Jul 21 House Concert: Randal Bays & Kyle Alden
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Santa Cruz House Concerts
Jul 11, 2024, 8:46:45 PM7/11/24
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The next show in the Downtown Soundz series will be:
Sunday, Jul 21 7:30 PM
Randal Bays & Kyle Alden: Irish fiddle tunes
_________________________________________________________________________
Sunday, Jul 21 7:30 PM
Randal Bays & Kyle Alden: Irish fiddle tunes
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Mon, Aug 12: Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Tue, Sep 17: Faux Paws: Traditional/Fusion fiddle music
Randal Bays & Kyle Alden: Irish fiddle tunes
Sunday, Jul 21 7:30 PM
"Randal is a marvelous fiddler, one of the best in the country."
- the Irish Voice
Randal Bays and Kyle Alden offer a program of choice Irish fiddle tunes, guitar delights,
- the Irish Voice
Randal Bays and Kyle Alden offer a program of choice Irish fiddle tunes, guitar delights,
and wonderful songs ranging from the very traditional to the very new.
Randal Bays is an internationally recognized fiddler in the Irish tradition, whose exquisite
taste, grace, and musical agility have won him wide praise both in Ireland and in the US.
The Cork Examiner, Ireland's 2nd largest newspaper, calls Randal "a rare beast, a master
of both the fiddle and the guitar", and Fiddler Magazine said he is "among the best Irish
style fiddlers of his generation." Well known on both sides of the Atlantic for his fiery
style fiddlers of his generation." Well known on both sides of the Atlantic for his fiery
fiddling and his devotion to the traditional fiddling styles of the west of Ireland, he has a
special love for the fiddle music of Counties Clare and Galway, where he's been a frequent
visitor for many years. Randal has toured and recorded with many great musicians including
James Kelly, James Keane, Daithi Sproule, and Martin Hayes. In 2021 he received the
Irish Artist in America Achievement Award from O’Flaherty Irish Music. Randal lives near
Seattle and is Artistic Director of Cascadia Irish Music Week.
Visit his website: randalbays.com
Singer/songwriter and guitarist Kyle Alden has appeared on stages throughout California,
the Pacific Northwest, New York and Ireland. Kyle draws material from the American, Irish
the Pacific Northwest, New York and Ireland. Kyle draws material from the American, Irish
and British folk traditions, creating original folk-music settings of poetry as well as writing
original songs. He is recognized for his award-winning songs based on the poems of Irish
poet W.B. Yeats. As an accompanist Kyle has worked with such great musicians as Tommy
Peoples, Maeve Donnelly, Paddy Keenan and many more. He lives in Marin County.
Visit his website: kylealdenmusic.com
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Jul 19, 2024, 4:59:22 PM7/19/24
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There's still plenty of room at this Sunday's show. Bring your instrument for an Irish session after the concert!
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Jul 22, 2024, 10:28:39 PM7/22/24
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This Saturday, we are hosting a fabulous singer from Brazil:
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $35/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:
Mon, Aug 12: Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Tue, Sep 17: Faux Paws: Traditional/Fusion fiddle music
Fabiana Cozza w/Ricardo Peixoto: Afro-Brazilian diva
Saturday, Jul 27 7:30 PM
Fabiana Cozza has one of the most stunning voices to emerge from Brazil in recent years,
and is considered by her countrymen to be one of the nation's leading interpreters of
Afro-Brazilian music. Born in São Paulo in 1976, she fell in love with samba, influenced by
her father, Oswaldo dos Santos, a former samba performer at the Camisa Verde e Branco
school. She grew up surrounded by music in the backyard of her maternal grandmother,
Dona Amélia, and was influenced by many of the great musicians in Brazilian music and
American jazz.
Fabiana's repertoire reflects knowledge of the many cultures of Brazil, as well as love for
the many ways music was born from the African diaspora. Many of her songs are written by
young Brazilian composers who share her interest in the relationship of Brazilian music to
other cultures of the New World. Her instinct for good writing, brought to life with her
extraordinary voice, results in music that is sensuous, evocative, and powerful. Her newest
album, Partir, seeks out the African diaspora as expressed in Bahia with its roots in
Cape Verde, Congo, and Angola.
