Troubadour, chronicler of life, juggler of fruit, host of Wine & Song and Jazz at the Blue Guitar.
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Thursday Nov 21 7:00pm Frank Potenza Trio – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Capri recording artist and educator Frank Potenza is a protege of the late, great Joe Pass and an active composer and performer with nine solo albums to his credit. In addition to his extensive recording experience he has performed in concert with Dizzy Gillespie, George Van Eps, Joe Pass, Bud Shank, Mose Allison, James Moody, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Brother Jack McDuff, and many others. Frank toured and recorded as a member of the Gene Harris Quartet from 1996 to 2000 and is a featured soloist on Alley Cats, Gene’s last recording for Concord Records. He is a full Professor and Chair of the Guitar Program at USC’s Flora L. Thornton School of Music. He holds a Bachelors degree from the Berklee College of Music in Boston and a Master of Arts degree from California State University Los Angeles. Joining frank will be John Leftwich on bass, and Aaron Serfaty on drums and percussion.
Wednesday Nov 27 7:00pm
Alice Wallace, Bob Hillman + spc gst Emily Anderson – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Born in Los Angeles and raised in St. Cloud, Florida, Alice Wallace has a style that is rooted in the classic country songstresses such as Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris. Her impeccable vocals and melodic, literate song-crafting skills bring a fresh touch to authentic Americana music. She also inspired Chauncey Bowers to give yodeling a try. San Francisco singer-songwriter Bob Hillman is well into the second act of a career that began in the late 1990s, survived ten years of “real jobs,” and resumed in 2016 with the Peter Case-produced album called Lost Soul. His music matches sophisticated lyrics to catchy melodies, and showcases a subtle sense of humor. Suzanne Vega invited him to open her Songs in Red & Gray tour. And more recently, David Crosby re-tweeted a demo of a new song called Cocaine Ruins Everything commenting “Great song…very very good…well done.” We’ll also hear from recent Alaskan transplant, Emily Anderson.
Thursday Nov 28 – Happy Thanksgiving
No Show
Wednesday Dec 4 7:00pm
A VERY SPECIAL EVENING WITH
The NOLA Resistance – TICKETS ($25)
Another big taste of New Orleans is coming back to the arroyo. Matt Dillon always brings an amazing all-star lineup. This will be a very popular show so get your tickets now. All seats are $25.
Thursday Dec 5 7:00pm Nolan Shaheed Band featuring Cathy Segal-Garcia – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia’s repertoire includes original compositions and modern interpretations of standards. Don Heckman of the Los Angeles Times said, “Segal-Garcia’s most compelling quality is a warm, dark sound, luxurious enough to wrap a song in an envelope of lush timbres.” She has been a tireless supporter and producer of the L.A. jazz scene for years. She has recorded with and played with Ted Greene, Joe Dirorio, Larry Koonse, John Pisano, Ross Tompkins, Billy Childs, and Otmaro Ruiz among others. Nolan Shaheed was Marvin Gaye’s musical director and played lead trumpet with The Count Basie Orchestra. He is also a decorated athlete and owns a Pasadena studio which has recorded hundreds of great musicians and singers. He and Cathy have been working together for many years. They will be joined by Todd Hunter on piano, Trevor Ware on bass, and Kenny Elliot on drums.
Wednesday Dec 11 7:00pm
Jodi Siegel, Rick Shea – 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. Rick Shea cut his teeth in the bars and honky-tonks of San Bernardino where he grew up. He has gone on to build a solid career for himself as a solo artist, guitarist and songwriter. Rick is equally at home telling stories with an acoustic guitar or letting his well-worn Telecaster do the talking. With nine critically acclaimed albums he’s performed all over California and across the country.
Thursday Dec 12 7:00pm South Pas All-Stars – TICKETS ($17/$12)
We are blessed to have a plethora of jazz greats living right here within the South Pasadena city limits. We’ve assembled a few for a very special home town evening to usher in the holidays — Riner Scivally on guitar, Elliott Caine, on trumpet, Tim Pleasant (replacing Dave Tull on drums for this night), Putter Smith on bass, and featuring guest vocalist VR Smith.
Wednesday Dec 18 7:00pm
Natalie Gelman, Erik Stucky – TICKETS ($17/$12)
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. Erik Stucky is a Montrose, Colorado native who hangs his hat in Nashville when he’s not on the road. His latest album, Good Vibrations, is positive, upbeat and fun — his way of protesting all of the negativity around us today. He is heavily influenced by some of the great singer-songwriters of our time — Lyle Lovett, Paul Simon, and James Taylor. M Music magazine called his latest album, “A catchy, radio-ready, calypso-infused, cocktail of joy!”
Thursday Dec 19 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 Dec 25 – No Show
Thursday Dec 26 – No Show
Wednesday Jan 1 – No Show
Thursday Jan 2, 7:00pm Wine & Song (Americana) will be on Thursday this week due to the holiday. No jazz show.
Wednesday Jan 8 7:00pm
TBA – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Thursday Jan 9 7:00pm TBA – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Wednesday Jan 15 7:00pm
Ben de la Cour, Justin Farren – TICKETS ($17/$12)
Born in London and raised in Brooklyn, Ben de la Cour dropped out of school to become a boxer. After it became clear that there are only so many blows to the head one can take, he headed for London for a stint in a heavy metal band. Now he has opted for a quieter, more introspective brand of songwriting with a head full of softer, bruised, but no less intense acoustic songs. He was a winner at the 2016 Kerrville New Folk competition. Justin Farren writes multidimensional songs that are both enchanting and seemingly effortless. Songs that are uniquely personal but endlessly inventive and highly relatable. Songs filled with the kind of sudden twists and turns that you never see coming but will never forget. The Sacramento News & Review described him as “a storyteller with an impeccable voice, a guitar and a head-full of funny, tender and engaging observation“.
In this time of harsh divisions, Licity Collins’ passion bridges audiences and touches people in that place we all share—of raw, honest emotion. Her songs are rooted in folk and layered with the grit of rock. Licity’s prose lays bare the heart-wrenching rise and falls of our attempts to navigate the unknown. She believes that any path to healing must involve a deep connection to our emotions, and she delivers just that. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bernie Larsen has lived a charmed musical life. He has recorded, toured and produced an elite handful of artists, many of whom are Grammy Award recipients including Melissa Etheridge, Jackson Browne, Rickie Lee Jones, Lucinda Williams, and Public Enemy. He spent six years as an original member of David Lindley’s legendary band El Rayo-X. We’ll also hear from special guest Igor Bulanov, a wonderful singer and songwriter from Russia.
Thursday Feb 6 7:00pm Louie Cruz Beltran & his Latin Jazz Band – TICKETS ($17/$12)
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, Abelardo Bolano on drums, Andrew Ford on bass, and Rob Kyle on sax and flute.
