The 2011 bands were fantastic! The absolutely brought the house down.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Gaucho, a gypsy jazz sextet, was formed in 2002. The lineup consists of Dave Ricketts & Michael Groh on guitars, Ari Munkres on standup bass, Rob Reich on accordion, Ralph Carney on horns, and Beth Goodfellow on drums & percussion.
Gaucho bases much of its repertoire in the music of Django Reinhart and the gypsy jazz of 1930′s Europe, it also finds inspiration in the rhythmic drive and collective improvisation of New Orleans swing music and the “gut bucket” sound. Gaucho is a first-rate ensemble, playing the music it loves with boundless energy, passion, and humor.
SATURDAY NIGHT
The California Honeydrops are proud to have won the 2009 SF weekly award for Best R&B/Soul band in the San Francisco Bay Area. The group has developed a tremendous following in California, selling out shows at Yoshi’s in Oakland and the Lindy Groove in LA, and are just starting to break into the international scene performing recently at the Rawa Blues festival in Poland with exceptional response. The California Honeydrops were also recently nominated by The Blues Foundation for a national Blues Award for Best New Artist.
Digging deep into the roots of American music, The California Honeydrops embrace the traditions of Blues, Gospel, Second Line New Orleans Jazz, and early R&B. With stellar performances of traditional material as well as their own innovative music, The California Honeydrops get people out of their seats and onto the floor, dancing and singing along.
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