Visit her website: https://www.fabianacozza.com.br/
Originally from Rio de Janeiro and based in the Bay Area, guitarist/composer Ricardo
Peixoto is among the top representatives of Brazilian guitar in the US, with a fluid melodic
style and a keen compositional sense. His performances explore Brazil's rich and diverse
traditions, both in his original work as well as in arrangements of Brazilian classics. His
approach is grounded both in the jazz and Brazilian music traditions, but always ventures
well beyond their borders, combining rich melodies, sophisticated harmonies, and the
unmistakable rhythms of Brazil. Ricardo came to the US on a scholarship to the Berklee
College of Music in Boston, and later continued his studies in classical guitar at the San
Francisco Conservatory. He has recorded, performed, and collaborated with, Claudia Villela,
Flora Purim and Airto, saxophonist Bud Shank, percussionist Dom Um Romão, Toots
Thielemans, Dori Caymmi, Guinga, and many others, throughout the US, Europe, Canada,
Japan and Brazil.
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Jul 25, 2024, 6:03:37 PM7/25/24
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There are still lots of seats available for this amazing concert!
"The woman is an incredible singer, but she enhances her performance even more
with a showmanship that could only come from her background in musical theater.
She danced and spun and smiled the story out of every song. It was fabulous."
- Charleston City Paper
Saturday, Jul 27 7:30 PM
Fabiana Cozza w/Ricardo Peixoto: Afro-Brazilian diva
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $35/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:
Mon, Aug 12: Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Tue, Sep 17: Faux Paws: Traditional/Fusion fiddle music
Other shows of interest:
Mon, Jul 29 7pm: Claudia Villela Quintet at Kuumbwa
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Jul 31, 2024, 5:26:06 PM7/31/24
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The next show in the Downtown Soundz series features a trio of outstanding musicians from Argentina & Brazil:
Monday, Aug 12 7:30 PM
Monday, Aug 12 7:30 PM
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale. Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Upcoming shows in our series:
Other musical events of interest:
Sat, Aug 3: 7-10pm Circle Left Contra Dance featuring:
Valerie Rose, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg, Ezra Warren Steinberg; Susan Petrick calling
Sat, Aug 10: 7-10pm Palo Alto Contra Dance featuring:
Valerie Rose, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg; Dane Wallinga calling
Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Monday, Aug 12 7:30 PM
Hailed by The Boston Globe as a "premier exponent of Chamamé", Brazil-based Argentine
composer and button accordion player Alejandro Brittes explores his heritage of chamamé.
Chamamé is a folkloric music from northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil, an ancestral
rhythm connecting us with the Earth and the Universe through music and dance.
Born of the encounter between the ritual musicality of the indigenous Guaraní and Baroque
music, chamamé is declared as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
A son of parents from the Argentine province of Corrientes, Alejandro´s mother Marciana
Ifrán of Santo Tomé was a radio host, and his father Hipólito Brittes of Perugorría was a musical
producer of some of the great names in Chamamé such as: Isáco Abitbol and Fito Ledesma.
At twelve years old Alejandro began to study accordion with Nini Flores, and at fifteen, formed
his first musical group, recording his first album “Por la Senda Chamamecera”.
Alejandro studied Classical Music at the Escola Juan Pedro Esnaola and has spent 30 years
presenting Chamamé throughout the world. He was one of the first Chamamé musicians to initiate
the exchange between Chamamé and rock, recording with Los Piojos. His research into the
origins and cultural identity of Chamamé culminated in the book “A origem do Chamamé” that he
published in 2021 together with the historian and cultural producer Magali de Rossi. His "(L)Este"
album (2022) includes original compositions for Baroque ensemble that explore the roots of
chamamé in the context of the South American Jesuit missions.
Carlos de Césaro is an award-winning bassist, arranger, composer and educator from the
city of Pelotas/RS, Brazil. A professional musician since 2008, he performs in a wide variety
of genres, including Música Popular Brasileira, pop, folk, jazz, gospel, and has toured with
Argentine artists Alejandro Brittes and Chango Spasiuk, and Brazilian artists Luiz Marenco,
Joca Martins, Luciano Maia, Ricardo Comassetto, and Edilberto Bérgamo.
