Tue Mar 4 House Concert: Lonesome Ace Stringband

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

The spring schedule for the Downtown Soundz House Concert series is filled with amazing performers, starting with:

                                   Tuesday, Mar 4  7:30 PM

               Lonesome Ace Stringband:  Old-time & Bluegrass

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz, with masks optional.  Details below.

Come out and support live traditional music!

Suggested donation: $20/person sliding scale.

To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.

Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Thu Mar 27, 7:00pm:  Windborne: Choral singing workshop

    Fri Mar 28, 7:30pm:    Windborne: Songs from Corsica, Georgia, UK, Americas

    Sat Apr 19, 7:30pm:    Women of Choro: Brazilian virtuosi

    Sat May 3, 7:30pm:     Patrice Haan & Steve Baughman: Celtic harp/guitar duo

    Thu May 15, 7:30pm:  Martin & Eliza Carthy: English folk legend

    Sun May 18, 7:30pm:  Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

    Sat May 31: 7:30pm:   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

Other musical events of interest:

    Sun Feb 23  4:00pm - 7:00pm  Mr. Bidu's Circus

           Brazilian forró rabecado

           Shanty Shack Brewing, 138 Fern St, Santa Cruz

           FREE!   Come and dance!

     Fri Mar 7, 7:30pm: Taraf de Akácfa:

           Innovative Romanian folk music

           Spring Street, Santa Cruz house concert

           Donation: $25-30  Info/reservations: email <herr...@ucsc.edu>

    Sat Mar 15, 1:00 - 6:00pm: Squid Fest West
           Auction & benefit for KSQD, 612 Ocean St, Santa Cruz

           featuring: Sharon Allen & Dusty Boots, Lucas Lawson, Dan & Laurel,

                           Painted Mandolin Trio, Samba Ngo & Mandjou Kone

_________________________________________________________________________

               Lonesome Ace Stringband:  Old-time & Bluegrass

                                   Tuesday, Mar 4  7:30 PM

      "This is 21st-century acoustic music at its stripped-down, sharply-rendered best!"
                                                                                                      - Songlines Magazine

     Masters of their trade, The Lonesome Ace Stringband brings grit, skill, and abandon to

Americana music, bridging old-time, bluegrass and folk traditions into a seamless hybrid of

original material that is at once fresh and timeless. The trio’s sound is anchored in the fiddle

and clawhammer banjo of John Showman and Chris Coole.  With bassist, Max Malone,

the band moves freely between a sound so commanding it doesn’t seem like it should be

coming from a stringband, to a sparse fragility that draws the listener closer.  Their spine-

tingling harmonies and interchanging lead vocals pair with with a level of instrumental interplay

and vocal blend uncommon in old-time music. The band has recorded 6 albums, and tours

internationally, playing at some of the largest festivals in North America and Europe, including

Merlefest, Rockygrass, Wintergrass, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival,

Gooikorts, and the John Hartford Memorial.

John Showman: fiddle, vocals

   John is one of the most dynamic and soulful fiddlers in the bluegrass and old-time scene

today. He's won first place in the fiddle contest at the Appalachian Stringband Festival in

Clifftop, WV. He has been burning up the roads and spreading the love in bands such as

The Creaking Tree String Quartette, The Foggy Hogtown Boys, and New Country Rehab

for over 25 years!

Chris Coole: banjo, vocals

   Throughout this musical journey, Chris Coole has become best known as one of the leading

purveyors of the modern clawhammer-style banjo. He has developed a highly personal style

that has often been described as instantly recognizable.  This unique voice on the instrument

has not gone unnoticed by his fellow musicians and has led to playing as a collaborator (Ivan

Rosenberg, Erynn Marshall, Arnie Naiman), sideman (Jim Cuddy, Natalie McMaster, Justin

Rutledge, John Reischman, Sylvia Tyson), or producer (The Slocan Ramblers, David Francey) 

on over 200 recordings.

Max Malone: bass, vocals

   Max brings the depth of a lifetime in music to the stage each night. Max comes from a musical

family; his father was a noted Jazz saxophonist on the Toronto scene, and his mother was a

sought-after backup singer and vocal teacher. Somewhere along the line, Max channelled what

he learned from jazz, R&B, and soul his family played and brought all that to the bluegrass and

old-time stage. The result is a rare depth of feeling backed up by a solid foundation of technique

that needs to be heard to be believed. 

Visit their website.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

Come hear my Brazilian forró band tomorrow at the Westside Farmers Market!

And there is still plenty of room for:

                                   Tuesday, Mar 4  7:30 PM

               Lonesome Ace Stringband:  Old-time & Bluegrass

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz, with masks optional.  Details below.  Support live traditional music!

