Saxophonist Gary Meek spent two decades touring and recording with Brazilian jazz legends Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. His resume also includes collaborations with keyboardist and composer Jeff Lorber, bassist Brian Bromberg, drummer Dave Weckl and more. In total, Meek has appeared on 200-plus recordings. On June 21, the Encino-born, Monterey-based Meek brings his quintet, comprising Akili Bradley on trumpet and flugelhorn, Eddie Mendenhall on piano, Dan Robbins on bass, and Skylar Campbell on drums, to Santa Cruz.

INFO: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 21. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $21/adv, $26.25/door.

WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 13 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

The post Giveaway: GARY MEEK QUINTET appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of May 30, 2018.

THURSDAY 5/31

JAZZ

SANTA CRUZ WOMEN OF JAZZ

Reassembling the inviting cast of players from last year’s celebration of Ella Fitzgerald’s centennial, the latest edition of Kuumbwa’s “Live and Local” series features a bevy of Santa Cruz’s top jazz singers backed by a talented band. Expanding the focus from Ella to include her contemporaries and the temporal range from the swing era to contemporary jazz repertoire, the show features the three-part harmony Jazz Birds—Gail Cruse, Cher Peterson and Vicki Coffis—and vocalists Ann Whittington, Charmaigne Scott, Ruby Rudman Judy Turowski, and the New Flamingo Swing Orchestra’s Stella D’Oro (who also performs around town with her band Stella By Barlight). The band also borrows from New Flamingo with the orchestra’s tenor saxophonist Brad Hecht and drummer Olaf Schiappacasse joined by guitarist Gino Raugi, bassist Bill Bosch, and reed expert Phil Smith. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $21/adv, $26.25/door. 427-2227

FRIDAY 6/1

REGGAE

FIDEL NADAL

One of the most important Argentinian bands in the ’80s and ’90s was the reggae-hip-hop-punk band Todos Tus Muertos, which translates to “All Your Dead.” It was a vibrant, eclectic and political group. The band name was a reference to the dead bodies in Argentina’s “Dirty War.” Since the band broke, vocalist Fidel Nadal has embarked on a successful solo career. Dropping the hip-hop and punk elements, he plays mainly roots reggae with a strong dancehall edge, still political, but also lots of personal material. He’s still a big star in Argentina, while in the U.S., he’s loved by die-hard reggae fanatics. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 6/1

ELECTRO-FUNK

PLANET BOOTY

Here’s a fact you probably didn’t know, but won’t be surprised to find out: Oakland electro-funkster group Planet Booty has a song called “Das Booty” that opens with this line: “Ladies and gentlemen, people of the world, I want to welcome you to … your booty.” The six-piece band prides itself on creating a “sweat-a-thon” at their shows, mixing all your favorite ’80s electronic funk, ’70s disco, and early ’90s R&B with booty-themed lyrics and a lot of humor into the best dance party you can attend this week. Underneath all the wackiness is a message of self-love, so long as what you love is your booty! AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

SATURDAY 6/2

BLUES-ROCK

ERIC LINDELL

Born in San Mateo, California, singer-songwriter Eric Lindell made the jump from the Bay Area to New Orleans in the late 1990s, making his way onto the national blues-rock scene and eventually landing a spot on the Alligator Records roster. With a reputation for raw talent, a range that spans blues, funk, R&B and rock, and a natural feel for the New Orleans sound, Lindell’s blue-eyed soul and attention-grabbing guitar work have established him as a favorite of roots and blues fans, and sealed his fate as a California local-boy-done-good. CJ

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.

SUNDAY 6/3

PSYCH

STRANGE MISTRESS

The self-proclaimed “heaviest rock band in Outerspace, Nevada,” Strange Mistress blasts their way onto the stage at Flynn’s Cabaret. The ex-Don Quixote’s is a perfect location for this otherworldly psych quartet. They launched their first CD, Divisions, last year and that cosmic piece of third-eye-opening ear fuel is still sending us to alternative dimensions. MAT WEIR

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15. 335-2800.

MONDAY 6/4

PROG-METAL

ATLAS MOTH

These days, when someone tells you they’re in a metal band, that means one of two things: either they play punishingly slow 20-minute-long stoned-out jams, or they are going to take you on a wild adventure in riffage, mathematics and insane technical wizardry while simultaneously screaming out all of their darkest feelings. Atlas Moth falls primarily in the second camp, while dabbling in the first. There’s so much variety in their songs that seasoned prog-metal listeners will have their minds blown quite a bit. AC

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 429-4135.

TUESDAY 6/5

IRISH

JOHN DOYLE

John Doyle is a standout of contemporary Irish music. A renowned guitarist and bouzouki player, Doyle composes tunes that bend tradition and blur lines. Performing original tunes and Irish traditional numbers, the one-time member of Irish supergroup Solas, Doyle brings his artistry to Soquel for an intimate house concert hosted by the Celtic Society of the Monterey Bay. CJ

INFO: 7:30 p.m. House concert, Soquel. $22. 464-9778. Information: celticsociety.org.

TUESDAY 6/5

HIP-HOP

COZZ

In a world of Soundcloud hip-hop and Xanax rappers, it’s hard to see a true talent in the game go underrated. Hopefully Cozz’s latest full-length, Effected, is what he needs to blow up into the mainstream. Signed to J.Cole’s Dreamville Record since 2014, Cozz has mixed smooth lyrics—riding between being woke about society and still wanting to have fun like any 20-something—with new beats that have an old school feel. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 429-4135.

TUESDAY 6/5

INSTRUMENTAL/POP

CHRISTIE LENÉE

The reigning international fingerstyle guitar champion, Christie Lenée is a captivating artist who wows audiences around the world with her guitar virtuosity and ability to blend pop hooks with fingerstyle and guitar tapping techniques. The result is an otherworldly sound full of complexity and sonic layers. Drawing comparisons to Michael Hedges, Joni Mitchell and Dave Matthews, Christie Lenée is also a masterful storyteller and songwriter with a gift for bringing people together through music. CJ

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10/adv, $12/door. 479-9777.

IN THE QUEUE

TOMORROWS BAD SEEDS

Reggae-rock out of Hermosa Beach. Thursday at Catalyst

ALEX LUCERO & LIVE AGAIN

Central Valley soul outfit. Friday at Michael’s on Main

TOMMY ALEXANDER

Indie-rock singer-songwriter. Saturday at Flynn’s Cabaret

SANTA CRUZ HIP-HOP SHOWCASE

Khan, Alwa Gordon, TDC and QEDJ. Saturday at Crepe Place

MITCH WOODS & HIS ROCKET 88’S

Jump n’ boogie blues. Sunday at Moe’s Alley

The post Music Picks May 30-June 5 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

In the 1970s, as rocksteady music made way for reggae, a music subgenre known as lovers rock was born. Popularized by artists like Ken Boothe, Johnny Nash and John Holt, lovers rock combined Chicago and Philly soul with the bass grooves of reggae. In the mid-’70s, Jamaican-born Beres Hammond emerged as one of the rising stars of the genre, a soulful artist who captured international attention. Peaking in the 1990s, Hammond became one of the genre-defining voices of lovers rock, and remains a giant of Jamaican music. 

INFO: 9 p.m. Sunday, June 24. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 423-1338. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Friday, June 15 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

The post Giveaway: Beres Hammond appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of June 6, 2018.

THURSDAY 6/7

POST-PUNK

ICEAGE

Danish post-punkers Iceage got their start a decade ago when the members were still in high school. In the past decade, the group has managed to insert something subtle into their mix of Birthday Party-meets-Bauhaus punk: gentleness. It sounds counter-intuitive, but the Danish rockers pound out guitar-driven songs with the delicacy of a flower falling slowly onto a bed of leaves. Without all of the aggression that normally comes from all-male bands baring their soul, the music catches you off guard in a spectacular way. AC

INFO: 8 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret & Steakhouse, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15/adv, $20/door. 335-2800.

THURSDAY 6/7

EXPERIMENTAL

YEEK

L.A.’s Yeek has a video for his tune “I’m Not Ready” that’s jam-packed with a lot of culturally potent imagery—everything from aged video footage of kids skateboarding inside of an empty pool to him on stage flying solo with just a mic and working the crowd into a frenzy.You also see shots of him rocking a guitar punk-rock style. What the hell is this Yeek guy even doing? Let’s just say this video actually downplays the scatterbrain mass-attack of conflicting influences that is in his music. It’s lo-fi indie-pop, kind of rap, sort of R&B, a little bit of punk. Whatever he’s doing, it’s catchy, and is catching on. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $14/door. 429-6994.