André Ely began to study the 7-string Brazilian guitar at thirteen years old, inspired by
Yamandu Costa. Ely was active in the Centros de Tradições Gaúchas – CTG performing at
rodeios and invernadas. As a youth Ely formed a 7-string guitar trio with Lucas and Júlio
Haubert and was involved in the Os Costeiros cultural movement. In 2010, Ely joined the
ensemble of Alejandro Brittes and has performed in countries such as: Colombia, Paraguay,
Argentina, Portugal, Italy, France, Czech Republic and the United States. Ely gives workshops
and lecture demonstrations on Brazilian music at institutions including the Universidade Federal
de Pelotas (RS, Brazil).
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Aug 7, 2024, 4:41:20 PM8/7/24
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We've had a surprisingly low response for these world-class artists coming on Monday. Please get your reservation in asap so that i don't have to cancel the concert:
Monday, Aug 12 7:30 PM
Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale. Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
They will also be performing:
5pm, Sun Aug 11: San Jose Summerfest
Upcoming shows in our series:
Other musical events of interest:
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Aug 10, 2024, 2:26:48 AM8/10/24
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André & Carlos had some travel difficulties and will be arriving Monday night, too late for the concert. Consequently, we have changed the concert date to Tuesday (rather than have a solo show Monday).
Tuesday, Aug 13 7:30 PM
If you have made a reservation and will be able to attend on Tuesday, you don't need to do anything (but feel free to let me know).
If you made a reservation and cannot attend on Tuesday, please let me know, and i'm very sorry for the inconvenience.
Otherwise, there is plenty of room if you want to attend this Tuesday:
Tuesday, Aug 13 7:30 PM
Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale. Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
They will also be performing:
5pm, Sun Aug 11: San Jose Summerfest
Upcoming shows in our series:
Other musical events of interest:
Sat, Aug 10: 7-10pm Palo Alto Contra Dance featuring:
Valerie Rose, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg; Dane Wallinga calling
Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Tuesday, Aug 13 7:30 PM
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Aug 12, 2024, 11:01:31 AM8/12/24
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One more reminder....the date change was unfortunate and i'd really like to bring in a good audience for these world-class musicians from Brazil & Argentina.
Also, please note that admission is always pay-what-you-can: the suggested donation amount is generally determined by the artists, but it's always better to play for a full house.
Tuesday, Aug 13 7:30 PM
Alejandro Brittes Trio: Argentinian chamamé
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale. Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
_________________________________________________________________________
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Sep 3, 2024, 10:50:44 AM9/3/24
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The next show in the Downtown Soundz series features an innovative trio of outstanding musicians:
Tuesday, Sep 17 7:30 PM
Tuesday, Sep 17 7:30 PM
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Upcoming shows in our series:
Sun, Nov 17: Dani and Debora Gurgel: Brazilian Samba Jazz Duo *tentative*
Tue, Nov 19: Kalos: Celtic Roots Trio
Other musical events of interest:
Tue, Sep 3: 7pm Brittany Haas, Natalie Haas, & Lena Jonsson
Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St, Santa Cruz
Sun, Sep 8: 4-7pm Hayward Contra Dance featuring:
Leah Wollenberg, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg
Sat, Sep 14: 7-10pm Palo Alto Contra Dance featuring:
Mike Lewinski, Daniel Steinberg, Ezra Warren Steinberg; Tanya Merchant calling
Tuesday, Sep 17 7:30 PM
“…a compelling blend of traditional music virtuosity and driving dancehall
rhythms alongside progressive instrumentation and improvisation”
- Kara Kundert, Bluegrass Pride
From raging fiddle tunes, to saxophone solos and unrequited love songs, the music of
The Faux Paws is hard to pin down with standard genre descriptions. The trio’s contagious
groove, and feel-good melting pot folk music has been honed over ten years of playing together,
and is the sound of three close friends (two of which happen to be brothers), who feel a musical
kinship that transcends any stylistic limitations.
Is it bluegrass? Not usually. Old-time? Occasionally. Is it Celtic? Can’t quite say that.
Is it Folk? Americana? Jazz? Singer-songwriter? None of the above, but members of the
Paws have deep ties to all of these traditions and blend their elements effortlessly to serve
whatever musical idea is being presented. So what can we say? This band takes risks.
They’re dynamic, exciting, sincere, irreverent, infectious, and surprising. They move deftly
between moods, influences and instruments but always maintaining a “groove” that
pulses through the music like a heartbeat.
Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand are multi-instrumentalists who grew up in Central New York.
Steeped in folk traditions from Swedish, Celtic, Quebecois, Western Swing, and Bluegrass,
they toured for over twenty years with their contradance band Great Bear with their mom Kim
VanNorstrand - pushing the boundaries of their own particular multiverse of dance music.
Jay Ungar calls Noah "one of the top five fiddlers living today," while Andrew's deep supportive
grooves and introspective songwriting are the backbone of the brother's collective sound.
Andrew and Noah met Chris Miller at Ungar's Ashokan Music & Dance camp in 2009, where
they quickly formed a musical kinship that has continued for the past 15 years. Chris grew up with
a deep love of bluegrass all the while pursuing an academic path on the jazz saxophone. After
moving to New York City and completing a masters in music at SUNY Purchase, he joined
members of the Red Stick Ramblers and Pine Leaf Boys to form the "Louisiana Supergroup"
The Revelers whose 2015 album earned a Grammy Nomination for Best Regional Roots music.
He now works as an organizer and instigator between tours as the program manager of
Blackpot Camp in Louisiana, the assistant program manager at the Festival of American Fiddle
Tunes in Washington, and camp store manager at Miles of Music Camp in New Hampshire.
A Faux Paws live show is an explosive roller coaster ride that brings the audience along.
Virtuosity on the fiddle, mandolin, guitar & saxophone, but also vulnerability, personal lyrics,
tight 3-part brother harmonies, playful interplay, intricately arranged details and soaring
improvisations. The trio brings together seemingly unrelated musical elements into one joyful
and distinctive collection, deeply rooted in the raw humanity of folk dance and music traditions.
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Oct 24, 2024, 11:41:55 PM10/24/24
to santa-cruz-h...@googlegroups.com, Cameron DeWhitt
The next show in the Downtown Soundz series features an awesome traditional American stringband:
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $20/person sliding scale.
Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Upcoming shows in our series:
Tue, Nov 19: Kalos: Celtic Roots Trio
Sat, Dec 7: Magpies: Country/Western Swing dance!
Other musical events of interest:
Rodney Miller, Daniel Steinberg, Ezra Warren Steinberg; Celia Ramsay calling
Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz CA
Sat, Oct 26: 7-10pm Palo Alto Halloween Contra Dance featuring:
Rodney Miller, Paul Kotapish, Daniel Steinberg, Ezra Warren Steinberg; Susan Petrick calling
First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto, 625 Hamilton at Byron, Palo Alto
Saturday, Nov 9 7:30 PM
Tall Poppy String Band is a new Old Time trio featuring fiddler George Jackson, guitarist
Morgan Harris, and banjoist Cameron DeWhitt. Drawing from the deep well of American
string band music, Tall Poppy String Band approaches tradition with playful curiosity;
each performance more a discussion than a statement. Whether they’re chasing the elusive
downbeat of a source recording, playing with the pronouns in a bluegrass standard, or
challenging the assumed roles of their instruments, Tall Poppy String Band endeavours
to prove that tradition is still being written.
George Jackson: fiddle
George is a New Zealand-born fiddle player based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is known
for Time and Place, his acclaimed 2019 album of original old time fiddle tunes (from which
sprang the old time viral hit “Dorrigo”) and now Hair and Hide, his new collection of
fiddle/banjo duets with some of the brightest stars of the banjo world. George has toured
both as a band leader and with such artists as Jake Blount, Front Country, Peter Rowan,
Missy Raines, and many more. He is the three-time winner of the Australian National
Bluegrass Championship on fiddle, and the recipient of the 2019 Mike Auldridge composition
award from the DC Bluegrass Union.
Cameron DeWhitt: banjo
Cameron is a clawhammer banjoist based in Portland, Oregon, named by R.D. Eno of
Banjo Newsletter as being “…among the finest clawhammer banjo players alive.”
They are the creator and host of Get Up in the Cool, a weekly old time music and
interview podcast featuring conversations and musical collaborations with some of the
most influential traditional musicians working today. Cameron also produces
PitchforkBanjo.com, an online instructional video series for clawhammer banjo, and
teaches private lessons.
