Santa Cruz Mountains locals Michele Murphy, Diane Bock, and Ramon Marc Butler share a love of the blues. The spark for their group, the Buffalo Blues Trio, was struck in 2018 when Michele and a girlfriend went to see the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical, A Night With Janis Joplin at the Santa Cruz Civic. “I was on the edge of my seat with tears running down my face at the story of Janis’ life,” Michele recalls. She approached her friend Ramon, an experienced slide guitar player and former bandmate from the band Sleepless Nights, about putting together a group that would pay homage to Janis’ raw, soulful sound and other female singer-songwriters who influenced the blues. Then Michele met jazz vocalist and bass player Diane Bock at open mic night at Michael’s on Main, and the three musicians hit it off, spending the ensuing years coalescing their chops diving deep into the music of notable blues divas from the 1920s through the 1960s. 

Ramon grew up with Motown and got turned onto the blues from friends and connections in Black Mountain, North Carolina, where he has his roots. His blues sensibility is bedrock. Diane is an elementary school music theory teacher whose improvisational agility adds to the musical integrity. “Blues is American classical music,” Diane said. “Every musician today, I don’t care if it’s rock n’ roll, The Stones, whoever, it pretty much all goes back to blues. It’s the great grandfather of jazz, rock, hip hop, all of it. It’s the one musical form that was born in this country.” Focusing on women in blues, Ramon said, “It’s kind of an underserved area. “I mean everybody thinks of John Lee Hooker or Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, but there’s all these other great singers.” And as Ramon says, “Everything starts with the singer.” 

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Michele chooses from a wide selection of female-forward songs that tell the story of life, things that everyone can relate to. “Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues,” recorded in 1924 by singer Ida Cox with Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders carries a strong feminist message. “Ain’t Nobody’s Business,” a song about freedom of choice written by Porter Grainger and Everett Robbins in 1922 was covered by many famous singers, including Billie Holiday. “Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl,” a composition by Clarence Williams and Tim Brynn was first released in 1931 on a recording by Bessie Smith. With its suggestive lyrics, Michele can swing her performance of ‘Sugar with a little sass. Also on the setlist, many songs written by Janis Joplin including “One Good Man” and “Mary Jane.”

Michele also writes some of the songs the group performs. “Bird” is about a family member who struggles for freedom. “Sin House” tells the story of addiction and recovery. “A Pot of Soup” was written during darker times with lyrics meant to ‘raise the vibration’. 

Annual benefit show for Walnut Ave. Women and Families' Crisis Center

Rosebud is a band of veteran musicians from the Bay Area and California Central Coast. The band plays a mix of original music as well as interpreting songs from the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Van Morrison, David Lindley, and many more. The band typically mixes all these into their set, but has been known to play shows of all Grateful Dead or shows of all original music.

Rosebud features rhythm guitarist Scott Cooper, whose music can regularly be heard on KPIG radio and other stations. His debut CD reached #5 on the national jam band charts. The band is grounded by the drumming of Mark Corsolini, formerly of Dark Star Orchestra and Melvin Seals' JGB. Lead guitarist Fred Rodriguez is an in-demand soloist whose tone and taste are reminiscent of Jerry Garcia and Dickie Betts, while maintaining an identifiable and individual voice of his own. Fred played in the popular trio Three-Legged Dawg along with bassist Andy Birchett. Lastly, keyboard player Lachlan "Citizen" Kane rounds out the band with his stellar vocal harmonies, honky tonk piano and signature plaid attire.

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

FREE - 5:30 to 7:30

Rick Zeek - Guitar, Vocals

Patti Maxine - Lap Steel, Vocals

Rhan Wilson - Guitar, Vocals, Looping

Jazz, the dog. - Mascot, best friend.

We are excited to bring back the LEGENDARY FUNK NIGHT to THE CREPE PLACE! Join us on TUESDAY nights for a boogie down dance party from 8pm until midnight!

