Ezzie DeGiovanni was born into music, with two musician parents and a house full of guitars, accordions, fiddles, drums, and horns. Joel Murach has spent the last 30 or so years in the SF Bay Area music scene playing in bands such as Paddlefoot, 86, and the Low Rollers. Together, the multi-generational duo of Ezzie and Joel bring timeless songs, sweet harmonies, and sublime acoustic guitar interplay for your listening enjoyment.
Based in Santa Cruz, The Shady Characters have been playing together for nearly 10 years.
They feature many styles of popular music from such artists as Lucinda Williams, Marvin Gay, Eilen Jewel, Boz Scaggs, The Cure, Black Keys, Rolling Stones, Hall and Oates, and many others, and enjoy choosing songs that will inspire dancing!
Moonshine Crossroads plays Rollicking Americana Music – everything from jazz standards and doo-wop classics to outlaw country and classic rock. With strong vocal harmonies and vibrant electric guitar and kanzoo solos, their eclectic repertoire is sure to include a song that is “your” song and will get your toes tapping.
Chiseled is three pretty cool guys from San Jose who play original music with some stylized covers. Call them indie folk, but you’ll also hear straight folk, country, and indie rock out of them.
Formed in 2022, Rivets & Rust are a Santa Cruz Rock, Folk, Americana band. Their music encompasses a unique variety of singer-songwriter originals as well as a collection of classic covers. The band’s delivery of a mellow vibe with soaring vocals and smoking guitar passages resonates with a wide range of audiences. Rivets & Rust are: Tim Bennett-guitars/lead vocals, Angela Bennett- keys/harmony vocals, Heather Clark-drums, Glenn MacPherson- lead guitar, Eric Mauerman- bass, and Matthew Merrill- rhythm guitar.
The Dirt Rakers (acoustic trio) are an Americana band featuring Erik Rozite (guitar and vocals), Jayne Williams (mandolin and vocals), and Sean Woodward (lead guitar), a home-brewed group out of the redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountains, blending a high octane / cask-fermented feel, purdy harmonies, and a deep love of all rootsy genres of music. Rock, country, bluegrass, and folk all swirl together in their magical musical brew.
Faulty Plan is an acoustic cover band out of San Jose playing a wide variety of music including Grateful Dead, Phish, Neil Young, Bowie, Stones, Clapton, The Band, Dylan and much more. Popular and deep cuts.
7th Wave is a very musical, acoustic band with three lead singers, three guitars, flute and percussion. Each member is vocally featured and beautifully blended to create stunning three part harmonies backed with finely executed instrumentation. 7th Wave’s song choices span the spectrum of many decades from the 60’s to present. Together the three musicians create a synergy of harmony, charisma and fun in their performances.
Arindam Krishna Das has been active in the local music scene since arriving in Santa Cruz’s mystical mountains in the early 90s. The Jamissaries are Arindam on guitar and vocals, Jonathan Kessler on bass, and John Burton on drum kit, featuring Arindam’s original tunes and sharing music they love. This includes songs by The Beatles, Yes, Led Zepplin, The Doobie Brothers, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Tenacious D and more. Join them on their musical odyssey.
Free Day 2023
Sat. 7/1/23
Independence Day Celebration & Free Day IPA Release
As the lead guitarist for the China Cats and Painted Mandolin, Matt Hartle has established himself as the preeminent jam band guitarist for Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. You can also find him hosting a weekly deep dead jam, where he welcomes Bay Area players for Grateful Sunday shenanigans. Matt’s unique voice and intricate playing style always gets the audience on their feet and feeling their groove. You’ll be dancing to songs from legends like Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, as well as rock, blues, jazz, americana, and of course some Matt Hartle originals. Stop by for a “Thurday after work” brew and some hot hartle licks when Matt returns to Discretion Brewing for 1st Thursdays of the month this summer.
Snake Oil Road Show is a Monterey County acoustic style power duo composed of long time music veterans and collaborators Adam Stafford and Mr. X. Their elixir for what ails you is found in the multi-colored sounds that they deliver through various instruments and vocal harmonies. With influences that span across numerous genres and musical renditions that cross and blend them all together, this eclectic and versatile combo is guaranteed to provide an experience that includes some musical remedies that’s good for everyone.
Fan-coined “Americana-meets-Vaudeville” singer-songwriter trio
Original story-songs, dramedy, stellar vocals, sweet harmonies, great entertainment!
Bonny June & Bonfire are an original music trio that sing together like birds on a wire. Their entertainment style has been coined by fans as “Americana meets Vaudeville”. Bonny’s wild storytelling blends sweet & saucy, drama & comedy with fantastical characters such as cowgirls & pirates, heroes & villains, lovers & monsters. Beloved local guitarist/singer/producer Ken Kraft established popular bands Snail & The White Album Ensemble. Excellent bassist/singer Craig Owens’ varied history includes The Messiahs & Lacy J Dalton. With stellar vocals, beautiful harmonies and seasoned players, a Bonfire show is sure to have you listening & laughing, crying & drinking, singing & swaying and fully entertained!
