad) ~ Creekside Medical Plaza ~ 95 Montgomery Dr. Suite 204 Santa Rosa ~ 707-536-1516 The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live. ~Flora Whittemore UPBEAT TIMES • March 2015 • 13
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