JOE’S TRUCK STOP: From a ridge in the Ohio River Valley, on a front porch where Kentucky’s visible through the winter’s bare trees, Joe Truck Stop conspires over a smoking blend of Bluegrass, Honky Tonk, Western Swing, and whatever else finds itself inhaled and manifested by way of a wood box and steel wire…Years of digesting so much of the Country Blues lexicon and traveling the country learning the numerous styles of fiddlers, writers, and travelers alike has led to the original music that comes by way of Joe’s Truck Stop.

Music | Joe's Truck Stop

JUSTIN JONES: Justin Jones is a Northern California singer-songwriter, whose music draws from small towns, back roads, and people who inhabit them. Blending folk, Americana, and acoustic music, he pairs originals with thoughtfully chosen covers, delivered with an honest and upfront style.

Bandcamp | Instagram

EMPIRE GRADE: Beginning in early 2025, Empire Grade is a four-piece rock band from Santa Cruz, CA. Blending different eras and genres of rock together, Empire Grade's style is both reminiscent and fresh. 

The group originated with drummer William Crick and bassist Neville Gruhler. They met guitarist and pianist Nick Sax, set up a jam, and had instant musical chemistry. The three musicians immediately set about arranging and writing songs and playing shows across Santa Cruz.

The band played as a three-piece until meeting vocalist Charlie Vail. Charlie's first session with the band made one thing apparent: Vail was here to stay.

The band has become a reputable Santa Cruz band, organized a SoCal tour, and released two singles. They are currently working on their debut album which will be released in late 2026.

Empire Grade - Official Website

Cayuga Jazz band plays swing, jazz standards, blues, be-bop, bossa novas and other American improvisational style music rooted in the 1940s 50s and 60s. Front line trumpet, tenor and alto saxophones play arranged parts supported by bass, guitar and sometimes piano.

The Cayuga Jazz Band is:

Greg Morrison - guitar

Jeffrey Werner - bass

Len Moore - trumpet

Marcia Quackenbush - Alto & Tenor Sax

Raymond Mendoza - guitar

Steve Gray - alto sax

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

Wanna be a rock star? It all starts here…

Sign up to participate at 6:30pm. Open Mic is from 7 to 9pm.

We are excited to bring back the LEGENDARY FUNK NIGHT to THE CREPE PLACE! Join us on TUESDAY nights for a boogie down dance party from 8pm until midnight!

Please call The Crepe Place at 831-429-6994 to make a reservation in the garden.

BRIAN FITZGERALD TRIO

Led by guitarist Brian Fitzgerald, the Brian Fitzgerald Trio is an engaging, multi-layered musical convergence that features Fitzgerald on 7- string guitar, Mike Anderson on bass and Bruce Handloff on drums. While each member is an accomplished jazz musician and top-flight soloist, this trio uses remarkable, seemingly telepathic communication skills to create thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements that feature a modern, captivating and unique sound that provides solid melodic footing, while leaving room for spontaneous, creativity. With a band requirement of having fun, combined with few, if any musical boundaries, all mixed into an open, improvisational jazz format, is a sure recipe to expect the unexpected. A listener will be treated to anything from hard swinging traditional jazz arrangements to re-imagined classic pop tunes often disguised in clever, thought-provoking arrangements. Performances include Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Monterey Jazz Festival, Abbott Square Market, Cabrillo Music Festival. KPIG Radio, Los Gatos Fiesta de Artes, Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, Scotts Valley Art & Wine Festival, Capitola Art & Wine Festival, Artichoke Festival, Begonia Festival, Jazz On the Wharf and others.

BROWN DOG:

Lick Of Winter | Brown Dog

Brown Dog | Spotify

RICHARD TRIPPS:

Richard Tripps | Richard Tripps

The most well known unknown musicians in Santa Cruz!!! Michael Martyn is a 50 year veteran of the Santa Cruz acoustic folk scene!

