Supes Approve Active Transportation Plan

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the 2022 Active Transportation Plan, a 200-page document that outlines dozens of projects which aim to increase the county’s system of bicycle and walking paths.

“The vision is to create a network of biking and walking routes that connect key destinations within the county and are safe, comfortable and accessible for community members of all ages, backgrounds and abilities,” said Senior Civil Engineer Russell Chen.

The plan includes hundreds of proposed projects in the urbanized areas of unincorporated Santa Cruz County which have the highest density of residents and destinations, including Davenport, Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Felton, Live Oak, Soquel, Aptos, Rio Del Mar, La Selva Beach, Corralitos and Amesti.

But because many of the projects are unfunded, the document essentially serves as a wish list for county officials as they seek to improve transportation options.

It was created with the input of nearly 5,000 people, with surveys showing that 86% of respondents want to walk and bike more, but were discouraged from doing so by missing sidewalks and aggressive drivers and speeders.

Supervisor Zach Friend said that the projects are important in Santa Cruz County, which has one of the highest incidents of collisions between vehicles and pedestrians and bicyclists in the state.

The plan, he says, positions the county for more state funding to do the projects.

“This is the first step of future improvements that will erase that issue within our community from a safety standpoint,” he said. “It’s not just affording people an alternative means of transportation. It’s also affording them a safe method to do those methods of transportation.”

