Select Five

Jordan Kurland is a partner in Noise Pop Industries and the co-founder and partner of Brilliant Corners Artist Management. As a band manager, Jordan works with the likes of Death Cab For Cutie, The Postal Service, Toro y Moi, The New Pornographers, Perfume Genius, and Soccer Mommy. So he's played a huge role in ushering in some of the biggest indie rock acts of the day, but he's also an obsessive jazz fan and record collector. In this episode, Jordan selects five heady, funky, and esoteric jazz recordings that speak to his deep knowledge and the expansiveness of his collection. And along the way, we'll learn about the nuts and bolts of being a band manager to the stars, the educated guesswork of new artist development, and the joys and challenges of record collecting in the digital age. (Photo by Andrew Paynter) Jordan's Selections: "Summertime" - Ahmed Abdul-Malik (1963) "Moon Dance" - Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra (1963) "The Minstrel" - Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble (1967) "Prints Tie" - Bobby Hutcherson & Harold Land (1971) "Edges of Illusion" - John Surman (1979)

Cats may dominate his life, but Adam Myatt -- aka The Catman of West Oakland -- is also a working audio engineer and a longtime musician who somehow makes time for it all. Meowzers, it's a lot! In this special episode, we visit the Catman in his personal studio and mixing space, Hand Me Down Recording, to find out about his wild journey to becoming the Bay Area's most famous cat rescuer, how his musical projects play a role in his cat-centric life, and the local community of musicians he actively supports. Adam's Selections: "Living The Dream" - James & Evander (2012) "One Pacifico Swing" - Hoodcats (2012) "Swaying in Debris" - Professor Mum (2024) "Sandwiches" - Daniel Lee Diemidio (2025) "Chariots of Fur" - Ambient Mewsic (from the album Music for Cats to Nap To/2025)

It's not often that you get to meet your favorite musicians—unless you're Walter Thompson. Walter is a San Francisco-based tech journalist, writer, and the host/creator of the Fund/Build/Scale podcast. He's also had the good fortune to have met many music stars throughout his life. In this episode Walter talks us through five songs that bring to mind his most interesting encounters, and along the way we learn about his childhood love of great pop composers, his brief residence at Burt Bacharach's Long Island motor lodge, the importance of having a “Cool Aunt” in the family, and what it was really like to work for Thomas Dolby.Walter's Selections:Dionne Warwick - "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" (1969)Claude Bolling & Jean-Pierre Rampal - "Baroque and Blue" (1975)Thomas Dolby - "Screen Kiss" (1984)Public Enemy - "Bring The Noise" (1988)Luscious Jackson - "Ladyfingers" (1999)Listen to our previous episode with Walter here

In our first offering of 2025, we're honored to travel the proverbial spaceways with astrologer Isa Nakazawa, host of the podcast Stars and Stars with Isa. Every week Isa sits down with an interesting celebrity to read their birth chart, and a fascinating discussion about their life's purpose ensues. In this episode, she discusses music as a gateway to her astrology practice and five songs that fuel her passion for cosmic exploration and interpretation.Isa's Selections:"Door of the Cosmos" - Sun Ra (1979)"Virgo" - Meshell Ndegeocello (2023)"Venus As a Boy" - Björk (1993)"Scorpio" - Nat Adderly Sextet/Rick Holmes/Cannonball Adderly (1972)"Space 8" - Nala Sinephro (2021)Listen to new episodes of Stars and Stars with Isa every week

From heavy hitter new releases to quirky under-the-radar selections, we humbly looks back at the music that left the biggest impression on us in 2024. In the final episode of this tumultuous year, Team Select Five waxes on about the songs that marked our moments of personal grief and milestones of professional growth ... or just plain got us singing at the top of our lungs driving solo in the car.Kate's Selections:"Jolene" - Beyonce (2024)"Summer in the City" - Quincy Jones (1973)"Nightclubbing" - Grace Jones (1981)"My Girl" - The Temptations (1965)"Freedom ‘90" - George Michael (1990)Brian's Selections:"We're On Our Way" - Common & Pete Rock (2024)"Soul Bossa Nova" - Quincy Jones (1962)"Say" - Rosie Lowe & Duval Timothy (2021)"The Dress" - Dijon (2021)"Going Back To VA" - Pharrell Williams (2024)Pam's Selections:"Alone" - The Cure (2024)"On The Beach" - Neil Young (1974)"Que Pasa/Me No Pop I" - Coati Mundi (1981)"The Last Year" - Jessica Pratt (2024)"Raining in Manila" - Lola Amour (2023)Listen to our year-ender playlist with all the songs we talked about in the episode + many more that got us through 2024