MICHAEL MARTYN GUITAR AND VOCAL

PATTI MAXINE SLIDE GUITAR AND VOCAL

PAUL SADOFF GUITAR

FUZZY JOHN OXENDINE DRUMS

VELOUR: Velour draws inspiration from the smokin’ grooves of supergroups like The Meters, Galactic, The Greyboy Allstars, and The New Mastersounds. With a blend of funk, jam, and acid jazz, Velour creates an exciting listening and dance experience. Sometimes in movements, their original pieces are as familiar as they are fresh. Velour's vibes find the perfect balance between the pocket groove and the art of spacious improvisation. Where funk meets acid jazz, Velour will meet you there.

SILVER LINING SERENADERS: "A vibrant musical ensemble based in New Orleans, they embrace the city's active trad jazz scene with a repertoire heavy on vintage jazz, swing, and Western swing.  This collective of passionate musicians, anchored by violinist Ella Thomasine and guitarist Scott Stobbe, are popular along the Frenchmen Street corridor and beyond, capturing the essence of New Orleans' musical legacy by blending infectious rhythms, soulful melodies, and a jubilant atmosphere that inspires listeners and dancers."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Silver-Lining-Serenaders

http://www.thesilverliningserenaders.com

WILD IRIS: Wild Iris is a songwriting collaboration between Kate Mullikin and Bryan Shelton from Santa Cruz, CA. Wild Iris is an acoustic mix of musical genres. Local guitarist Bryan Shelton's folksy picking style along with Kate Mullikin's evocative lyrics and smokey vocals make their duo a fresh listening experience. Formed in the Fall of 2013 at a beach-side convenience store, Wild Iris have since released their first full-length album (2016), The Sleepless Light (2019) and Forward Now (2022).

HOME | wild-iris

Music | Wild Iris

LAZY DAUGHTER: Lazy Daughter is an independent five-piece alternative/americana band from Ventura County. The band is inspired by nostalgia and subversive play to write music that reflects their raw emotions and lived experiences. Our sound is evocative of an eclectic blend of artists from the Tedeschi Trucks Band, to Nirvana, Patsy Cline, and CSNY.

 Seeing Lazy Daughter live promises folksy three-part harmonies and upright bass-driven rhythm, punctuated by soulful, blues-informed guitar solos. Our setlist feature original music and unexpected re-imaginings of classic covers by Neil Young, ABBA, and the like.

Lazy Daughter | Americana

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

SLOW COAST: Santa Cruz-based Musicians: Bill Walker, Daniel Thomas, Gary Kehoe, Rhan Wilson, and Lauren Wahl

ORIGINAL MUSIC & RE- IMAGINED COVERS OF ALL GENRES

LIVE LOOPING GUITAR, ATMOSPHERIC & WANDERING SONIC ART 

Slow Coast Music | Linktree

We are excited to bring back the LEGENDARY FUNK NIGHT to THE CREPE PLACE! Join us on TUESDAY nights for a boogie down dance party from 8pm until midnight!

RANDY MANDY AND THE FREQUENCY EXPERIENCE:

Randy Mandy & the Frequency Experience (@randymandyandthefrequencyexp) • Instagram photos and videos

RUTH GARBUS: Ruth Garbus is a musician living in Brattleboro, VT. Primarily a songwriter and vocalist, Ruth has released numerous solo albums, EP's, and singles. She is also a member of the groups Earth Flower and Gloyd.

Music | Ruth Garbus

PLANKTON WAT:

Plankton Wat | Band Profile | Sun Cru

VILLAGE OF SPACES:

That's Understanding | Village Of Spaces

Death and Saxes is a jazz quartet focused on improvisation-- exploring the classic music of the 50s and 60s. Founded by saxophonist John Bouwsma, the band offers spontaneity and excitement at every show. Featuring John Bouwsma on Tenor Saxophone, Harrison Brand on Guitar, Jamie Brudnick on Upright Bass, and Ben Sibley on Drums.

