Two months after the Cabrillo College Board of Trustees approved a plan to rename the institution, it is seeking proposals from the public. The decision to change the name came after several meetings and public forums that involved delving deep into the history of its namesake, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and his nefarious acts.
Efforts to rename the college began in 2021, joining the nationwide trend of institutions and businesses scrutinizing the history of their namesakes. In November, the Trustees voted 6-1 to rename the college by August 2023, with the new name taking effect by July 1, 2024.
Cabrillo was a Spanish explorer who came to the California Coast around 1542. During his explorations, he brutalized and subjugated the Amah Mutsun people already living in California. He became one of many Europeans whose exploits made their way into the history books but whose misdeeds were whitewashed, and accomplishments inflated.
The college is also looking to form a 25-member task force to help narrow the list of suggested names. The group will meet five times during the spring semester, from noon to 1:30pm starting on March 10.
“I’m happy to now be in this ideation phase of the process,” Board Chair Adam Spickler says. “Recognizing that the Board of Trustees has the final authority to select the college’s new name, the role of the Task Force will be to help the Board identify finalists for a name that will inspire a renewed sense of unity and support for our beloved college.”
The survey is open to the public through Feb. 22. College officials say the new name should reflect the college’s mission, values and community. The college said in a press release that it should not be named after a person.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Theoretically, you could offer to help a person who doesn’t like you. You could bring a gourmet vegan meal to a meat-eater or pay a compliment to a bigot. I suppose you could even sing beautiful love songs to annoyed passersby or recite passages from great literature to an eight-year-old immersed in his video game. But there are better ways to express your talents and dispense your gifts—especially now, when it’s crucial for your long-term mental health that you offer your blessings to recipients who will use them best and appreciate them most.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In esoteric astrology, Taurus rules the third eye. Poetically speaking, this is a subtle organ of perception, a sixth sense that sees through mere appearances and discerns the secret or hidden nature of things. Some people are surprised to learn about this theory. Doesn’t traditional astrology say that you Bulls are sober and well-grounded? Here’s the bigger view: The penetrating vision of an evolved Taurus is potent because it peels away superficial truths and uncovers deeper truths. Would you like to tap into more of this potential superpower? The coming weeks will be a good time to do so.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The ingredient you would need to fulfill the next stage of a fun dream is behind door #1. Behind door #2 is a vision of a creative twist you could do but haven’t managed yet. Behind door #3 is a clue that might help you achieve more disciplined freedom than you’ve known before. Do you think I’m exaggerating? I’m not. Here’s the catch: You may be able to open only one door before the magic spell wears off—*unless* you enlist the services of a consultant, ally, witch or guardian angel to help you bargain with fate to provide even more of the luck that may be available.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): I trust you are mostly ready for the educational adventures and experiments that are possible. The uncertainties that accompany them, whether real or imagined, will bring out the best in you. For optimal results, you should apply your nighttime thinking to daytime activities, and vice versa. Wiggle free of responsibilities unless they teach you noble truths. And finally, summon the intuitive powers that will sustain you and guide you through the brilliant shadow initiations. (PS: Take the wildest rides you dare as long as they are safe.)