Suggested donation: $20/person sliding scale.

To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.

Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Thu Mar 27, 7:00pm:  Windborne: Choral singing workshop

    Fri Mar 28, 7:30pm:    Windborne: Songs from Corsica, Georgia, UK, Americas

    Sat Apr 19, 7:30pm:    Women of Choro: Brazilian virtuosi

    Sat May 3, 7:30pm:     Patrice Haan & Steve Baughman: Celtic harp/guitar duo

    Thu May 15, 7:30pm:  Martin & Eliza Carthy: English folk legend

    Sun May 18, 7:30pm:  Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

    Sat May 31: 7:30pm:   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

Other musical events of interest:

    Sat Mar 1  10:00am - noon  Mr. Bidu's Circus

           Brazilian forró rabecado

           Westside Farmers Market

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

The next show in the Downtown Soundz House Concert series features four stunning Brazilian musicians:

                              Saturday, Apr 19  7:30 PM

                             Women of Choro: featuring:

              Daniela Spielmann: sax/flute, Catherine Bent: cello,

                 Sheila Zagury: piano, Clarice Cast: percussion

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.

Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale.

To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.

Be sure to include the total in your party.

They will also be performing at:

    Tue, Apr 15, 7:30 pm, Plymouth Church of Jazz  & Justice, Oakland
        424 Monte Vista Ave, Oakland, CA 94611
        Reservations: email <medici...@gmail.com>

    Fri, Apr 18, 7:30 pm, St. Alban's Episcopal Church
        1501 Washington, Albany
        Tickets: limited seating, this event will sell out

    Sun, Apr 20, 3:00 pm, Orange Music Studio, San Jose

         996 Saratoga, San Jose
         Tickets and more information

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Sat May 3, 7:30pm:     Patrice Haan & Steve Baughman: Celtic harp/guitar duo

    Thu May 15, 7:30pm:  Martin & Eliza Carthy: English folk legend

    Sun May 18, 7:30pm:  Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

    Sat May 31: 7:30pm:   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

Other musical events of interest:

     Sun, Apr 6:  4-7pm  Monterey Contra Dance featuring:

            John Weed, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Mark Goodwin calling

            YMCA, 600 Camino El Estero, Monterey

     Sat, Apr 12: 7-10pm   Palo Alto Contra Dance featuring:

            Rodney Miller, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Alan Winston calling

            UMC of Palo Alto, 625 Hamilton at Byron, Palo Alto

      Sun, Apr 13: 3-5:30pm   Santa Cruz Contra Dance featuring:

            Rodney Miller, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Alan Winston calling

            Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz CA

_________________________________________________________________________

                        Women of Choro: Brazilian virtuosi

                                Saturday, Apr 19  7:30 PM

   Choro is an instrumental music from Brazil that dates back to the late 1800's.

It evolved in parallel with Ragtime in the United States, but has remained an evolving

and living tradition through the present day.  Choro draws on both European and

African musical elements. This blending of classical chamber sensibilities and

counterpoint coupled with an Afro-Brazilian groove and improvisation is what makes

this music so interesting and compelling.

Daniela Spielmann: sax/flute

   Daniela Spielmann is a saxophonist, flutist, composer, arranger, researcher,

and professor, known for her interpretive power combined with the creativity in

her compositions and arrangements. In 2001, she released her first solo album,

Brazilian Breath, which was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2002. She has

released fourteen career albums with groups such as Rabo de Lagartixa,

Mulheres em Pixinguinha in 2018, and Afinidades, a fully original work. Currently,

she leads her solo project and the duo Spielmann Zagury and is an active member

of groups like Choro na Rua, Gafieirando, and 7 Cabeças.

   Daniela is a music professor at Cefet-RJ Maracanã, where she leads two significant

extension projects: Music at Cefet and Bandão do Cefet.

Catherine Bent: cello
   Cellist and composer Catherine Bent, originally from London, UK, has lived in New

York City and Brazil and currently resides in Boston. Her musical versatility is reflected

in her diverse resumé, which includes recordings, performances and tours with Cirque

du Soleil, Joe Jackson, Lee Konitz, Greg Osby, Merce Cunningham Dance, Enya,

Kanye West, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer, and poet laureate Robert Pinsky.
   Catherine is a pioneering cellist in Brazilian choro and widely recognized in Brazil as a

master of the genre. She is in demand as a teacher and clinician in Brazil and the US,

and she is on the faculty of Choro Camp New England, and is an Associate Professor

at Berklee College of Music.

