Ukiah Music Center -- Acoustic Cafe

Now in its third year, the Acoustic Cafe is gearing up for a fantastic season. Those of you that made it out the last two years know that the series was a great success and we are excited to get the concerts rolling once again.

This year we are making some changes to the series. We've increased the number of concerts to 12 and we'll be starting things up quite a bit earlier. The first five concerts will take place at Treblemakers School of Music and event center on 171 Bush Street here in Ukiah. Then, starting on June 6th, we'll return to the outdoor Acoustic Cafe stage behind the Ukiah Music Center.

Concerts start around 7:00 pm and gates open at 6:00 pm for general admission seating... so show up early for the best seats!

Once again we'll have amazing food served by Tamara Frey. Beer and wine will also be available with all the proceeds going to the Ukiah Player's Theatre.

Tickets are $10 general admission and available at the door the night of the event. Online ticketing will also be available for some concerts.

July 18th - Bejazzled

After being introduced by local trumpet man Paul "Sleepy" Bennett, and discovering their mutual appreciation and love for Brazilian jazz and music, Cherie, Dorian, Randi and Dorothea formed Bejazzled. Fronted by Cherie’s dynamic vocals in English, Portuguese and Spanish, the band has been performing all over Mendocino County for over three years now and play an eclectic mix of arrangements ranging from well-known jazz standards and swing music to Latin jazz and rock, and many Brazilian classics made famous by Sergio Mendes & Brazil ‘66 and Antonio Jobim. The group has just added two new members to the group including Boyd Parmeter on guitar and Maria Steffen on percussion, and often perform with various local musicians including Randy Schultz and Frankie Robletto (drums), Sunny Cordell (tenor sax), Paul "Sleepy" Bennett, Jim Dooley and Garrett Larson (trumpet), Tracie Triolo (sax, clarinet and flute), and Amunka Davila (percussion). This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.

August 1st - Luvplanet

Singer/songwriters Nicole Sutton and Mark McGee formed Luvplanet in 2001. The band's third and newest release "Lucky One" marks the latest chapter of the band's powerful and inspiring melodic rock music. Luvplanet draws from their broad range of musical influences, blending rock, pop, progressive, acoustic and psychedelic sounds to create music with an exciting edge and allure. Together with bassist Tommy Sisco and drummer Scott McKenzie, Luvplanet's live show is delivered with lush vocal harmonies, strumming acoustics, soaring electric guitars, seductive melodies and powerful, syncopated grooves. Luvplanet's music connects with both the casual listener and the critical music fan. Catch the Luvplanet experience and feel the full impact of what Luvplanet is all about! This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.

August 15th - Will Siegel and Friends

Returning for his third year to the Acoustic Cafe stage, Will Siegel and his band of local pros are sure to provide an evening of memorable music. From rootsy blues, to jazz, to bluegrass, Will covers the full spectrum of what has been coined "Americana". Will is going to close us down this year, so expect a party! Join us as we celebrate another successful year Acoustic Cafe. See you then! This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.

August 29th - Frankie J Band

Frankie J. was born on Feb. 6th in McCloud, California and his music career began at the age of seven with the tenor sax but soon he discovered the piano, Hammond B-3 organ, vibraphone and bass and electric guitars. He has been performing professionally for over five decades throughout California and Oregon and across the ocean to Hawaii including a USO tour in Korea, Taiwan and Japan. He played at the historic Playboy Club in San Francisco, performed with the legendary Cab Calloway, played for Charles Schulz' annual birthday celebrations and many private parties and winery engagements in N. California including Fetzer Winery, Milano Family Winery, Robert Mondavi Winery, Niebaum-Coppola Winery and Harlan Estate Winery. This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.

September 5th - Top Shelf

Top Shelf, "Highest Vibration Music", was formed in December 2002 in Chico Ca. and has been playing consistently in and around the area ever since. Top Shelf and or its members have opened for a number of well know artists such as Pepper, Mystic Roots, Julian Marley & The Uprising Band, and One Block Radius. Four players form a melodic mixture of styles combining aggressive rock with flourishing rhythmic reggae and adding heartfelt, inspirational lyrics. In the summer of 2003 Top Shelf recorded a five song, self titled E.P. that got great reviews, and was greatly excepted with thousands of people of all ages. This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.