Morgan Harris: guitar
Morgan is a guitarist based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Originally from Australia, they have
made a name for themselves by rethinking the role of the guitar in old time music, developing
a style of melodic playing that recreates the droning, driving sound characteristic of old time
fiddle and banjo. In 2020 Morgan released their debut album Old Time Guitar, a collection of
fifteen solo guitar instrumentals that showcase their groundbreaking approach. Their music
has been featured on The Bluegrass Situation and the podcast Relax Your Grid (with Matt Brown).
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Nov 5, 2024, 5:22:33 PM11/5/24
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There are plenty of spaces available at this Saturday's concert! I'm also taking reservations for upcoming shows, and will send out more details on each of them soon.
Saturday, Nov 9 7:30 PM
Tall Poppy String Band: Old-Time/Stringband Trio
Details below. The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $20/person sliding scale.
Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Upcoming shows in our series:
Tue, Nov 19: Kalos: Celtic Roots Trio
Sat, Dec 7: Magpies: Country/Western Swing dance!
_________________________________________________________________________
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Nov 7, 2024, 6:10:35 PM11/7/24
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Close on the heels of this Saturday's concert with the Tall Poppy String Band (seats still available), we have two outstanding shows coming up....here is the first:
Sunday, Nov 17 2:00 PM **matinee*
Dani and Débora Gurgel: Brazilian Samba Jazz, w/special guests
This concert features a collaboration between two stellar jazz families
Sunday, Nov 17 2:00 PM **matinee*
Dani and Débora Gurgel: Brazilian Samba Jazz, w/special guests
This concert features a collaboration between two stellar jazz families
(here is an article about their concert together last February). Details below.
The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $30/person sliding scale.
Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Upcoming shows in our series:
Sat, Dec 7: Magpies: Country/Western Swing dance!
_________________________________________________________________________
Dani and Débora Gurgel: Brazilian Samba Jazz,
w/Sandy, Natalie, & Jeff Cressman
Sunday, Nov 17 2:00 PM **matinee**
Dani Gurgel and Débora Gurgel’s hypnotic bliss is the result of their long-established
musical intimacy. Dani Gurgel’s syncopated and precise scatting vocals are stitched along
Débora Gurgel’s left-hand piano grooves. Infused with dynamic energy, their performances
are a celebration of Brazilian music, entwined with the artistry of jazz improvisation. Their
constant, engaging interaction among themselves and with the audience electrifies the entire
experience. They will be joined by the Cressman Family, noted jazz trombonists and vocalists
Natalie, Jeff & Sandy.
For the past decade, Dani & Debora have released 9 albums with their “Dani & Debora Gurgel
Quarteto”, which was nicknamed “DDG4” by their Japanese fans, and their “Dani & Debora
Gurgel Big Band”, respectively the “DDG19 Big Band”. They have been awarded the Brazilian
Music Professionals Best Jazz Group award and Japan’s Best Brazilian Album award multiple
times and toured extensively through Japan, Europe and the Americas.
This concert will combine Dani & Débora’s original compositions with Débora’s masterful
arrangements of Brazilian and Jazz repertoire from classic and contemporary composers,
as well as a collaborative composition by Dani, Débora and Sandy.
Débora Gurgel: piano
Débora connects her strong roots and improvisation to Brazilian contemporary music and
applies it to her untamed piano grooves. She stands out as a composer and arranger, crafting
exceptional and innovative original compositions, as well as delivering commissioned pieces
that have graced the repertoires of Brazil's leading orchestras.
“Debora Gurgel’s piano is highly refined. She thinks like a jazz musician,
“Debora Gurgel’s piano is highly refined. She thinks like a jazz musician,
but won’t hide her Brazilian accent.” -Estado de SP
Dani Gurgel: vocals
Dani’s "scatted vocal adventures" (Jazzthetik) over her “fantastic syllabary" (Badische Zeitung,
Dani’s "scatted vocal adventures" (Jazzthetik) over her “fantastic syllabary" (Badische Zeitung,
Germany) are a mix of the percussive sounds of Brazil with the swaying curves of jazz, leading
to “groovy, with fast prosody and mind-blowing improvisation” (Estado de SP). Dani began her
musical journey as a 3-year-old and grew up searching for her instrument, under the tutelage
of her mother, Débora. After 15 years of playing the bass in rock bands and the saxophone in
renowned big bands, Dani finally found her instrument: her voice. Her singing relates to her
bass grooves, her saxophone articulations, and Brazilian percussion.