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Fate has decreed, “Leos must be wanderers for a while.” You are under no obligation to obey this mandate, of course. Theoretically, you could resist it. But if you do indeed rebel, be sure your willpower is very strong. You will get away with outsmarting or revising fate only if your discipline is fierce and your determination is intense. OK? So let’s imagine that you will indeed bend fate’s decree to suit your needs. What would that look like? Here’s one possibility: The “wandering” you undertake can be done in the name of focused exploration rather than aimless meandering.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I wish I could help you understand and manage a situation that has confused you. I’d love to bolster your strength to deal with substitutes that have been dissipating your commitment to the Real Things. In a perfect world, I could emancipate you from yearnings that are out of sync with your highest good. And maybe I’d be able to teach you to dissolve a habit that has weakened your willpower. And why can’t I be of full service to you in these ways? Because, according to my assessment, you have not completely acknowledged your need for this help. So neither I nor anyone else can provide it. But now that you’ve read this horoscope, I’m hoping you will make yourself more receptive to the necessary support and favors and relief.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I can’t definitively predict you will receive an influx of cash in the next three weeks. It’s possible, though. And I’m not able to guarantee you’ll be the beneficiary of free lunches and unexpected gifts. But who knows? They could very well appear. Torrents of praise and appreciation may flow, too, though trickles are more likely. And there is a small chance of solicitous gestures coming your way from sexy angels and cute maestros. What I can promise you for sure, however, are fresh eruptions of savvy in your brain and sagacity in your heart. Here’s your keynote, as expressed by the Queen of Sheba 700 years ago: “Wisdom is sweeter than honey, brings more joy than wine, illumines more than the sun, is more precious than jewels.”
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Your assignment, Scorpio, is to cultivate a closer relationship with the cells that comprise your body. They are alive! Speak to them as you would to a beloved child or animal. In your meditations and fantasies, bless them with tender wishes. Let them know how grateful you are for the grand collaboration you have going, and affectionately urge them to do what’s best for all concerned. For you Scorpios, February is Love and Care for Your Inner Creatures Month.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Revamped and refurbished things are coming back for another look. Retreads and redemption-seekers are headed in your direction. I think you should consider giving them an audience. They are likely to be more fun or interesting or useful during their second time around. Dear Sagittarius, I suspect that the imminent future may also invite you to consider the possibility of accepting stand-ins and substitutes and imitators. They may turn out to be better than the so-called real things they replace. In conclusion, be receptive to Plan Bs, second choices and alternate routes. They could lead you to the exact opportunities you didn’t know you needed.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Author Neil Gaiman declared, “I’ve never known anyone who was what he or she seemed.” While that may be generally accurate, it will be far less true about you Capricorns in the coming weeks. By my astrological reckoning, you will be very close to what you seem to be. The harmony between your deep inner self and your outer persona will be at record-breaking levels. No one will have to wonder if they must be wary of hidden agendas lurking below your surface. Everyone can be confident that what they see in you is what they will get from you. This is an amazing accomplishment! Congrats!
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I want to raise up the magic world all round me and live strongly and quietly there,” wrote Aquarian author Virginia Woolf in her diary. What do you think she meant by “raise up the magic world all round me”? More importantly, how would you raise up the magic world around you? Meditate fiercely and generously on that tantalizing project. The coming weeks will be an ideal time to attend to such a wondrous possibility. You now have extra power to conjure up healing, protection, inspiration and mojo for yourself.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Before going to sleep, I asked my subconscious mind to bring a dream that would be helpful for you. Here’s what it gave me: In my dream, I was reading a comic book titled Zoe Stardust Quells Her Demon. On the first page, Zoe was facing a purple monster whose body was beastly but whose face looked a bit like hers. On page two, the monster chased Zoe down the street, but Zoe escaped. In the third scene, the monster was alone, licking its fur. In the fourth scene, Zoe sneaked up behind the monster and shot it with a blow dart that delivered a sedative, knocking it unconscious. In the final panel, Zoe had arranged for the monster to be transported to a lush uninhabited island where it could enjoy its life without bothering her. Now here’s my dream interpretation, Pisces: Don’t directly confront your inner foe or nagging demon. Approach stealthily and render it inert. Then banish it from your sphere, preferably forever.
Suddenly I discovered I’m a massive fan of Emma Stone. Not for her Oscar Award-winning turn in La La Land, though that was something, or her intense role in Birdman, which was incredible.
I’m digging her wisdom. Unbeknownst to me, she drops pearls all the time, and I’m just getting wind of it.
They include, “I think a lot of people compare their insides to other people’s outsides” and “Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.”
Then there’s my favorite mic-dropper full-stopper: “I’m into grilled cheese. Grilled cheese makes me feel beautiful!”