FRIDAY 6/8

AMERICANA

WILLY TEA TAYLOR

Willy Tea Taylor comes through Santa Cruz a lot. He’s not exactly local, but comes from semi-nearby Oakdale—and Santa Cruz loves the kind of Americana-roots-heart-on-the-sleeve music he makes. Two things he’s known for are his epic beard, and his work as the frontman of Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, which also rolls through town quite a bit. But to catch Willy Tea Taylor as a solo act is to see the singer in a much more intimate setting, and to get a more personal expression via his tender acoustic side. There are some intensely emotional songs here that will move you to tears if you happen to be a human with a heartbeat. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 6/9

ROCK

NICKI BLUHM

For years, singer-songwriter Nicki Bluhm and her husband Tim Bluhm were partners in music and in life. In 2015, however, the couple split up. The pain, loneliness and grief of that experience are all over Bluhm’s new album, To Rise You Gotta Fall. Bluhm turned to music to get through her own hard times, and, in turn, she shares her experiences on the album, which was recorded at the legendary Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis. As she says in a trailer video for the record, “I’ve captured all those really intense emotions and put them into songs. If I can help someone else get through their pain, that’s my goal … Music makes you feel less alone.” CJ

INFO: 8 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $22/door. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 6/9

HIP-HOP

SMOKE DZA

Born and raised in Harlem, Smoke DZA is a product of ’80s and ’90s hip-hop living in the time of mumble rappers, and still delivering the solid beats and rhymes we deserve. Staying true to the classics of hip-hop that created the genre, he expands on new lyrical horizons and artists—collaborating with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Joey Bada$$ to create a sound that pushes towards the future while solidifying his roots in what made the music great. MAT WEIR

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $18/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 6/9

ROOTS / COUNTRY

PETUNIA AND THE VIPERS

Petunia and the Vipers are no strangers to poetic description. The five-piece outfit has been dubbed “creative generators and innovators … defining the cutting edge,” “a total one-off,” “left-field genius,” and, my personal favorite from the Blasters’ Phil Alvin, “Petunia and the mutherfucking Vipers!” Rooted in American roots traditions, the band branches out into avant-garde, steampunk, jazz and rock to reimagine the boundaries of Americana and breathe new life into styles popularized by American music icons like the Carter Family, Hank Williams and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Also on the bill: local outlaw country favorite Miss Lonely Hearts. CJ

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $13/door. 429-6994.

SATURDAY 6/9

ROCKABILLY

CASH AND KING

In 2018, musicians are back to releasing singles online just as previous generations did through seven-inch vinyl records. But to truly grasp what it was like during the fledgling days of rock ’n’ roll, look no further than Cash and King. For one exclusive night, Steven Kent and his band will rage through hit singles from two kings of pop music, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. For those of us who couldn’t be there from the beginning, this is an affordable time machine to capture the moments we wish we had witnessed. MW

INFO: 8 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $28/gen, $40/gold. 423-8209.

MONDAY 6/11

JAZZ

BRIAN BLADE

When Brian Blade released his first album with the Fellowship Band in 1998, the protean drummer occupied a singular space in American music—a swirling, grooving vortex that inexorably attracted artists like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell as well as powerhouse jazz improvisers like Joshua Redman, Kenny Garrett and Mark Turner. But it was joining saxophone legend Wayne Shorter’s all-star quartet in 2000 that lifted Blade into the jazz pantheon as one of the era’s definitive drummers. All the while he’s kept his love of folk and gospel music as the guiding force in the Fellowship, a passionately lyrical ensemble that released its fifth album last year, Body and Shadow (Blue Note). Blade performs the album’s cast, featuring newcomer Dave Devine on guitar, and founding members Jon Cowherd (piano and harmonium), Chris Thomas (bass), Myron Waldon (alto sax and clarinet) and Melvin Butler (tenor sax). ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $31.50/adv, $36.75/door. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 6/12

ROOTS

DEEP DARK WOODS

An alt-country outfit from Saskatoon, the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, Deep Dark Woods is one of the best kept secrets in roots music. Led by frontman Ryan Boldt, the band gracefully merges gothic folk, Appalachian music traditions and rock. The resulting songs are spooky, sad and lovely tales of plagues, murder, prison, loss, death—you know, all the stuff that makes good roots music so compelling. Bridging traditional sounds from across North America with a style that appeals to contemporary music lovers, Deep Dark Woods is an under-appreciated gem of the roots scene. CJ

INFO: 8 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $15. 479-9777.

IN THE QUEUE

MONSIEUR PERINE

Latin Grammy winning gypsy jazz outfit. Thursday at Kuumbwa

CHRIS TRAPPER

Singer-songwriter out of Boston. Friday at Flynn’s Cabaret

KEZNAMDI

Rising star of reggae. Friday at Moe’s Alley

LAURENCE JUBER

World-renowned guitarist. Sunday at Michael’s on Main

ULI JON ROTH

Metal pioneer and former Scorpions lead guitarist. Tuesday at Catalyst

The post Music Picks June 6-12 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Jazz bassist and composer Eric Revis is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished musicians of his generation and an important voice in the genre. Possessing a sound that legendary saxophonist, composer and bandleader Branford Marsalis described as “the sound of doom; big, thick, percussive,” Revis has captured the attention of the jazz world. On June 25, Revis and his quartet, comprising saxophonist Ken Vandermark, pianist Kris Davis and drummer Chad Taylor, hit the Kuumbwa. 

INFO: 7 p.m. Monday, June 25. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $26.25/adv, $31.50/door. 427-2227. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Monday, June 18 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

The post Giveaway: Eric Revis Quartet appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of June 13, 2018.

WEDNESDAY 6/13

ALT-COUNTRY

MARGO CILKER

Margo Cilker makes “cowgirl music from San Francisco.” What’s the distinction here? Maybe it’s the fact that she opens her newest EP, California Dogwood, with a line about a “lonely painter” renting a “cold room” on the coast. Otherwise, this is stark southern acoustic-style music that you’d expect attached to the word country (or at least “real” country as some roots enthusiasts have come to refer to it as). Cilker brings an intense, deeply sad emotionality to her music that brings to mind some of the darker Lucinda Williams material. AC

INFO: 8 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10 ($7 with cowboy boots). 429-6994.

THURSDAY 6/14

FOLK

PAT HULL

Melodic, light and dreamy, Pat Hull’s music has everything in it to put a smile on your face. Based out of Chico, Hull writes songs that are reminiscent of Neil Young, Bonnie Prince Billy and M. Ward. He is currently touring on his upcoming album, Denmark Sessions, named after the studio in Portland where it was recorded, which drops on June 28. Hull will be joined on stage with the alt-country sounds of Dan Too and the return of Santa Cruz string band, MAJK. MAT WEIR

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15. 335-2800.

FRIDAY 6/15

SOUL

ROYAL JELLY JIVE

On a mission to “spread the jelly,” San Francisco soul outfit Royal Jelly Jive calls to mind the jazz clubs of old, with dimmed lights, smoke-filled air, and swinging music deep into the early hours. Blending funk, soul, horns and infectious grooves, the band, led by frontwoman Lauren Bjelde, throws it back to the old school in all the right ways. Over four years, two albums, and countless live shows, Royal Jelly Jive has established itself as a Bay Area favorite. CJ

INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 6/15

FOLK

KINGSTON TRIO

In the late ’50s and early ’60s, folk revival group the Kingston Trio was a huge pop hitmaker. The group played two acoustic guitars, a banjo, insanely catchy hooks and a near-constant wall of vocal harmonies to not only climb the charts, but to help kick off the folk revival that came to epitomize the ’60s counter-culture. The trio themselves, with their matching striped shirts and harmless storytelling lyrics weren’t exactly counter-culture icons, though without blazing a trail to the charts, groups like Peter Paul and Mary and Dylan may not have reached the number of ears that they did. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $30. 423-8209.

FRIDAY 6/15

AMERICANA

ERIC MORRISON

Hailing from Santa Cruz, Eric Morrison & the Mysteries play a hybrid of West Coast soul, rock, Americana and jam. The band’s debut album, No Wolves, is described as a “10-track gem” led by the hit singles “Bad Girl” and “Big Stacks of Money.” This Friday, Morrison and company are joined by rock/fusion outfit Magic In The Other, comprising Ezra Lipp (Phil Lesh & Friends, Sean Hayes) Steve Adams (ALO, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers) and Roger Riedlbauer (Jolie Holland, Mercury Falls). CJ

INFO: 8 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.

