Waterfront Plaza Hotel Offers Grand Prize for Sarah Manning's September 25th CD Release Party at Yoshi's!

If you've ever been to Oakland's Historic Jack London Square, you probably have noticed the Waterfront Plaza Hotel. Across the street from the venerable jazz club and restaurant Yoshi's, the luxury hotel sits right on the water, a display of distinctive architecture and nautical colors. Offering spectacular views of San Francisco, with amenities including a private fitness center, valet parking, chartered boat services, and private boat docking, the Waterfront Plaza is a great place from which to discover the Bay Area - or for Bay Area residents to escape from the everyday grind. In conjunction with saxophonist and composer Sarah Manning's Grassroots Campaign, the Waterfront Plaza has generously donated a gift certificate for a Friday or Saturday night hotel stay for two.

Eligibility for the Grand Prize drawing is simple. You must attend Sarah Manning's CD Release Party at Yoshi's on September 25th with a group of two or more people, and be a member of her Grassroots Campaign, found on her ArtistShare website at http://www.sarahmanningmusic.com. If your group includes 5 or more people, your name will be entered into the drawing twice. The Grassroots Campaign, which features Manning running for the mock political office of “Saxophonist and Composer at Large," is a community of fans who help spread the word about her music through activities such as bringing groups to shows, postering and more. Joining is free and instructions can be found by going to Manning's homepage and clicking on “Grassroots". Participation in the activities is voluntary, and members also get access to special downloads and other features. With the help of San Francisco Grassroots Campaign leader Andrew Posen, a twenty-year-old aspiring music journalist, the Campaign aims to bring jazz to a wider demographic and encourage listeners to support independent artists.

Last November, alto saxophonist and composer Sarah Manning recorded her second album live on the renowned stage at Yoshi's Jazz House. The September 25th CD Release Party celebrates the release of Live at Yoshi's: Two Rooms Same Door on the innovative web label ArtistShare. Joining Manning onstage will be pianist Randy Porter, bassist John Wiitala and drummer Akira Tana, the same players who tackled the seven originals on the new album. Grammy nominated producer Bud Spangler will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Originally from New England, Manning relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2002. Since her arrival on the West Coast, she has produced two albums as a composer and bandleader and performed at top venues from Yoshi's in Oakland to the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz. According to Nat Hentoff, “Manning plays--and writes--in what is unmistakably her own voice." Help spread the word about this young artist and you may also be staying at the Waterfront Plaza Hotel on the house!

Read more about the Waterfront Plaza Hotel at http://waterfrontplaza.com, and buy tickets to the 8PM or 10PM show at http://www.yoshis.com or by calling the box office at (510) 238-9200.