Troubadour, chronicler of life, juggler of fruit, host of Wine & Song and Jazz at the Blue Guitar.
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Thursday February 21 7:00pm Louie Cruz Beltran & his Latin Jazz Band – TICKETS ($20)
Louie Cruz Beltran is a charismatic entertainer, singer and master percussionist. His musical career was crafted upon the soulful sounds of his ethnic American background and flavored with contemporary R&B, Jazz, and Salsa as well as the Great American Songbook. Early in his career, Louie performed with great artists such as Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Francisco Aguabella, and Jorge Claudio. Recently he has performed with legends Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Poncho Sanchez and many other renowned artists. Louie will be joined by Carlos Vivas on keyboard, JD Perez on drums, Andrew Ford on bass, and Justin Janer on sax and flute.
Wednesday February 27 7:00pm
Jodi Siegel, Natalie Gelman + special guest Michael McNevin – TICKETS ($17/$12)
The blues are deeply rooted in Chicago native, Jodi Siegel. In the late 80’s she relocated to California and eventually landed in the art community of Laguna Beach. She is a wicked slide guitar player with a bluesy, soulful, and mellow vocal style. She has shared the stage with many venerable artists including Albert King, Robben Ford, Kris Kristofferson, and David Lindley. Natalie Gelman was raised in songwriter mecca — New York’s West Village where she grew up amidst artists and true bohemians. At 16 she started writing songs and soon after began busking on subway platforms. Captivating tourists and straphangers alike, Natalie stopped even the most hurried commuters in their tracks with her powerful voice. Often compared to Sheryl Crow, Jewel and Joni Mitchell, Natalie’s music is contemporary and timeless.
Thursday Feb 28 7:00pm Adam Levy Trio (Jake Reed/David Piltch) – TICKETS($17/$12)
Adam Levy has created a remarkable body of music over the past 30 years. His guitar work with Norah Jones is legendary. He draws on elements of jazz and country to reflect perfectly the simple, earnest sentiment of compositions. Adam is also a respected writer and educator. Bassist and session musician, David Piltch, is a Canadian expat now living in Los Angeles. He has written songs with k.d. Lang, and produced recordings for Michael Kaeshammer and Emily Saxe. In 2008, he released the album Minister of the Interior, with guest artists k.d. lang, Bill Frisell, Petra Haden, Holly Cole, and Perla Batalla. Jake Reed is a Los Angeles drummer, quickly gaining a reputation for his ability to fit into a variety of musical situations — everything from Cow Bop to Bill Holman to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He has popped up in numerous configurations at the Blue Guitar, most frequently as a member of trioKAIT.
Wednesday Mar 6 7:00pm
Gregory Page; Karen Tobin Band – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Musician, poet, and filmmaker Gregory Page has a fascinating background. Born in London, his Armenian and Irish parents met while they were on tour with their bands en route to the Middle East. His Irish mother was the lead singer in the all-girl group called the Beat-Chics, who opened multiple concerts for the Beatles in 1965. Gregory’s first concert in London was at the O2 Arena playing an opening set for his pal, Jason Mraz. He has also opened for Bob Dylan and John Prine. Singer-songwriter, Karen Tobin, is a veteran of the Los Angeles country music scene. She was signed to a couple of major record labels and has been compared to such luminaries as Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. Karen writes from the heart about her life journey. She was recently recognized by Music Connection Magazine as one of the their Top 20 Prospects For 2018. She’ll be joined by multi-instrumentalists Greg Kreuger and Tim Fleming.
Thursday Mar 7 7:00pm Elliott Caine Quintet – TICKETS($17/$12)
Inspired by 60’s “Blue Note” style jazz, as well as by the music of Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaria, the Elliott Caine Quintet play original compositions as well as the works of Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and Donald Byrd among others. Latin Beat Magazine describes Elliott as “one of the West Coast’s finest trumpeters.” Cadence Magazine describes him as “a fire-breathing trumpeter in the lineage of Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan.” Elliott has performed and/or recorded with Teddy Edwards, Barbara Morrison, Wyclef Jean, Beck, The Beastie Boys, and numerous others. His original compositions have been heard on programs including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Late Night with David Letterman. The band consists of Elliott Caine on trumpet, Scott Gilman on tenor sax, Rick Olson on piano, Bill Markus on bass, and Kenny Elliott on drums.
Wednesday Mar 13 7:00pm
Rose Valley Thorns; Kylie Rothfield – TICKETS ($17/$12)
The Rose Valley Thorns are Joshua Bergmann on mandolin, Jared Bergmann on guitar, and Corey Highberg on upright bass. They are a bluegrass and progressive folk band out of Ventura County. They combine their youthful energy and eclectic musical backgrounds into a modern take on the traditional bluegrass genre. Kylie Rothfield makes a long overdue return to Wine & Song. When one hears her voice, there is no denying the timeless, raw sense of emotion in her delivery. Crafting songs that combine elements of soul, blues and pop, Kylie’s music is honest and expressive. Although her vocal ability is undeniable, she is also an accomplished guitarist. In 2016 she was selected to be on NBC’s The Voice, and was chosen by Alicia Keys, who coached her throughout the season.
Thursday Mar 14 7:00pm Lara Solnicki Trio – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Honored as “world class jazz singer” (All About Jazz) for her “outstanding musicianship”, “superb vocal technique” (Jazz History Online) and “spontaneous interpretations of standard and original repertoire teeming with individualism and vocal mastery” (Hot House Jazz Guide, New York), Brooklyn-based, Toronto-born vocalist, composer and poet Lara Solnicki makes her Los Angeles area debut at The Blue Guitar in South Pasadena. This will be her third performance with SoCal based, New York-veteran pianist and composer Jeremy Siskind, winner of the 2012 Nottingham International Jazz Piano Competition and second place winner of the 2011 Montreux Solo Piano Competition. “A genuine visionary” (Indianapolis Star) who “seems to defy all boundaries” (JazzInk), his music is “rich in texture and nuance” (Downbeat). Lara and Jeremy will be joined for the first time by LA bassist Henry Beal, best known for his work on Netflix’s House of Cards as well as the documentary Blackfish.