SATURDAY 6/16

ROCK

BUCKETHEAD

Bust out the fried chicken and get ready for a mind melting experience of the musical kind, because Buckethead returns to the Catalyst. The anonymous guitar noodler has more than 291 albums and has worked with a plethora of musicians from Les Claypool to Axl Rose. Whether with a band or just backed by a track, the virtuoso shreds through a wide range of musical tastes influenced by funk blues, electronic and even Michael Jackson. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 6/16

REGGAE

MIGHTY DIAMONDS

Jamaica is kind of amazing in how many talented singers the country has produced. This is especially true of the late ’60s and ’70s as reggae took hold of the tiny island. We’ve lost a lot of legends over the years, so we are quite fortunate when some old school powerhouse vocalists roll through town. On Saturday, that group is the Mighty Diamonds, a vocal trio that formed in 1969. Not only that, but the group is still touring with all of its original members. They were known for several hits, including “Pass The Kouchie” which was covered (and sanitized) by Musical Youth in the ’80s as “Pass the Dutchie.” AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.

MONDAY 6/18

JAZZ

THUMBSCREW

The band’s name might conjure a fearsome image, but Thumbscrew makes inviting music full of wonder and discovery. A super-trio of improvisational masters, the collective ensemble features award-winning guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Tomas Fujiwara, who can often be found working together in an array of arresting settings, and Pacifica-raised bassist Michael Formanek, a creative catalyst on jazz’s adventurous frontiers for more than three decades. With two new CDs on Cuneiform focusing on originals, Ours, and music from outside the trio, Theirs, Thumbscrew can turn just about any piece into a revelatory excursion. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $26.25 adv/ $31.50 door. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 6/19

PSYCH-ROCK

STEVE KIMOCK

Guitarist and songwriter Steve Kimock is a legend of the Bay Area psych-rock scene. Hailing from Pennsylvania, Kimock headed west in the mid-1970s to join the Goodman Brothers, a folk-rock group in San Francisco. From there, he was woven into the area’s inimitable music history, collaborating with members of Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Grateful Dead and more. Kimock remains a boundary-pushing musician fusing Eastern sounds with American roots music and psychedelia. As Frets magazine writes, “Kimock’s acoustic aesthetic comes entirely from another place.” CJ
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 423-1338.

IN THE QUEUE

T.V. MIKE & THE SCARECROWS

Cosmic twang stomp. Wednesday at Flynn’s Cabaret

BLUE WATER HIGHWAY

Roots band from the Texas Gulf Coast. Thursday at Crepe Place

LOW SPARK OF HIGH HEELED BOYS

Tribute to Traffic and Steve Winwood. Thursday at Michael’s on Main

STARS BAND

Canadian indie pop/rock outfit. Sunday at Catalyst

BOOSTIVE

Santa Cruz-based hip-hop/electronica. Tuesday at Moe’s Alley

The post Music Picks June 13-19 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

The son of an opera singer, Bob Schneider was born in Michigan and raised in Germany. Not quite the usual background of an Americana artist, but an Americana artist he is. A favorite among Austin roots fans, Schneider has raked in dozens of local awards and built a loyal fan base across Texas and beyond. Known for his personal approach to songwriting and his monthly residency that stretches back two decades at Austin’s Saxon Pub, Schneider may soon be one of your favorite roots artists. On July 13, he brings his band to Moe’s Alley. 

INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, July 13 Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Monday, July 2 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

The post Giveaway: Bob Schneider appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of June 20, 2018.

WEDNESDAY 6/20

LATIN-FUNK

BROWNOUT

When Public Enemy released Fear of a Black Planet in 1990, it was the perfect statement for the Reagan/Bush era of conservatism, racism and the “war on drugs.” Now in the Trump era, Austin Latin ensemble Brownout has appropriately released Fear of a Brown Planet. It’s a cover (of sorts) of Public Enemy’s classic record, but performed as an instrumental live funk band. It works as a subtle protest record, as there are no lyrics, just the knowledge as you listen that a group of Texas Latinos (formerly Grupo Fantasma) are kicking out some potent dance music that will remind you of one of the greatest protest albums ever created. AC

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

WEDNESDAY 6/20

HIP-HOP

RICH HOMIE QUAN

Rich Homie Quan has performed, collaborated and toured with a slew of who’s who in the hip-hop world, from newcomers like Young Thug and YG to established heavyweights like 2Chainz. Yet, a bad contract ensured Quan couldn’t release any new music between 2015 and 2017. But it was more than enough time for him to work on his debut full-length, Rich as in Spirit, which dropped this past March. MAT WEIR

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/door, $60/VIP. 429-4135.

WEDNESDAY 6/20

FUSION

JEREMY KITTEL TRIO

Years ago, I asked a classically trained musician friend what the difference between a fiddle and a violin was. His response was, “It’s all how you play it.” Jeremy Kittel is described as a renowned American fiddler and violinist, which implies that he’s comfortable with different styles, techniques and sounds. The one-time member of the Turtle Island Quartet, Kittel draws from jazz, Celtic, electronica, rock, traditional roots, classical and more. His collaborators include a diverse roster of artists from My Morning Jacket to Yo-Yo Ma, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn. For Kittel’s Santa Cruz appearance, he performs with mandolinist Josh Pinkham, who was dubbed “the future of the mandolin” by Mandolin Magazine, and guitarist Quinn Bachand. CJ

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $18/adv, $20/door. 479-9777.

FRIDAY 6/22

AMERICANA

HARMED BROTHERS

For the better part of a decade, the Harmed Brothers have been a huge part of the ever-evolving Northwest Americana sound: Part traditional folk, part laid-back hippie vibes, lots of sweet harmonies. Last year’s self-titled full-length saw the group expand in size and in its sound into a more layered indie-folk ensemble. The group remains as personal and heartfelt as ever, but gives the music a deeper musicality, more harmonies and intricate guitar work underlining these songs, which are American roots music at their core. They’ve added so much beauty to their music, it’s hard to put it down. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 429-6994.

FRIDAY 6/22

FOLK-ROCK

SHAWN COLVIN

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Shawn Colvin is “Riding Shotgun Down the Avalanche.” The song is one of those era-defining tunes for me that brings to mind a specific place and time—namely, riding around with my sister, singing our hearts out. It’s Colvin’s most well-known song, but if that’s all you know of the singer-songwriter, dig deeper. Colvin is a master songsmith who is fearless when it comes to sharing glimpses into her perspective and emotions. She also possesses a smart sense of humor and sarcasm that balances the hyper-personal nature of her lyrics. CJ

INFO: 8 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $32/gen, $47/gold. 423-8209.

SATURDAY 6/23

ROCK

PETTY THEFT

Tom Petty’s unexpected death last year sent a shockwave through the music and art community offset only by the decades of musical gems he left behind. While we no longer have the man, we can still celebrate his music with killer tribute bands like Petty Theft. Formed in San Francisco in 2003, they are the premiere Bay Area group for everything Petty related. Whether you want that last dance with Mary Jane or you’re running down a dream, this is the night to skip to the point, stand your ground and learn to fly. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $22/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 6/23

POP/COUNTRY

MIRA GOTA

Way back when, the Osmonds introduced the idea of being “a little bit country, a little bit rock ’n’ roll.” The rock ’n’ roll part may have been a bit of an overreach for the sibling duo, but the phrase (and song) stuck in the pop archives. Singer-songwriter Mira Gota takes the country/rock angle and throws in pop sensibilities for good measure. Hailing from Northern California, Gota is now based in Nashville, where her fun and catchy sound fits nicely into the Music City scene. If radio-friendly pop/country is your thing, put Gota on your radar. CJ

INFO: 8 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15/adv, $18/door. 335-2800.

