Wednesday Sep 25 7:00pm
Rosa Pullman; The HawtThorns – TICKETS ($17/$12)
You may recall Rosa Pullman as half of The Lovers with Mitch Grainger. She is a compelling solo artist as well. Her latest calling card is From the Halo to the Boulevard — an album recorded at two studios in vastly different places — Winham, Maine (The Halo) and Los Angeles (Boulevard Recording). The release is her offering in these times of great change when truth is in high demand. She serves it up with a rawness and vulnerability that is refreshing and deep, and at times playful and light. The HawtThorns are husband and wife duo KP (aka Kirsten Proffit, formerly of Calico) and guitar slinger Johnny Hawthorn. Their sun-kissed songwriting, fiery electric guitar, and lush vocal harmonies evoke the California coastline as much as the Bible-belt countryside. The connection between them was immediate, and the two spent their first date playing songs together. It was not long before they were writing beautiful, melodic music that makes room for KP’s voice and Johnny’s guitar.
Thursday Sep 26 7:00pm
Adam Miller/Mason Stoops – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Premier Guitar Magazine says “it takes an impossibly gifted player to improvise independent melodies, harmonies, and bass lines all at the same time – while maintaining an impeccable groove. Australia’s Adam Miller is one such rare phenomenon.” With a completely unique approach to the guitar, Adam’s music is groovy and approachable, while maintaining a melodic sophistication that only comes from years of cross genre hopping. His tendency to include complex rhythms, dissonant haunting phrases, combined with breathtaking riffs and melodies are his signature. His jazz influenced style with finger-picking mastery creates an improvisation filled live performance that is beautifully unpredictable. He’ll be joined by an equally amazing guitarist, Mason Stoops, plus Justin Glasco on drums, and Joel Gottschlak on bass.
Wednesday Oct 2 7:00pm Ten Year Anniversary of Wine & Song
Jackie Bristow with Mark Punch; Mare Wakefield & Nomad – TICKETS ($20/$15)
At once heartfelt and sophisticated, Jackie Bristow combines subtle yet beautiful melodies and hooks that hypnotize the listener. Born in New Zealand then transplanted to Australia and now the United States, Jackie tours constantly along with her duo partner — guitar wizard, Mark Punch. Mark has had a long career playing with most of Australia’s major singers of the last 35 years. Tireless troubadours Mare Wakefield & Nomad are currently based in Nashville when they aren’t on a long stretch of road somewhere. Listeners of their music roam through Arizona deserts, Oklahoma oil fields and Amsterdam canals. Journeys go inward too, exploring hope, heartbreak and barroom brawls. Story and song are woven together by Mare’s intimate delivery and Nomad’s exquisite piano and accordion. They are two-time finalists at the prestigious Kerrville New Folk competition. We’ll also have a special guest set from another Kerrville alum, Claudia Nygaard.
Thursday Oct 3 7:00pm
Todd Hunter Quartet – TICKETS ($17/$12)
From San Diego to Greenwich Village and around the world, Todd Hunter has delighted audiences and won the regard of fellow musicians. Midway through San Diego State University, he took off for New York and immersed himself in the Big Apple’s legendary jazz scene. There, he continued to educate his ears and hone his technique in the company of Ahmad Jamal, Joe Henderson, Tommy Flanagan and Mel Lewis. He accompanied Dionne Warwick, Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston on their Soul Divas tour, and he continues to tour internationally with Dionne. He has been a featured performer with the Brian Setzer Orchestra and shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osborne, Gladys Knight, and Smokey Robinson. But his passion for jazz endures through opportunities to play alongside artists such as Nancy Wilson, Kenny Burrell, and Diane Reeves. He’ll be joined by Brian Swartz on trumpet, Kevin O’Neal on bass, and Matt Gordy on drums.