In a word: Word. On her next visit to Santa Cruz, I have her spots preordained. They both do belly-grunt-grade grilled cheese, even though their core competencies are actually something else.
At Far West Fungi, the star attraction is Moss Landing-grown mushrooms—maitake, morel, king trumpet, baby shiitake, shimeji, cordyceps and lion’s mane among the many, all CCOF certified organic, and not just fresh but dried and in powders and tinctures.
They also spawn plugs, liquid culture syringes and take-home mini mushroom farms that empower home growing.
Then there’s the merchandise, ranging from reishi earrings and branded hoodies to packaged goods like white truffle butter and spicy tree oyster mushroom jerky to homemade frozen soups and candy cap cheesecake and books like Mycelium Running and The Mushroom Hunters Kitchen.
I go for the truffle grilled cheese ($15). It’s simultaneously simple and complex, crunchy and soft, oozing and indulgent. The flavor symphony comes summoned by an interplay of blue foot mushroom butter, crimini, shiitake, black truffle tapenade, gruyere and Swiss on sourdough.
Far West Fungi, 224 Laurel St., Ste. A101, Santa Cruz; farwestfungi.com
The rare GC on its level appears in Capitola in an unassuming strip mall spot where the main event isn’t sandwiches, but cheese.
Cheese Shop 831 does a different pair of grilled cheese specials every two weeks (Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30am-2:30pm), starring the superlative inventory drawn from boutique cheesemakers the world over.
A very, very small sample of their treasures includes Beecher’s Flagsheep and Beemster Goat Gouda, Challerhocker and Chablochon, Moosbacher and Moses Sleeper—scores of revelations all told, all ready to be taste tested with guidance by the welcoming and well-schooled staff.
Tons of other crafty gifts appear, too, from locally designed cheese boards to pun-heavy stickers. Here “life is gouda.”
When I last stopped by, I opted for a “Jarlsberg and Bacon” grilled cheese (there was also a “Drunk in Italy” with wine-soaked Ubriaco cheese and provolone) and experienced tastebud liftoff before the sandwich hit my mouth. That happened because, as they prepped it to order, I tried a half dozen yum cheeses like an herb-crusted “alp blossom” and knock-your-eyebrows-off black Italian truffle gouda and promptly blew my budget by buying three to take home.
As I file this column, the current specials (reliably updated on their Instagram) are a “We Both Say Potato!” with an Alpine-style cheese blend, housemaid basil pesto and thinly sliced roasted potatoes ($13) and a “Beet and Goat Cheese” with fresh chèvre, sliced beets and balsamic reduction ($12).
So yes, Emma, I’m not acting when I say, “I’m into these grilled cheeses, and they make me feel beautiful.”
Winemaker Ryan Beauregard has triumphed again. The result of the taste test: it’s a stunner! When I heard from the Beauregard family about the recent release of the 2021 Chardonnay, I had to get some.
The Beauregard Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay is a blend of the historic Regan Vineyard and Bald Mountain Vineyard, farmed by the Bargetto family and Beauregard family, respectively. Beauregard notes that the two families have had a working relationship in the wine industry since the post-prohibition era. With notes of lemon peel, orange blossoms, flinty minerality on the nose and flavors of green apple leading to a long finish, this is a simply gorgeous Chardonnay ($45).
“This is our first Chardonnay wine under screwcap,” Beauregard says. “But the screwcap will preserve the freshness for years to come.”
Beauregard has two spots to taste their wines: The Slow Coast Wine Bar, 450 Hwy 1, Davenport, 831-600-7402; Winery and Tasting Room, 10 Pine Flat Road, Santa Cruz, 831-425-7777; beauregardvineyards.com
CAFÉ SPARROW
After nearly 25 years, Café Sparrow owners Bob and Julie Montague have sold the business to Chef Donnie Suesens and his wife Bailey, the Montagues’ daughter.
“They are my in-laws and partners,” Donnie says. “My wife and I are the next generation. We are phasing Bob and Julie out, so they can enjoy the fruits of their years of labor.”