SUNDAY 6/24

JAZZ-FUNK

FAREED HAQUE & HIS FUNK BROS

There aren’t a lot of true guitar legends among us now. Fareed Haque’s style is informed by jazz, Latin, and classic guitar, and while he isn’t as flashy as the dudes that normally wear the “guitar god” emblem, his work is at least as if not more impressive. He played with Sting for a while and then formed Garaj Mahal, a jazz-fusion jam band. His new band he’s bringing to town, Fareed Haque & His Funk Brothers, is still a project of diverse influences and impressive fusion elements. Not to worry funk lovers, there is plenty of that too in this mix of musical mastery. AC

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

MONDAY 6/25

JAZZ

ERIC REVIS

If Kuumbwa’s chairs came equipped with seatbelts, this concert would start with a reminder to buckle up. Eric Revis has held down the bass chair in Branford Marsalis’s trio and quartet for some two decades, but he’s always maintained a separate musical identity on jazz’s wild and wooly experimental edge. Now he’s touring with a quartet bristling with musical explorers who are prolific bandleaders themselves. Saxophonist and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Ken Vandermark has been at the center of the Windy City’s improv scene for 30 years, and Philly drummer Chad Taylor came up in Chicago, where he made a name for himself playing with AACM giants like saxophonist Fred Anderson and bassist Malachi Favors. Rounding out the quartet is pianist Kris Davis, a thoughtful and immensely resourceful improviser whose 2016 album Duopoly features her duo encounters with a succession of masters, including Bill Frisell, Craig Taborn, Tim Berne, Don Byron, Julian Lage, and Angelica Sanchez. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $26.25/adv, $31.50/door. 427-2227.

IN THE QUEUE

ANTSY MCCLAIN & THE TRAILER PARK TROUBADOURS

Master storyteller/songwriter and his band. Thursday at Flynn’s Cabaret

ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY

Guitar-driven smooth jazz. Friday at Kuumbwa

DONAVON FRANKENREITER

Singer/songwriter/surfer out of Southern California. Friday at Catalyst

KATDELIC

Funk outfit led by Ronkat Spearman from P-Funk. Saturday at Moe’s Alley

HIGHLAND EYEWAY

Vancouver-based psych/garage rock band. Sunday at Crepe Place

The post Music Picks June 20-26 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

It’s hard to write about reggae vocal trio the Abyssinians without mentioning “Satta Massagana.”

A runaway hit song that was originally rejected by legendary Jamaican producer Clement “Coxsone” Dodd in 1969 for being too subversive, the tune, which translates to “He Gave Praise” and was eventually released on an album of the same name, has become a defining song of the genre. Though the band’s lineup has changed over the decades, it remains a giant of Jamaican music, and a favorite of reggae fans around the world. The current lineup includes founding member Bernard Collins. 

INFO: 9 p.m. Saturday, July 21. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

The post Giveaway: Abyssinians appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of June 27, 2018.

WEDNESDAY 6/27

AMERICANA

AMANDA PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS

Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, the Honeycutters have been accused of making their hometown a new roots music hotspot. Led by frontwoman and vocalist Amanda Platt, the band takes all of the ingredients of rocking Americana—country, rock, folk, blues—and whips them up into swinging, emotionally charged songs about death, loneliness, loss, and, as one reviewer put it, “getting the shit kicked out of you by love.” An artful storyteller making her mark on the international roots scene, Platt is one of the underexposed stars of the genre. CJ

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.

THURSDAY 6/28

REGGAE

NATTALI RIZE

Musician, producer and political activist Nattali Rize got her start as a street percussionist in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia in the early-aughts. She has since built an international reputation for incorporating spirituality, politics and a global awareness into her high-energy, reggae-infused music. Touring the debut album with her current band, Rize hits Moe’s this Thursday. Also on the bill: Jamaican-born artist Kelissa. CJ

INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 6/29

JAZZ

CHRISTIAN McBRIDE’S NEW JAWN

It’s a miracle that bassist extraordinaire Christian McBride still finds time to tour, given his commitments as an educator, broadcaster, and artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival. Looking for a new musical challenge after his trio had run its course at the end of 2015, he assembled New Jawn, a pianoless quartet featuring the thrilling tandem horns of spitfire trumpeter Josh Evans and passionately heady saxophonist Marcus Strickland. Joining McBride in the roiling rhythm section is longtime friend but first-time bandmate Nasheet Waits, a mesmerizing trap set artist best known as a founding member of pianist Jason Moran’s Bandwagon. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 and 9 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $31-$42. 427-2227.

FRIDAY 6/29

NORTEÑO

LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE

One of the best, most respected Norteño bands of all time is from right over the hill in San Jose. I’m talking about Los Tigres Del Norte. The group was started by Jorge Hernandez and some of his brothers and cousins after immigrating to San Jose in the late ’60s. They started scoring hits in Mexico and the U.S. in the ’70s and have been a key group in modernizing the genre, mixing it with cumbia, conjunto and bolero. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $67.50-$94.50. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 6/30

PUNK

DWARVES

For a genre birthed in controversy, today’s punk doesn’t have many bands as controversial as the Dwarves. Then again, they’ve also had 30 years of practice. This year, they released their 13th full-length album, Take Back The Night, showing they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Or maybe behind guitarist’s  HeWhoCannotBeNamed’s mask, since he doesn’t wear anything else when he performs. Yes, you read that correctly. So believe us when we say this is one show that will be hard to forget. MAT WEIR

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 6/30

FOLK-ROCK

ANI DIFRANCO

Ani DiFranco was ahead of her time. Way back in 1990, the fiercely independent singer-songwriter launched her own record label, Righteous Babe, to release album after album of songs that challenged gender norms, brought conversations around bisexuality into the mainstream, drew attention to the impact of outsourcing and war on local communities, and more. In doing so, she became one of the unofficial spokespeople of her generation. With 20 albums now under her DIY belt, DiFranco remains an innovative artist and activist hell-bent on positive social change. CJ

INFO: 8 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $42. 423-8209.

SATURDAY 6/30

INDIE

QUINTRON + MISS PUSSYCAT

Quintron is a one-man-band in the vein of Devo playing surf-rock while taking acid. Miss Pussycat is a performance artist and demented puppeteer. The twosome basically shares the stage all the time and provides a show of weird music accompanied by weird performance/visuals. The show has everything: homemade instruments, puppets, oddball props, catchy yet creepy pop songs to get you on the dance floor. Oddly enough, it’s not two separate acts going on. It’s commingled nicely, and Miss Pussycat also provides vocals and percussion. A lot of insanity for just two people. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 429-6994.

SUNDAY 7/1

BLUES

ELECTRIC FLAG

Although the original lineup only lasted for about a year, Electric Flag left a major impact on music. Not only did they write the insanely psychedelic soundtrack to the 1967 Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and Roger Corman film The Trip, they played the legendary Monterey Pop Festival. This year, three of the original members—Barry Goldberg, Nick Gravenites and Harvey Mandel—reunite for the 50th anniversary of the band. This rare performance is a must for any blues or classic rock fan, just don’t forget it’s an afternoon show. MW

INFO: 4 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.

MONDAY 7/2

ALT-COUNTRY

RENEE WAHL

If you ever take a trip to Nashville and want to see some live country music, you need to ask yourself whether you want East or West Nashville. If you choose East Nashville, i.e., the rawer “alternative” country that resembles classic country more than pop, you’re likely to catch budding star Renee Wahl and her group Sworn Secrets. Her music has just the right amount of twang, blue collar struggle and heart-on-the-sleeve emotional outpouring. She even served on the U.S. Air Force at one point, so you know she takes her country music seriously. AC

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15. 335-2800.

IN THE QUEUE

ANDRE THIERRY

Bay Area zydeco favorite. Wednesday at Flynn’s Cabaret

$TEVEN CANNON

Los Angeles-based rapper. Thursday at Catalyst

TO LEONARD WITH LOVE

Tribute to Leonard Cohen. Thursday at Michael’s on Main

LUME

Post-hardcore trio out of Chicago. Thursday at Crepe Place

B-SIDE PLAYERS

“Afro-Latin-Reggae-Cumbia-Funk.” Saturday at Moe’s Alley

The post Music Picks June 27-July 3 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

When Kevin Kaproff thought of the name Practicing Sincerity, he didn’t even have any songs yet. But he liked how it sounded, and felt like it was going to fit his next musical project.

He’d been writing music since he was 13, but felt that it was lacking something.

“Everything was very deeply hidden in these obscure metaphors that were almost indiscernible,” Kaproff explains of his older music.

After graduating UCSC, he moved to New York, thinking he’d dive into the music scene there. Instead, he came back to Santa Cruz and started Practicing Sincerity as a solo project. Once here, the songs flowed out.

“I came out of it feeling like I needed to be better at actually expressing my emotions plainly and letting these vulnerable things about myself be known and not hold them inside,” Kaproff says. “I wanted to write songs that weren’t necessarily about anything huge or groundbreaking, but felt important because they were sincere.”