Catchy, original Pub Rock to enhance your drinking experience.
The Rumpus Room, AKA TRR, is a 5 piece band based in San Jose, CA
We’ve been writing original Pub Rock and Alternative Rock tunes since 2013, and performing at venues including The Caravan Lounge, The Art Boutiki, The New Jersey’s, C&J’s Sports Bar, and Steel Bonnet Brewing Company.
We can’t wait to come party with you!
Join us at Skypark in Scotts Valley for the ONLY locally run beer festival in Santa Cruz. In its 13th year, Hop n’ Barley will feature 50+ breweries, 10+ cideries, delicious local eats, live music, lawn games, and more! Hop N’ Barley is kid-friendly and dog-friendly, so the whole family is invited. See you there! Tickets & info at www.hopnbarley.org
Acoustic rock trio, ranging from The Beatles to Chuck Berry to very catchy originals. You may find yourself wanting to get off your bar stool and dance.
Stormin Norman is long time lead singer for Stormin Norman & the Cyclones. Ken Kraft is lead player and singer for the Cyclones, plays with the White Album Ensemble and was formerly with the legendary Snail band. Jo Jo Fox is bass player and singer for the Cyclones and also with Karen Phoenix Band.
Harpin’ and Clark are Jon Troutner and Peter Clark. They are a guitar and harmonica duo playing Americana, jazz, blues, ragtime, country and folk. Mixing carefully selected traditional and popular tunes with original songs, their combination of chromatic and blues harmonica and fingerstyle guitar provides a uniquely listenable musical experience. Jon and Peter have been developing their craft and entertaining Santa Cruz audiences for over forty years.
An offshoot of Santa Cruz’s iconic rock band Snail, the Messiahs’ original melodies, hot guitar riffs & killer vocals will transport you to rock nirvana. Featuring Bobby O’Neill, Ken Kraft & Craig Owens.
The Post Folk Revivalists treat all music as folk music, part of an unbroken chain reaching back into every tributary of our collective cultural memory. They build on a tradition that honors America’s diverse musical heritage as well as the rich tradition of crafting new material within the genre. Backed up by Leland Mackessy on mandolin and Cakes Mackessy on bass, banjoist Don Mackessy and multi-instrumentalist S.T. Young bring original songs to add to a repertoire thick with Old-time, Bluegrass, Folk and an array of Contemporary genres. Their sound is influenced by the song-writing and music of artists such as Ola Belle Reed, Ralph Stanley, Mike Seeger, John Hartford, Bill Monroe, Bruce Molsky, Steve Earle, Tony Rice, Ramblin Jack Elliott, David Grisman, Tim O’brien, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Wilco, Old Crow Medicine Show, Guy Clark, Willie Watson, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine and many others….
S.R. Laws is an American singer/songwriter, musician and recording artist from Northern California. Inspired by storytellers like John Hiatt, Rodney Crowell and Chuck Prophet filtered through early life experiences wandering the train tracks through wheat fields and smelling the fruit ripening in the orchards in his hometown Marysville, Ca.
S.R. cut his teeth as a songwriter in Austin, Texas. The “live music capitol of the world” and a thriving music scene yielded a bounty of musical and life experiences like no other. Each passing season allows provisions of a burgeoning sound peppered with wry attitudes and energetic rhythms to develop “lyrical pictures,” showing the humanness in the common walks of life. It is through heartfelt performances that allow him and the characters in his songs to “break the ice” with any toe-tapping crowd. He lives in Sonoma County. You can find him performing all over California and with his band The Heartsleeves. His new release “A.M. Sessions” is out now and available at his live shows and on all platforms!
Jenny and The Bets is a local jazz quartet led by the swinging and talented vocalist Jenny O’ Leary. Jenny sings standards, blues, and bossa novas while accompanied by guitar, bass and drums.
Singer/Songwriter Gary Blackburn returns to our Beer Garden.
Central Coast celebrated singer songwriter based in Santa Cruz, Gary Blackburn, brings together his smooth vocals, and stylized guitar picking to his original compositions, and cool covers in the Country, Rock, Folk, Blues genres. Blending old school with contemporary, the Gary Blackburn Band will weave a memorable musical performance of songs that tell stories of love, forgiveness, and the paths that we choose. With a well-rounded repertoire, Gary will show both his versatile soft folk blues side along with his high energy rock side.
“Outlaw Ska” from Santa Cruz County. Genre defying rock, ska, pop punk, reggae, country, and folk styles. Dynamic original tunes and assorted covers from Bob Marley, Tom Waits, Bad Religion, Garth Brooks, The Clash, and more. Tap a toe or get moving on the dance floor with this 4-piece trumpet toting rock and ska group.