Rob Brezsny’s Astrology: May 18-24

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “The only way to the truth is through blasphemy,” declared Aries author Flannery O’Connor. I appreciate the cheeky sentiment, but I don’t believe that all truth requires blasphemy. In many cases, rebellion, irreverence, and skepticism may be enough to pry loose hidden and buried information. Outright blasphemy isn’t necessary. What does this have to do with you? Well, I’m hoping you will be feisty and audacious in your quest for interesting truths. As you dig, I invite you to be less than perfectly polite. Don’t be rude or unkind, of course. Just be charmingly bold.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “I am so beautiful, sometimes people weep when they see me,” declares comedian Margaret Cho. I would love for you to summon her level of self-esteem and bravado in the coming weeks. According to my interpretation of the astrological omens, you now have the right and duty to boost your self-worth. All of creation is conspiring with you to develop more faith in yourself. And if you do the work to deepen your confidence and self-esteem, there will be an added bonus: a health breakthrough. As spiritual author Caroline Myss says, “Belief in oneself is required for healing.” My prediction: You will rouse an enhanced power to get the soul medicine you need.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): According to the blogger Artemisiasea, “The grandeur of life is the attempt, not the solution. It’s about behaving as beautifully as one can under completely impossible circumstances; making room for what breathes in the presence of the attempt—in the coming-to-be.” I invite you to embrace that wisdom in the coming weeks, Gemini. You won’t be dealing with impossible circumstances, but you may have to navigate your way through fascinating brainteasers and heart riddles. Whatever your destination might turn out to be, enjoy the ride with all the verve you can summon. At least for now, put aside your longing for particular results and instead simply live your life as if it were a magnificent work of art. 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): It will be in your interest to change more than usual in the coming weeks. I suppose you could wait around passively and scramble to adjust as life flings challenges your way. But the better approach would be to make conscious decisions about how you want to transform. Identify the situations that would most benefit from modification and then initiate the transitions. Rather than depending on fate to provide you with random wake-up calls, choose constructive wake-up calls that are fun and invigorating.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “If everyone likes you, it probably means you aren’t saying much,” declared politician Donna Brazile. I suspect you will disprove her theory in the coming weeks. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will have a lot to say; your communications will be even more interesting than usual. And yet, I also expect you will receive extra respect and appreciation from others. While you may articulate ideas that are challenging to some, you will do so with enough charisma to disarm agitated reactions. A winning combination: expressiveness and approval.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Have you heard of Virgo adventurer Reinhold Messner? The man is a marvel, and not just because he’s a passionate environmental activist. He was the first mountaineer to reach the top of Mt. Everest alone, as well as the first to ascend Everest without supplemental oxygen. No one before him had ever climbed all 14 of the world’s peaks higher than 26,000 feet. He has transited Greenland and Antarctica without the aid of dog sleds or snowmobiles. He also completed a solo trip across the Gobi Desert. I propose we make Messner your inspirational role model for the next four weeks. You may not achieve history-making triumphs like him, but you could surpass what you assumed were your limits. I trust that you will break at least one of your personal records.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “The world is a very puzzling place. If you’re not willing to be puzzled, you just become a replica of someone else’s mind.” Author Noam Chomsky said that. It’s useful counsel for you right now. I’ll go even further. I will advise you to relish the healthy pleasures of being both mysterious and mystified. Seek out fertile enigmas and be a fertile enigma yourself. Explore the rejuvenating wisdom of being indefinable and uncategorizable. Exult in the quizzical joys of Eternal Paradox.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Have you ever contemplated the beauty of the people and animals you care for and thought, “I would love to give them the strongest blessings I have to give, the smartest love I can express, and the best listening I’m able to provide.” If so, Scorpio, the coming days will be an excellent time to do that. You will have an extra capacity to offer exceptional gifts that are useful and inspirational. You will be at the peak of your ability to home in on what your beloveds need.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian author Madeleine L’Engle told us, “The discoveries don’t come when you’re looking for them. They come when for some reason you’ve let go conscious control.” That approach isn’t absolutely true, but it may be useful for you to deploy in the coming weeks. I invite you to relinquish at least a modicum of your conscious control. And if zesty discoveries start flowing in, consider relinquishing even a bit more conscious control.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Is it a legend or a true story? Scholars disagree about whether Capricorn scientist Isaac Newton really was spurred to formulate the theory of gravity when an apple fell from the tree he was sitting beneath. This much is certain: Newton lived in the home near the famous apple tree. And that tree is alive today, 380 years after his birth. Ripe apples still fall from it. Is there an equivalent landmark or keystone from your own past, Capricorn—where an important insight arose or pivotal event happened? The coming weeks would be a good time to revisit that power spot, at least in your imagination, in quest of fresh inspiration.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian poet Jack Gilbert devoted himself to soulful beauty. I swooned when I first read his line, “We must unlearn the constellations to see the stars.” I cried for joy when he said, “We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world.” On the other hand, I suspect Jack may have been overly consumed with his pursuit of lyrical moments. His girlfriend Linda Gregg said, “All Jack ever wanted to know was that he was awake—that the trees in bloom were almond trees—and to walk down the road to get breakfast. He never cared if he was poor or had to sleep on a park bench.” I bring this up, dear Aquarius, hoping you will avoid Gilbert’s lack of attention to practical matters. In the coming weeks, I invite you to be your extravagant, idiosyncratic, interesting self to the max. But also be sure to eat healthy food, engage in pleasurable exercise, and get plenty of rejuvenating sleep—preferably in a comfortable bed rather than on a park bench.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Uberfacts Twitter account informs me that if you were to consume the amount of food equivalent to what a hummingbird eats, you would eat 300 hamburgers or 7,800 cabbages per day. To match the amount of exercise a hummingbird gets while burning all those calories, you’d have to do approximately 37 bazillion jumping jacks. You will never do this, of course. But in the coming weeks, you may be more metaphorically hungry than usual. I predict you will be voracious for new information and novel experiences and fresh ideas. Not 300 hamburgers or 7,800 cabbages’ worth—but still, a lot. My advice: Have fun being insatiably curious and greedy for stimulation.

Homework: Is there a situation you’re being lazy about? Should you be more discerning? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.

Bourbon Barrels Add Robust Flavor to Buck Shack Red Blend

Ever tried wine flavored with a smidgeon of bourbon? Well, that’s what you get when you sip on Buck Shack Red Blend. Its full title is Ye Old Genuine Bona Fide Buck Shack Red Blend ($25). 

Yes, folks, there’s a touch of bourbon in every swig; this bold and rustic red is aged in old bourbon barrels. You just have to try it for yourselves to experience all of the nuances of a good wine—with a tad of Kentucky’s pride and joy.

The Shannon Family of Wines, based in Kelseyville, California, is behind the Buck Shack Red Blend. The wines are named after the 100-year-old skinning shed on their property, “Ye Old Buck Shack.” Their wines are for “rollicking good times,” not “restrained, erudite conversations.” shannonfamilyofwines.com. 

Angel’s Envy Bourbon

Speaking of bourbon, Deer Park Wine & Spirits in Aptos carries two bourbons by renowned Angel’s Envy, an exceptional Kentucky straight bourbon from the creators of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel and others. It’s finished in port wine barrels. deerparkwines.com.