Wednesday Oct 9 7:00pm Special FAR-West Folk Alliance show
Bill Scorzari; MMCM – TICKETS ($17/$12)
On the eve of the FAR-West Folk Alliance conference, we’ll hear from a number of artists who have traveled in for the gathering. Bill Scorzari’s sound is gritty, raw and at times, downright sad. His music is an amalgam of the voice of Tom Waits, the lyricism of John Mooreland, the delivery of Sam Baker and the soul of Kris Kristofferson. No Depression says: New York based, singer-songwriter, “Bill Scorzari is a force. His songwriting is stellar… and his voice fits his songs perfectly.” After six spiritually formative years living in California, singer-songwriter Christina Eltrevoog returned to her hometown in rural Illinois where she became re-acquainted with a friend from adolescence – Matthew Pittman, who had been playing with various musical groups throughout the state. The pair soon began performing together as MMCM (Matthew Michael & Christina Marie) and have been collaborating ever since. They engage audiences with honest songs expressed in harmonically-rich layers of voices and strings. We’ll also hear from Kevin Daniel, Lorena Leigh, Brad Byrd and more.
Thursday Oct 10 7:00pm
Jon Mayer Trio – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Jon Mayer was born in New York City in 1938. His mother studied classical music and practiced piano as he went to sleep each night. He was exposed to jazz at an early age through recordings around the house of various big and small bands. After graduating from the famed High School of Music and Art in Manhattan and briefly attending the Manhattan School of Music. Mayer became a regularly appearing member of the thriving NYC music scene playing with Kenny Dorham, Tony Scott, Pete LaRoca and Ray Draper. He played on a John Coltrane recording ‘Like Sonny’ and on a Jackie McLean cut called `Strange Blues’. He spent time in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Band as well as road assignments with Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughan, and Anita O’Day. His compositions have been cut by Les McAnn, Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra, Nancy Wilson, Gladys Knight, Ernie Watts and Jackie Ryan. He’ll be joined by Roy McCurdy on drums and Will Lyle on bass.
Thursday Oct 17 7:00pm Mojacar Flamenco – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Led by guitarist and composer Stephen Dick, flamenco jazz trio Mojacar Flamenco offers a unique blend of flamenco and Latin Jazz. Mojacar was formed in 1996 after Stephen and his partner, dancer and percussionist Katerina Tomás, spent creative time at an artist’s retreat in southern Spain. Since then, the group has toured the U.S. and Canada with Concrete Blonde, performed in concert across the Southwest, released two CDs and received awards from the Spanish Ministry of Culture and the Center For Creative Innovation. Stephen and Katerina have also each received L.A. Treasures Awards in recognition of their work teaching flamenco. Multi-instrumental percussionist Johnny Sandoval joined the group in 2004. Johnny has performed and recorded with a wide array of artists including Arturo Sandoval, Chuchito Valdez, Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, and Smokey Robinson. In June 2020, Mojácar will premiere Toque Jondo, an evening of flamenco dance theater, at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood.
Wednesday Oct 23 7:00pm
Eleni Mandell, Tony Gilkyson – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Eleni Mandell was raised in that “other” valley to the west. A big fan of L.A. punkers X and beatnik revivalist Tom Waits, who inspired her to learn the guitar and start writing songs. Before long she fell under the mentorship of Chuck E. Weiss, an associate of Waits and subject of Rickie Lee Jones’ “Chuck E’s in Love.” In 1998, she released, Wishbone, which spurred comparisons to Waits for its gritty atmosphere and to PJ Harvey for its dramatic vocal style. In 2003, our other featured artist, Tony Gilkyson, produced her acclaimed album, Country for True Lovers for which he enlisted some of L.A.’s top country-rock session players. Tony is a South Pas native son. His father, Terry Gilkyson, was a composer for Disney and a prominent folksinger. He put Tony to work in the studio at an early age. A guitarist with X for ten years, he has also played and recorded with Lone Justice, Dave Alvin, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and K.D. Lang among others.