Sheila Zagury: piano

   Sheila Zagury is a pianist, arranger, professor and researcher. She has an eclectic 

background, passing by classical music and jazz. Sheila has performed with numerous

Brazilian artists and ensembles, such as Eduardo Dussek, Ângela Rorô, Rio Jazz

Orchestra, around Brazil and abroad. She has maintained a duo with Daniela Spielmann

for 20 years. With José Staneck (harmonica) and Ricardo Santoro (cello), she formed

Harmonitango, a trio dedicated to Astor Piazzolla’s music.

   Sheila is a professor at Escola de Música da UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de 

Janeiro Music School). Her PHD thesis is about Choro in Rio de Janeiro in the nineties.

Clarice Cast: percussion
   Clarice Cast is a Grammy nominated multi percussionist from São Paulo, Brazil. She is

an active performer, recording artist, and composer in Los Angeles, and is a regular

clinician at colleges, universities, and percussion festivals, including the Percussive Arts

Society International Convention, California Brazil Camp, and Choro Camp New England.

   Clarice is heavily influenced by her native Brazilian culture, and it has been her driving

force to learn, perform, write, and teach these styles. She teaches World Percussion at

College of the Canyons.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

(If you've already made a reservation and received an acknowledgement, there is no need to respond again.)

The next show in the Downtown Soundz House Concert series features four stunning Brazilian musicians:

                              Saturday, Apr 19  7:30 PM

                             Women of Choro: featuring:

              Daniela Spielmann: sax/flute, Catherine Bent: cello,

                 Sheila Zagury: piano, Clarice Cast: percussion

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.

Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale.

To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.

Be sure to include the total in your party.

Other musical events of note:

     Sun, Apr 27, 7:00pm: Westside Santa Cruz House Concert featuring:

                Forty Drop Few  (Old-time string band)

                w/ Chestnut St Trio opening (Italian and Ragtime tunes)

      Donation: $20-25   Info/Reservations: email <herr...@ucsc.edu>

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Sat May 3, 7:30pm:     Patrice Haan & Steve Baughman: Celtic harp/guitar duo

    Thu May 15, 7:30pm:  Martin & Eliza Carthy: English folk legend

    Sun May 18, 7:30pm:  Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

    Sat May 31: 7:30pm:   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

_________________________________________________________________________

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

We have four terrific shows coming up in May, starting with:

                                     Saturday, May 3  7:30 PM

              Patrice Haan & Steve Baughman: Celtic harp/guitar duo

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.

Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $20/person sliding scale.

To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.

Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Thu May 15, 7:30pm:  Martin & Eliza Carthy: English folk legend

    Sun May 18, 7:30pm:  Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

    Sat May 31: 7:30pm:   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

Other musical events of interest:

     Sun, Apr 27, 7:00pm: Westside Santa Cruz House Concert featuring:

                Forty Drop Few  (Old-time string band)

                w/ Chestnut St Trio opening (Italian and Ragtime tunes)

      Donation: $20-25   Info/Reservations: email <herr...@ucsc.edu>

     Sun, Apr 27:  4-7pm  Hayward Contra Dance featuring:

            Mike Lewinski, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Doe Taryn calling

            Hill & Valley Club, 1808 B Street, Hayward

     Sun, Sun 4: 4-7pm   Monterey Contra Dance featuring:

            Rodney Miller, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Alan Winston calling

            YMCA, 600 Camino El Estero, Monterey

      Tue, May 6: 8-10:30pm   Berkeley Contra Dance featuring:

            Rodney Miller, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg; Charlie Fenton calling

            Christ Church East Bay, 2138 Cedar Street, Berkeley

_________________________________________________________________________

              Patrice Haan & Steve Baughman: Celtic harp/guitar duo

                                     Saturday, May 3  7:30 PM

   "Patrice is the rare [songwriter] who gets past my analytical faculties and

    grabs me by the heart with her work."       - Bob Franke

   Patrice and Steve began playing together through a mutual admiration for each
other and the music of Turlough O'Carolan, the last of the Irish bards, a blind Celtic
harper, composer and singer, considered by many to be Ireland's national
composer. They’ll offer individual presentations of some of these tunes, as well as
some duets. Expect a few songs to brighten the mix!

Patrice Hahn: Celtic harp, vocals

    Composer, harper and singer-songwriter, Patrice Haan is sought after as a
harmonist, songsmithing coach and interpreter of her own songs or others'
creations. Her music has been described as “hauntingly beautiful”. (Mercury News)
The former director of the nonprofit Healing Muses, that provides music for healing,
for more than 20 years Patrice has played harp for cancer patients in local hospitals
and cancer centers. She is devoted to the healing presence of listening.

