Vernaculars Plays Sonny Sharrock's "Ask the Ages"

Name: Vernaculars Plays Sonny Sharrock's "Ask the Ages"
Start: 2026-02-27T20:00:00-08:00
End: 2026-02-27T22:00:00-08:00
Location: 1984 Bonita Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA

Schedule

Fri Feb 27 2026 at 08:00 pm to 10:00 pm

UTC-08:00

Location

1984 Bonita Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA | Berkeley, CA

All-star quintet Vernaculars convenes for a live performance of "Ask the Ages," the final album by legendary free jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock. In a departure from other live versions of this recording, this evening will feature a twin-guitar frontline: local firebrands Karl Evangelista and David James. Bassist Chris Trinidad, drummer Jimmy Biala, and renowned saxophonist Francis Wong complete the quintet.
Vernaculars is a collective ensemble of Bay Area-based artists pushing the language of Filipino American music, Asian American jazz, and avant-garde concepts into the future. The group draws inspiration from the landmark Asian Improv aRts organization (AIR). AIR, confounded by Wong and pianist Jon Jang, blazed a trail for Asian Americans in the realms of creative music and contemporary art.
"Ask the Ages" is widely heralded as one of the most important albums in the free jazz canon. Comprised of Sharrock's original compositions and boasting the monumental ensemble of Sharrock, Pharoah Sanders, Charnett Moffett, and Elvin Jones (with production from Bill Laswell), this album is one of the most influential and critically lauded modern guitar records. This event marks one of the few occasions upon which this record has been performed in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door general admission; $15 for students/low-income individuals. Children under 12 are free. Advance tickets are available here, or if the show is not sold out, you may purchase your tickets at the door before the show.
Doors open 30 minutes before show time. We accept cash or Venmo only at the door.
The Back Room is an all-ages, BYOB (for those 21+) space, dedicated to (mostly) acoustic music of all kinds. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages. The venue is ADA accessible. If you need more information or have any questions, please call us: #510-381-1997.
Please refrain from using your phone during performances, and if you use your camera or video, please disable the flash.
Although masks are no longer required, we strongly encourage their use to keep everyone safe in our intimate space.
Thank you for your support!