Good Earth Tea Company

Good Earth Tea was founded in Santa Cruz in 1972. Although no longer based here, their products are still available, including a few new ones: Tropical Mango & Moringa (biodegradable tea bags); Ginger Turmeric & Lemon (biodegradable tea bags); Sweet & Spicy (caffeine-free); Sweet & Spicy Chamomile (caffeine-free); and their 50th Anniversary Chai, a flavored black tea. goodearth.com.

Grab Your Growler 

Stockwell Cellars offers growlers for $15-$20 for refills. If it’s not sold out, the Rosé of Grenache is a sure-fire hit. Weekly wine selections change, so check their website before you go.
Stockwell Cellars, 1100 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz. 831-818-9075; stockwellcellars.com.

Cabrillo Stage

We are fortunate that the Cabrillo College stage is still going strong. This summer’s productions include Grease (June 23-July 10) and Candide (July 21-Aug. 14). cabrillostage.com.

Café Sparrow Delivers an Authentic French Dining Experience in Aptos

Bailey Suesens first worked at Café Sparrow as a teenager, assisting her dad—co-owner of the Aptos spot since 1989—in the kitchen. Eventually, Suesens set out to earn a degree in fashion marketing from the Art Institute of San Francisco, where she met her now-husband Donnie—he went through the school’s culinary program.
With a talented chef by her side, Suesens moved back to Santa Cruz and now co-owns Sparrow with Donnie, who’s flourished running the kitchen.
Bailey describes Sparrow as a “comprehensively French upscale dining experience,” from the décor to the classic cuisine—with a California twist. Seared scallops on polenta with balsamic reduction highlight the apps, and the filet mignon, made with a traditional beef bone stock sauce, is an entrée must-have. They also serve locally sourced wild fish specials and quintessential French desserts like profiteroles, a mini puff pastry filled with custard or ice cream, topped with Ghirardelli chocolate sauce.
Sparrow is open Monday-Friday, 11:30am-2pm, for lunch; Monday-Saturday, 5-9pm, for dinner; and closed Sundays. Bailey talked to GT about her “over it” moment with kitchen work and how Café Sparrow keeps it French.

When did you know your back-of-house days were over?

BAILEY SUESENS: I was 16, working in the kitchen doing prep work and plating. My dad was the head chef, and I plated a dish wrong and burned myself on the chicken livers he was cooking. He got upset with me, and I felt terrible too and started crying—I knew from then on that I didn’t want to work in the kitchen anymore. From there, I became a busser and then a server and felt more in my element. Now I love working front-of-house and being the face of the restaurant.

How does Café Sparrow keep it 100% French?

For one, our sauces, which are very traditional to French cuisine and are all made in-house. For example, the Espagnole, which is the base for our sauce on the filet mignon, and the bearnaise, which is basically a hollandaise with tarragon and shallots. Also, the décor is very French countryside too. We have an entire wall of wine bottles, and the other walls are adorned with hand-painted art; there are also lots of quaint French accents throughout the space and menu, starting at the front door with a traditional farm door.

Café Sparrow, 8042 Soquel Drive, Aptos. 831-688-6238; cafesparrow.com.

Second Venus Spirits Cocktails Location Coming to Rio Del Mar

Not content to simply gift the Westside with a sophisticated saloon with creative cocktails and tasty small plates, entrepreneur Sean Venus is on the verge of giving Aptos and South Beach residents their very own spiritual destination. Yes, Venus Spirits Cocktails and Kitchen Beachside plans to open for signature cocktails and a matching menu in mid-June. Where? Well, on the beach, of course. Specifically in the space that has been Café Rio for the past four decades.

“It’s a big project,” Venus told me last week, “and we’ll add menu nuances little by little.” But for the short term, the focus will be on “from the sea” items, plus Westside kitchen favorites translated over to the new establishment.

The distiller says he’s had his eye on the Café Rio spot for a long time.

“My wife’s family had been dining there forever. I knew that the owner Jeanne Harrison was looking to move on, and when I saw the possibility I just kind of jumped in.”

Endless sunsets, the soothing sound of waves, the salt air. What better spot for a cocktail-intensive dinner house. The plan is to feature cocktails crafted with the justly popular distilled spirits from Venus’ Westside Santa Cruz distillery. Personally, I’m hoping the new beachfront Venus will still keep a few of my favorite menu items, especially the irresistible crispy Brussels sprouts with jalapeño cashew cream, and the addictive cornbread with bourbon bacon jam and honey butter. Many out-of-towners have found redemption in these shared plates, especially in the company of the gin and tonic with No. 2 gin, orange, star anise and bay leaf.