THE GUS FACTOR: The Gus Factor is an amalgam of musicians whose range of melodic influences drives original music with edge, funkiness, intensity, and soul. The Gus Factor consists of lead guitarist Mark Tveskov, drummer Matt Blakeley, and bassist Joe Capezza, all based in Southern Oregon; and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Pete Gonda, who hails from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Mark and Pete formed the band on the East Coast in the late 1980s before going separate ways with westward moves in the 1990s. Meanwhile, they continued various musical endeavors in their respective locations, but these ventures lacked the same kinetic Gus energy fans thrived on. Pete joined forces with Mark, Matt and Joe in 2025, and the Western Edition of The Gus Factor was born.

When asked how he would characterize our music, Mark's son remarked: "Swampcore!" Come groove with us and hear for yourself.

Socials:

Instagram

Facebook

Website

The Jenny O'Leary Quartet is led by the swinging and soulful jazz vocalist Jenny O'Leary. She is backed by a trio of professional jazz musicians. Jenny sings a wide repertoire of standards, bossa novas, ballads, swing and pop.

TEN STEP DRAW:

Ten Step Draw (@tenstepdraw) • Instagram photos and videos

HEX PEST:

Music | HEX PEST

BILLY REESE:

Billy Reese (@billyreesemusic) • Instagram photos and videos

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

Wanna be a rock star? It all starts here…

Sign up for an Open Mic slot at 6:30pm.

Open Mic runs from 7 to 9pm.

FREE

Dinner, Drinks, & Live Music at The Crepe Place.
Please come join us for the inaugural monthly jazz dinner night at the Crepe Place in Santa Cruz, CA. Join us on the back Patio for two hours of live jazz music performed by local professional musicians to accompany your food and libations.

If you would like to bring an instrument and sit in please contact a house band member ahead of time and be respectful of these Jam Guidelines:

1. The bandstand is a space for communication, respect, and deep learning.
2. As musicians we are here for the music AND the audience, they are our patrons, be sensitive to their listening needs.
3. If there are numerous horn players on stage, please keep solos short to allow room for other musicians to perform.
4. When playing with a vocalist, keep your solos to 1-2 choruses maximum.
5. No I-Real/Real Books on stage. The goal is to come together and play songs we know. Please learn the changes at home and use your ears on stage, not your eyes.

SUN HOP FAT: For years Sun Hop Fat has been at the forefront of introducing the unique sounds of Ethiopian Jazz. Their music blends the rhythms of traditional American funk and jazz with harmonies and melodies from East Africa. Originally the band focused on covering arrangements from the “golden era” of Ethiopian Jazz, but now their sound includes many original compositions. This all-star band includes standout musicians from other popular San Francisco Bay Area groups.

Sun Hop Fat has developed a solid following throughout Northern California by playing a number of clubs and festivals. The ability of the band to captivate sit down jazz crowds as well as steal the spotlight in prime festival slots, encouraging crowds to get up and dance, makes the group flexible in its appeal and garners support from diverse audiences.

“…a steady wall of extraordinary moving sound and beats…” – San Francisco Examiner

Homepage | Sun Hop Fat

You might know Joe Ferrara from his cameo in The Lost Boys, or as the Yoda figure at Atlantis Fantasyworld who knows everything about superheroes. Or maybe you know him as that guy at Shadowbrook who serenades you with Sinatra classics. The silver-haired celebrity began playing guitar at an early age, and has developed a loyal following in Santa Cruz in the last few decades. “My parents are Italian and they were pushing me towards accordion,” he recalls of his childhood. “There was a waiting list for lessons, and one day my mother said, ‘You were accepted for accordion lessons,’ and I said, ‘Ma, I want to play guitar.’”

THE IAN FAYS: This San Francisco indie, electronica, folk rock band was formed on June 9, 1984 - the day singer-songwriter sisters Lizz and Sara Fay were born. "The music just kind of followed," say the Fay twins. "Dad Fay didn't believe all his kids needed bedrooms, but rather the Fay family always needed a music room. The living room was covered with amps, cords and 4-track machines. One boring summer, the siblings all started to put this junk to good use." The Fay family migrated up to Humboldt County, where they pretended to go to college but really invested in "matching costumes and large quantities of lollipops." They also adopted (real) sister, Lena, and (pretend) brother, Bradley, into the band. Soon the Ian Fays, named in honor of "the most gorgeous boy" at the twin sisters' junior high school, began gigging and presto - the Ian Fays were signed to Italian label Homesleep Music.