Steve Baughman: guitar

   Steve is one of the most respected Celtic-based guitarists active today. A master of

arranging traditional tunes for solo guitar, he is also an ace accompanist and a composer

of unusual depth. Having adapted “clawhammer” banjo technique and various alternate

tunings to the guitar, Baughman has one of the most recognizable sounds on the scene,

making him an in-demand performer and instructor (he is also the author of several guitar

method books). Steve has taught at more than 80 camps across the US, Canada, and Europe.

   Steve's “pandemic project“ was to arrange, master, and then record a CD of the music,

all on one guitar. The result is his latest album: "Once Upon a Harp" which Acoustic Guitar

magazine called “a glorious and thoroughly satisfying collection.”  

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

There are still spaces available for this Saturday's concert with Patrice Haan (Celtic harp) and Steve Baughman (guitar).  Email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com to make a reservation.

The following week, we're hosting English folk legend Martin Carthy and his daughter Eliza Carthy.

This show is nearly sold out from advance reservations!

                                     Thursday, May 15  7:30 PM

                           Martin & Eliza Carthy: English folk music

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.

Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale.

To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.

Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Sun May 18, 7:30pm:  Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

    Sat May 31, 7:30pm:   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

    Sun Jul 20, 4:00pm:    Julio Lemos: We ❤️ Brazil

Other musical events of interest:

     Sun, May 4, 7:00pm: Westside Santa Cruz House Concert featuring:

                Sam Reider  (Grammy-nominated pianist/accordionist)

      Donation: $25   Info/Reservations: email <herr...@ucsc.edu>

      Tue, May 6: 8-10:30pm   Berkeley Contra Dance featuring:

            Rodney Miller, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg; Charlie Fenton calling

            Christ Church East Bay, 2138 Cedar Street, Berkeley

      Sat, May 10: 10am-noon  Santa Cruz Westside Farmers Market

             Mr. Bidu's Circus: Brazilian forró    *FREE*

_________________________________________________________________________

                           Martin & Eliza Carthy: English folk music

                                     Thursday, May 15  7:30 PM

      "Arguably the greatest English folk song performer, writer, collector and editor of them all."

                                                                                                                            - Q Magazine

   Martin Carthy is a legendary ballad singer and guitarist who has influenced a generations

of artists, including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, His daughter Eliza has been twice-nominated

for the Mercury Music Prize and a multiple-award winner at the BBC Radio Two Folk awards.

   For more than 50 years Martin Carthy has been one of folk music’s greatest innovators,

one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures.

His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from

within the folk scene, but also far beyond it. Trailblazing musical partnerships with Steeleye Span,

Dave Swarbrick, Norma Waterson, and daughter Eliza Carthy have resulted in more than

40 albums, and Martin has recorded 10 solo albums.

   A ballad singer, a ground-breaking acoustic and electric-guitarist, and an authoritative interpreter

of newly composed material, Martin always prefers to follow an insatiable musical curiosity rather

than cash in on his unrivalled position. Perhaps, most significant of all, are his settings of traditional

songs with guitar, which have influenced a generation of artists on both sides of the Atlantic.

         "’Eliza Carthy is one of the figureheads of the English folk revival … compelling"

                                                                                                                        – Evening Standard
   Eliza Carthy is undoubtedly one of the most impressive and engaging performers of her generation.

Eliza has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists including, Paul Weller, Rufus and

Martha Wainwright, Patrick Wolf and Bob Neuwirth. More than most, Eliza Carthy has revitalised

folk music and captured the most hardened of dissenters with intelligent, charismatic and

boundary-crossing performance.

   Eliza grew up immersed in the world of traditional music. She still divides her time between touring

and recording with her legendary parents, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, as well as engaging in

numerous pioneering solo and band projects, including work with Pere Ubu and Melanie Challenger,

an artist in residence in Antarctica. Eliza has been the subject of an hour long ITV documentary

(‘Heaven & Earth’) and ‘My Music’ on Channel 5. Comedian and writer Stewart Lee describes Eliza

as “Not the Messiah, but a very naughty girl”.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

Come and hear this extraordinary repertoire of Sephardic songs!

                                     Sunday, May 18  7:30 PM

        Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.

Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.

To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.

Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Sat May 31, 7:30pm:   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

    Sun Jul 20, 4:00pm:    Julio Lemos: We ❤️ Brazil

Other musical events of interest:

     Tue, May 27, 7:30pm: Westside Santa Cruz House Concert featuring:

            The Magid Ensemble presents “Shterna & the Lost Voice”

            Immersive storytelling and klezmer music.