“We’ve still got touch-ups to the outside and the inside to finish. New outdoor furniture, artwork, signage,” he says. But less than a month before the planned opening, Sean Venus has the liquor license plus all the licenses submitted.

“I cut through bureaucracy pretty well,” he says with a chuckle. “Looking through the old permit records, I saw that the 1979 opening of the original Café Rio really brought a renaissance for the neighbors and for that area. And we hope to do the same.”

Founded nine years ago, Venus Spirits specializes in small-batch spirits such as vodka, aquavit, the now-legendary line of botanical gins, El Ladrón Blue Agave Spirits, whiskey and rum. Always surfing the point, Venus began a line of canned cocktails in 2019, just ahead of lockdown. Now the galaxy expands to a prime beachfront location. Stay tuned for official opening date.

Mystery on the Menu

Leslie Karst‘s sizzling Sally Solari mystery series strikes again! Former attorney/writer Karst—who divides her time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawaii—has just finished her latest, The Fragrance of Death, to be released in August. Santa Cruz fans of Karst’s home-based cozy mysteries will eat up her latest tale starring a restaurateur turned accidental sleuth. In this installment, Solari’s recent sinus infection has left her without a sense of smell. Not good for a cook! At the center of the plot is a murder that happens at the annual Santa Cruz Artichoke Cook-Off, and there are enough suspects to fill the entire Bookshop Santa Cruz, where, incidentally, Karst will appear at a book talk and launch for The Fragrance of Death on Thursday, August 4. Mark your calendars!

Stay Calm and Chew

Yes, we too experienced some sticker shock at dinner at a venerable downtown landmark last week. Prices had been adjusted upward to keep up with inflation. They have to. But don’t abandon our restaurants. If you don’t frequent your favorite places, they can’t weather the current economic storm.

Third Eye Blind Announce Catalyst Show, Share Surf Spots

The members of Bay Area alt-hitmakers Third Eye Blind announced today that they’ll play a warm-up show for their “Summer Gods: 25 Years in the Blind” tour—which celebrates a quarter-century since the release of their platinum-selling, self-titled debut album—at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz on June 19. The national tour will kick off three days later in Oregon. 

Forming in San Francisco in the ’90s, Third Eye Blind found international success with top-10 hits like “Semi-Charmed Life” and “How It’s Going to Be.” They’ve sold more than 12 million records in their career. But while other bands might ditch NorCal when they get big, frontman Stephan Jenkins stayed. 

A big part of the reason? Surfing. In fact, Jenkins says Santa Cruz, in particular, is his favorite surfing city, and when we asked about why he chose the Catalyst for the tour’s warm-up show, he gave us a list of his three favorite surf spots here. They are:

“1. First peek at Pleasure Point, when the old timers and the morning crew let me have one.  

2. Steamer Lane, midweek and a little crummy cause no one is out. 

3. I can’t tell you number 3, or I will get in trouble with the locs.”

Fittingly, the new tour will support the ocean the band loves to surf; a portion of each ticket will help the organization SeaTrees restore the kelp ecosystem along the California coast. Some parts of the state have lost as much as 90% of their kelp forests in the last 10 years due to the invasive purple sea urchins that must be cleared before kelp can be restored. 

Last year, Third Eye Blind released their most recent album, Our Bande Apart; Jenkins says it’s “the most fun we’ve ever had in the studio.”

Tickets for Third Eye Blind’s June 19 Catalyst show go on sale Friday, May 13, at 10am. Go to catalystclub.com or thirdeyeblind.com. 

Things To Do in Santa Cruz: May 11-17

ARTS AND MUSIC

AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT WITH THE PO’ RAMBLIN’ BOYS  Singer-songwriter AJ Lee’s mandolin and vocal skills have been turning heads since she was a kid. The 2019 debut of her Santa Cruz band AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Like I Used To, and its follow-up, I’ll Come Back, are further evidence that Lee is one of the leading young talents of the Americana scene. Meanwhile, self-described as a “tattooed East Tennessee bluegrass outfit,” the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are Smoky Mountain natives. They take as much pride in their 1965 GM tour bus as they do in their salt-of-the-earth “rural bluegrass.” (Read this week’s story). $20/$25. Friday, May 13, 9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test required. moesalley.com.