November's been a rough month! Fortunately Team Select Five was able to take a field trip to Sierra Meadows, a cool glamping resort near Yosemite National Park, where we found a little peace of mind. Pam, Kate, and Brian joined about 50 other people at a private retreat focused on creativity and community, in which every attendee contributed to the weekend programming by sharing knowledge, teaching a craft, putting on a performance, or volunteering for the event. It was the perfect opportunity to do a live podcast taping with a group of bright, open-minded folks! So instead of doing our usual thing of talking to one guest about five songs, we decided to be as inclusive as possible by talking to as many people as we could. What resulted was five discussions with five volunteer guests: college English professor Tara Lockhart, tech journalist Walter Thompson, composer Stacy Fahrion, musician Scott Manke, and Ty, an ad tech exec. Whether it was a personal anthem or a tune that helped them through their grief, each one of our guests shared one life-affirming song of their choosing, taking the conversation to wildly different places and reminding us of the power of music to create meaningful human connections. Photo courtesy of Eric Slomanson Selector 1: Tara Lockhart Tinariwen - “Iswegh Attay” Selector 2: Walter Thompson Paul Weller - “Hung Up” Selector 3: Stacy Fahrion Michael Harrison - “Vision in the Desert” Selector 4: Ty Diddy & Faith Hill - “I'll Be Missing You” Selector 5: Scott Manke Boston - “Peace of Mind”

When your sense of home is divided between two countries, it can have a profound effect on how you relate to the world and everything you create. Such is the case with nic feliciano. nic is an artist-performer-writer-musician-cook who was born in the Philippines but is now based in Berkeley. Whether it's feeding people in the streets with her food hustle, Sup Streetfood, or making plays at her beloved home theater, Bindlestiff Studios, nic's art is always inspired and informed by her experiences in both the Filipino diaspora and the homeland. In this episode nic and Pam have a deep discussion about progressive youth culture in Manila and beyond, and the new(ish) bangers from younger-gen Filipino artists that nic is really feeling. nic's five selections: 1. “Sige” - Sliz 2. “Sayang You Wasted My Time” - Nouvul, Baby Freeze 3. “Neneng B” - Nik Makino 4. “Kultura” - Kanta Kanta 5. “Tiw Tiw - Budots” - DJ Love Photo by Been Milky Listen to nic's full playlist featuring the above songs + many more! Catch nic on stage in "Thirty Six" (a play by Leah Nanako Winkler, directed by Michelle Talgarow) at Shotgun Players at the Ashby Stage, running November 22 - December 22

Mike Cochran - aka Maitre D - is a Bay Area DJ and a prolific beatmaker who's been crafting hip-hop and R&B tracks for nearly two decades (producing credits include Jidenna, Sadat X, Wordsworth and Guilty Simpson). When he's behind the decks, he can rock any party with his creative open format sets full of original remixes and blends. But one of his favorite gigs of late is playing at Motown on Mondays parties across the country. In this episode, Maitre D pays respect to five Motown covers that take us in all kinds of directions - from reggae to Moog-heavy, to psychedelic. Maitre D's Selections: Vanilla Fudge - You Keep Me Hanging On Donnie Hathaway - What's Goin' On The Jay Boys - Can't Get Next To You Hugo Montenegro - You've Got It Bad Girl Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Never Can Say Goodbye Check out Maitre D's Motown edits Find him on Instagram More about Motown on Mondays parties

What does it take to make a living as a dancer? Just ask Paymaneh "Bibi" Khalili. A stalwart of the Bay Area hip-hop dance community, Bibi is the founder of DAM Events, a mixed arts showcase that gives up-and-coming talent the opportunity to strut their stuff. She's also a choreographer in her own right, having taught performance workshops, directed dance teams, and served as a judge for local hip-hop dance competitions. In this episode we talk about some of the legendary choreographers who influenced Bibi, the struggles of being a career dancer, and the songs that helped kick off her lifelong love of performing. Bibi's Selections: Fatima Robinson (Choreographer) - Michael Jackson/"Remember the Time" Tina Landon (Choreographer) - Janet Jackson/"If" Jay-Z (feat. Amil & Ja Rule) - "Can I Get A ..." Basement Jaxx - "Breakaway" Pharrell feat. Gwen Stefani - "Can I Have It Like That? (Remix)" Listen to Bibi's playlist Find out about the next DAM Event