A recent dinner with family at Café Sparrow exceeded all expectations. The salads were fresh and tasty, all four entrees outstanding—my son-in-law was in hog heaven with his juicy pork chop from Vande Rose Farms in Iowa—and all was right with the world.
Superfan customer Laurel Meissner started working at Melinda’s Gluten Free Bakery seven years ago. The assistant baker was diagnosed with celiac disease at 13, so when she moved to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC, she regularly baked gluten-free cakes in the campus housing kitchen. A passion was sparked. The gluten-free facility is also peanut-free; and every item they sell is scratch made. Meissner’s many recommendations begin with the puff pastries—she calls them the “holy grail” of gluten-free baked goods due to their rarity. The cakes are popular, as well as the oven-baked donuts and red velvet cupcakes. But the bread is the top seller with varieties including white, honey oat and sourdough round. Other offerings include bagels, muffins and cookies.
Hours are Thursdays and Fridays, 7:30am-3pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, 8:30am-3pm. Meissner spokeabout Melinda’s origins and why it’s such a special place.
How did you start working at Melinda’s?
LAUREL MEISSNER: I came in as a customer and could not believe the food was actually gluten-free. I tried a donut, and it was pretty embarrassing because I actually cried tears of joy at the front counter. After being a customer for a while, I saw a “help wanted” sign and have worked here ever since.
What is the philosophy at Melinda’s?
What we do here is a labor of love. A lot of our employees are suffering from the same condition as our customers, so we are especially sympathetic to the difficulty of finding safe food. Sharing food with others is a deep emotional need for humans and a core experience.
On Sunday, Jan. 29, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a juvenile suspected in the shooting death of 18-year-old Rowan Parham at a party on Saturday.
Authorities are not releasing any information about the suspect because they are minors.
The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of the family.
According to the Sheriff’s office, deputies responded to the 1000 block of Brimblecom Road at about 10pm for multiple reports of a shooting.
When they arrived, they found a single victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim died on the scene despite lifesaving measures.
According to Santa Cruz City School Superintendent Kris Munro, Parham was a former Soquel High School student attending a County Office of Education high school program.
“While few details have been released, we are grieving with families, students, staff and community in the wake of this violence—the latest cruelty in an ongoing national epidemic of senseless gun violence,” Munto stated in a letter to families.
The fallen branches have been neatly arranged along a rock border next to the La Placa Family Bakery parking lot as the sun streams down through the redwoods to the red translucent awning. Still, along Hwy 9 in Ben Lomond, the storms are anything but a forgotten memory.
After the vital route for mountain folk and Silicon Valley commuters became blocked during the series of atmospheric rivers, a detour from Felton to the community was set up, unintentionally preventing customers from accessing many local businesses.
“It’s becoming unbearable,” says Debora La Placa, the bakery’s manager. “We don’t get business anymore. I tried to call the county, but nobody answered.”
The La Placas and others in the area represent the complexity of moving on after natural disasters. The Small Business Administration has met with business owners across Santa Cruz County as locals pick themselves up after the storms; FEMA recently opened the Felton Disaster Recovery Center. But the community, especially the small businesses, needs more assistance.
La Placa—named “Best Bakery” in this year’s “Best of San Lorenzo Valley”—says they usually sell at least 25 pizzas on a slow day.
Debora La Placa says the road closures after the Hwy 9 landslide have resulted in a massive loss of business at the bakery. PHOTO: Drew Penner
“Yesterday, I sold five,” Debora says. “In the meantime, I still have to pay people to come to work.”
Meanwhile, Casa Nostra Italian Restaurant owner Raffaele Cristallo says the detour has unfairly penalized his business. He notes that the community has been dealing with Hwy 9 closures since Christmas.
“Then, all of a sudden, the mudslide happened, and it ruined everything,” Cristallo says. “This is already a hard time of year.”
He estimates that business has dropped by about 40%.