Natalie Cressman: trombone, vocals
Possessing a voice as cool and crystalline as an Alpine stream, Natalie Cressman draws
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. Focusing on their original songs, the duo’s recordings include 2019’s
Setting Rays of Summer, 2022’s Auburn Whisper, and the soon-to-be-released Guinga,
a tribute to the revered Brazilian composer and guitarist. Cressman’s trombone prowess has
earned her widespread recognition. 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.
In 2016 SFJAZZ commissioned her to develop music for a concert celebrating the legacy of
jazz trombonist/arranger Melba Liston. When she’s not performing her own music, Cressman
can be found collaborating with some of the most illustrious figures in rock, funk, jazz and
beyond, such as Carlos Santana, Phish, Big Gigantic, Escort, Phil Lesh, Oteil Burbridge,
Trombonist Jeff Cressman toured internationally with the Carlos Santana Band from
2000-2016, and recorded multiple CDs with the band, including the blockbuster “Supernatural”.
In addition to his work with Santana, Jeff has recorded and toured with such diverse artists as
Keith Terry, Don Cherry, the Peter Apfelbaum Sextet, the Hieroglyphics Ensemble, Jai Uttal and
the Pagan Love Orchestra, the Charlie Hunter Trio, Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, the Machete
Ensemble, Ray Obiedo, and Jon Jang and the Pan Asian Arkestra.
Sandy Cressman: vocals
Sandy Cressman is a San Francisco-based jazz vocalist who began her career recording and
performing with the Vocal Jazz group “Pastiche”, before she focused on her interest in Brazilian jazz.
Cressman’s passion for Brazilian music led her to form "Homenagem Brasileira" in 1998 with whom
she has released three critically acclaimed CDs, “Homenagem Brasileira” and “Brasil-Sempre no
Coração”; and in 2017, “Entre Amigos”, which showcased a number of musical friendships with
notable contemporary Brazilian musicians such as Jovino Santos Neto, Spok, Antonio Adolfo and
Ian Faquini. In 2015 and 2017, Cressman was a featured vocalist on the main stage of Carnaval
in Recife, Brasil. Sandy and her husband Jeff also performed and taught as part of an exchange
project called “Do Jazz ao Frevo” sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of state in 2017. Sandy has also
performed and recorded with diverse artists as Taj Mahal, Jai Uttal, Ray Obiedo, Pete Escovedo
and Eddie Money, as well as soundtrack and commercial work.
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Nov 8, 2024, 3:44:08 PM11/8/24
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We've got a triple header of fantastic shows coming up in the Downtown Soundz house concert series. The third features a beloved fiddle instructor at Valley of the Moon, Ryan McKasson, and virtuoso Vermont accordion player, Jeremiah McLane:
Tuesday, Nov 19 7:30 PM
Tuesday, Nov 19 7:30 PM
The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional. Details below.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Upcoming shows in our series:
Sat, Nov 9: Tall Poppy Band: Old Time/Stringband Trio
Sat, Dec 7: Magpies: Country/Western Swing dance!
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Kalos: Celtic Roots Trio
Tuesday, Nov 19 7:30 PM
Kalos is drawn to water. Every performance is like stepping into a river—they never play a
song the same way twice. They make music inspired by the maritime traditions of Scotland,
Ireland, Scandinavia and North America. Their album titles—Harbour and Headland—honor
the meeting point between the land and sea and they sing songs about shorelines, seafarers
and drownings. They revel in the driving danceability of Irish tunes, but also take inspiration
from the pastoral melodies and naturalistic metaphors of Scottish music. But while the music
they write is forged in tradition, it is nonetheless cast and tempered in new and unexpected ways.
The trio spans three generations, three cities and two countries. Ryan McKasson,
The trio spans three generations, three cities and two countries. Ryan McKasson,
Eric McDonald, and Jeremiah McLane met over the years at highland games, contra
dances and fiddle camps across North America. They made their first recording in 2016
and have been touring together since 2019. Kalos prizes the magic of live performance—
breathing, dancing and weaving together like high-wire acrobats. They are as generous
as they are virtuosic. Like nature itself, their music is full of chaos and chance yet always
feels spacious and balanced. Their concerts are more an exposé than a performance—
they are immersive, trance-inducing experiences.