In 2016, he recorded the solo EP I Never Thought I’d Miss Palm Trees So Much under the Practicing Sincerity moniker. Its downtempo indie-pop jams featured him on the guitar and drum machine.

Last year, he recorded I Am Coming Home, backed by a band. The songs have a little more energy, but still retain an eclectic early ’80s post-punk songwriting style. These days, Practicing Sincerity is still a band, but has an entirely new lineup around Kaproff.

“The current lineup I have now definitely feels very solid and that definitely helps feeling like I can move forward where I’m not constantly having to worry about replacing people,” Kaproff says.

lINFO: 9 p.m. Friday, July 6. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $8. 429-6994.

The post Love Your Local Band: Practicing Sincerity appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of July 4, 2018.

THURSDAY 7/5

SINGER-SONGWRITER

STEVE POLTZ

“Hey god, I’ll trade you Donald Trump for Leonard Cohen!” So pleads singer-songwriter Steve Poltz in his typically smart-ass fashion. You might not have realized what a sharp tongue the prolific musician had if your main introduction to him was his collaboration with Jewel on “You Were Meant For Me.” The real Poltz voices all of our sorrow at losing Prince and David Bowie, but for being left stuck with Trump in the White House. You might just laugh till you cry. If that’s too political for you, don’t worry, his other material (“Fistfight at the Vegan Brunch”) might be more up your alley. AARON CARNES

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $20/adv, $25/door. 335-2800.

FRIDAY 7/6

REGGAE

LOS CAFRES

For three decades, the members of Los Cafres have given the world their unique blend of Latin reggae, defying any preconceived notions of the genre. Hailing from Argentina, the group consists of four core members, but they continuously bring a wide roster of guest musicians on tour and in the studio. Their first album was not released until 1994, but it would take another 10 years before their popularity reached a global scale. In 2016, they released their 13th album, Alas Canciones. MAT WEIR

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $30/adv, $35/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 7/7

AMERICANA

JAMES MCMURTRY

James McMurtry is a fixture in the Austin music scene, and his reach doesn’t end in Texas. At the risk of over-hyping his talents, McMurtry is one of the finest, most human songwriters around. Elevating stories of everyday people to near-mythic proportions, the rough-but-insightful McMurtry delves into the nuances of human thought, emotion and relationships and emerges with relatable glimpses into the lives of people who may, or may not, be a lot like you. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 8 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 7/7

ALT-ROCK

NOVAROSE

The latest single by local alt-rock ensemble Novarose is a powerhouse of emotion and heavy arena-rock guitars. The song “Release Me” takes all of the members’ goth energy and shouts it from the top of the mountain (“If I could be a stranger, I’d run away, un-live the pain”); I suggest they contact the good folks at Webster and ask this song be the new entry for the word “catharsis.” The song is everything the group’s been doing already, but bigger and better—by the end, you will be ready to flee your life while you run in the pouring rain in slow motion. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

SATURDAY 7/7

ROCK

SHRED ZEPPELIN

If you’ve got a whole lotta love, but can’t seem to find the stairway to heaven, then ramble on down to Michael’s on Main this Saturday for the Bay Area’s premiere Led Zeppelin cover band Shred Zeppelin. There’s no communication breakdown when it comes to Shred Zeppelin melting audiences’ faces through good times, bad times and somethin’ else completely. MW

INFO: 8 p.m.  Michael’s on Main, 2541 South Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.

SATURDAY 7/7

POP TRIBUTE

FOREVERLAND

Few artists truly change our cultural arc; Michael Jackson was one of them. From his days as the irresistibly captivating and talented youngster in the Jackson 5 through his game-changing Thriller era, Jackson helped define popular music culture for decades. Foreverland pays tribute to Jackson with high-energy celebrations of music spanning his storied career without falling into the impersonation trap. Formed in 2009, just two weeks before Jackson’s death, the band features four vocalists, a mighty horn section, and a rhythm section that won’t let you stop till you get enough. CJ

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $18/door. 423-1338.

TUESDAY 7/10

COUNTRY

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN

If you’re going to talk about old-timey country, Western swing and string ensemble revival music, let’s talk about a band that was doing it long before it was cool: Hot Club of Cowtown. They even made sure to include the word “Cowtown” in their name, even though when they formed in the late ’90s, that was hardly the mark of an awesome-sauce band. The group oddly enough formed in New York, and brought their snapping strings to some probably confused faces for a while. But who’s laughing now? Two decades later, everyone and their mom is in a classic country band! AC

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $20. 335-2800.

TUESDAY 7/10

ROCK

SCOTT PEMBERTON BAND

If you like your rock ’n’ roll cooked in the blues, rolled in funk, sprinkled with jazz and deep-fried in weirdness, then look no further than the Scott Pemberton Band. The Portland native is a guitarist’s musician, smoothly blending all genres into a boldly unique sound. MW

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

TUESDAY 7/10

JAZZ VOCALS

BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP

A bit of a mutual appreciation society, Beautiful Friendship brings together Amy Cervini, Peter Eldridge and Sara Gazarek, three critically acclaimed jazz vocalists and friends, for an evening that promises to include harmony, joy, love, and swinging music. Prolific artists in their own right, the three have garnered descriptions including “thoughtful and broad-minded,” “far more than a spinner of songs,” and the “next important jazz singer.” Catch the trio in Santa Cruz this Tuesday. CJ

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $26.25/adv, $31.50/door. 427-2227.

The post Music Picks July 4-10 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of July 11, 2018.

WEDNESDAY 7/11

AMERICANA

WILD & BLUE

Back in 1991, local singer-songwriter Steve Bennett wrote a song about his then 18-month old daughter April (“I never knew about love/till I held you in my arms.”) It’s a heartwarming song he still plays sometimes and gets emotional about. But nowadays he has a musical project with April called Wild & Blue. It’s a powerful father-daughter project. He picks the acoustic guitar, she sings. You can really see Steve’s great songwriting still in action. There’s some twang there, but just a touch. April’s melancholy vocal hooks bring the songs to life. AARON CARNES

INFO: 8 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

WEDNESDAY 7/11

AMERICANA

NATHAN MOORE & MAGIC IN THE OTHER

If you missed their performance at last week’s High Sierra Music Festival, then make sure not to miss this enchanted evening of jazzy tunes at Moe’s Alley. Both Nathan Moore and Magic in the Other will be playing their repertoire of unique jazzy and jam hits. Nathan Moore delivers singer-songwriter tunes that are one part folk, one part ragtime and all traveling troubadour. No Magic in the Other features members of Phil Lesh & friends, ALO and Mercury Falls for a funk infused jazz fest that’s as cool as the snazzy suits they perform in. MAT WEIR

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 7/13

SOUL/SKA

INCITERS & MONKEY

2018 has been a stressful year. Guess what, it’s halfway over so it’s time to celebrate with an evening of dancing. I know what you’re thinking—should I go dance to soul music or ska? The correct answer is both. Lucky for you, local northern soul all-stars the Inciters are pairing up with longtime San Jose ska band Monkey to bring you an evening you’ll be unable to sit still for. Northern soul is a high energy (extra-dancey) style of soul music. Monkey, as you likely know, plays straight up ska without all the slam-dancing-pitting action that some of the other punky-ska bands play. AC

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.

FRIDAY 7/13

PUNK

WEIRDOS

This Los Angeles group originally formed in 1975, complete with short haircuts, strange clothes and fast music played at extreme levels. While they tried to stray from the “punk” labeling for as long as they could—opting for the preferred nomenclature “art rock”—music fans couldn’t help but see the comparisons. Just listen to their early recordings, and you’ll understand why. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $17/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 7/14

R&B

NZURI SOUL

Nzuri Soul is a multi-faceted Bay Area gem that can heat things up with an Aretha cover, get the dance floor shaking with funky horns and deep grooves, and slow things down with a smoothed-out love jam. Comprising Lamar Green on keyboards, Eddie Wroten on bass, Chris Brochard on guitar, Mike McCoy on percussion, the captivating Kimberli Stafford on lead vocals, and the Carter Sisters on background vocals, Nzuri Soul blends soul, gospel and R&B in all the right ways. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 8 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15/adv, $18/door. 335-2800.