September 19th - Elena Casanova

Elena Casanova was born in Havana, Cuba. She was fascinated by the piano at a very early age. She started piano lessons by age 5 and due to her outstanding talent she was selected to study at the Alejandro Garcia Caturla Music Conservatory in Havana. By the time she was 13 she had performed major piano works by composers such as Bach, Schubert and Beethoven, and she’s been captivating audiences ever since. Elena graduated from University of Redlands, California with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. She also attended Pacific Union College and the San Francisco Conservatory. Among others she has studied with Maria D. Robles, Tom Turinia, Robert Bowman and Lynn Wheeler. This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.


Previous artists from this season...

March 21st - The Felt Tips

They say it can take years to make an overnight success, and a new band in Ukiah proves that to be true. The five members of the Felt-tips have over 200 years of musical experience among them! The Felt-tips play rock, blues, Motown, and country standards, and specialize in danceable beats, vocal harmonies, and tight instrumentals. They've been playing around Mendocino and Lake counties since the summer of 2004, and have gained a following for their high-spirited performances and non-stop dance favorites. This concert will take place at Treblemakers School of Music @ 171A Brush Street Ukiah. Click here for directions.

April 4th - Tri Tip Trio

Bruce and Lloyd's musical chemistry began in 1991 with the formation of the Zydeco flames. their magic sounds come alive again with the Tri Tip Trio. with Lloyd's mesmerizing washboard, harmonica, and soulful vocals, Bruce's funky, bluesy accordion, and Tyler's stick to it and do it drums, tri Tip is a fireball of hot dance hall music! This concert will take place at Treblemakers School of Music @ 171A Brush Street Ukiah. Click here for directions

April 18th - Bill Noteman & the Rockets

Bill Noteman is an amazing harmonica virtuoso and an extremely entertaining front man - skillfully supported by original members and local legends "Mojo" Larry Platz on guitar, David "Rockin 88's" Neft on keyboards, bassist Dave "Fingers" Falco and new member, drummer Steve "The Shuffler" DuBois . If you are one of the few who have never heard these guys you are missing an incredibly tight, high energy dance band that will leave you jumpin on the floor begging them to play one more! This concert will take place at Treblemakers School of Music @ 171A Brush Street Ukiah. Click here for directions

May 2nd - Kevin and the Coconuts

Kevin and the Coconuts, a steelband based in Mendocino, California, plays a lively mix of calypso, soca, latin and original tunes with the greatest musical inspiration coming from the Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Cuba. The band is comprised of Kevin Grant, pan-builder, tuner and arranger on lead pan and double seconds, Annie Lee on the three cello pans, Dalen Anderson on the four bass pans, Dan Albrecht on drum set, Steve Paul on trumpet, Double Seconds, and percussion and Paul Schulman on congas. This concert will take place at Treblemakers School of Music @ 171A Brush Street Ukiah. Click here for directions

May 16th - Pura Vida

Salsa band PURA VIDA brings the hot latin sound of afro-carribean music to northern California. The show includes traditional Cuban rumba, mambo, and chachacha, as well as cumbia from South America and samba from Brazil. PURA VIDA was recently voted Best Local Talent in Ukiah, California, where they played to a crowd of over a thousand. They have played for weddings, wineries private parties, and clubs all over Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, all to rave reviews. Jorge Gomez' spontaneous and genuine vocals blend with veteran Bay Area congero Amunka Davila's percussion section to make the perfect choice to bring the crowd together. The authentic seven piece sound combines sweet melodies and an infectious beat to keep the crowd dancing. PURA VIDA cooks up a "salsa picante" that will add just the right touch of sizzle and spice to your event. Bring Old Havana and the beaches of Bahia to your next party with PURA VIDA. This concert will take place at Treblemakers School of Music @ 171A Brush Street Ukiah. Click here for directions

June 6th - Alex de Grassi

Those of you that made it to Alex de Grassi's show last year know that it was not to be missed! Playing to certainly the largest crowd of the Acoustic Cafe series, Alex showed why he is one of the living legends of the steel string fingerstyle genre. Do not wait to get your tickets for this show as it will certainly reach capacity! This is an amazing opportunity to see a world class musician in a very intimate setting. This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.

June 20th - Jenny Kerr Band

A multi-instrumentalist as well as a poetic and passionate songwriter, Jenny Kerr is known for foot-stomping live shows and powerful, authentic voice. Her self-produced debut release, Itch drew critical acclaim as well as comparisons to Delbert McClinton and Janis Joplin. The album sold out during her first year of touring. Kerr is a skilled player of fingerstyle guitar, clawhammer banjo, harmonica, piano, and dobro. Together with her band of road-tested rogues, she delivers a seasoned yet spirited sound with forays into swamp rock, straight-up soul, backwater honky tonk, and old-time blues. This concert will take place at the Acoustic Cafe outdoor stage at the Ukiah Music Center.