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

VETCH: Vetch’s Instagram bio describes their music as “emo/math rock with arcane enchantments.” The band’s sound lived up to the tagline: technical riffs, odd time signatures, and raw, impassioned vocals blended into something cerebral and deeply emotional.

Vetch (@vetch____) • Instagram photos and videos

Joshua Cedar and Friends present...

A Tribute to Pat Metheny and John Scofield

Thursday, September 3, 2026, 5:30-7:30pm

at The Crepe Place

Santa Cruz guitarist, Joshua Cedar, along with acclaimed jazz musician friends, Jon Dryden (piano), Ken Okada (bass), and Jim Kassis (drums), will present music that has helped shape the sound of modern jazz guitar. From Pat Metheny's lyrical blend of ECM-inspired jazz and Brazilian influences to John Scofield's infectious mix of New Orleans funk, blues, and jazz fusion, the performance will span a rich spectrum of contemporary jazz styles and a few surprises, too! 

JOINT SOULS:

Joint Souls | Spotify

BOB O’NEILL’S ABSENT MINDS: Presenting original music from the extensive catalogue of singer, songwriter, guitarist Bob O'Neill.  Along with Bob on vocals and guitar the band features Johnny McCullough's colorful guitar playing, Gary "Killer" Andrijasevich  on drums and David Adams on bass. 

Bob O'Neill's Absent Minds brings to the stage a mindful musical experience of enjoyable textures and groves. 

HARRY AND THE HITMEN: Join us for our end of Summer GARDEN PARTY! An afternoon of music and dancing on the Crepe Place Garden Stage with our pals Harry and the Hitmen! Bring the whole family!

Harry and the Hitmen

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

Death and Saxes is a jazz quartet focused on improvisation-- exploring the classic music of the 50s and 60s. Founded by saxophonist John Bouwsma, the band offers spontaneity and excitement at every show. Featuring John Bouwsma on Tenor Saxophone, Harrison Brand on Guitar, Jamie Brudnick on Upright Bass, and Ben Sibley on Drums.

SASUPAKE: Sasupake (sah-soo-PAH-kay) is a quartet based in Santa Cruz, California. We play whatever we enjoy, and whatever adapts well to our instrumentation of kanun, accordion, bass and drums.

Grass Planets plays alternative bluegrass, trad grass, weird old folk, acoustic jam and other musical specii from throughout the wooden American universe. Led by bluegrass deviant Jim Lewin and featuring a somewhat fluid lineup of accomplished pickers with pedigrees, Grass Planets brings it. Their West Coast take on the tradition is a tastily twisted blend they've concocted to entertain and mystify club, concert and music festival audiences.

Grass Planets

SQUIRRELS OF WISDOM: Squirrels of Wisdom was formed when four women came together to perform at a homegrown music festival in 2018. They had such a good time that they’ve been playing together ever since. Their scurry of Squirrels has now grown to six and they’re having more fun than ever! With each band member contributing song ideas, they play an eclectic mix of original songs and rocking covers. The Squirrels of Wisdom are in it for the fun of it and they’ll put a smile on your face and a shake in your tail!

Squirrels of Wisdom

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

Deadset 805 is a fast-paced Grateful Dead cover band formed in the college-town of Isla Vista, California in 2021, with the band growing up in backyard parties and soon finding itself in venues all over the coast. The band has passed through quite a few hands since its inception, as people move away and old friends recruit young friends, creating its own beautiful little legacy-- no matter who's playing, the music never stops.

CHRIS KING & THE GUTTEBALLS: Chris King & The Gutterballs know the secret to creative success; movement is key to progress. Whether by a gust of tornado wind or rubber against the road, pushing forward is all there is in a life, buoyed and scarred by love. The band infuses this propelling urgency in all of its performances into its songs, starting with King’s dynamic, uncorked-fire-hydrant voice.

https://www.chriskingandthegutterballs.com/

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

CASANOSTRA:

CASANOSTRA - LiVE - California March 2025 - (C) (P) All Rights Reserved

Cayuga Jazz band plays swing, jazz standards, blues, be-bop, bossa novas and other American improvisational style music rooted in the 1940s 50s and 60s. Front line trumpet, tenor and alto saxophones play arranged parts supported by bass, guitar and sometimes piano.

