Exclusive Concert : Eric John Kaiser & Morgan Manifacier at the Alliance Française

About Eric John Kaiser

Official website : http://ericjohnkaiser.com/

Since 2006, when French native, Eric John Kaiser has moved from Paris to Portland (Oregon). He has logged every year close to 10,000 miles viaair, land and sea. Exploring North America on multiple lengthy tours, with his backpack and his French songs, he has gigged his way up through Canada and down through the South, as far as New Orleans and Washington D.C., where he performed as an“Artist in Residence” for the Smithsonian Museum. Sometimes driving his trusty Subaru under the wide Montana sky, sometimes riding the subway under the New York City canyons… Then jetting across the Atlantic to tour through France…

He will be doing an acoustic show of French songs as a duo with his fiancée, Patti Ferrell, on keyboard at the Alliance Française of San Francisco on Friday October 19th to celebrate the release of his fifth record:1+1=Free, a series of love songs to celebrate their upcoming union.

Eric John Kaiser est un auteur-compositeur-interprête originaire de Paris qui, après avoir fait plus de 250 concerts en France, est parti en 2006 avec son sac à dos et ses chansons en Français sous le bras à la conquête du continent Nord-Américain. Depuis il tourne régulièrement sur toute la Côte Ouest, à Vancouver BC, en Louisiane, dans l’Idaho, à Boston, New York et à Washington D.C. Il retourne en France une fois par an pour, entre autres, partager la scène avec son ami Tété.

Il sera en concert acoustique le Vendredi 19 Octobre prochain à l’Alliance Française de San Francisco accompagné au piano par sa fiancée: Patti Ferrell. Ils celèbreront ce soir-là la sortie de son 5ème disque: 1+1=Free un recueil de chansons célébrant leur Union à venir.

About Morgan Manifacier

Official website : http://morganmanifacier.com/

Morgan Manifacier is a singer-songwriterwho grew up in the small-town brushes of southern France, learning piano and guitar from a young age; he taught himself the subtle beauty of music, which he now combines with a modern approach to song-making of Grande, released by UK-based record label, Tape Club Records. The album speaks about solitude, travel, death, love, and everything else worth the emotion needed to generate an idea behind a song. Taking its title from Manifacier grandfather’s surname, ‘Grande’ represents the only safe-haven Morgan had known in his childhood, and now honors the songs that have shaped him as an adult. Strong from his many experiences, and from his travels to England and to California, he decided to write, record and self release his second and upcoming album here, in San Francisco, with the help of wonderful musicians Sarah Hawley Snow, and Matt Camgros.

Morgan Manifacier est un chanteur, compositeur, et interprète, né dans la région du Sud-Est de la France. Il aborda la musique d’un très jeune âge, et du manière autodidacte, s’appropria une beauté subtile de la musique, qu’il combine aujourd’hui avec une approche moderne, dans son premier album : Grande. Cet album parle de solitude, de voyages, de la vie, de l’amour, de la mort, et de tout ce qui ramène l’émotion à une chanson. “Grande” reste un hommage intense à son défunt grand-père, qui fut une figure importante dans la vie du jeune garçon. Avec ces maintes expériences, et ces voyages en Angleterre et en Amérique du Nord, Morgan Manifacier a décidé d’écrire et d’enregistrer son prochain album, ici, à San Francisco, avec l’aide de musiciens Sarah Hawley-Snow et Matt Camgros.

Open House Day and Summer Party at the Alliance Française de San Francisco

On Saturday, August 18th, the Alliance Française de San Francisco will be having a Open House Day and a Summer Party.

Come discover our French classes by taking placement tests and having free samples. At 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30, you can pick between 4 classes each time (Beginner 1, Intermediate 1, Advanced 1 and a thematic class based on TV5 Monde).If you register for a class this day, our new member will benefit a 10% discounts.

We will also have live music, film showing in our cinema and a French books sale.

We will also provide refreshments, beer and wine.

 It will be starting at 1PM and we are located in San Francisco, 1345 Bush Street. 

Looking forward to see you there!

Bastille Day!

What is Bastille Day? In France, it is more commonly called either “La Fête Nationale” (The   National Celebration) or “Quatorze Juillet” (The Fourteenth of July). 

Contrary to what is commonly believed in the United States, this date is not the celebration of storming of the Bastille jail but is commemorating the 1790 “Fête de la Fédération” (Celebration of the Federation) which took place on July 14th 1790.

Indeed, even if the 14th of July was seen by everybody as the symbol of the uprising and the victory again tyranny, it was still controversial.