Celebrate the sounds of The Town with journalist Liam O'Donoghue, the host and producer of the popular local history podcast, East Bay Yesterday. Liam's show routinely covers the rich and underexplored tales of the East Bay's past, whether it's a deep dive into Emeryville's former "Rotten City" reputation, or a story about the long gone mass transit Key System that pre-dated BART and AC Transit. When he's not reporting on East Bay lore, Liam is also a music nerd and a DJ. In this episode he combines his love of history and music by taking us on an audio tour of Oakland's different musical eras through five special songs, spanning from mid-century West Coast jazz to warehouse party music.Liam's Selections: The Dave Brubeck Quartet - "Take Five" Gene Russell - "Black Orchid" Souls of Mischief - "'93 til Infinity" Keak Da Sneak - "Super Hyphy (Thizz Remix)" The Younger Lovers - "The Ballad of Two Stubborn Men"Listen to these songs and so many more on Liam's extended playlist of Oakland Jams!Subscribe to East Bay Yesterday

As the co-host of "Forum" on KQED Public Radio and a writer for the Atlantic, journalist Alexis Madrigal often reports on big ideas and urgent stories that affect the Bay Area and the world. But in his spare time, he loves running, gardening, and 70's funk and disco. In our latest episode, Alexis talks about a wide-ranging selection of five tunes he holds dear from his past and present—from P-Funk, to Norwegian Jazz, to Latin Hip-Hop. Along the way, we'll learn about how his Dad's record collection got him through his post-college malaise, the song that gets him in a book-writing mood, and his deep appreciation of music and art borne out of colonial occupation and resistance. Alexis's Selections: Funkadelic - "One Nation Under a Groove" Gato Barbieri - "Encuentros" Daniel Herskedal - "The Mistral Noir" La Dame Blanche - "Veneno" Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - "Temple" Catch Alexis on KQED's Forum Listen to his Containers podcast series Learn more about his forthcoming book

February 2024 marks five whole years since Bar Shiru first opened to the public, and we are eternally grateful for the creative partnership of its owners, Dan Gahr and Shirin Raza Gahr. To mark this special occasion, we gathered a few Select Five friends and supporters to the bar and recorded our very first episode in front of a live audience!

We're honored to kick off 2024 with the esteemed Cheryl Dunye, a world-renowned filmmaker and director of episodic television. Cheryl's work includes the groundbreaking 1996 film The Watermelon Woman, which is part of the permanent cinema collection at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and was added to the Criterion Collection in 2023. She's also directed episodes of The Umbrella Academy, Bridgerton, and Queen Sugar, among many other shows. Born in Liberia and raised in Philly, Cheryl is now rooted in the Town's vibrant filmmaking community, having founded Jingletown Films, an Oakland-based production company. Hear her talk about five of her favorite tunes of the moment, the emotional places they take her, and the big wide cinematic possibilities that music can open up.

We made it through another challenging year and we couldn't be happier! From forced career changes to grieving the death of a pet, 2023 was a real struggle. But now that it's mostly in the rear view mirror, we can look back fondly at some of the musical highlights that kept us afloat. Brian's Selections: 5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Nadja" 4. El Michaels Affair + Black Thought - "The Weather" 3. The Beatles - "For No One" 2. Muddy Waters - "She's Alright" 1. De La Soul - "Trying People" Kate's Selections: 5. Electric Light Orchestra - "Mr. Blue Sky" 4. Sylvan Esso - "Ferris Wheel" 3. Olivia Rodrigo - "bad idea right?" 2. L'Imperatrice - "Fou" 1. Kate & GAHR (aka, Daniel Gahr) - "Untitled07" Pam's Selections: 5. De La Soul - "Simply" 4. Buscrates - Control Center (album) 3. Sessa - "Sereia Sentimental" 2. Quantum Criminals: Ramblers, Wild Gamblers, and Other Sole Survivors from the Songs of Steely Dan (book) by Alex Pappademas & Joan Lemay + "My Old School" (song) 1. Antonio Carlos Jobim - "Aguas de Março (Waters of March)" Listen to our 2023 Year Ender companion playlist, including all of the songs we discussed + others we loved this year Subscribe to The Creative Commonwealth Substack

How do you turn a song into a scent? And what does music teach us about scent-making and its history? We take a deep dive into these questions with Saskia Wilson-Brown, whose mission is to disrupt, decolonize, and democratize perfumery. Saskia, who is Bay Area-bred, is the founder and executive director of the Institute for Art and Olfaction in Los Angeles, a nonprofit art studio that makes perfumery accessible to all. Listen as she takes us on an aromatic journey through five songs that relate to fragrance-making and its global origins, modern scent practies, and the complex world of naturals versus synthetics. Saskia's Selections: 1.) Omar Souleyman- "Warni Warni" 2.) Charles Trenet - "La Mer" 3.) MC Solaar - "Nouveau Western" 4.) Otis Redding - "Cigarettes and Coffee" 5.) Mort Garson - “Symphony for a Spider Plant"/Mother Earth's Plantasia For further listening, check out Saskia's playlist. Check out Saskia's podcast, Perfume On The Radio