      Donation: $25   Info/Reservations: email <herr...@ucsc.edu>

_________________________________________________________________________

        Lily Henley & Duncan Wickel: Sephardic ballads & American Roots

                                     Sunday, May 18  7:30 PM

    Award-winning Sephardi songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lily Henley brings a new

concert of original and rewoven songs in the Ladino language — music which bridges

Sephardic balladry with American folk traditions. This is a rare opportunity to hear new

Sephardi music rooted in tradition and living cultural memory!

   Lily’s Sephardi Americana blends voice, guitars, fiddles, plucked strings, and culturally-

grounded storytelling, featuring songs written in a critically endangered Jewish language,

as well as English, and shaped by the work of today’s Ladino speakers. Her performances

carry this legacy forward with reverence, joy, and brilliant musicianship. She’ll be joined by

Duncan Wickel, a multi-instrumental phenom whose collaborators include Molly Tuttle,

Rising Appalachia, and John Doyle. Duncan brings extraordinary range and sensitivity to

this deeply collaborative show.

Lily Henley: vocals, fiddle, guitar

      "Carrying the voices of women through history, and Henley’s work in American roots music,

        it’s a fascinating and beautiful [project]."            - The Guardian

   Henley is a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright award and was an Artist-in-Residence at

the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Caramoor

American Roots Festival, and the New York Sephardic Music Festival. She’s currently touring

with mystic-folk band Rising Appalachia and has played with Irish guitar virtuoso John Doyle,

Americana Instrumentalist of the Year Brittany Haas, and Grammy winners David Krakauer,

Rushad Eggleston, The Duhks and many more.

Duncan Wickel: guitar, fiddle

       "[Duncan Wickel is] a considerable talent…as persuasive in a traditional ballad as he is

        country fiddling or ripping through cascading classical flourishes or atonal double stops.”

                                                                               - Boston Globe

    Known for his chameleon-like qualities on the fiddle, cello, and other stringed instruments,

Duncan has performed at Carnegie Hall, The Lincoln and Kennedy Centers, The Grand Ol’ Opry,

and the famed Biblioteca Alexandria in Egypt. He has performed and taught in over 22 countries

spanning every continent on earth that is normally inhabited by humans (sorry, Antarctica).

 
    In 2016 Duncan performed as a member of the Stay Human Band on two consecutive episode

 of CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, including a taping of “Flashlight” with founding

members of Parliament Funkadelic. Along with his band, Rising Appalachia, he was featured on

NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. He has toured with major folk artists including IBMA guitarist

of the year Molly Tuttle, Grammy nominees The Duhks, The Wood Brothers, Irish music greats

John Doyle and Karan Casey, Ruth Moody, The Stash! Band, and many others.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

There are still plenty of seats left for this Sunday's performance.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

The next show in the Downtown Soundz house concert series will be a unique duo of talented musicians:

                                Saturday, May 31  7:30 PM

                   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.
Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Sun Jul 20, 4:00pm:    Julio Lemos: We ❤️ Brazil

Other musical events of interest:

     Sat, May 24, noon - 1pm: World Harmony Chorus

            Westside Farmers Market, Santa Cruz

            Come hear our repertoire of songs from around the world!

     Tue, May 27, 7:30pm: Westside Santa Cruz House Concert:

            The Magid Ensemble presents “Shterna & the Lost Voice”
            Immersive storytelling and klezmer music.
      Donation: $25   Info/Reservations: email <herr...@ucsc.edu>

_________________________________________________________________________

                   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

                                Saturday, May 31  7:30 PM

    Describing the musical partnership of Natalie Cressman and Ian Faquini as a duo is accurate,

but their collaboration contains multitudes. She’s a trombonist, vocalist and songwriter from

San Francisco. He’s a composer, guitarist, and singer from Brasilia. Together they’ve honed a

singularly expansive creative communion encompassing their love of the Brazilian songbook,

jazz, Impressionism and sophisticated pop songcraft. Their original material features lyrics in

Portuguese, French and English set to music drawing from a vast stylistic spectrum. With

sumptuous two-part vocal harmonies hugging Brazilian-accented Portuguese accompanied by

trombone and acoustic guitar, Cressman and Faquini’s richly orchestrated sound seems to

emanate from a much larger ensemble.

Natalie Cressman: trombone, vocals
   Possessing a voice as cool and crystalline as an Alpine stream, Natalie Cressman draws inspiration

from a vast array of musical currents. Deeply versed in Latin jazz, post-bop, pop, and Brazilian music,

she’s released three albums under her own name as well as three acclaimed duo albums with

Brazilian-born guitarist Ian Faquini, her primary musical partner for the past decade. Cressman’s

trombone prowess has earned her widespread recognition. In both 2019 and 2023 Downbeat awarded

her “Rising Star Trombone” honors in the magazine’s annual critics’ poll. She’s spent the last 14 years

touring as a horn player and vocalist with Phish's Trey Anastasio, while also performing around NYC

with jazz greats Wycliffe Gordon, Nicholas Payton, Anat Cohen, Dave Douglas, and Peter Apfelbaum.

