Tag Archives: California Jazz & Wine Fest

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze – 4/12 – 4/25

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Local Music and More!
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

This year’s California Jazz & Wine Fest was another sold-out success; it was held Sunday, April 9, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village. The event helped to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Conejo Valley. The music was exceptional, headlining was The Danny Janklow Quintet; other bands of note included the Lao Tizer Quartet, Bruce Forman’s Cow Bop, and Ventura’s own, The Barrelhouse Wailers.

Keeping with jazz, don’t miss Mike Garson (Bowie, NIN, Smashing Pumpkins) when he returns to Squashed Grapes bringing with him this time, Emmy and Grammy nominated Gaby Moreno on Thursday, April 13; Paul McCallum and Friends return on Saturday, April 15; and Gary Herbig (Harry James, Elvis, Tower of Power) and Bill Spoke Quintet be in the house on April 19.

Our local artists have been busy producing new music.  Hot off the presses is the latest CD from Hot Roux called Hometown Blues.  You can pick up a copy when Hi Hat Entertainment hosts their CD release party on Friday, April 21, at the Hong Kong Inn. You won’t want to miss this one as the band will feature not only lead man Jerry McWorter, but Ed Berghoff, Brent Harding, Jimmy Calire and Bill Flores.

Congratulations to local musician Travis Greer for landing a gig on the highly popular Criminal Minds television show on CBS.  He’s well-known for his improv work here in town as well as playing with the Los Dudes.

Eric Burdon joined Robby Krieger of the Doors for “Roadhouse Blues,” Saturday, April 8, at Libby Bowl. They then played “House of the Rising Sun” from The Animals. Tommy Marsh’s Crooked Eye Tommy warmed up the crowd.

The next One’s to Watch Productions will be held Wednesday, April 19, at the Plaza Playhouse in Carpinteria with Matt Duke, Jay Nash, Tony Lucca and Tim Curran. You can get tickets at OnesToWatchProductions.com.

I caught up with Ross Emery of Roadshow Revival as he ramps up for this year’s show.  It’s going to look a lot different this time around with the whole event being held on one day and at Discovery Ventura, but he told me who the headliner is, and I promised not to tell until May 1st, but between you and me, I’m pretty jazzed about it.  Watch for social media news, and get your tickets now!

Here’s a couple of one-liner notes of interest:  Jade Hendrix will be opening for Berlin when they play the Libbey Bowl April 22; Face to Face will be at Discovery on May 7 with Bad Cop/Bad Cop opening; Paddy’s is celebrating their 23rd anniversary on April 21st with DJ Pat Harper who will be playing classic house music; the Ventura County Spring Fair will be held at the Fairgrounds April 14 – 16 with carnival rides, petting zoo and music from The Velveteen Band; and finally, I’m looking forward to hearing new music from 8Stops7, they just signed with Wendigo Records and will be back in the studio in July.

Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Or would you like to submit your music for possible inclusion on my radio show? Please send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze – 3/30 – 4/12

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“Ventura Rockin’ 150 Years!!!”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

The Barrelhouse Wailers performing at City's 150th anniversary picnic. Photo credit: Marie Gregorio-Oviedo

The Barrelhouse Wailers performing at City’s 150th anniversary picnic.
Photo credit: Marie Gregorio-Oviedo

Ventura certainly rocks, and it’s been officially rocking for 150 years as of April 2, 2016. In honor of its major milestone, The City is celebrating with a free family fair and picnic at Plaza Park. Along with carnival games, activity booths, races and contests, an historic treasure hunt and a truly affordable old fashioned-barbecue, there will be live music with The Swilly’s, Ventura Jazz Orchestra Sextet featuring the vocal stylings of Donna Greene, The Barrelhouse Wailers and the Mighty Cash Cats.

And then, in conjunction with celebrating The City’s 150th anniversary, Ventura Education Partnerships will feature a concert with hometown heroes, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mission Park. Tickets range from $25 and up to benefit music and arts in our schools.

Robert Ramirez and Michelle Votrian just returned from SxSW (annual music festival and conference in Austin, TX), so I asked Ramirez what made them decide to make the trek and he told me, “With friends out there, we just needed a show. Then we were invited to perform at Leeann Atherton’s Full Moon Barndance which is considered by the locals, the unofficial close to SxSW and a tradition, with non-stop music and food for 8 hours; it’s the place to be on Sunday. Every artist and band that played was a working band, some from Austin, some touring and some from Europe and Australia. Except us!”

The other evening, I dropped into Squashed Grapes to catch Mark Schulman’s set; he had put on an inspirational drum clinic in conjunction with Pulse Drumming before the show. Schulman is currently Cher’s drummer and has toured with Pink and others. He brought with him Eva Gardner on bass (Pink, Mars Volta, Cher) and Julian Coryell (Alanis Morissette, Carole King, Jewel) on guitar and vocals. The house was rockin’ a tad bit more than usual and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it! In April, make plans to catch the return of Doug Webb with Danny Carrey of TOOL on April 2, drummer Joey Heredia (Stevie Wonder, Sheila E, Sergio Mendez) on April 16, Sandra Booker (Harry Connick Jr is quoted as saying, “her voice was made for jazz.) on April 23 and Frank Potenza and Friends return on April 30.

And staying with jazz for just a bit, the California Jazz & Wine Fest will be held on April 17th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village with the Tom Scott Quintet, Doug Webb Group and several of our local musicians including the Barrelhouse Wailers.

There will be a benefit concert for the Mare Louise Foundation on April 9 at Sandbox Coffeehouse featuring local artists, Marianne Turner, Xocoyotzin Moraza and Devin Johnson.

And finally for rap fans, don’t miss Tyler the Creator at the Ventura Theater on April 2.

Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.