When it comes to finding inspiration for their songs, Ashley Lloyd Thompson and Alex Thompson—who sing, write and play guitars in the...
Pianist Benny Green wants jazz’s past to continue to inform its future I can honestly say I’m still learning.” Hearing such an...
Jeff Wilson, who plays banjo for North Pacific String Band, loves being part of original music experiences. “What I like about the...
On the eve of Cyndi Lauper’s Mountain Winery gig, we dissect the woman, the icon, the creative beast. Plus: Her thoughts on...
Memphis singer-songwriter, Amy LaVere, finds joy and humor in painful situations Producer Craig Silvey likely saved singer-songwriter Amy LaVere’s life a few...
Mark Twang plays a little bit of everything—rock, roots, jazz and bluegrass for starters—but so far they haven’t played much in public...
Bluegrass band-turned-rockers embrace change, new challenges Kenny Feinstein, the multi-instrumentalist, singer and sole remaining founding member of Water Tower Bucket Boys, has...
Amanda West started singing sometime after she began walking, but before uttering her first words. Or that’s what she’s been told, at...
José González on the chilly atmosphere pervading Junip’s mesmerizing new record Ten years ago, I used to have music as my hobby....
Betsy Jane Kniffen may have performed the national anthem at the opening Santa Cruz Derby Girls bout in March, but the lead...
French-born jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimée lives for musical freedom and improvisation Cyrille Aimée is a musical gypsy. Her sound incorporates elements of...
Danny Moriarty’s musical influences have been known to impact his life beyond his local rock band, Transoceana. “I went through two periods,”...
Although Jesse Malley, lead singer of the outlaw country, blues and rock ’n’ roll band The Tilt, no longer lives in Santa...
Allen Stone wants to give R&B back some of its depth Whether fairly or unfairly, R&B and soul music often get typecast....
Megan Saunders and the rest of the members of The Driftless—Blair McLaughlin, Jeffrey Kissell and Rob Smith—love their band. “We have a...
Coming out of a cold winter with Cowboy Junkies’ Michael Timmins The title The Wilderness does a fine job of conveying the...
Bryn Loosley is methodical when it comes to his music. “If you locked me in a room for two hours and told...
“The heart of the ocean beats in mine,” The Gembrokers confess on the stripped-down track “Mountain Lion,” off their 2012 self-titled release....
Inspiration comes natural to folk-soul strummer Sean Hayes Looking back, Sean Hayes says he worked on the title track of his latest...
Stephanie Schneiderman’s music may be ever-changing, but her message remains constant Whether she is performing with the Portland, Ore.-based indie pop-rock band...
Thanks to Ona Stewart, guitarist and songwriter for Santa Cruz bluegrass/Americana band The Naked Bootleggers, you might have a secret life you...
The splendor of Spiritualized’s limitless space rock is in its relentless and familiar flow Wow! It’s like you’re next door now,” Jason...
Larry Hosford has been making music since the 1960s, and the reason he keeps recording and performing after all these years is...
Antsy McClain and his Flamingoheads get national attention with PBS concert series
Local bluegrass band Steep Ravine embraces a non-traditional sound
Janis Ian: still a voice for the marginalized
When Elliot Wright was attending UC Santa Cruz in 2006, he would show up at parties, plug his iPod into a sound...
Sacred steel whiz Robert Randolph reconnects with roots, finds inspiration
Strip away the religious ramifications of reggae music and it comes down to love and respect for all things. This is the...
The Doors’ Ray Manzarek and slide guitar virtuoso Roy Rogers on performing, grasping the infinite moment and teaching Jim Morrison to sing