When politicians debated which date to choose for the Fête Nationale, they found “Federation Day” was more appropriate to show national unity and reconciliation rather than its division.

Traditionally, fireworks take place in most French cities. The famous Avenue des Champs Elysées also host the oldest and largest military parade in Europe, on front of the President, government and officials as well as foreign guests. 

Bastille Day is celebrated in many foreign countries and in more than fifty American cities.

Come celebrate with us at the Alliance Française de San Francisco on Saturday July 14th from 12:30 to 5:00. Live Music, food and refreshments! See you there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly French Cinema Night!

The Alliance Française de San Francisco invite you to its weekly French Cinema Class/Night.

In order to help non-native French speakers or curious people to discover French cinema, we are offering every week a Tuesday night class! Rather if you are interested in French cinema, want to learn more about French or Francophone culture or willing to develop and practice your French skills in a different way, this French Cinema Night is for you!

In June, the Alliance Française de San Francisco is focusing on the theme “Les Femmes Réalisatrices”, that  is French Women Directors”.

Tuesday June 5th: “Cliente” by Josiane Balasko

Tuesday June 12th: “Le Goût des Autres” by Agnès Jaoui

Tuesday June 19th: “3 Hommes et un Couffin” by Coline Serreau

Tuesday June 26th: “Inch’Allah Dimanche” by Yasmina Benguigui

Saturday June 30th: “Les Plages d’Agnès” by Agnès Varda

 

The class will take place in our cozy theater and we provide wine, refreshments and popcorn! 

This event is free with a five dollars suggested donation to support our activities.

See you there!

 

Fête de la Musique

Celebrating music in French neighborhoods since 1982

In 1982, the French Ministry for Culture launched the « Fête de la Musique ». The idea was first brought up by Joel Cohen, an American musician who proposed an all-night music celebration at the moment of the summer solstice on his radio show. In many regions of France but also Northern Europe, summer was already celebrated as a reminder of the pagan fest with bonfires and fireworks.

The “Fête de la Musique” is now above all a free popular event, open to any participant (amateur or professional) who wants to perform and share its talents. For thirty years now, more than 18 000 concerts are organized every year in France, with 5 million musicians performing and around 10 million people celebrating.

The “Fête de la Musique” crossed France borders and is now held in dozen of countries in Europe and over the world. In the USA, Massachusetts was the first state to hold the Fete de la Musique, which was called “Make Music Day”. The name and idea were taken up the following years by New York City, Pasadena, California, Chicago, etc…

 

What is the Fête de la Musique?

 

It’s the day – it’s now a firm fixture – when musicians, whether they are amateurs or professionals, can play wherever they want at any time, day or night. They might choose a station concourse, a school playground, the inside of a cathedral or church, a café, the steps of a town hall, historic building or prefecture, a passage-way, a prison and so on.

Amateurs, often nervous when they have to sing or play an instrument in public, have the chance to play freely without feeling self-conscious. The festival isn’t a financial burden on the Ministry of Culture or regional and municipal authorities as it was created to be a free and accessible festival . All it requires is a poster, a list of venues across France, information available by phone or on the Internet, the suspension of royalties for the day, and an increase in the number of commuter trains, and buses and underground services running until dawn.

The Fête de la Musique is also an unique opportunity for people to celebrate together, uniting neighborhoods and strengthening communities in French streets in the smallest cities as well as the biggest towns. Since 1982, the spirit remained unchanged : take the streets and share your passions with relatives, neighbors, visitors…

 

Fete de la Musique in San Francisco.

 

For the first time, the Fete de la Musique will take place in San Francisco at the Alliance Française.

Musicians of all ages and levels –amateur, part-time-professionals, and marquee artists– are invited to participate, and all genres –pop, rock, classical, jazz, folk, blues, R&B, world music, and everything in between– are welcome. This is a chance to share your talent and passion with fellow San Franciscans. All are also welcome to attend and celebrate music during this week end of pride and culture in San Francisco. Music playing will be happening all day at AFSF on Saturday June 23^rd. 

 

CD Release Party : Eric John Kaiser nous offre un concert exceptionnel

We are proud to welcome Eric John Kaiser for a SECOND exclusive performance to celebrate is new CD release entitled “Dehors c’est l’Amerique”/ “Outside its America”. In this concert Eric John Kaiser will be accompanied by Todd Bayles on the accordeon.