“I have to take at least two to three people off the schedule every day,” he says. “So, we risk losing these [employees] because they’ll find a job elsewhere. It creates big trouble.”
Cristallo has tried to communicate with Caltrans but hasn’t had any luck.
“They don’t listen,” he says. “They don’t care.”
A sign that Cristallo paid for—sitting near the detour in Ben Lomond—says the restaurant is open.
The Casa Nostra server Alessandro De Luca enjoys a day off—he’s had quite a few of them lately.
“He pretends to work,” Cristallo jokes. “Three days, no schedule,” De Luca says. “Mal. Not good. No money. No good.”
Part of the problem is that bills from recent months—when traffic was still flowing—are just now coming due, Cristallo explains.
Days earlier, a member of the family who owns the Brookdale Lodge—located a few miles north of Ben Lomond, up Hwy 9—attended a packed meeting at the Zayante Fire Hall. Representatives from the county, FEMA, PG&E and the Small Business Administration were among many in attendance.
Brookdale Lodge’s Jason Patel, who works for his parents, says they’re still assessing if it’s worth taking out a loan.
“The restaurant has a brook running through it—that brook is now a river,” Patel says. “It filled in with a lot of debris from the fire from the top of the mountain, so it’s gonna be a lot of work to clear it out.”
The Patels paid about $700 to $800 daily for fuel to keep their generators running when the power was out.
“Like everyone else, we just took hits,” Patel says. “Some people couldn’t evacuate. They were stuck. When you find someone’s staircase in your brook, yeah, that’s a problem.”
Allen Strong, 60, a cleaner at La Placa Bakery, says he saw the devastation the Brookdale Lodge suffered back in 1982 when he owned the Brookdale Country Store.
A culvert became plugged, sending water into the kitchen of the Brook Room, he recalled.
“It leaped like a chocolate monster over the road—like a tidal wave,” he said. “That wall was like paper to it.”
He also remembers the aftermath of the Love Creek Slide that year.
“The whole neighborhood of Woodland Drive came down,” Strong said. “We had to go out there with boats and canoes to cut holes through the roof of my friend’s house.”
Seeing the memorial to the landslide—toys, stuffed animals and crucifixes—means a lot to him and others in the area.
“I was there the day after it happened,” he says. “For the people that survived it—which not many did—it’s really important.”
While the San Lorenzo Valley was pummeled with more rain then, he says the winds were more intense this time.Strong wishes authorities would allow traffic to flow up to Highlands Country Park, where there are multiple turn-around options, to provide relief to businesses like his employer.
Just beyond that park, two large earth movers called “spiders” were perched—for the second day—along the steep hillside above the section of Hwy 9 where more than 100,000 tons of debris slammed into it. While crews had cleared the initial slide, workers were now pulling down additional debris from above to create a stable slope.
“We just follow what Caltrans’ specifics are,” says Dominic Riojas, a safety officer with Watsonville-based Granite Construction, Caltrans’ contractor running the clean-up.
Cristallo says he spoke with a representative from the Small Business Administration at a meeting in Capitola and learned he couldn’t get assistance for revenue loss related to road closures.
County spokesperson Jason Hoppin says he’s unsure what may have led to La Placa feeling like she got the run-around from the municipality’s officials but noted it might have been related to the fact the road is a Caltrans responsibility. He suggests businesses reach out to FEMA for assistance since a natural disaster caused the closure.
After the Press Banner contacted Caltrans about the business owners’ plight, spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said the state agency was committed to seeing what it could do to help them.
“We have notified the superintendent on the project of the concerns raised by the local businesses,” he says, adding the message was communicated that same day. “He will be reaching out to see if we can, in any way, alleviate that situation.”
Less than an hour later, he called back to say the official had spoken with the La Placa family and promised to put up a sign informing customers that the businesses were open.
“We’ll try and put up a portable message sign,” he adds.
However, Drabinski told the Press Banner that from 6-10am and again from 2-7pm, Caltrans would have to continue directing potential customers away from the businesses to keep traffic flowing on Glen Arbor Road.