COMEDY AT TOP SPOT Born in Brooklyn and raised in Los Angeles, show headliner Tammy Tealove (Tammy E. Clarke) was “pushed” into comedy in 2007 by a fellow comedian friend who told her she was funny enough to be a comedian. 15 years later, Tammy has performed on nearly every Bay Area stage telling her life story, which is simultaneously relatable and unapologetic. Molly Steve, Tate Hughes and Alex Torres also appear. Free (donations appreciated). Saturday, May 14, 8pm. Top Spot Kitchen & Pub, 711 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. 831-332-1937.

PAMELA Z Composer/performer/media artist Pamela Z employs her voice, live electronic processing, sound samples and video. A “pioneer of live digital looping techniques,” she processes her voice in real-time to create complex sonic layers. Z’s solo works combine experimental extended vocal techniques, operatic bel canto, found objects, text and sampled concrete sounds. Her work has been included in exhibitions at the Whitney Museum, and she’s received commissions from renowned chamber ensembles, including Kronos Quartet, Eighth Blackbird, Bang On A Can All Stars and Empyrean Ensemble. Z has received the United States Artists Fellowship, the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Creative Capital Fund. Free (register at ias.ucsc.edu). Saturday, May 14, 7pm. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test required. riotheatre.com.

VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ Known as “The Hendrix of the Sahara,” Touré, a native of Niafunké, Mali, gained massive recognition with his third album, The Secret, produced by Soulive guitarist Eric Krasno; it features Dave Matthews, slide guitar great Derek Trucks and acclaimed jazz guitarist John Scofield. Touré “expands his horizons, embraces new challenges, and further entrenches his reputation as one of the world’s most talented and innovative musicians” with each record he makes. His most recent album, Samba, was recorded live at Applehead Studio in Woodstock, New York, and is considered his best yet. $25/$30 plus fees. Sunday, May 15, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test required. feltonmusichall.com. 

BLACK UHURU WITH ANCESTREE Under the leadership of Derrick “Duckie” Simpson, the “Gong Gong Gullie,” Black Uhuru formed 50 years ago in Kingston, Jamaica, and has since become one of the most celebrated ambassadors of reggae. 14 full-length records, seven instrumental dub albums and four live releases have resulted in the genre’s second-highest record sales behind only Bob Marley—Red is on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s” list. Uhuru has been nominated five times in addition to winning the first Grammy ever given in the reggae category. $30/$35. Sunday, May 15, 9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test required. moesalley.com.

JANE BUNNETT AND MAQUEQUE Nominated for three Grammys and winner of five Juno Awards, Jane Bunnett has transformed her bands and recordings into showcases for the best musical talent in North America and Cuba. What started five years ago as a project to record and mentor young dazzling Cuban female musicians has become one of North America’s top jazz groups. Over the last year, Bunnett with Maqueque has played major jazz festivals, including Newport and Monterey, been featured on NPR’s “Jazz Night in America” and nominated for a Grammy Award for Oddara, their acclaimed recent release. Additionally, DownBeat magazine voted the group as one of the “Top 10 Jazz Groups.” Bunnett will join pianist Danae Olano, bassist Tailin Marrero, drummer Yissy Garcia, percussionist Mary Paz Fernandez and vocalist Joanna Tendai Majoko. $36.75/$42; $21 students. Monday, May 16, 7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test required. kuumbwajazz.org.

COMMUNITY

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY HISTORY FAIR The special event is back! Celebrate local history by connecting with local historical organizations and groups and enjoy hands-on activities, artifacts, photographs, publications, etc. Some of the participating organizations include Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Capitola Historical Museum, Castro Adobe State Historic Park, Davenport Jail, Evergreen Cemetery, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, Friends of the Cowell Lime Works, the Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz Surfing Club, Collections & Archives at UCSC and several others. Free. Saturday, May 14, noon-4pm. Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. santacruzmah.org.

DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ MAKERS MARKET This market hosts an array of locally handmade goods. Find all the best Santa Cruz makers and some of the scene’s brand new makers. The variety of work is mind-blowing. Masks are recommended but not mandatory. Free. Sunday, May 15, 10am-5pm. Downtown Santa Cruz, Pacific Avenue between Cathcart and Lincoln Streets. scmmakersmarket.com.