Press release by Matt Kalinowski from Noctilucent Arts:
Portland, OR – February 20, 2012 – Since the June, 2010, release of his third CD, “Portland Rendez-Vous,” Eric John Kaiser (“Portland’s French Troubadour”) has logged close to 10,000 miles via air, land and sea. Exploring North America on multiple lengthy tours, the Paris native has gigged his way up through Canada and down through the South, as far as New Orleans and Washington D.C., where he performed as an “Artist in Residence” for the Smithsonian Museum. Sometimes driving his trusty Subaru under the wide Montana sky, sometimes riding the subway under the New York City canyons… Then jetting across the Atlantic to tour through France… His music has logged as many miles and picked up accents from across the American landscape: his latest songs resonate now with a very American rhythm, like bouncing across the vast plains on horseback… some western lap steel guitar… some dirty roadhouse blues… The culmination of this musical evolution is Eric John Kaiser’s latest CD (produced in part thanks to fan-funding through RocketHub.com), “Dehors c’est l’Amerique” (“Outside, It’s America”).

In his travels, Eric John Kaiser has become a kind of booster for the charms of Portland and America in general. He says, “After touring intensively in the US over the last two years, I think that in a way sometimes I am a mirror to people. They’ll ask why I would leave a beautiful and prestigious city like

ONLINE MEDIA

www.ericjohnkaiser.com

www.facebook.com/ericjohnkaiserband

(SOME OF) THE SONGS
The new songs on “Outside, It’s America” both represent America as seen through the eyes of an adopted-son, and also the reflection of France through the eyes of an increasingly Americanized Frenchman who has traveled far and wide. The opening track, “Dehors, c’est l’Amerique” (“Outside, It’s America”) kicks off with the wailing of an oncoming train, merges from railroad rattles to an easy lap steel, until finally the French lyrics begin, grounded by a comfortable honky-tonk rhythm.

The song “Louisiane” is a musical reminiscence of Eric’s first trip to that most French of American cities, New Orleans. The song ties together Eric’s impression of French-New Orleans heritage as well as his exploration of the tragedy of Katrina. Touring through the Crescent City in 2010 with platinum-selling French recording star Tété proved an incredible opportunity for these two French musicians to see the blending of French culture through the deepest of American history where the roots of so much American music are anchored. During the trip, Eric and Tété were fortunate enough to hang out with the great Creole musician, Cedric Watson, in Lafayette. The musical cultures blended together in that room alone would be too many to count.

ABOUT ERIC JOHN KAISER
Paris native Eric John Kaiser is a complexity of sonic personality – a traveling musician in the Impressionist style… One night he may be singing solo French café songs in an elegant restaurant and the next fronting his electric pop-rock band for hundreds of dancers. Sometimes he’ll sing a Chanson Française in English with a modern beat and guitar loops. He has honed a set of classic rock covers (Rolling Stones, CCR, etc.) that he calls “Pardon My French” – crowd pleasers that once resulted in a $500 tip from a customer thrilled to hear “Take Me Home, Country Road” en Français. His original songs often combine French and English lyrics infused with rock, hip-hop and reggae (think Manu Chao meets the 1969 Rolling Stones), and most recently, Americana. When not touring, Eric is based in Portland where he hosts his weekly Portland Songwriters Showcase at the Thirsty Lion, a proving-ground for some of PDX’s most talented musicians. He has recorded three full-length albums, “L’Odyssée” (2008), “French Troubadour” (2009) and “Dehors C’est L’Amerique” (“Outside, It’s America”) (2012) along with one 4-song EP, “Portland Rendez-Vous” (2010).

Paris Born Edouard Jump, San Francisco’s “Prince of Cartoonists”

Few Frenchmen endeared themselves more to San Franciscans than Parisian artist Edouard Jump. The son of an English teacher in Paris, Jump was caught up in the excitement of the gold rush and left France for California in 1851. He was only 20 years old when he reached the southern mines and tried his hand at finding gold. For lack of success, he headed back to San Francisco a few months later, and found employment as a label maker, and soon after, as a lithographer with Benjamin Butler and Louis Nagel who taught him the rudiments of their art.