Based out of New Orleans, LA, The Silver Lining Serenaders play traditional jazz and swing as well as Western swing and jug band music. Bringing harmonies and fresh arrangements to tunes from the first half of the 20th century.
The Trolley Drops play songs from the good-time, prohibition-era folk jazz genre known as Jug Band music, which blends the call and response of gospel with the drive of the delta blues and the ruckus sounds of New Orleans Jazz.
Brian Fitzgerald (7- and 6-string guitars) is an active member of the Bay Area music scene. An accomplished jazz guitarist and teacher, he draws from a deep musical background and education, covering a wide range of influences. He has toured and performed extensively as both a sideman and band leader. In addition to a wealth of studio and recording experience, he is well versed in both jazz and classical theory and composition, and has had years of experience writing and arranging for big bands, R&B groups, and jazz ensembles.
A short list of the venues includes Monterey Jazz Festival, Cabrillo Music Festival, Los Gatos Fiesta de Artes, Bing Music Series at Stanford, Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, Scotts Valley Art & Wine Festival, Capitola Art & Wine Festival, Artichoke Festival, Begonia Festival, and Jazz On The Wharf.
He is the dynamo behind the scenes at Kuumbwa Jazz who handles all the education programs (including their Summer Jazz Camp) and manages all the booked artists.
“My actual bio is long and boring, but diverse and very Irish. It includes much formal classical and jazz training and education, some great programs and teachers, tons of coffee and endless hours of disciplined practice.”
The BACK PORCH BOYS dig into the glorious roots of American music from the Delta blues in Mississippi to New Orleans up to Memphis over to Austin and jumpin’ to Chicago. Singer-guitarist RICH COWAN and harmonica enthusiast VIRGIL THRASHER put their combined 90 odd years of playing music on display. You will hear the likes of Tampa Red, Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Fats Domino among other icons from the early days.
Santa Cruz based Americana band Flypaper Blues is straight out of your grandfather’s rifle barrel. A little whiskey, coffee grinds, 2-in-1 oil and whole lot of fiddle. Driving drums, bass rhythms. This 100% homegrown, local band brings influences from traditional bluegrass, post punk, ragtime, to alt-county genres. Songwriting is personal, comedic, and inspired by the existential need to transcend the hazards and pitfalls of modern life with soul nourishing music.
Presenting to you the father-daughter duo, The Fintztones! Gene Fintz and daughter Alia Fintz have been playing music most of their lives, and bring to you an eclectic blend of folk, shuffle, blues, rock, jazz, reggae and more – with sweet vocal harmonies, guitar, bass, and saxophone. Both songwriters in their own accord, they sing mostly original songs from the heart with some covers to uplift your spirit and bring joy, especially when it’s needed most.
Power Strip is a project since September 2010 with Noise Clinic and Junk Sick Dawn founder Tait Reed (after returning from Japan in 2008), and internationally touring artist and musician Sayaka Yabuki.
Power Strip was the featured band at the 2012 Santa Cruz Nexties awards. At the 2011 Calamari Fest at India Joze, Power Strip played their opus “The Call Of Cthulhu” operetta based on the science fiction horror story by HP Lovecraft. They have opened for Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s awesome side project band Elettrodomestico at The Catalyst and played in the Catalyst atrium the same night that blues legend BB King played the main stage.
Power Strip is known for playing bent, stripped down covers of songs they like – anything from The Cure to The Germs, to Roy Orbison to Ennio Morricone, to Bernard Hermann to Julee Cruise. Sometimes they have guest players add to the mix, but for their performance at Discretion, Power Strip will be at its most stripped down: guitar, violin, synth, voice, and a headful of wild ideas.
Cement Ship was launched on January 1st, 2017 in Santa Cruz, California by singer/songwriter Tim Brady, just three weeks before the SS Palo Alto (the band’s namesake) was torn apart by heavy storm waves.
The music is inspired by the sea and it’s dynamic nature. The acoustic guitar style and singing tone from Tim can fit a wide array of genres, but maintains a natural and stripped down approach for the sound. Honest and raw, sweet and smoky. It has been described as ‘Americana Soul’ and ‘Beach Folk’.
Less then two years after playing it’s first show, Cement Ship won 2019 NEXTies ‘Band of the Year’ for Event Santa Cruz, and in 2020 was voted ‘Santa Cruz County Runner-Up Best Local Band’ for the Good Times Magazine best of 2020. They have played shows in various states in the USA as well as a 10 show tour of the U.K. in July 2019.
The song and music video for ‘Let’s Break Apart Together’, filmed live on Seacliff Beach in front of the actual Cement Ship, received a great deal of positive feedback from the local community and lead to the band playing the 100th year celebration of it’s own namesake.
The name comes from a Monterey Bay landmark, the SS Palo Alto. Built too late to be used in WW1, the 100 year old ship was grounded at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos and now serves as an artificial reef for marine life, including great white sharks.