Get inside the creative mind of music producer and ace remixer Trackademicks! Whether it's putting an amapiano spin on a '90s R&B ballad or mashing up two songs from disparate musical scenes, Track has a knack for weaving tunes from a variety of genres, eras, and tempos into fresh new joints that club DJs crave. In this episode we talk about five of his own remixes, his affinity to the original songs, and how he reimagined these familiar classics so they can be heard in an entirely different context. Track's Selections: 1.) SWV - "Anything" (Trackademicks Remix) 2.) Jodeci - "Cry For You" (Trackademicks Remix) 3.) Trackademicks - "No Bammer Beats in the SFC" (RBL Posse Flip) 4.) Ready For The World - "Oh Sheila" (Trackademicks Remix) 5.) 2 Player Co-Op - “When the World Is Running Down” (cover of the Police “When the World is Running Down” & Jay-Z “Coming Of Age”) Listen to Trackademicks' remixes and originals on Bandcamp or Soundcloud Follow his IG to keep up with what he's doing

It's time to deepen your disco knowledge with Patrick Lotilla, aka DJ Patrick. As a resident DJ at Bar Part Time in San Francisco, a key team member of Bar Shiru, where he curates records a couple of nights a week, and a co-founder of the Brouhaha party series that brought world class DJ talent to the Bay Area, Patrick is a big presence in the local nightlife scene. And his taste in dance music is vast and eclectic. In this episode we focus on five of his favorite rare grooves from the late 70s to early 80s. Hear Patrick talk about some of his producer/DJ heros, the threads between Philly Soul, disco & house music, and the importance of weaving humor and fun into his sets.Editor's Note: In the episode introduction, Pam states that Brouhaha has been around “for the past 10 years.” It actually ran from 2013 - 2018. Apologies for this error!DJ Patrick's Selections: 1.) The Boyfriends – Sumayaw Sumonod (1978) 2.) Bumblebee Unlimited – Everybody Dance (1977) 3.) Nightlife Unlimited – Peaches & Prunes (Ron Hardy Edit) (1980) 4.) Melita – I Love Music (1984) 5.) Bad Banana – Dancing In San Francisco (1982) Listen to those selections & more, curated by Patrick here Subscribe to Patrick's Bop 40 YouTube channel where he shares rips of rare dance music from his collection Stream Patrick's DJ sets on Soundcloud Follow him on Instagram @pqtrjk

OPM, an acronym for Original Pilipino Music or Original Pinoy Music, is a term once used to describe pop ballads and other popular music styles originating from the Philippines starting in the late '70s. Since then, OPM has become a catchall phrase for music of any genre produced by Filipinos from around the world. And it's a subject Eduardo Daza Taylor IV (aka, ET IV) knows a lot about, as a Fil-Am DJ and visual artist whose creativity is often fueled by the sights and sounds from the Philippines and the diasporas. Eduardo is the founder of ASTIG Sound, an independent label and collective that hosts events and releases celebrating vintage and current OPM. He also DJs for Ruby Ibarra and the Balikbayans, and he's a key crew member of The Stacks record shop in Hayward. Listen to Eduardo take us through the past, present and future of OPM in five songs that hold special meaning for him. ET IV's Selections: 1. My Sweet Lord - The Grandells 2. Unforgettable Love - Pilita Corrales 3. Balikbayan - Dale Adriatico 4. Minamahal Kita - Ngaw 5. Manila - Jason Dhakal Dig these some custom OPM mixtapes from ET IV & ASTIG Sound: ISIP by ET IV A Tribute to OPM

You asked, we answered -- so in honor of Valentine's Day we've got nothing but silly love songs for all your love problems! Inspired by the call-in radio shows of her youth in Barbados, Chef Sarah Kirnon serves up an eclectic stew of R&B and Brit new wave pop classics from the '70s and '80s as dedications to the listeners who submitted questions about their love lives. And since we got more than five questions, this episode contains some BONUS tracks! Sarah's Selections: 1. One Hundred Ways - James Ingram/Quincy Jones (1981) 2. How Deep Is Your Love - The Bee Gees (1977) 3. Time (Clock of the Heart) - Culture Club (1982) 4. Love Plus One - Haircut 100 (1982) 5. It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones (1965) BONUS TRACKS:6. Simply Beautiful - Al Green (1972) 7. Here We Go - Minnie Riperton (1980) 8. Found A Cure - Ashford & Simpson (1979) Listen to Sarah's complete Valentine's Day playlist [links forthcoming] Photo by: Fhay Arceo