SUNDAY 7/15

CELTIC

RUNA

On a mission to “preserve and continue a traditional culture in a modern age,” Celtic group Runa weaves the music of Ireland and Scotland with jazz, folk and more. The result is something timeless and forward-thinking. Members of the band have roots in the U.S., Canada and Ireland and are now based in Philadelphia, Nashville and Chicago. Collectively, they’ve established themselves as one of the most engaging and innovative contemporary Celtic groups around. CJ

INFO: 7 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15/adv, $18/door. 335-2800.

SUNDAY 7/15

BLUEGRASS

DEL MCCOURY BAND

The most award-winning bluegrass band of all time, the Del McCoury Band has been holding it down since the late-’60s. Performing traditional bluegrass, McCoury and company also take an open-minded approach to bluegrass and have grown a fan base that includes Americana enthusiasts, jam band festival attendees and traditionalists alike. For 50-plus years, McCoury has been at the front of the bluegrass wave and has paved the way for countless artists to follow his lead. As resonator guitar standout Jerry Douglas put it, “You can finally make a living playing bluegrass, and a large part of it is because of Del McCoury.” CJ

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $40/gen, $55/gold. 423-8209.

TUESDAY 7/17

AMERICANA

DAROL ANGER & THE FURIES

Over the last 30 years, Darol Anger has changed the way we view the fiddle by mixing his favorite influences from around the world. If his name doesn’t ring a bell at first, you’ve probably heard him playing in the David Grisman Quintet, Psychograss, or the Turtle Island String Quartet, to name a few of his projects. His latest band, the Furies, is an all-star cast of stringed wonders, hand-picked by the man himself. If you’re a fan of the old-timey jams with a modern twist, don’t miss this one-night experience. MW

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 S Main St., Soquel. $17/adv, $20/door. 479-9777.

The post Music Picks July 11-17 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Joe Kaplow grew up on a farm in rural New Jersey, playing music, but not really knowing what to do with it. Eventually he went on a nine-month U.S. tour. Santa Cruz was one of the spots on that venture. He liked it so much that he now calls it home.

In describing this long tour, he jokingly refers to it as his “farm-to-table” tour.

“I left the farm, and now I’m playing at your table,” he tells me.

Not only did he immediately like Santa Cruz, but living here had a major impact on his creativity. For starters, it motivated him to get into a studio and record an EP, which happened months after he relocated here. This first self-titled EP, which he recorded in a single day, was released on Sept. 9, 2015.

“I grew up in the middle of nowhere, so there wasn’t an active scene in music. I was essentially a bedroom musician up until then,” Kaplow says. “Things like making records and having websites were foreign to me. When I moved here, I saw this is what people are doing.”

The record showcases his stripped-down singer-songwriter approach to music. After being actively involved in this scene, and continuing to tour, he decided that he really wanted to take his time and make a record he felt really proud of, so he took most of 2017 off from touring and focused on creating this record, Ain’t That Much of a Smoker, which he did in his home, with as much time as he possibly needed.

“It was unbridled creativity,” Kaplow says. “I had all the time to explore any idea or any arrangements, so that lends itself to having a lot more instruments on the record.”

For the most part, Kaplow no longer plays as a solo artist because he used a band to create the music on this record. His current live lineup includes Elliott Kay on guitar, Kai Kopecky on bass, Mikey Whalen on drums, and Rob Armenti on keyboards. The album will get released in November. This coming show at the Crepe Place he will release its first single, “I Said I Was Going and I Went.”  

INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, July 13. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

The post Love Your Local Band: Joe Kaplow appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Is Rhye the most romantic artist working today?

Take a look at his performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk from earlier this year, where he and his band sit around a ridiculous number of dimly lit candles, playing cool, low-key sensual R&B meets ’70s soft rock, with his gentle, falsetto soaring above the music. You will be in the mood. This video may be more Barry White than Barry White.

It’s not exactly indicative of his normal live shows, which tend to be much bigger, higher energy productions. But they can really vary, depending on the space he’s in.

“I make the live show a lot bigger, almost harkening back to an era of the ’70s,” says Rhye, whose real name is Mike Milosh. “There’s no formula I do every night. If it feels like it’s a very gentle crowd that wants to be a little more emotionally introspective, I try to keep it that way. If it feels like it’s a crowd that wants to let loose a little more, we try to let loose a little bit more.”

Even at his liveliest, there’s an easygoing quality to Milosh’s music. You can really hear it on his slow-burner sophomore album Blood. You can even sense it just when you talk to him over the phone.

“I think as a person I move at a slower tempo in a way,” Milosh tells me. “I don’t get that angry or stressed out. I’m definitely expressing much more sensual things with my music.”

His music has really developed in the past five years between the release of his debut album, Woman, and his long-awaited follow-up, Blood—which is a crisper, more emotive album. He and his band have played hundreds of shows, touring the world several times over.

Going into the writing of Blood, he thought about his band a lot, and thought about what these funky jams would sound like with his band playing them.

“I’ve gotten to the place where I’m writing thinking of the fact that it’s going to be a live show. I know what everyone is capable of,” Milosh says.

It was a completely different story when he wrote his debut album, Woman. Back then, it was primarily a collaboration between him and producer Robin Hannibal, and the music was made for the most part on Hannibal’s laptop. The songwriting is similarly R&B style love songs, but doesn’t have quite the tender touch of his new album.

As his project grew more popular, Milosh assembled a band for live shows and fell in love with the live experience of instruments.

“We don’t have any laptops on stage. What’s going on right now in music is a lot of people have backing tracks, so they’re playing the exact same show every night. That’s not what I’m doing,” Milosh says.

The relentless touring schedule that would follow was a result of issues he was having with his record label. They weren’t moving forward on working with him on a sophomore album. They only way he could release one was if he bought his contract back. To generate that kind of income, he needed to tour, a lot.

Oddly enough, the nonstop touring is what cemented his resolve to go 100-percent live. He liked, in particular, the flawed beauty of a real instrument that was typically ironed out on computers.

“One of my favorite sounds is the pedals of the piano, like right before you hit a note, you push the pedal down. I don’t want that out. I’m actually saying, ‘let’s put the mics in a place where we hear that,’” Milosh says.

The new music for Blood wasn’t even written during that mass-touring time period. He wanted to wait until he knew he was capable of releasing it.

“The five-year gap was kind of forced upon me. It wasn’t a lack of content or even a creative decision. It was simply fiscal—I had to buy them out,” Milosh says. “I was frustrated at the time but in the end I’m like, ‘You know what? Maybe it was the way it was meant to be.’”

When he recorded the album, he ended up playing a lot of the music, including all the drums, keyboards and lead vocals. There’s some collaborations with other artists, and some other players on the record. But he just assembles who he needs to make the particular song good, and then live he does the same.

“I think that’s why I’m not identifying what Rhye is to anyone. It’s like this entity,” Milosh says. “It’s me at the helm, but it’s morphing as I work with different people in the studio that have nothing to do with the live show. It’s very malleable.”

Rhye performs at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25 at the Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $28/adv, $33/door. 429-4135.

The post Preview: Rhye at the Cataylst appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Considered one of the funniest Broadway musicals of all time, the Producers is a laugh-out-loud stage show that raked in a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards and three Olivier awards. Based on Mel Brooks’ Academy Award-winning film of the same name, the Producers is a romp about trying to pull off Broadway’s biggest scam by producing the worst show ever. Hilarity ensues.

INFO: July 26-August 19. Cabrillo Stage, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos. $16-$46.

WANT TO GO?

Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Friday, July 20 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the July 27 performance.

The post Be Our Guest: The Producers appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of July 18, 2018.

WEDNESDAY 7/18

ROCK

LUNG

This two-piece cello and drums combo delivers a unique and haunting sound that dreamily floats between beauty and menace. Their debut album, Bottom of the Barrel, was released last year, and the duo is already hard at work on their second, in between constant touring. Make sure to catch them at the Crepe Place while you still can see them up close and personal in an intimate venue. MAT WEIR

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $8. 429-6994.

THURSDAY 7/19

WORLD

BOMBINO

Bombino aka Omar Moctar is a Nigerian singer-songwriter. More specifically he is Tuareg, from a semi-nomadic Muslim people found throughout the Saharan desert. His music is fantastic in its melding of personal pain and geopolitical struggles, which are not easily separated anyway. He’s well versed in traditional middle eastern styles of music along with blues, reggae, rock and genres of music you’ve never really heard before. Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys produced his most recent record, Deran, a heartfelt blend of musical traditions. AARON CARNES

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.