EL MERCADO FARMERS MARKET The weekly farmers market aims to decrease food insecurity and improve access to health resources for Pajaro Valley families. The goal is to make shopping as easy as possible and offer healthy choices to everyone. Free. Tuesday, May 17, 2-6pm. Pinto Lake City Park, 451 Green Valley Road, Watsonville. pvhealthtrust.org/el-mercado.

GROUPS

WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM This cancer support group is for women with advanced, recurrent or metastatic cancer. Meets every Monday on Zoom. Free. Registration required. Monday, May 16, 12:30pm. 831-457-2273. womencaresantacruz.org.

OUTDOORS

WEST CLIFF OUTDOOR MARKET 2022 A beautiful view and stellar local food trucks equal an afternoon of bliss. Get outside and soak in the Vitamin D. The parking lot is close to several ideal picnic areas for Friday relaxation. Free. Friday, May 13, 4-8pm. Lighthouse Point, 701 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. brotherspromotions.com.

YOU PICK ROSES Birdsong Orchards grows over 500 roses—find just about every color of rose in existence. Reservations are required. Adults only. $40. Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15, 10am-4pm. Birdsong Orchards, Lakeview Road,

The Guthrie Girls Make California Debut at Michael’s on Main

From Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown” to Woody Guthrie’s “I Ain’t Got No Home in This World Anymore,” Sarah Lee and Cathy Guthrie’s earliest performances at Sam’s Town Point in Austin, Texas radiated with a blood-is-thicker-than-whiskey bond on the small stage. The Ramsay Midwood-owned honkytonk’s stage sits only a foot off the ground—if that—but it felt like the duo stood 10 feet high every night they performed. Sharing a single mic, they unleashed hypnotic harmonies as they blended alt-country with folk roots—and a side of Texas honkytonk.

Though the band is just a year old, the magic between the Guthrie sisters is undeniable. Their weekly gigs as the Guthrie Girls began to attract more and more local musicians to the unassuming neighborhood bar, where the women had once worked as bartenders. And their talent stands on its own, though they come from high-caliber folk pedigree (Arlo’s daughters, Woody’s granddaughters). 

The Guthrie Girls was born during a whirlwind of life changes for both women in a chaotic time, but it’s grown into a cathartic musical revelation. A necessity. Sarah Lee and Cathy agree that the project isn’t fleeting.
“It was in the middle of the pandemic, and nobody was going out, but suddenly we had this great group of musicians who just came out to jam with us,” Sarah Lee says.

The duo has yet to release any recordings, and aside from a low-quality video of a set they performed at SXSW this year, they hardly have any online presence. During our conversation, the sisters realize their dad, folk hero Arlo Guthrie, has yet to see or even hear them perform as the Guthrie Girls. They didn’t know about the SXSW footage on YouTube, so Sarah Lee tells Cathy to make a note to share it with their father.

“Yeah, we don’t have much out there yet,” Sarah Lee says. “We were just trying to figure out what we would do with our lives after Covid.”

In 2019, after more than two decades of marriage, Sarah Lee and her husband, singer-songwriter Johnny Irion, split. Their long and fruitful music career together, which included working with producers like Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris, also ended. Sarah Lee already knew that she didn’t need Irion to carry her career; her songwriting talent is evident in her solo work. “Honey and the Dew,” a sweet and earnest tune based on what she had with Irion at one point, showcases Sarah Lee’s alto vocals that effortlessly emit a natural vibrato with an enchanting slight twang.

Meanwhile, Cathy’s band with Amy Nelson, Willie’s daughter, had been growing a following with Folk Uke, a ukulele duo known for humorous and raunchy lyrics. In addition to their songs appearing in films (Super Troopers 2) and television shows (Orange Is the New Black), Uke toured with everyone from the Jayhawks to X. When the band wasn’t traveling, Cathy toured with Arlo as a backup singer. When he retired a couple of years ago, she started bartending at Sam’s Town Point (Midwood is her ex) to make ends meet. 

“I ended up moving [from Massachusetts] to Austin during the pandemic, because I had no other options, because I was so reliant on touring,” Sarah Lee says. “I started picking up shifts at Sam’s on the nights Cathy was off.”

One hot Austin night during Cathy’s shift, she felt like the joint was so quiet that she could hear the crickets chirping outside. On an impulse, she called her sister and asked if she’d perform. 

“I was reluctant,” Sarah Lee says. “I’m not good at the bar scene. I’m a folk singer. I like people to sit and listen. [Cathy] was like, ‘Get over it and come to the bar’—that’s what big sisters can sometimes do.”