Ian Faquini: guitar, vocals
    Ian Faquini writes exquisitely sophisticated Brazilian pop music in the omnivorous tradition

known as MPB (música popular brasileira), which has often been deeply influenced by jazz.

Born in Brasília and raised in Berkeley, Faquini is a protégé of Guinga, the revered Brazilian

guitarist and songwriter whose tunes have been recorded by dozens of MPB stars. In 2014,

Faquini released his debut album with flautist Rebecca Kleinmann, Brasiliense, and followed

up with 2016’s Metal na Madeira, a collaboration with acclaimed Minas Gerais vocalist Paula

Santoro. Since then Faquini has focused on his partnership with trombonist, vocalist, and

lyricist Natalie Cressman, with whom he has recorded three albums. With a singular set of

skills, highly personal compositional style, and lush harmonic palette, Faquini is one of the

Bay Area’s most respected guitarists.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

There is still plenty of space for this upcoming concert:

                                Saturday, May 31  7:30 PM
                   Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini: Brazilian jazz

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.
Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Sun Jul 20, 4:00pm:    Julio Lemos: We ❤️ Brazil

Other musical events of interest:

     Sun, Jun 1, 10:00am-noon: Mr. Bidu's Circus plays Brazilian forró

            Live Oak Farmers Market, Santa Cruz

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

The next show in the Downtown Soundz house concert series features a local family of outstanding musicians:

                                     Saturday, Aug 16  7:30 PM

                       The Weeds Trio: Traditional and Modern Tunes

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.
Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Fri Sep 5, 7:30pm:     Nic Gareiss & Simon Chrisman: Percussive dance & Hammered dulcimer 

    Tue Sep 30, 7:30pm: The Horsenecks: Old-time fiddle tunes and songs

    Sun Nov 9, 7:30pm:   Keith Murphy & Yann Falquet: Nor'easter songs & tunes

Other upcoming musical events of interest:

     Sat, Aug 9:  7-10pm  Palo Alto Contra Dance featuring:

            Mike Lewinski, Paul Kotapish, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Dane Wallinga calling

            First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto

     Sun, Aug 10:  3-5:30pm  Santa Cruz Contra Dance featuring:

            Mike Lewinski, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Dane Wallinga calling

            Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz

_______________________________________________________________________________

                       The Weeds Trio: Traditional and Modern Tunes

                                     Saturday, Aug 16  7:30 PM

   Join the Weeds Trio for an unforgettable evening of music. This West Coast ensemble takes

you on a musical journey which begins and ends in ancient Ireland. While rooted in the Irish tradition,

our trip will ‘cross the pond’ into the United States where these three accomplished instrumentalists

will explore folk seasonings from Appalachian mountain hollers to occasional hints of modern jazz.

The performance will also weave in cutting edge modern Celtic compositions from the trio. Hailing

from Carmel, California, the Weeds consist of fiddler John Weed (Molly’s Revenge/New String Project)

and sons, Tyler and Evan Weed. Watch the folk process unfold as John enjoys a musical conversation

with two of the next generation’s rising stars. Hearing sophisticated arrangements of driving Irish jigs, 

eels, and slower heartfelt selections, you’ll leave uplifted, knowing the future is in good hands as the

Weeds Trio raises your spirits, honoring this tradition with a vital, new voice.

John Weed: fiddle

   John Weed has spent the last 30 years immersed in various fiddle styles. With an affinity for folk

traditions, John’s exploration has emphasized Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and Old-Time fiddle. While

he holds a bachelor’s degree of music from CSU Chico, the musical education that charted his path

began through a long series of Irish sessions. There, he learned the nuance of aural passing of

melodies and the tradition of conversing in a deeply musical manner. John’s passion for the vital

expressiveness of the session lead to performing across the United States and internationally.

In addition to being a full time performer and instructor, John is currently on faculty at Palenke Arts,

a multicultural arts organization in Seaside, California.