The Cayuga Jazz Band is:

Greg Morrison - guitar

Jeffrey Werner - bass

Len Moore - trumpet

Marcia Quackenbush - Alto & Tenor Sax

Raymond Mendoza - guitar

Steve Gray - alto sax

SPLENDOR: Splendor the first shoegaze band to come out of a Santa Cruz. A mix of romantic rock and ethereal soundscapes.

For the California-based quartet Color Green, playing music together is all about stepping into the unknown. “When we play live, I don’t really know what’s going to happen,” says Noah Kohll, one of the band’s two guitarists and four vocalists. “You really have no idea what you’re going to get with this band, which keeps things fresh for us and maybe makes the live experience special.” In a very short time, they have developed a word-of-mouth reputation as a dynamic and unpredictable live act, grounding their cosmic jams in earthy melodies and drawing from ‘60s SoCal folk-r0ck, ‘70s classic rock, ‘80s underground rock, ‘90s psychedelic dance-rock, and any other sound that catches their ears. 

Adaptable onstage and off, Color Green has shared stages with a range of groups that reflect both the sophistication and the wild malleability of their sound, including Fuzz, Kikagaku Moyo, Circles Around the Sun, Hiss Golden Messenger, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Yet, because they see boundless possibilities from one note to the next, they anchor their music in the urgent present rather than the distant past. Color Green can be a million different bands without losing their essential hue.

They capture that wild, mercurial quality on Fool’s Parade, a meditation on loss, grief, confusion, frustration, and the clarity to which they all lead. The album has the dynamic of a tight live set, full of ebbs and flows, highs and lows, quiet moments like the devastating “5:08” and reckless jams like the epic “Kick the Bucket.” “Four Leaf Clover” bustles and shimmies like the kaleidoscopic dance rock of the Stone Roses, while closer “Hazel Eyes” recalls the elaborate orchestrations of Brian Wilson and the whimsical melodies of Buddy Holly. “We shaped it to showcase our range,” says guitarist Corey Madden. “All the songs were written together as a band. It’s the four of us in a room, and it features all of our voices. It’s one step toward what this band truly is. We spent a lot of time getting our shit together as a band, and now it’s set in stone for me.” 

Color Green started out as a very different, much more limited kind of group. “Me and Corey worked together in New York scooping coffee beans for a living and putting them into bags,” says Kohll. “I was living in a basement sublet, and he would come over to write and jam and record.” From those casual sessions came a self-titled EP in 2021, full of spectral jams and offerings up to Jerry Garcia, their spiritual guide. The next year they followed it up with a self-titled full-length via Aquarium Drunkard, with various friends helping to round out the songs. “These things happen in an interesting way,” says Kohll. “There’s been a lot of weird synchronization with this band. It’s all very organic. After we put out our first album, we thought, Oh, this needs to be a live band, too.” 

After running through a few different rhythm sections, they met drummer Corey Rose and bassist Kyla Perlmutter, who not only are kickass players but opened up all new possibilities within Color Green. “Our first practice together, everyone was like, This is so loud,” says Rose. “That became a really important part of the band, and we try to capture that dynamic when we record.” Perlmutter adds, “We all really value each other’s input. It doesn’t feel like there’s an unfair hierarchy in this band. We respect each other’s tastes and recognize that we’re all very, very much in love with music in our own ways.”

After sharpening their attack on the road—playing DIY shows in small towns while opening for some of their heroes—the expanded Color Green began writing songs for what they considered a debut album. “One of us will come in with a riff or an idea, and the others will take it up and let it morph into something completely different,” says Perlmutter. “What we come up with together, I don’t think any of us could do by ourselves. The music we make is always surprising me.” The album’s title track, with its snaking guitar lines and parallax instrumental interplay, started out as an eastern jam when Rose came in with a very loose idea: “I wanted to write something in 6/8 time,” she says. “It was super awkward at first, but 40 minutes later, it sounded like Fairport Convention. It took everybody to get there.” 

