Magic Man, courtesy. There must be something artistically inspirational in the water of rural France. Lifelong friends Sam Vanderhoop Lee and Alex Caplow spent a summer working on farms in exchange for room and board. In their spare time, the guitarist/keyboardist (Lee) and vocalist (Caplow) worked on songwriting in…

Hugh Masekela, courtesy. Internationally acclaimed trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer Hugh Masekela never chose to be the musical voice of a defiant South Africa. Hugh Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela 8 p.m. March 11 Zellerbach Auditorium, UC Berkeley Tickets: $30-$72. “I was just a musician, making a living. And it was…

Hanni El Khatib, courtesy. I met up with Hanni El Khatib roughly an hour before the former Bay Area resident took the stage last week at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Our interview wound from his interests in music and the creation of his new album, Moonlight, to other…

Sam Smith with his trophies at the 2015 Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2015. I have some final quotes I gathered at Grammy interviews that didn’t fit into any of my stories, so I thought I’d share them here, along with a couple…

Cary Elwes in “The Princess Bride.” He may be most known for a single, legendary role in cult-favorite film The Princess Bride, but Cary Elwes is not just an actor. He’s now a best-selling author and more recently, a screenwriter. SF Sketchfest: “The Princess Bride” Quote-Along Party Screening with…

Brooke Fraser performs at the Independent in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2015. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. As I was preparing to interview Brooke Fraser in December, I discovered something I knew nothing about. She’s a member of Hillsong, a large Australian church that’s renowned worldwide in Christian circles for the…

Brooke Fraser, courtesy. After three albums of well-received folky acoustic guitar pop – which in her home country of New Zealand went multi-platinum – it seemed like Sony Music had made the right decision to sign Brooke Fraser to a multi-album deal as an 18-year-old straight out of high…

Smallpools, Courtesy: Dan Monick. Los Angeles synth-pop quartet Smallpools may have just formed last year and made a dent in music world in 2014, but singer Sean Scanlon is already planning ahead. Smallpools, Magic Man, Panama Wedding 8 p.m., Nov. 20; 9 p.m., Nov. 21 The Independent Tickets: $20.…

First Aid Kit, courtesy. Last week I interviewed sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg, better known as country folk duo First Aid Kit. I didn’t know much about the Swedish band until a few friends put them within my sights last spring. Their new album, Stay Gold, is terrific, and…

Kimbra performs at The Independent in San Francisco on Oct. 20, 2014. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. The first thing I noticed about Kimbra when we spoke a few weeks ago was how fast she talks; like a gatling gun. We chatted for 15 minutes, but she spoke as many words as…