Tyler Weed:  mandolin, tenor banjo, guitar

   Tyler was raised in a musical family. His journey began on guitar which quickly led to earning money

backing his father on fiddle. He then discovered flat-picking melodies while also developing a passion

for jazz. This allowed him to be equally comfortable playing in the old-world fiddle styles as well as using

swing-accompaniment on Irish melodies.  World Strides Heritage Festival presented Tyler with first-place

Maestro Solo Guitar award in 2022. Heavily influenced by Bay Area mandolin great Marla Fibish, Tyler

developed nuanced traditional Irish tunes on mandolin — picking patterns for the different dance tunes,

tone projection, and styling, which continues in his playing today. Tyler represented the next generation

of mandolin players at his performance at 2023 San Francisco Instrumental Festival of Mandolins. He

has since journeyed into the world of tenor banjo. His banjo style can be characterized by ornate,

percussive triplet stylings with a driving, yet hypnotic groove.

Evan Weed: Celtic harp, piano, melodica

   Evan is the youngest in the Weeds musical clan. Like Tyler, Evan grew up on the road, accompanying

his father’s touring bands to festivals, performing arts centers, house concerts, and many fiddle camps.

During the pandemic, Evan completely immersed himself in a world of practice on piano, Celtic harp,

jazz drumming, and Latin percussion. In addition to playing harp and melodica in John Weed’s Celtic

Teen Band “The McMonarchs”, Evan worked tirelessly on piano. Evan won a position in the nationally

ranked SFJazz High School All Star Big Band, becoming only the third eighth grader in four decades

to be selected. Evan was later presented SFJazz Education Award spring 2024, voted on by his peers

and directors for superior dedication, attitude, and musicianship. Evan’s original composition, “Ask The

Professor”, was recently featured in the SFJazz winter concert after Evan arranged and orchestrated

for the 19 piece big-band. Evan recently became a 2025 National Young Arts Winner in the categories

of composition and jazz piano.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

There are still plenty of seats available for this Saturday's concert with the talented Weed Family!  Don't be left out in the weeds...

                                     Saturday, Aug 16  7:30 PM

                       The Weeds Trio: Traditional and Modern Tunes

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.
Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Fri Sep 5, 7:30pm:     Nic Gareiss & Simon Chrisman: Percussive dance & Hammered dulcimer 

    Tue Sep 30, 7:30pm: The Horsenecks: Old-time fiddle tunes and songs

    Sun Nov 9, 7:30pm:   Keith Murphy & Yann Falquet: Nor'easter songs & tunes

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

We've got some great shows coming up this fall in the Downtown Soundz house concert series, starting with a luminary of the step-dancing world:

                                          Friday, Sep 5  7:30 PM

     Nic Gareiss & Simon Chrisman: Percussive dance & Hammered dulcimer 

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.
Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Tue Sep 30, 7:30pm: The Horsenecks: Old-time fiddle tunes & songs

    Sat Nov 1,  7:30pm:  Samaita Botsa: Zimbabwean mbira music & songs

    Sun Nov 9, 7:30pm:   Keith Murphy & Yann Falquet: Nor'easter songs & tunes

    Fri Nov 28, 7:30pm:   Laurie Lewis and Cali-Co: Concert & Country Dance!

Other upcoming musical events of interest:

     Sun, Sep 7, 10:00am-noon: Mr. Bidu's Circus plays Brazilian forró

            Live Oak Farmers Market, Santa Cruz

     Sat, Sep 13: 10am-noon: Mr. Bidu's Circus plays Brazilian forró

             Westside Farmers Market, Santa Cruz

     Sun, Sep 14:  3-5:30pm  Santa Cruz Contra Dance featuring:

            Rodney Miller, Daniel & Ezra Steinberg; Kelsey Hartman calling

            Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz

_______________________________________________________________________________

     Nic Gareiss & Simon Chrisman: Percussive dance & Hammered dulcimer

                                          Friday, Sep 5  7:30 PM

   Nic Gareiss and Simon Chrisman met in 2007 at a fiddle festival in the Californian redwoods and

have been exploring sound and movement together ever since. Both leading innovators within their

practices, Nic and Simon mesh their unique approaches, weaving traditional percussive dance,

instrumental tunes, improvisations, traditional songs, and new compositions through interlocking

rhythms and dynamic textures.  Together, they adventure into the world of time and timbre to create

a breathtaking performance of song, instrumental music, and percussive dance.

Nic Gareiss: percussive dance

   Named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch,” Nic has been hailed by the New York Times for

his "dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance" and called "the most inventive and expressive

step dancer on the scene" by the Boston Herald. Gareiss grew up learning percussive dance from

Ireland, Canada, and Appalachia surrounded by fiddlers, banjo-players, and balladeers at folk festivals

in the Midwest. This mix of instrumental music, song, and movement from rural places has become the

heart of Nic's creative work, influencing his singular style marked by a deep love of footwork,

improvisation, and musical collaboration. He has performed, with some of the greatest living legends of

Scottish and Irish music, in seventeen countries including at London's Barbican Centre, the Irish National

Concert Hall, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Kennedy Center.