Says Madden, “I like when stuff happens and it opens up the door to something else in my brain. We might spend a lot of time working on something and get nothing out of it, but then in the back of my head I’m thinking, if you take this and add it to that… Sometimes it takes hours to figure out two seconds of a song, but it’s always worth it.”

The aching heart of Fool’s Parade is “5:08,” a moving expression of grief—not moving through it, necessarily, but simply living with it, moment to moment. “What’s it like, on the other side?” they all sing together, as though consoling one another. “Oh, the longing for the space to peer thru.” Inspired by the death of Madden’s father, it is rooted in a Spiritualized show. “I was going through some gnarly personal stuff,” says Madden, “and it was all hitting me at once, all these emotions. I talked my way through some crazy shit, and by the end of the show I had ‘508’ hashed out in my brain. It’s about losing people very close to you and wanting to communicate with them and not really knowing how.”

“It’s the quietest song on the record,” says Rose, “but it’s also the heaviest. We all cried while recording it. Everybody’s singing on it, and everybody’s crying on it. Sometimes we’re like, Let’s not play that song tonight. It all depends on how we’re feeling.”

Color Green

John has composed music and written songs throughout his career as a musician. His songs have been performed and recorded by many artists including Tony Lindsay, Tammi Brown, Lori Davidson, John "Broadway" Tucker, Viveca Hawkins and Pam Hawkins. His music is played regularly on KPIG, KKUP and KSQD. His album, "Busy On You" received airplay internationally, in Europe, Australia, Japan, on the BBC and in the US.

​While composing in many genres, including Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Rock and Americana, John has written a collection of songs and instrumentals that are Jazz oriented, featuring Ballads, Swing, Samba, Post Bop and Blues. In order to express these varied styles, John has assembled a quartet of exceptional musicians with vast and exciting experience in Jazz performance.

 The musicians are: John Morris on Guitar, Jeff Meyer on tenor sax, Patrice
Wallace on Double Bass and Cody Rhodes on drums. This classic combo allows a wide range of musical flexibility while maintaining intimacy for lyric communication.

John Morris Music | Facebook

Home | John Morris Music

SLOW COAST:

Slow Coast Music

Slow Coast | Spotify

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden.  Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service!

For the past number of years, Matt has hosted the highly successful series "Grateful Sundays".  This ongoing residency has attracted the finest musicians in the Grateful Dead music genre.  While constantly in-demand as a stage and session player throughout the Bay Area, Hartle is also a founding member and musical linchpin of no less than four, Santa Cruz-based bands: Shady Groove - the funky blues, jazz-rock and R&B outfit (a Bay Area favorite going strong since 2001); Painted Mandolin - an acoustic quartet featuring multi-instrumental wizard Joe Craven, of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and David Grisman Quintet; Spirit of 76 - a premier collection of Grateful Dead players, focusing on the jazzy, mid-'70's incarnation of the Dead; and Matt is also renowned as the firebrand lead guitarist of The China Cats, the highly respected Grateful Dead tribute act, a Bay Area favorite.

BOB O’NEILL’S ABSENT MINDS: Presenting original music from the extensive catalogue of singer, songwriter, guitarist Bob O'Neill.  Along with Bob on vocals and guitar the band features Johnny McCullough's colorful guitar playing, Gary "Killer" Andrijasevich  on drums and David Adams on bass. 

Bob O'Neill's Absent Minds brings to the stage a mindful musical experience of enjoyable textures and groves. 

