Music in the Downtown
By Eric Benson
Hey folks! Blue Monday Party needs you! We have received the green light that COVID restrictions are lifted, and it is time to get back to our routine, at least until the next catastrophe comes along.
We host Blue Monday on the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month at Café Urbano, where you can enjoy great food, a full bar, and a swinging band with special guests each month. In the band, we have John Ady and Conrad Johnson on bass, John Burt on sax, Cortez Flores and Dave Hawks on drums, and Eric Benson on keys. We play a variety of genres, including jazz, funk, Latin, rock, and blues (not necessarily in that order) for listening and dancing. So please be like alpha beta and tell a friend. We thank Chris Murphy and Gary Nelson for their love and support of the Blue Monday scene, which we truly appreciate!
Blue Monday is happening with great music and attendance. The house band features John Burt on sax, John Ady and Conrad Johnson on bass, Dave Hawkes and Cortez Flores on drums, Eric Benson on keyboards, Natalia Alexandra as the vocalist, and special guests at each event. The jam is open, so come out June 11th and 25th. Café Urbano has DJ dancing from Tuesday through Sunday, featuring Latin-based music. The Creole Jazz Kings also continue to play at Café Urbano and will be back this month, so swing by!
The farmers’ markets are back, music in the plaza is starting, and school is out for summer. We hope to see you out and about!
There are some great shows at the Gallo Center. Still, we also recommend checking great venues out of town, such as Yoshi’s Oakland for the best jazz shows, Khumba Music Center in Santa Cruz, Piedmont Piano Company, the Back Door, and the Sound Room in Oakland. Please continue to come out, folks, as we can’t do it without you!
