Bio

Based in Oakland, California, Amina Shareef Ali performs songs of love and struggle, of pain and wonder, of loss and redemption.  Lyrics by turns poignant and sardonic are set against a backdrop of American music both traditional and modern, from folk to punk to country to jazz to rock and roll.

Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Amina Shareef Ali studied music composition at Oberlin College and moved to the Bay Area in 2007. Amina has released five records: The Once and Future Boyfriend (2010) and Holy Rock and Roll (2011) with her band, The Radical Folksonomy; and the solo albums How to End the War (2011), A Place to Remember the Dead (2014) and In The Dark (Awake Of Course) (2021).

Amina Shareef Ali has done several tours both solo and with a band, visiting Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, Eugene, Bellingham, St. Louis, Amsterdam, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington DC, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Austin, Tucson, Los Angeles and more.  In 2017, Amina came out as a transgender woman.

Thanks to the following radio stations for playing Amina Shareef Ali:

107.7 The Bone, San Francisco (KSAN)
KUSF, San Francisco
KALX, Berkeley
Soma.fm
Berkeley Liberation Radio
Pirate Cat / Mutiny Radio, San Francisco
Radio Valencia, San Francisco

Partial List of Venues Played

California

San Francisco, CA: Bottom of the Hill, Make Out Room, Hotel Utah Saloon
Oakland, CA: Totally Intense Fractal Mindgaze Hut, Mama Buzz Cafe
Berkeley, CA: Starry Plough
Pasadena, CA: Old Towne Pub

Northwest

Portland, OR: Valentines, East End, Ash Street Saloon, the Waypost, Plew’s Brews, Ella Street Social Club
Eugene, OR: Wandering Goat, Cozmic Pizza, Tiny Tavern
Seattle, WA: Comet Tavern, Conor Byrne Pub, High Dive, Skylark Cafe, Cafe Venus & Mars Bar
Tacoma, WA: Mandolin Cafe
Bellingham, WA: Red Light, Honey Moon, the Swillery

South/Southwest

Tucson, AZ: Sparkroot, Red Room at the Grill
New Orleans, LA: Neutral Ground Coffeehouse
Austin, TX: Hole in the Wall
Marfa, TX: Padres

Midwest

Chicago, IL: Reggie’s, Elbo Room
St. Louis, MO: Foam, Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center

Northeast

Cambridge, MA: Cantab Lounge
Baltimore, MD: Sidebar, Joe Squared
Brooklyn, NY: Legion Bar, Northeast Kingdom
Philadelphia, PA: Connie’s Ric Rac