As we round the corner into 2023, it's time for our annual end-of-year catch-up with Team Select Five! Hear Pam, Brian & Kate reflect on the most memorable albums, songs, concerts, films, books and other musical moments that spoke to them in 2022. Brian's Selections: Phoenix - “Ti Amo” (2017)Slum Village - “The Look of Love, Pt. 1”/Dilla Time (book) by Dan Charnas (2022)The Foreign Exchange - “Come Around” (2004)Lewis Taylor - “Nearer”/NUMB (2022) Nas - “30”/King's Disease III (2022) Kate's Selections: Fievel is Glauque - “Save the Phenomenon”/Flaming Swords (2022) Moonage Daydream - Bret Morgan documentary (2022) Suzanne Vega - “Tom's Diner“Thelonious Monk - North of The Sunset (1965)DJ Broad Strokes (aka Fhay Arceo) - BFF Birthday Mixxx 2021Pam's Selections: Brian Jackson - “Mami Wata”/This Is Brian Jackson (2022)Fleetwood Mac - “Spare Me A Little of Your Love”/Bare Trees (1972) Stay True (book) by Hua Hsu Toro y Moi - “The Loop”/Mahal (2022)Steve Lacy - “Mercury”/Gemini Rights (2022)

Put on your coziest pajamas and kick back with this episode featuring Wired Magazine Senior Editor Michael Calore, who shares five optimum snoozytime songs from his vast library of sleep music. From gentle jazz and folk tunes, to album-length single track compositions for deep relaxation, these songs are not only mellow enough to bring on easy sleep, but also enhance the sleep you get because they offer some unique and imaginative stimulation. Michael's Selections: 1. Reflection - Brian Eno (2017) 2. Dream 11 (Whisper Music) - Max Richter's Sleep (2015) 3. Bamboo Rainsticks - Billy Martin (2004) 4. Into the Light - Marisa Anderson (2016) 5. Ruby, My Dear - Thelonius Monk (1959) Follow Michael on Twitter or Instagram @snackfight Follow North American Scum on Instagram to find out when they're playing next: @northamericanscumsf Check out his musical projects on Bandcamp: Twin Dimensions, Solar Keys

Oakland-based, Brooklyn-bred Fresh Daily (Mike Richardson) hunkers down with Pam at "Select Five Studios"—AKA, Bar Shiru—to talk about coming up as a young rapper in New York City, finding community in Oakland, and the complicated work of crafting clever rhyme schemes. Listen to Fresh get nerdy about the rap songs that informed his writing process, and the rap songs he makes!Photo courtesy of Robert CohenFresh's Selections: 1. Eminem feat. Royce da 5'9 - Bad Meets Evil (1999) 2. Jay-Z - Squeeze First (2000) 3. Madvillain - Meatgrinder (2004) 4. Headwear Discount - Fresh Daily (2022) 5. Team Natural - Fresh Daily (2021) Need to hear more Fresh Daily? Check out his Bandcamp Need some Fresh duds? Shop his Very Relaxed art & clothing brand Wanna vibe with beatmakers? Follow the Beathaus IG to find out about the next event

Sarah Mujahid⁠—aka DJ Mujie⁠—has been gigging at clubs and day parties across the Bay for eight years, and is currently a resident DJ in the Afrobeats Oakland crew. Though she calls Oakland home, Mujie is an Ann Arbor, Michigan native who has a deep reverence for the music of her home state⁠—a wellspring of world-shaping sounds, from Motown to techno. Find out which influential artists from the Mitten spurred Mujie's passion for DJing, production, and a life of musical expression. Mujie's Selections: 1. Stevie Wonder - As (1976) 2. What's Goin' On? - Marvin Gaye (1971) 3. Thelonius - Slum Village (2000) 4. More Than A Woman - Aaliyah (2001) 5. Godzilla Beat - DJ Godfather Listen to a full playlist of Mujie's Michigan selects: https://tinyurl.com/25v4bdmu Follow @djmujie on Instagram to find out when she's playing next Check out her mixes on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/djmujie/tracks

In the late 70s and early 80s, San Francisco was home to a thriving punk and new wave scene and a scrappy independent label that launched the careers of bands like Romeo Void, Translator, and the Red Rockers. Music journalist Bill Kopp captures this moment in time in a new book called Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave published by HoZac Books. Listen to Bill chat with Pam about the label's brief but fascinating history, and five of his favorite tunes from the 415 Records catalog. Bill's Selections: 1. Pearl Harbor and The Explosions - Drivin' (1979) 2. SVT - Always Come Back (1980) 3. Romeo Void - Never Say Never (1981) 4. Pop-O-Pies - Truckin' (1981) 5. Translator - I Need You To Love (1986) Dive into the 415 Records catalog by listening to Bill's companion playlist: https://tinyurl.com/y7nrfy2uCheck out the book or read more of Bill's music writing: https://blog.musoscribe.com/Get Liberation Hall's reissue of 415 Records early (pre-Columbia) recordings: https://tinyurl.com/mr2rdwxw