POOR MAN’S WHISKEY: Northern California’s outlaw music bards bring a reputation for high-energy live shows and an incomparable fusion of bluegrass/old time, southern rock, and old school jam to stages and festivals worldwide. Poor Man’s Whiskey has been growing exponentially in the past 5 years selling out venues across the country such as the legendary Fillmore in SF.This “High-Octane Hootenanny” will certainly delight those interested in a foot-stompin good time. Poor Man’s Whiskey has evolved into a ragged, spontaneous beast pulling from equally deep wells of story-telling originals, expertly crafted covers and zany on-stage shenanigans. PMW has released 6 studio albums and have a stunning repertoire to choose songs from creating a new show every night. In addition to their upbeat original sets Poor Man’s Whiskey have developed special late night “tribute sets” with their original bluegrass/americana twists which include “Dark Side of the Moonshine” (bluegrass interpretation of the classic Pink Floyd album) , “Graceland” (tribute to the classic Paul Simon album),  “Old and In the Way”,  “Tribute to Allman Brothers Band”, and “Tribute to Kate Wolf”.  Crowds of all ages will sing, dance and have a good time!

Poor Man's Whiskey PMW_Homepage - Poor Man's Whiskey

A new-on-the-scene band playing Kris Kristofferson (and adjacent) covers. They are a collection of musicians from various groups: Sugar By the Pound, Wolf Jett, Skinny Ricky and the Casual Encounters, Sol Majestic, etc. They play Kris, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash songs.

Instagram @thesilvertongueddevils

THE WIND UPS: The Wind-Ups are a rock n roll band based out of the Easy Bay Area. They love power pop and punk. Is this sad birthday music? Is it the glistening, split-skinned cherry atop a cake no one asked for? Is it a bad haircut on a windy day? You decide.

Music | The Wind-Ups

FLAT SUN SOCIETY: The band was formed in Big Sur from a residency vocalist Jake Padorr held during the pandemic at the historic outdoor venue, the Henry Miller Library. This space allowed the band to explore their improvisational sound in front of unassuming Big Sur passersby attending the Library. Jake Padorr's cabin in Big Sur provided the space for their first recordings. The Flat Sun sound has now spread through Santa Cruz, the home area of the rest of the band.

Flat Sun Society finds a new niche of psychedelic rock that integrates polyrhythms, ethereal vocals and improvisation. The band is comprised of six friends from Big Sur and Santa Cruz who share a love for creating an immersive experience of sound. Their songs can become a journey full of momentous energy and fantastical moments.

Flat Sun Society

MR VALE’S MATH CLASS: Mr. Vale's Math Class is more than the sum of its parts—the six-piece funk band brings rollicking dance-party vibes backed by zippy horns, wink-and-a-nod lyrics, and an energizing stage performance to the Pacific Northwest and beyond. If only high school math class were this much fun.

Oscillating between playful and serious, the band riffs its way through blues, funk, and jammy notes from bygone eras, with modern, fresh lyrics that feel plucked from a math wizard's hat. Rest assured, Mr. Vale's Math Class will have you grooving to the golden mean, even if you can't find your protractor or remember how to do quadratic equations. 

Led by the multi-instrumentalist and math tutor Jordan Vale on keys, trumpet, and vocals, the group includes musicians Nick Hamel on guitar, Milo Fultz on bass, James Ford on drums, David Burrows on auxiliary percussion, and Lhanna Writesal on saxophone, along with a rotating cast of dynamic guest musicians.

Always cooking up something new, Mr. Vale's Math Class released Live, Math, Love part 1 in 2026, a four-song EP that blends funky grooves, heartfelt moments, and clever math-inspired storytelling and builds on the band's identity as cheeky educators with serious musical chops. The EP followed several 2005 and 2022 singles and its 2002 album We Can Help You Out, which Eleven PDX called "a funky, jazzy, lovefest."

Jason Beard is the founding member, lead guitarist, and co- songwriter for Northern California’s bluegrass jam band Poor Man’s Whiskey. Bring Joy is a passion driven project dedicated to showcasing Northern California’s top musical talent. With a fusion of bluegrass, Americana, blues, and jam, Bring Joy puts on upbeat shows with originals and fun covers with a bluegrass twist. The atmosphere at their shows is high energy with lots of dancing and singing!