Ryan McKasson: fiddle, viola, vocals
Ryan McKasson has gained a strong reputation as a performer, composer, collaborator
and teacher. In 1994, he began attending Alasdair Fraser's Valley of the Moon Scottish
Fiddling School (VOM), which led him deep into the world of traditional music. In 1996
he became the youngest ever to win the US National Scottish Fiddle Championship and
in 1997 he was awarded a Merit Scholarship for Viola Performance from the University
of Southern California, where he studied with Donald McInnes. Over the years Ryan has
recorded with a number of influential artists; his playing appears on fellow Scottish fiddle
champion Hanneke Cassel's three albums, as well as Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas's
recording Highlander's Farewell (2011). In addition to McKasson & McDonald, other
current projects include MAC, Ensemble Galilei and The Syncopaths.
Jeremiah McLane: accordion, piano, vocals
Jeremiah was raised in a family with deep ties to both its Scottish heritage and its New
Hampshire roots. Traditional New England music and dance were a part of his parents' and
grandparents' generations. After an early formation in classical piano, Jeremiah spent his
teenage years playing blues and jazz, studying with legend Gary Peacock in university.
He then studied Indonesian Gamelan, West African drumming, and the music of minimalist
composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass. It wasn’t until his mid twenties that Jeremiah
began to immerse himself in the world of traditional Celtic and French music, studying
accordion with Jimmy Keene and Frederic Paris. He then spent several decades traveling
in Europe, doing field research that laid the groundwork for a Master’s degree from the
New England Conservatory. In the early 1990s Jeremiah formed two bands: The Clayfoot
Strutters and Nightingale. Both bands had strong traditional New England roots and had a
deep and lasting impact on the traditional dance scene in New England. Jeremiah has
recorded over a dozen CDs with Nightingale, the Clayfoot Strutters, Bob & the Trubadors,
Le Bon Vent, and with Ruthie Dornfeld. His second solo recording, Smile When You’re Ready,
was nominated by NPR in their “favorite picks”, and his fifth release, Hummingbird, with
Ruthie Dornfeld, received the French music magazine “Trad Mag” Bravo award, as did his
CD Goodnight Marc Chagall with Le Bon Vent. He has composed music for theatre and film,
including Sam Shepard’s “A Lie Of The Mind”, and been awarded the Ontario Center For
The Performing Arts “Meet The Composer” Award, and the Vermont Council On The Arts
“Creation Of New Work” grant.
Eric McDonald: guitar, mandolin, vocals
Eric McDonald found his way to traditional music through the rich local music scene in his
hometown Boston. Nearly a decade after studying at Berklee College of Music under world
renowned musicians such as guitarist/mandolinist John McGann and cellist Eugene Friesene,
he is now established as one of the USA's premier accompanists in many styles. Eric cut his
teeth playing for contra dances in New England, and can still often be seen from the dance
floor. Nowadays he is an active session player, regularly recording and traveling with musicians
of many stripes. Touring credits include The Outside Track, Andrea Beaton, Wendy MacIsaac
and Katie McNally. In addition to McKasson & McDonald, he can currently be seen touring with
the lively trio Daymark, Scottish powerhouse Cantrip, and award winning singer/songwriter
Connor Garvey. In addition to guitar accompaniment, Eric's debut solo album Rove features
his unique style and approach to tunes on the mandolin, as well as carefully crafted deliveries
of traditional ballads on voice and guitar.
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Nov 14, 2024, 5:51:22 PM11/14/24
to santa-cruz-h...@googlegroups.com
There are still plenty of seats available for this Sunday's concert, featuring two incredible musicians from São Paulo:
Santa Cruz House Concerts
Nov 16, 2024, 7:16:05 PM11/16/24
to santa-cruz-h...@googlegroups.com
There is still room available at this Tuesday's show:
Tuesday, Nov 19 7:30 PM
The concert will be held indoors, with masks optional. Details below.
Please stay at home if you have cold/flu symptoms, or mask if you're not sure.
Suggested donation: $25/person sliding scale.
Come out and support live traditional music!
To reserve your spot, please email <Conc...@InstantHarmony.com>.
Be sure to include the total in your party.
Upcoming shows in our series:
*postponed*: Magpies: Country/Western Swing dance!
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