Shaina Evoniuk is a classically trained violinist who leads the string section for the Bay Area-based musical collective Jazz Mafia. She has also has lent her talents to some of the biggest pop stars in the world. Hear Shaina share with Pam what it's really like being a recording artist, and how the violin adds texture and emotion to all styles of music, as demonstrated in five different tunes she performs on.Shaina's Selections: 1. St. Panther - These Days (2020) 2. Monophonics - Last One Standing (2020) 3. Shawn Mendes & Camilla Cabello - The Christmas Song (2020) 4. Dougie Stu - Henny (2020) 5. Otis McDonald - Holiday (2019) Bonus Track: Lizzo - Lingerie (2019) Hear a complete playlist of recorded songs Shaina performs on: https://tinyurl.com/2p95s7wv Shaina's website: https://www.shainaevoniuk.com/ Find out when Shaina is playing with Jazz Mafia: http://www.jazzmafia.com/calendarWatch the live version of St. Panther's "These Days" featuring Jazz Mafia: https://youtu.be/uI5QObq-N-4

We're trying new things, folks! In the first of our "Five Questions With" mini-episodes, we're honored to feature Philly-based/Pacific Northwest-bred musician Karl Blau. Karl is a prolific DIY artist with over 40 albums under his belt. His adventurous pop tunes have often defied genre, but he's been traveling down country roads since his breakout 2016 album Introducing Karl Blau, and his brand new album Love & Harm follows a similar soulful country path. Hear Karl talk to Pam about the making of this album in his hometown of Anacortes, Washington, and his own spin on what "cosmic country" music is.Download Karl's new album "Love & Harm" (or buy the LP version called "Scream Time"):

Getting a new bar & restaurant off the ground is hard enough. But during the height of the pandemic it became a crazy roller coaster ride for Matt Meyer and Daniel Paez, the co-owners of Low Bar in uptown Oakland. Now that their business is one year old and thriving, Matt & Daniel reflect on the wild journey that got them here and five songs that capture the vibe of this popular Chicano bar/eatery. Matt & Daniel's Selections: 1. Time Hard - The Pioneers (1972) 2. Como La Flor - Selena (1992) 3. Un-Break My Heart - Toni Braxton (1996) 4. For You - Ago (1982) 5. I Want To Be Your Man - Roger (1987) Listen to the Low Bar companion playlist, featuring the five songs we talked about in this episode + more.Follow Low Bar's Instagram to find out about events, specials, and what-nots.

Another crappy pandemic year comes to a close, but at least we had good music to get us through it. And for the first time since early 2020, the Select Five team got their vaxxed and boosted selves together IRL to record this very special year-ender episode at their old stomping grounds, Bar Shiru! Whether it's old comforts or new discoveries, we'll dive into the five albums Brian, Kate, and Pam loved the most in 2021. BRIAN'S ALBUMSJoyce Wrice - Overgrown (2021)Hiatus Kaiyote - Mood Valiant (2021)Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be an Introvert (2021)Herbie Hancock - Headhunters (1973)Lewis Taylor - Lewis Taylor (1996)KATE'S ALBUMS Alice Coltrane - Ptah, the El Daoud (1970)Sofiane Pamart - Planet Gold (2021)St. Vincent - Masseducation (2017) Tash Sultana - Flow State (2018)Lorde - Melodrama (2017)PAM'S ALBUMSSitka Sun - All the Way West (2021)Brijean - Feelings (2021)Sun Ra - Lanquidity (1978/2021 Reissue)Emma Jean Thackray - Yellow (2021)BadBadNotGood - Talk Memory (2021)Listen to all the songs we discussed and many more in our year-ender companion playlist:https://tinyurl.com/4ctkdf92

Back in the mid-'80s, Vietnamese American teens bonded over a shared love of sports cars, spiked hair, and a style of electronic dance music they called New Wave (now known as Euro and Italo disco). Vietnamese New Wave is now the subject of a forthcoming documentary by filmmaker Elizabeth Ai, who discusses the fascinating history of this subculture through five songs she grew up with. Elizabeth's Selections: 1. Brother Louie - Modern Talking 2. Jump In My Car - CC Catch 3. You're a Woman - Bad Boys Blue 4. Say You'll Never - Lian Ross 5. I Like Chopin - Gazebo There's a lot more where that came from! Check out Elizabeth's companion playlist of Viet New Wave classics, including the five songs discussed in the episode: https://tinyurl.com/4zmz76ks