Simon Chrisman: hammered dulcimer, vocals

   Simon brings an unusual style to an instrument that has previously been thought to have limited range

and technique. His inventive virtuosic touch and sophisticated rhythmic sensibilities are redefining the

dulcimer, earning the attention of musicians from all over the world. According to the Boston Herald,

Simon's music combines "chamber music’s finely calibrated arrangements with bluegrass' playful

virtuosity and pop music's melodic resourcefulness." He regularly tours with the Jeremy Kittel Band

and the Bee Eaters, and has performed with Darol Anger, Bruce Molsky, Mike Marshall, Laurie Lewis,

and Seamus Egan.

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

There is still plenty of space for this Friday's show featuring stunning step-dancing:

[Santa Cruz House Concerts]

The next show in the Downtown Soundz house concert series will be:

                                    Tuesday, Sep 30  7:30 PM

                The Horsenecks: Old-time fiddle tunes & songs

The concert will be held indoors in downtown Santa Cruz.  Details below.
Come out and support live music!

Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.

Upcoming shows in our series:

    Sat, Oct 18, 7:30pm: The Magpies: Country/Honky-Tonk Dance Party

    Sat Nov 1,  7:30pm:  Samaita Botsa: Zimbabwean mbira music & songs

    Sun Nov 9, 7:30pm:   Keith Murphy & Yann Falquet: Nor'easter songs & tunes

    Fri Nov 28, 7:30pm:   Laurie Lewis and Cali-Co: Concert & Country Dance!

Other upcoming musical events of interest:

     Tue, Oct 7, 7:30pm:  The Lovestruck Balladeers

       Ragtime and Jazz Quintet

       220 Spring St, Santa Cruz;  $25-30

       Reservations:  email <herr...@ucsc.edu>

     Sat, Oct 11: 10am-noon: Mr. Bidu's Circus plays Brazilian forró

             Westside Farmers Market, Santa Cruz

_______________________________________________________________________________

                The Horsenecks: Old-time fiddle tunes & songs

                                    Tuesday, Sep 30  7:30 PM

   The Horsenecks are Gabrielle Macrae and Barry Southern. Based in

Astoria, OR, they are multi-instrumentalists who have come together from

traditional music backgrounds and found a sound that weaves through layers

of influence that include early Appalachian fiddle and banjo music, country,

classic bluegrass and original folk. They create a distinctive sound, neither

traditional or contemporary, their powerful harmony singing front and center.

The Horsenecks set a new standard in today's traditional music scene with

years of touring under their belts, appearances at major festivals in the US

and UK, and four critically acclaimed studio albums.

Gabrielle Macrae: fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocals

   Gabrielle grew up in a musical family in the Old Time music hotbed of

Portland, OR. After spending her teenage years learning clawhammer banjo,

fiddle and guitar and going to local square dances, she moved to North

Carolina and immersed herself in the music. There she spent her time

learning from and playing with some of the greatest living players of the

genre, and visiting some of the last remaining elder musicians such as

Clyde Davenport, Charlie Acuff, Benton Flippen, and The Roan Mountain

Hilltoppers. She gained notoriety for her banjo playing after she and her

sisters (The Macrae Sisters) released the album Old Sledge, which has

become one of the iconic modern Old Time albums of its generation.

   Upon moving back to Oregon in 2009 she focused on her fiddling and

is known for her powerful and dynamic approach. She is now considered

one of the leading Old Time players on the west coast and names

luminaries such as Stephen “Sammy” Lind and Trevor Stuart as her mentors.

Her fiddling is heavily influenced by the traditions of Western North Carolina

where she made her home for some years, and by her contemporaries who

she is continually inspired by. Her songwriting is both a reflection of her personal story and a reflection of the evolving story of traditional music. 

Barry Southern: guitar, banjo, fiddle, vocals

   Barry grew up in Liverpool, England, playing guitar and singing with his

family from a young age. His exposure to American traditional music through

radio and live performances from touring acts led him to pursue learning the

banjo and fiddle and he quickly became a ringleader in the Liverpool music

scene, inspiring a generation of new fans and players. He has been consistently active in his hometown music scene for over 20 years, playing lead guitar with

cult heroes Tramp Attack, banjo with local favorites The Loose Moose Stringband,

and many more groups. His banjo and guitar playing range from thrilling and

high-octane to moody and captivating, and his versatility shines whether

flatpicking, playing clawhammer, or driving three-finger banjo. Upon meeting

Gabrielle at a music festival in 2012 the two began playing together and formed

The Horsenecks. He now makes his home in Astoria Oregon.