Scrumptious Fish & Chips is partnering with Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks to help raise money for the long-term recovery at Seacliff State Beach, badly damaged in the January storms.
$1 will go to the Seacliff State Beach Recovery Fund for every meal purchased this weekend (Feb. 4-5). Scrumptious began serving food at Seacliff on weekends last fall and reopened last weekend after the recent storms halted their food truck operation for weeks.
Meanwhile, Seacliff took a big hit when giant waves tore up many beach areas and picnic tables. Scrumptious owners—husband and wife team Tim and Helen Korinth—say they are beyond happy to be back at the beautiful location, one of everybody’s favorite spots. Now you can dine on their award-winning fish and chips with an ocean view.
“Fish and chips are what we’re famous for,” Helen says. “But we also have beer-battered shrimp and British bangers.”
Additionally, there are three loaded chip dish options: Chicken Tikka Masala Curry, Garlic and Vegan Guac.
Beyond the stellar food, it’s important to the family to assist with the location’s recovery.
Scrumptious will eventually return to their initial spot at the cement ship when the repairs are finished. scrumptiousfishandchips.com
SUNSET LINES WITH HUMAN ERRORS AND TAPES Liz Brooks (vocals/synth) and Paul McCorkle (producer/guitars/synth) decided to start Sunset Lines following the intense collapse of a previous project. Their 2017 debut EP, Slippery Slope, is synth-heavy pop that centers around San Francisco, the joys of moving to a new city and wounds healing from the end of a long-term relationship. The duo has continued to hone Sunset Lines’ sound—Brooks on the writing end and McCorkle on the music production side. The result: ’80s synth-pop with crisp modern-day production and effects, which erupt throughout their latest EP, Home Anywhere. The recently married couple now lives in Santa Cruz, and Sunset Lines’ new chapter includes a tight rhythm section courtesy of Brett Wiltshire (bass) and Adam Soffrin (drums). The synth-pop roots remain intact with a bonus dance-oriented sound that inspires high-energy live shows with an ever-present symbiotic relationship between the band and the audience. $10. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 9pm. The Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. thebluelagoon.com
NEIL HAMBURGER WITH MAJOR ENTERTAINER From Madison Square Garden to the Edinburgh Fringe Fest, Gregg Turkington, aka Neil Hamburger, has performed at every venue imaginable. Once, he even did a show in pitch black. The comedian, whose alter-ego echoes with inspiration from the likes of Andy Kaufman, has a growing list of television credits that include “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,” “Tom Green Live” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Jack White produced Hamburger’s Live at Third Man album in Nashville, and one of his earlier records—1992’s Great Phone Calls—was touted by Spin magazine as one of the “40 Greatest Comedy Albums of All Time.” The 2015 feature-length film Entertainment, loosely based on the Hamburger alter ego, co-stars John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan and Michael Cera. It premiered at Sundance to glowing reviews.Hamburger’s 2019 record, Still Dwelling, features a noteworthy version of “Everything’s Alright” from Jesus Christ Superstar that includes Hamburger crooning alongside Mike Patton and Jack Black. “Twenty years of touring for a normal entertainer would be great,” Hamburger told Impose recently. “But 20 years of touring for me is like 45 or 50 years of touring for anyone else because there are no days off.” $25/$30 plus fees. Thursday, Jan. 26, 8pm. The Catalyst Atrium, 1101 Pacific Ave.,Santa Cruz. catalystclub.com
SMOKE CHASER WITH KING TIDE AND THE NEVER HASBEENS Smoke Chaser, featuring members of the Suborbitals and Monterey singer Malinda DeRouen, is self-described as an “original rock band from Santa Cruz that creates lush, catchy psych-pop soundscapes.” Meanwhile, the Never HasBeens’ We Will Not Be Unheard is a country-punk-alt-rock hybrid intertwined with the fingerprints of Santa Cruz. St. Paul was inspired to pen “Radio Songs,” a catchy indie throwback to early ’90s MTV “Buzz Bands” like the Gin Blossoms, after hearing Wilco’s cover of the Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset” on KZSC. “Radio songs they came out of my window/ ‘Waterloo Sunset’ covered by Wilco,” St. Paul sings. There’s even a shout-out to the local radio station: “As the radio waves began to rise from the left of the dial/ The ‘Great Eighty-Eight’ still survives.”$10/12 plus fees. Thursday, Jan. 26, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com