Hey bands, don't be afraid - take a Beatles song, and make it better ... is that even possible? Ponder that question in this episode with Bay Area filmmaker and crate digger extraordinaire, Jim Granato! Listen to DJ Jim G chat with Pam about five genre-spanning Beatles cover songs he loves, and what makes them unique. Jim's selections: 1. Eleanor Rigby - Zoot (1971) 2. I Want To Hold Your Hand - Al Green (1969) 3. Happiness Is a Warm Gun - The Breeders (1990) 4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide (Except Me and My Monkey) - The Feelies (1980) 5. Tomorrow Never Knows - Junior Parker (1970) Want even more of the Fab Four? Listen to Jim's handcrafted all-vinyl mix of Beatles covers you may have never heard before: https://www.mixcloud.com/wax_crackle_pop/miles-above-you/

Music is a powerful emotive force in romantic comedy films, and the right song placed in the right scene can leave us not only with lifelong memories, they can also affect our life decisions. In this episode we go to the movies with Bar Shiru co-owner and rom-com fanatic Shirin Raza, who picks five songs from some of her favorite soundtracks and draws parallels to her own romantic and professional journeys. Shirin's selections: 1. Loose Caboose - Henry Mancini (Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961) 2. Bad Reputation - Joan Jett (10 Things I Hate About You, 1999) 3. Love of My Life (An Ode To Hip-Hop) - Erykah Badu (Brown Sugar, 2002) 4. Turn Me On - Kevin Lyttle (Hitch, 2005) 5. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) - Talking Heads (Rom-Com film TBD) Listen to Shirin's companion playlist for even more rom-com soundtrack goodness and other songs that evoke cinematic love: https://tinyurl.com/zs7r3c93

Pandemic or not, Antibalas bandleader and saxophonist Martín Perna always stays busy. But what tunes does this Grammy-nominated musician groove to when he's not laying down grooves of his own? In this episode we find out, as Martín raps with Pam about five soul-soothing tracks from five of his favorite jazz sax players and bandleaders of the early 70s. (Photo courtesy of Martín Perna)Martín's selections: 1. Astral Traveling - Artist: Pharoah Sanders (1971) 2. Journey in Satchidananda - Artist: Alice Coltrane (1971) 3. Earth - Artist: Joe Henderson (1974) 4. Eight Years After - Artist: Tommy McCook (1972) 5. Never Can Say Goodbye - Artist: Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1972)Listen to these tracks and many more in this companion playlist curated by Martín: https://tinyurl.com/33pevrfb

It's Pride Month, folks! A time to reflect on how far we've come and the work still to do in the movement for LGBTQ+ rights. With that in mind, this episode introduces us to new organization called Oakland Black Pride and its fearless leader, Olaywa Austin. Olaywa is an Oakland native and a community-minded entrepreneur whose mission is serve and support the needs of Black, LGBTQ+ communities. In a candid chat with Pam, Olaywa talks about five songs that tell the story of their journey to discover and accept their own queerness. Olaywa's Selections: I Would Die 4 U – Artist: Prince (1984) That's the Way Love Is – Artist: Ten City (1989)Heaven Help Me – Artist: Deon Estus/George Michael (1989) Can We Talk? – Tevin Campbell (1993) Criterion – Artist: Me'shell Ndegeocello (2002) Hear these five hot tracks and many more in this companion playlist curated by Olaywa: https://tinyurl.com/urb53wu3

Just as sure as the full moon rises, the musical journey continues for The Long Road Society -- an independent label, studio, and artist collective formed in Oakland with the goal of bringing people together around music rooted in tradition and bound by a "cosmic, universal soul." In this episode, co-founder Lisa Pezzino tells us in five genre-spanning songs how a community of like-minded songwriters turned a small, full moon performance series in Oakland into a bona fide label and recording studio. Photo by Kit Center Hear Lisa's five selections in full, plus a healthy sampling of tracks from the Long Road Society's stable of eclectic artists: https://tinyurl.com/2553mdar

The yearlong pandemic shutdowns have taken a toll on us all, but after a prolonged hiatus Select Five is finally back! Unfortunately, live music is not (yet). How much longer do we have to wait before our favorite musicians can tour safely again? And what's a concert fanatic to do while stages remain dark? Join host Pam Torno and Bar Shiru co-owner Daniel Gahr as they wax nostalgic about five of their most beloved live music spaces in the Bay and the fascinating history behind each of them. Plus, find out what's up at Bar Shiru as they inch towards reopening sometime in the coming months. Listen to our companion playlist of famous live performances recorded in the Bay Area: https://tinyurl.com/4mcs7d6y

Greetings and salutations from the Select Five team! Thanks to everyone who listened and supported us through the very first season of the podcast. Plans are currently underway for Season 2 and we’re looking forward to recording again at Bar Shiru, our favorite neighborhood hi-fi vinyl bar. In the meantime, we wanna get input from YOU, our listeners. What guests should Pam talk to next? What do you want us to talk about? Drop us an email, DM us on Instagram, tweet at us, send a telepathic message - we’d love to hear from you!