Read more on : Edouard Jump – Prince of Cartoonists – Claudine Chamlers

“Bernard Métais, un ingénieur de talent au service de la culture française”

On ne peut appréhender l’engagement dans la communauté française de Bernard Métais sans connaître son parcours académique. Lycée Henri-IV & Louis le Grand, Ingénieur de l’Ecole Centrale de Paris, puis, ayant fait le choix de la rigueur de l’enseignement allemand, Doctorat es Sciences à l’Institut de Technologie de Karlsruhe en 1960. Son premier contact avec les Etats-Unis aura lieu deux plus tard, quand il sera invité  comme professeur-assistant en thermodynamique à l’Université du Minnesota. C’est à Minneapolis qu’il rencontre Anne avec laquelle il se mariera deux ans plus tard auprès du Consul général de France à Los Angeles, Romain Gary, qui offre à celle-ci cette félicitation complaisamment française : “Madame, vous avez eut l’intelligence de vous marier avec un Français. En reconnaissance, la France vous offre la nationalité française”.

Il retourne en France où il travaille aux  Pétroles d’Aquitaine –aujourd’hui partie d’Elf. Des recruteurs Américains, intéressés par son profil diversifié, lui offre un poste à Emeryville (près de San Francisco) au sein du centre de recherche de la Shell. Il fait partie des équipes qui mettent au point et démarrent des procédés uniques au monde. Il aura ainsi la chance de faire partie d’une toute petite équipe qui écrira le premier  logiciel au monde de simulation dynamique d’une unité pétrochimique  Faisait partie de cette équipe Adam Osborne le « père » de l’ordinateur personnel portable avec qui il gardera des relations d’amitié.  Shell Development déménageant  à Houston, il revient à Paris à la SERETE, société d’ingénierie  dans le domaine de l’Energie comme chef de service des études de procédé. En élargissant davantage encore son champ d’expertise en ingénierie, les sirènes de Bechtel, une des toutes premières sociétés d’ingénierie et de construction au monde se font plus puissamment entendre et il retourne à San Francisco en 1973.

Ce choix est  motivé par les conditions de travails offertes aux ingénieurs aux Etats-Unis. Alors qu’en France la conception, la construction et le démarrage  d’installations sont des projets individuels à transparence et communication difficiles, les Américains privilégient une approche globale qui permet de résoudre plus rapidement les difficultés entre phases du projet. Sa carrière à Bechtel  ira de chef de service au poste de Vice-président, Directeur Technique de la Division Génie Civil en passant par des responsabilités de chef des projets de Bechtel en Afrique du Nord où il y passera 3 ans. Il sera élu Bechtel Fellow en 1987 pour son leadership dans l’utilisation des ordinateurs aux projets  Avant sa retraite, il sera affecté Directeur général de SEMALY à Lyon qui est spécialisée dans les transports urbains en particulier les tramways modernes (Strasbourg, Nantes, Saint Etienne,..) et les métros automatiques (Lyon, Taiwan, Londres,…) Travaux passionnants et d’avant-garde qu’il fut heureux de mener à bien car, dit-il,  il put payer ainsi ses dettes envers la France qui avait financé la formation et l’instruction qui lui permirent d’avoir une carrière industrielle productive

Pendant son dernier séjour en France il fut le conseiller technique de Luc Montagnier (prix Nobel) pour la construction de centres de recherche sur le SIDA. Pendant de nombreuses années il fut vice-président de la section Ouest des USA des Ingénieurs et scientifiques de France.

A sa retraite en l’an 2000 son engagement dans la communauté française de San Francisco devient plus concrète (Président de l’Alliance Française de Berkeley (AFB), encore aujourd’hui son Président  émérite, membre du Conseil d’administration de la Fédération des Alliances Françaises aux USA..). Cet engagement avait été précédé par celle d’Anne Metais qui fut Présidente de l’AFB de 1981 à 1989 et qui demeura active au sein de la communauté de l’Eglise Françaises de Notre Dame des Victoires à San Francisco, activités reconnues par sa promotion à l’ordre des Palmes académiques. Ils demeurent tous les deux  actifs, entre autres par de très nombreuses présentations illustrant les réussites Françaises dans le monde.

The First Survey and Map of Yerba Buena a.k.a. San Francisco

• The continuing story of Jean Jacques Vioget
• What was the common language between Vioget, Sutter, and Nicolai Rotchoff of Fort Ross?
• Was a San Francisco street ever named after Jean-Jacques Vioget?

For more info on the founder of San Francisco, read Claudine Chamlers’ article: Vioget-The First Survey and Map of Yerba Buena

“A French Swiss drew the earliest view of San Francisco”

• How did a young French Swiss become a sea-captain?
• What brought him to faraway Yerba Buena?
• Who built the first two homes in the future city of San Francisco?

Claudine Chalmers answers those questions here :

A French Swiss drew the earliest view of San Francisco