THURSDAY 3/27
INDIE
CASEY NEILL & VICTOR KRUMMENACHER
Camper Van Beethoven is one of the most ridiculously influential and criminally underrated bands of all time, blending all the influences swirling around college radio stations in the ’80s: ska, punk, polka, Eastern European folk and alt-rock. Their songs had a wonderful, absurd sense of humor with poetic lyrics that could go from sweet and sincerely optimistic to wickedly sardonic and satirical in the blink of an eye. Founding Camper Van member bassist and guitarist Victor Krummenacher will be joining the also talented singer, songwriter and frontperson of the Norway Rats, Casey Neill, when he plays Santa Cruz this week. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 9pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $15. 429-6994.
FRIDAY 3/28
RAP
LIL BEAN AND ZAYBANG
Bay Area rappers have earned a place in the history of hip hop, from E-40, Keak Da Sneak and Mac Dre to the unique Del the Funky Homosapien and the legendary Too Short. The scene continues to be strong, fighting to draw attention from the better-known scenes of LA, NY, Chi-town, Memphis and Atlanta. Bay Area rapper Zay Bang hits hard with autobiographical storytelling rhymes offset by Lil Bean’s Auto-Tune-heavy style that rides the line between rapping and singing. The combination has worked well for the two, giving them a regional hit with “Side of Me,” putting them on the map. KLJ
INFO: 7pm, Vet’s Hall, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. $24-$109. 454-0478.
REGGAE
DON CARLOS
The smooth and soulful Don Carlos brings his legendary voice to Moe’s Alley for a special two-night engagement. Born in Kingston, Jamaica’s Waterhouse district and steeped in the sound of reggae greats, Carlos began his singing career as one of the original members of Black Uhuru in 1973. Five years later, Carlos pursued solo success and has established himself as one of reggae’s most distinct voices. After all this time, Carlos maintains an excellent sense of rhythm and masterfully uses his soft and hypnotic voice to deliver conscious, captivating lyrics. His charismatic and gentle performance is not to be missed. SHELLY NOVA
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $40/adv, $45/door. 479-1854.
JAZZ
BRANDEE YOUNGER
No doubt, the harp is one of the hardest-to-learn instruments and one of the most misunderstood. It often seems like the 47-stringed instrument is only used for soft lullabies or by Harpo Marx. Thank goodness Brandee Younger is here to flip the script and showcase the harp in a whole new way. For over a decade, she has stunned audiences and critics alike with her bold playing, bringing the harp front and center in the most American of music, jazz. In 2022, she became the first Black woman nominated for a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition. Two years later, she won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album with her latest album, Somewhere Different. MAT WEIR
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $42. 427-2227.
SATURDAY 3/29
CLASSICAL
BENNARDO-LARSON DUO
The NYC and Stockholm-based Bennardo-Larson Duo invites audiences to an intimate evening in the redwoods at violinist Maya Bennardo and pianist Karl Larson’s favorite mountainside venue, Wind River. Known for their dedication to a forward-thinking repertoire, the duo will perform works from Anthony Vine and Bennardo’s oeuvre. Since their conception in 2016, in which they performed Charles Ives’s complete violin and piano works, they have built a wonderfully diverse portfolio and a reputation for blending new compositions with innovative historical pieces. SN
INFO: 7:30pm, Wind River, 421 Wild Way, Santa Cruz. $20. 627-9491.
NEW AGE
YAIMA
New Age music isn’t for everyone. However, the musical duo Yaima (meaning that which water runs through) might be just the thing for those who hate New Age. Consisting of Japanese multi-instrumentalist and producer Masaru Higasa and Seattle vocalist Pepper Proud, Yaima flows as softly and as powerful as a river. It makes sense, as the duo takes inspiration from nature to create music that draws the listener to sense something more profound right below the surface of their music: life and human consciousness. MW
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $32. 704-7113.
SUNDAY 3/30
ROCK
STORMIN NORMAN AND THE CYCLONES
Santa Cruz’s vibrant music scene has deep roots throughout the decades, and Stormin Norman Louis knows it. Maybe that’s why they sold out their first appearance at the El Vaquero Winery last year. After all, his all-star band, the Cyclones, consists of Scott Kail on drums, JoJo Fox on bass, Jim Hannibal on sax and local legend Ken Kraft (yes, that Ken Kraft from fabled Santa Cruz rockers, SNAIL) on guitar. The result is old-school rock ‘n’ roll for people who like to hear a song’s melody, instruments and vocals instead of distortion and Cookie Monster growls. MW
INFO: 4pm, El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd., Corralitos. $10. 607-8118.
MONDAY3/31
INDIE
KITTY CRAFT
Kitty Craft (the musician alias of artist Pamela Valfer) has been making mellow, groove-heavy tunes combining an ethereal voice, keyboards, samples and low-fi hip hop production since the mid-’90s when her first releases came out on cassette tape. Hailing originally from Minneapolis (how does this town churn out so many great musicians?) and now calling LA her “forever home,” she clocks over a quarter million monthly listeners on Spotify. Valfer’s officially been around long enough to go from hip to the streaming generation’s idea of retro cool, and she’s still at it, recording and performing live for a devoted following and releasing albums on cool green vinyl. KLJ
INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $38. 713-5492.
TUESDAY 4/1
AUTHOR EVENT
WINTER IN AMERICA
Emotions continue to run high after the 2024 election. It is a time of uncertainty and fear as new, outrageous headlines clog the newsfeed daily. Even so, there’s still hope for the future. Solidarity and community can build resilience. To reflect and express the complex emotions felt and to celebrate the release of Winter in America (Again: Poets Respond to the 2024 Election, a new poetry anthology, Bookshop Santa Cruz is hosting a powerful poetry reading featuring contributing poets who will explore themes of democracy, resilience and the future. The reading aims to pull at strands of positivity and hope so a better future may be forged. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free w/RSVP. 423-0900.