Hyde Street Studios - the legendary San Francisco recording space where so many iconic albums were created - is struggling to stay alive in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Our fifth and final episode of Season 1 with guest selector Otis McDonald gives you all the reasons why it’s important to keep this crucial landmark in music history alive. Otis, aka Joe Bagale, is a multi-talented music maker whose personal recording space is Studio D, the same room where Herbie Hancock, the Pointer Sisters, Betty Davis, and so many other amazing artists made music. Hear Joe wax poetic about five of his favorite funky tunes recorded in the space he now calls his own. Listen to Otis McDonald's latest album "People Music" on vinyl or online: https://www.otismacmusic.com/ Follow the Select Five playlist on Spotify or Pandora to hear the songs discussed in this episode: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59 https://pandora.app.link/fAy59i4Mo4 Follow Bar Shiru's Instagram @BarShiruOakland to see how you can support them during the COVID-19 closure.

From Chilean folk to Latin Hip-Hop to G-Funk, the "The North Pole" web series is chock full of amazing sounds from around the Bay. Locally sourced music is a big part of what makes this sharp political comedy about Oakland so ... Oakland. So we invited director Yvan Iturriaga for a deep conversation about five cuts from the series soundtrack (shout out to music supervisor Dion Decibels!) and why they matter to him. Plus, we've got two album recommendations from Bar Shiru's music director Daniel Gahr: one classic compilation from Luaka Bop, and the debut from an up-and-coming avant garde jazz musician from Seattle. Watch “The North Pole” on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y2ydlo4o Follow the Select Five playlist on Spotify or Pandora to hear the songs discussed in this episode: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59 https://pandora.app.link/fAy59i4Mo4 This episode was recorded in pre-pandemic times. Follow Bar Shiru's Instagram @BarShiruOakland to see how you can support their staff during the COVID-19 lockdown.

What makes Miss Ollie's fried chicken so remarkable? Why is the callaloo so comforting? The secret ingredient may be music. Back in the day before COVID-19, Pam had a lovely in-person chat with Miss Ollie's chef and owner Sarah Kirnon about five songs she keeps in heavy rotation when she's cooking her Caribbean comfort food, and how her musical menu enhances the restaurant's ambience. We look forward to the day when Miss Ollie's welcomes customers in the dining room again. Until the shelter-in-place is lifted, you can still order takeout. Check Miss Ollie's Facebook page for hours and menu updates: https://tinyurl.com/uvq8tp9

Choosing your Top 5 favorite songs of all time is serious business, but Umber Magazine founder Mike Nicholls came here ready to make that declaration. In episode 2 of Select Five, Mike goes deep on his five beloved selections—from Marvin Gaye to Wham!—and talks about what inspired him to create Umber, a print-only publication made in Oakland dedicated to the perspectives of Black and Brown people. Plus, Bar Shiru’s musical director Daniel Gahr takes us from the Bay to the U.K. with his two exquisite record picks. Find out more about Umber Magazine: https://www.umbermagazine.net Follow the Select Five playlist on Spotify or Pandora to hear the songs discussed in this episode: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59 https://pandora.app.link/fAy59i4Mo4

Oakland native David Allen is an architectural engineer on a mission to bring a world class jazz history museum to the Town. David is the creative visionary of the proposed Museum of Jazz & Art, and recently his dream project received unanimous support from the Oakland City Council to be developed on a historic site near Lake Merritt. Hear David talk about his ambitions for the museum, his synesthetic way of approaching architectural design through musical language, and a classic selection of jazz songs he holds near and dear. Plus, Bar Shiru's musical director Daniel Gahr selects two recent releases from jazz label Impulse! Records that you need to hear. Songs discussed in this episode: "Hot House" - Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie "If Only We Knew" - John Handy "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)" - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie "Soul Sauce" - Cal Tjader "Manteca" - Dizzy Gillespie "Take Five" - The Dave Brubeck Quartet "The Blessing Song" - Michael White "Blood of the Past" - The Comet Is Coming "Blue World" - John Coltrane Check out the Museum of Jazz & Art website to stay updated on its progress. https://www.moja-us.org/ Follow the Select Five playlist to hear the songs discussed in this episode. Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/uvpxa59 Pandora: https://tinyurl.com/ttmk2kk

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