THURSDAY 7/19

ROCK

BILL KIRCHEN

As a founding member of the ’60s rock group Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, as well as the 1980s band Too Much Fun, Bill Kirchen has been rocking the music industry for 51 years. Known as the “Titan of the Telecaster,” he has gained an impressive fanbase of fellow musicians like Nick Lowe, the late Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello and more. This Thursday, he’ll be joined by Commander Cody pedal steel guitarist Bobby Black and pianist Austin de Lone for a night filled with hot licks and and boogie-woogie blues. MW

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s On Main, 2591 S. Main St., Soquel. $20. 479-9777.

FRIDAY 7/20

AMERICANA

PAUL THORN

A giant of Americana/southern rock, singer-songwriter Paul Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, the son of a preacher. His upbringing is woven throughout his music, as he traverses gospel, country and blues with a natural gait—a combination of swagger and humility. A pro at crafting uplifting, infectious, hopeful music designed to move the soul, Thorn has been on a tear lately, with albums that provide hope, light and connection during trying times. His latest, Don’t Let the Devil Ride, is a return to his gospel roots. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $26/gen, $40/gold. 423-8209.

FRIDAY 7/20

FUNK

MIDTOWN SOCIAL

Midtown Social is a nine-piece collective that draws on the Bay’s funk history of Sly And the Family Stone and Tower of Power, with the smooth vocal influences of Motown and Stax. If that’s not enough, tongue-in-cheek Santa Cruz funksters Ginger & Juice will be slaying the sounds, so make sure you get there early to pick up what they’re putting down. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 7/20

PUNK

88 FINGERS LOUIE

Rise Against was one of the biggest and most political hardcore bands to emerge in the early 2000s. The band was formed by Dan Wleklinski and Joe Principe, formerly of Chicago punk rock band 88 Fingers Louie, who tore up clubs in the ’90s as punk grew more poppy and mainstream. The band reunited in 2009, and it went so well that they recorded a new album last year, Thank you for Being a Friend. It’s everything you hoped it would be: No-holds-barred, high-octane hardcore riffs juxtaposed with hooky gritty melodies. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $17/adv, $20/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 7/21

COUNTRY

HANK AND ELLA

Purveyors of vintage country and original Americana music, husband and wife duo Hank and Ella are a favorite of local roots music enthusiasts. Along with their backing “Fine Country Band,” the duo takes things back to a time before rock and roll, when boogie woogie, honky tonk and country music ruled the airwaves. This Saturday, Hank and Ella celebrate the release of their self-titled debut album, which covers themes of love, loss, hard work and good times, at Flynn’s Cabaret. CJ

INFO: 8 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15/adv, $20/door. 335-2800.

SUNDAY 7/22

GARAGE

TALKIES

Is Burger Records a label or a style? Ok, technically it is a record label, but it’s got such a unique sound that it’s become linked wholeheartedly to the millions of young, jangly, lo-fi garage bands cross-crossing the country slinging $5 cassettes to kids who are just now learning the joys of cruising around wearing a Walkman. Talkies headlines this should-be-insanely-fun evening, billed as a Burger Records show. Technically they are the only band on the label (and the band’s latest super poppy, garage-rock album Kowtow was released by Yippee Ki-Ya Records/Electrify Me Records.) But you get what they mean by it being a “Burger Records show.” Bring $20 so you can buy a tape by every band on the bill (Talkies, Mean Jolene, Lower Self), and be prepared to lose your mind. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $8. 429-6994.

MONDAY 7/23

JAZZ GUITAR

DJANGO FESTIVAL ALL-STARS

An internationally renowned group, the Django Festival All-Stars perform the music of gypsy jazz guitar great Django Reinhardt, who is widely considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Keeping French gypsy jazz traditions alive, while revitalizing them for a new generation of fans, the band is led by legendary guitarist Dorado Schmitt and now features Dorado’s son Samson on lead guitar, as well as Ludovic Beier on accordion and Pierre Blanchard on violin. CJ

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $36.75/adv, $42/door. 427-2227.

The post Music Picks July 18-24 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of July 25, 2018.

WEDNESDAY 7/25

ACOUSTIC

QUITTERS

Who wants to see a couple of quitters playing music? Well, the Quitters (Stevie Coyle and Glenn Houston) are actual quitters, and have quit their fair share of successful bands (Most notably, the Waybacks), meaning they are either self-saboteurs or uncompromising in their vision (or more likely a little of both.) The pair started the Quitters as a way to celebrate these strengths/weaknesses and make good music together. It’s funny and sometimes gorgeous acoustic music with one member playing right-handed upside and the other playing left-handed upside-down. Not sure if that last detail matters much beyond providing more proof of their fun, kooky nature. AARON CARNES

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 S Main St., Soquel. $15. 479-9777.

THURSDAY 7/26

SKA-PUNK

LEFTOVER CRACK

Don’t call Leftover Crack a ska-punk band—they prefer the term “crack rock steady.” What does that mean exactly? As a ska scholar, I can tell you that it’s a similar genre, but more extreme on all ends. The group, which formed in the ashes of Choking Victim, has created a punky ska sound that takes some of the most intense sounds and adds fierce, in-your-face lyrics about religion, corrupt capitalism, racist police and environmental decimation. The group’s masterpiece Fuck World Trade (which depicts Dick Cheney, Rudy Giuliani and George W. Bush causing the World Trade Center attacks) is now 14 years old, and its brutal message and musicianship is as potent as ever. AC

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 429-4135.

THURSDAY 7/26

EXPERIMENTAL

FAUST

Krautrock is an odd, somewhat meaningless term used to describe a wave of bands in the late ’60s and early ’70s that popped up in Germany. The bands are all amazing, but don’t have a whole lot in common musically, other than an adventurous spirit that promotes experimentation. One of the most revered groups from this scene, Faust, is playing Santa Cruz, which is amazing. This group formed in 1971! Their records are vaguely Zappa-esque psych-rock, sometimes cut-and-paste recordings, generally chaotic and/or trance-inducing. Faust was never a commercially successful band (on what planet would Faust songs bump on Top 40?), but for people who like to poke around the outer edges of art, this is a go-to band. AC

INFO: 8 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $20. 335-2800.

FRIDAY 7/27

FOLK

MISNER AND SMITH

As society continues to advance in the digital age with lightspeed movement, more and more people turn to a time when things seemed more simple. Just as Simon and Garfunkel or Dylan were the soundtrack of 1960s folk, Misner and Smith continue the tradition of heartfelt ballads that warm the soul like a summer day or bring the tears of yesterday. Touring on their fifth album, Headwaters, released last October, Misner and Smith will be backed by a full band and share the stage with Santa Cruz sons Joshua Lowe and the Juncos. MAT WEIR

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

FRIDAY 7/27

REGGAE

THRIVE!

Anniversaries are important for any relationship, especially for bands. This year, the Santa Cruz reggae representatives of Thrive! celebrate their 10th year together and decided to do it big. When the band released its debut album, 2010’s Gratitude Attitude, Thrive! broke out from the Santa Cruz scene, making it to No. 4 on iTunes reggae charts. This Friday’s show at the Catalyst, featuring Nashville reggae act Roots of Rebellion will be the premiere release party for their much-anticipated third album, Be Here. Their roots reggae and rock fusion is both irie and grateful, with harmonies and beats that dare the listener not to smile and shake their thang on the dancefloor. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 429-4135

FRIDAY 7/27

SOUL

DEVA MAHAL

Bluesman Taj Mahal has been a force for popularizing blues in the 21st century. With a career that stretches back to the mid-1960s, the singer-songwriter-guitarist has bridged musical, cultural and stylistic divides for decades. Now it’s his daughter’s turn to shine. Described as a “powerhouse vocalist and songwriter,” Deva Mahal co-wrote with her father the song “Never Let You Go,” from his Grammy-nominated album Maestro, and her soulful style is an amalgamation of blues, gospel, funk and jazz—everything you’d expect from someone steeped in American music traditions. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $26.25/adv, $31.50/door. 427-2227.

SATURDAY 7/28

AMERICANA

DAVE ALVIN & JIMMIE DALE GILMORE

Any roots music fan who’s been around the block a few times knows Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. The two were playing alt-country before alt-country was a thing and they’re at it still, shaping and furthering the genre for new and old fans alike. This Saturday, the two take to Moe’s Alley for an intimate evening of stories and song-swapping, melodies that keep you humming, and lyrics that stick in your head. Friends for 30 years, this tour is the first time Alvin and Gilmore have performed together. Don’t miss your chance to see history in the making. CJ

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $30/adv, $35/door. 479-1854.