CUT CHEMIST WITH MH THE VERB (DJ SET PLUS FULL BAND) A talented turntablist, DJ and producer, Cut Chemist (born Lucas MacFadden) is also a member of underground rap outfit Jurassic 5 and the Los Angeles Latin funk band Ozomatli. His tracks have also appeared on two renowned DJ compilations, Return of the DJ, Vol. 1, and Deep Concentration. Cut Chemist blew up on the scene with his B-side debut “Unified Rebelution” in 1993. “Lesson 4: The Radio” was a tribute to Double D and Steinski’s influential hip-hop collage “Lessons 1-3” and includes homages to Indeep, Bob James, Spoonie Gee and Dan Ackroyd. Cut has remained busy, contributing “Lesson 6” to Jurassic 5’s eponymous EP and producing the record. He’s also a master remixer of work by everyone from DJ Shadow to Liquid Liquid and outside work (scratching for Less Than Jake). Multimedia artist MH the Verb uses afro-futurism, ala Octavia Butler, to build community while blending jazz, funk, hip-hop and electronica. The MC/DJ/producer has created a spacey catalog by mixing live instrumentation and studio production complimented by his bass vocals and poetic activism. $22/24 plus fees. Friday, Jan. 27, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com
GHOST-NOTE WITH DJ WYZE 1 Ghost-Note—headed by Snarky Puppy’s multi-Grammy Award-winning percussive duo Robert Sput Searight and Nate Werth—unearths an eruption of sound. Alongside next-level musicians—representing members of Prince, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Herbie Hancock, Kendrick Lamar and others—they push funk into the future and build uplifting foundations inspired by the likes of James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone. With Ghost-Note’s 2019 LP, Swagism, their mission is clear: unleash heavy-hitting beats first and foremost, then shape a tapestry of uninhabited, layered music. The record includes a variety of notable guest collaborators, includingKamasi Washington, Karl Denson, Bobby Sparks and Nigel Hall. Swagism is also an example of the band’s astonishing ability to meld and magnify sounds, ultimately bringing together complex alliances. $25/$30 plus fees. Saturday, Jan. 28, 9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. moesalley.com
JASON MARSALIS QUARTET: IN TRIBUTE TO LIONEL HAMPTON The Jason Marsalis Quartet pays tribute to iconic vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. From a young age, it was clear that Marsalis had what it took to be a jazz great, on par with his father, Ellis Marsalis, and siblings, Wynton, Branford and Delfeayo. The four brothers and their patriarch Ellis comprise “New Orleans’ venerable first family of jazz.” Renowned as both a vibraphonist and a drummer, Jason continues to grow and develop as a composer and performer. His maturity and musical command are evident each time he performs. The Jason Marsalis Quartet will feature clarinetist Joe Goldberg, pianist Kris Tokarski and drummer Gerald Watkins.$42/$47.25; $23.50/students. Monday, Jan. 30, 7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. kuumbwajazz.org
COMMUNITY
HOUSING MATTERS X COLLECTIVE: H.O.U.S.E. PARTY Eat, drink, shop, dance and laugh the night away as you enjoy live music from the Joint Chiefs, food by Yakitori Toriman, Hindsight Café and A Party For Your Palate, sweets by Laurel Bakes and Bread Boy, drinks by Front & Cooper, live comedy from DNA Comedy Lab and KindPeoples and an interactive scavenger hunt (win a wine tasting at Windy Oaks Estate). There will also be a champagne toast to celebrate the partnerships that have assisted over 1150 people through H.O.U.S.E. Dr. Josh Bamberger, an early adopter of Permanent Supportive Housing will speak. $10. Thursday, Jan. 26, 6-9pm. Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. housingmatterssc.org
HISTORIC RANCH GROUND TOURS Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, barns and other historic buildings. Space is limited, and pre-registration is recommended. Masks and social distancing are required. $10 (parking fee). Saturday, Jan. 28, and Sunday, Jan. 29, 1pm. Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz. thatsmypark.org
Such a treat watching 8 Tens @ 8 at the intimate Center Stage, especially after a few years of on-again, off-again pandemic-challenged live theater. The two suites of eight short plays, Part 1 and Part 2, are performed on alternating nights, running through Feb. 19. (Tempus fugit, so get tickets fast.) Both opening nights showed off the noticeable ramping up of playwriting expertise, and it’s a pleasure to point out a few highlights from this never-boring adventure in live theater.
