Who else celebrates her birthday with an annual musical bash that everyone is invited to? 

Musician and poet and Avotcja (A-VAH-Cha) is who – and this Sunday, she will be back at it again with some of the area’s top musicians, poets and spoken word artists at La Pena Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck in Berkeley.

Avotcja’s own Latin Jazz band – Avotcja & Modupue – will provide the entertainment and the Bay Area Blues Society (www.bayareabluessociety.net) will give the crowd something to dance to.

Avotcja Jiltonilro was born in New York and became a Bay Area resident in 1971.  As a musician she has performed with Betty Carter, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Terry Garthwaite. She also formed her Latin Jazz ensemble Avotcja & Modupue, which performs regularly around the Bay Area and beyond. The group recorded a CD called “Avotcja & Modupue Live @ Yoshi's” (2004), which can be heard on Avotcja's website.

The festivities are from 7 to 9:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. There will be a sliding scale fee to attend.
 
Visit Avotcja Jiltonilro at her website www.Avotcja.com or catch her jazz program, The Musical Truth, from noon to 3 p.m. Fridays on KPOO-FM 89.5.