SUNDAY 7/29

ROCK/COUNTRY

SUPERSUCKERS

It doesn’t seem possible that the Supersuckers have been around for 30 years, but time flies when you’re rocking and rolling, I suppose. A garage/cowpunk/Southern rock outfit out of Seattle-by-way-of Tucson, the long-running Supersuckers play a rafter-rattling hybrid of country and working person’s rock and roll, infused with irreverence, humor and a good time approach to life and music. Led by frontman Eddie Spaghetti, the band has collaborated or toured with a who’s who of artists, including Willie Nelson, Kelley Deal of the Breeders, Mudhoney, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, the Ramones, Motörhead, Flogging Molly, the Reverend Horton Heat, and the New York Dolls. CJ

INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

MONDAY 7/30

JAZZ

PARIS COMBO

If I was a branding consultant, I’d recommend that Paris Combo make a quick name change, swapping out a single letter so that the anodyne Combo transforms into the far more descriptive Paris Cosmo. The long-running band reflects Paris as a cosmopolitan playground, with its joyous blend of French chanson and Gypsy jazz laced with rhythms gleaned from Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern, and North African popular music. The intoxicating host of the party is vocalist and accordionist Belle du Berry, who’s backed by guitarist and banjo player Potzi, percussionist and vocalist François-François, bassist Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac, and trumpeter/pianist David Lewis. After taking a few years off while Lewis and Du Berry toured as a duo, the band returned to action last year with a strong new album, Tako Tsubo. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 and 9 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $26.25 -$42. 427-2227.

The post Music Picks July 25-31 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

When reggae musician Emmanuel Selassie moved to Berkeley in 1993, it wasn’t long before friends told him about Santa Cruz. With his deep love for reggae and spiritualism—he’s a Rastafarian—and his laid-back demeanor, it was a no-brainer. He was made for Santa Cruz. He’s been here ever since.

“Everyone was like, ‘we know where you’re going to fit in, you’re going to be fine in Santa Cruz,’” he says.

Originally from North Carolina, Selassie started playing music in the early ’80s, and reggae by the late ’80s. He released his first album, ESI, in 1996.

His music is driven by his commitment to Rastafarianism, so much so that even his name Emmanuel Selassie—his spiritual name—means “God with us and the power of the trinity.”

“I think all creation is some sort of praise for emulating the Creator. And we’re making our own creation in the image of God. Everything I create is inspiration from the creator,” Selassie says.

In addition to playing reggae music, he also has a jazz-fusion combo called Blood Relatives, does sound engineering for bands at Pine Forest Studio in Aptos, and works at Flynn’s Cabaret as the chief audio engineer. He also plays in other bands as the hired gun on occasion, a job he particularly enjoys.

All of this explains why he only sporadically releases reggae albums. His fourth, The Ego or the I, is nearly finished. He hopes to have it released later this year, roughly October. 

INFO: 8 p.m. Friday, July 27. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15. 335-2800.

The post Love Your Local Band: Emmanuel Selassie appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.

Live music highlights for the week of August 1, 2018.

WEDNESDAY 8/1

GARAGE

SANTOROS

One glance at Santoros and their combination of a Seeds-era psychedelic look and traditional Mariachi band outfits, and you’ll probably ask yourself what exactly this band is up to. Well, the L.A. outfit delivers surfy-poppy garage rock tunes packaged in a surreal haze. There’s also a subtle Latin influence in the music, and the members are proud of their Mexican-American heritage—they promote themselves as a Mexican American garage surf rock band—so there’s a lot to love here. AARON CARNES

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

WEDNESDAY 8/1

BLUEGRASS

DAVID HOLODILOFF

For many deadheads, it’s still hard to believe Jerry Garcia left us 23 years ago, because his songs continue to fill the air. For his ninth annual Jerry Garcia Bluegrass Birthday Bash Tribute Concert, David Holodiloff is bringing his acoustic bluegrass band to Michael’s on Main for a night of music spanning Garcia’s career. From the Grateful Dead to JGB, Old and in the Way, and more, party on what would’ve been Garcia’s 76th birthday with his music reinterpreted in ways that the man himself would smile, smile, smile about. MAT WEIR

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s On Main, 2591 S Main St., Soquel. $12/adv, $15/door. 497-9777.

FRIDAY 8/3

COUNTRY

JUNIOR BROWN

Country legend Junior Brown has been playing honky tonk clubs since the ’60s. He has an affinity for traditional country music, but he’s not stuck in the past. In his song “Hang Up And Drive,” for instance, he sings about how everyone is on their cell phones when they should be paying attention to the road. He also plays the “guit-steel,” a double-neck instrument combining a standard electric guitar and a lap steel. While the songs are basically old-timey country, his guit-steel, gives them a psychedelic vibe. AC

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 8/4

AMERICANA/COMEDY

RALPH ANYBODY & FRIENDS

Ralph Anybody (aka Jeff Juliano) is a familiar name around Santa Cruz. The longtime KPIG personality and DJ with penchant for comedy celebrated 25 years at the station last year, and is a core part of what makes KPIG so special. This Saturday, Ralph teams up with comedian Fred Reiss and musicians Jeffrey Halford and Michael Gaither for a night of music and comedy to benefit Jacob’s Heart and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $25-$35. 427-2227.

SATURDAY 8/4

AFROBEAT

FEMI KUTI

Femi Kuti has a lot to live up to. He’s the eldest son of Fela Kuti, the pioneer of Afrobeat. Also, his mom is Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, a political leader and women’s activist in Nigeria. But Femi has become a political and musical force to be reckoned with. He’s been playing music professionally since the late ’70s, and he’s still releasing stellar albums. His latest, One People One World, mixes Afrobeat, jazz and soul, and balances his usual political ferocity with songs about love, humanity and hope for the future. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $29/adv, $32/door. 429-4135.

SATURDAY 8/4

COUNTRY

SHOOTER JENNINGS

To some, Shooter Jennings is a bit of a mystery. Born the son of country music royalty, he followed in his father’s footsteps as a musician. However, instead of sticking to honkytonk and outlaw country, Jennings blazed his own path by unapologetically blending raw rock ’n’ roll and even experimental music into his reinvented country sound. After two decades, Jennings is still as bold and brazen as ever, prepping to release his latest album, Shooter, on Aug. 10. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.

SUNDAY 8/5

RANCHERA/NORTEÑO

ALICIA VILLARREAL

Hailing from Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, singer-songwriter Alicia Villarreal is a longtime favorite of Ranchera and Norteño music fans. She has performed with numerous bands, most notably Grupo Límite, which she fronted for eight years before leaving to pursue a solo career. A multi-Latin-Grammy-winning artist, Villareal remains a giant of the Mexican pop music scene. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $45/adv, $65/door. 423-1338.

SUNDAY 8/5

FOLK

KEITH GREENINGER & DAYAN KAI

Longtime friends and local folk heroes Keith Greeninger and Dayan Kai have both crafted solo careers that see them playing across the states (including Kai’s current home of Maui, Hawaii), impressing audiences with award-winning songwriting, virtuosic musicianship, and a heart-first approach to music and life. Greeninger is a familiar entity on the Americana circuit, having toured and performed for more than three decades. Kai is rightly described as a “true musical force of nature”—a multi-instrumentalist with a mastery over countless instruments, despite having been born without sight. This Sunday, the two join forces for what promises to be an intimate, heart-warming afternoon. CJ

INFO: 2 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-9777.

MONDAY 8/6

JAZZ VOCALS

KIM NALLEY with HOUSTON PERSON

Over the years, Kim Nalley has brilliantly evoked inimitable masters such as Nina Simone and Billie Holiday in various stage productions and thematic shows of her own design, but she’s never sought to sound like anyone but her own glorious self. A powerhouse blues vocalist who can make a double entendre blush and a jazz singer who can caress a ballad or trade lickity-split licks with her bassist, Nalley has been one of the Bay Area’s definitive jazz artists for more than two decades. Backed by her longtime rhythm section with the invaluable pianist Tammy Hall, redoubtable bassist Michael Zisman and unfailingly musical drummer Kent Bryson, Nalley is in the midst of a series of gigs with tenor sax great Houston Person, a brawny but lyrical stylist who has spent most of his career blowing soulfully in organ combos or accompanying some of the best vocalists in the business. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $31.50-$36.75. 427-2227.

The post Music Picks: August 1-7 appeared first on Good Times Santa Cruz.