First, Part I: Kudos to the entire cast of Man’s Best Friend, a bit of comic surrealism with a crisp script, a wild outcome and lots of physical charm. Special praise for Karin Babbitt as the gymnastic canine with strong opinions. Ward Willats and Lee Ann Gray played for broad laughs and a touch of nostalgia in Wonder People, a sweet look at two loners with a thing for “Wonder Woman” comics, television shows and nerdy stats. The delightful premise showed off Willats’ impeccable timing and vocal polish.
I was unprepared for the stunning performance by Manirose Bobisuthi in The Most Precious Thing. An accomplished performer, Bobisuthi plays a young woman in a dead-end job who a mysterious guy suddenly approaches with an intriguing existential proposition. Bobisuthi is spellbinding as she agonizes about her character’s life, her stupid retail career and the possibility of life in hell. I could have been watching a Broadway actor walking away with the show. She was astonishing in impeccable timing, gritty and nuanced vocal work. Tristan Ahn‘s confident support matched her every step of the way. Don’t miss this little gem.
There were a few false steps in the second half, although the fun of watching Ward Willats and Tristan Ahn as two collaborating priests in
Confessions à Deux, with one of the cleverest endings of any of these short pieces, was priceless. The final Part I work, Father Michael’s Doing Mass, paired seasoned actors Karin Babbitt and Karen Schamberg as vintage parishioners reminiscing about how great Father Michael’s masses used to be. These funny and occasionally touching performances gave the first evening’s audience a final treat.
Note: If I don’t mention a performance, it’s probably for the best.
Part 2 continued the prevailing tone of strong playwriting with Everything Happens for a Reason…Right?, a two-hander featuring Mindy Pedlar and Andrew Yabroff as affectionate mother and son with a sudden issue on their hands. Delightful realization of a very crafty script. The following three pieces offered lots to enjoy, and I found myself reeled in by the performances of Scott Kravitz and David Leach in an ingenious tale of undercover cops and con artists in Something Holy in Croatia, neatly directed by Marcus Cato.
Two pieces stood out during the rest of the evening. In Eddy & Edna, playwright Donald Loftus boldly imagines the bittersweet realities of a couple no longer sure of each other’s mental capacities. Performers Steven Capasso and Mindy Pedlar reached through the realm of make believe and convinced us we were watching a genuine encounter between long-marrieds no longer on top of their memory game. The twist at the end was deliciously neat, an absolute stunner. And finally, major kudos to director Wilma Marcus Chandler for her no-holds-barred orchestration of An Adventure in Forms, an absurdist fiesta of moods, mayhem and adventurous acting styles. This piece showed off the non-sequiturs inherent in every bureaucratic setting. The excellent cast, notably Hannah Eckstein, clearly had a lot of fun dispatching this little surrealist bonbon.
One final note: Yelling is not acting.
8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival (Part 1 and 2) is produced by the Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre and runs through Feb. 19 at Center Stage, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz. santacruzactorstheatre.org