When Cathy joined Sarah Lee, she’d run back and forth from behind the bar to the stage. She’d sing a song or two at first, which evolved into three or four songs. It reached the point where both women didn’t have time to bartend. 

“Everybody was talking about how we sound amazing and how much they love our harmonies,” Sarah Lee says. “We were having so much fun doing our favorite songs—the stuff we grew up on like Ramblin’ Jack [Elliott] and of course, our dad’s songs and some of Woody’s stuff, but moving them into a bit more of a honky-tonk country sound. Then, dancers started showing up.”

Adds Cathy, “All of a sudden, we were the Wednesday night show in Austin. That momentum happened within the last year. We decided that we wanted to try to release some tracks and take it on the road.”

Sarah Lee and Cathy have recorded a couple of tunes, including Goebel Reeves’ “Hobo’s Lullaby,” which their grandfather also performed. The Guthrie Girls’ rendition of Hoyt Axton’s “Lion in the Winter,” also driven by poignant harmonies, is given a fresh Texas two-step makeover. Both tracks will be released on the first day of the duo’s debut California tour that kicks off on May 20 at Michael’s on Main (with a four-piece backing band). From Soquel, the Guthries play San Francisco, then the boutique Big Sur festival, Hipnic, which is already sold out.

“We had sung together over the years as background singers from time to time, but really not that often, so we had no idea [that it would work],” Sarah Lee says. “It’s organic. We’re playing music for the sake of playing music and trying not to take it too seriously. For us to lighten up in that way is new and extremely satisfying.”

Adds Cathy, “Singing together enhances the experience of supporting one another in our hearts and voices in the way we want to present ourselves to the world. It’s just fun, Saturday night music.”

The Guthrie Girls play Friday, May 20, 8pm. Michael’s on Main, 2591 S. Main St., Soquel. $25 plus fees. folkyeah.com.

The Unusual Roots of AJ Lee’s Music Career

On “Grass Valley,” from her new album Crooked Tree, rising Nashville star Molly Tuttle sings about the NorCal bluegrass festivals that her father—renowned bluegrass instructor Jack Tuttle—took her to when she was growing up in Palo Alto. The song is named after the city that is home to many of those festivals, including the California Bluegrass Association’s annual four-day Father’s Day Festival.

“Deadheads and tie-dye array/Dog music devotees/Like nothing I had ever heard or seen,” sings Tuttle.

One person who can relate to Tuttle’s moving tribute is Santa Cruz musician AJ Lee.

“A lot of the friends I know now, like a lot of the people I hang out with, we’ve all gone to the same bluegrass festivals,” says Lee. “Most of us grew up going to those same bluegrass festivals.”

But the connection doesn’t end there, because those festivals have created a kind of network for bluegrass players and aficionados. And through that network, Lee not only met Jack Tuttle, but also impressed him enough to wind up playing alongside Molly Tuttle in the family’s band in the late 2000s. In the somewhat awkward position of having a family band with one non-family member, Jack called it the Tuttles with AJ Lee.

“Jack Tuttle being a music teacher, my parents got in touch with him to see if he had any openings for me—just, you know, the parents connecting,” says Lee.

Lee was eight or nine when she joined the family band, and the Tuttle kids—including Molly and her brothers Michael and Sullivan—were in their preteens and teens. When I tell Lee there is a future documentary to be made about the sheer amount of Americana talent that came out of this one young band, the members of which have racked up an incredible number of awards for their musicianship and songwriting talent over the years, she sounds a bit skeptical, but open to the idea.

“I mean, that’d be cool,” she says.

All of the group’s members moved on in the mid-2010s, but the bonds between them remained. Molly, for instance, played on Lee’s debut solo album in 2015, while Sullivan joined Lee’s current band, AJ Lee and Blue Summit.

Along with covers and some of Jack’s tunes, the Tuttles with AJ Lee played Molly’s first original songs, so few people are as qualified to chart her songwriting growth as Lee. She’s not surprised to see how Tuttle’s career has taken off.

“It was really cool seeing the progression of her songwriting,” says Lee. “But, I mean, even from the first songs that we did in the Tuttles with AJ Lee, they were fantastic songs.”

Molly, meanwhile, told me in a recent interview that she has loved seeing Lee’s solo success, as well.

“I just loved harmonizing with her,” says Molly of performing with Lee. “She was just so talented from such an early age. She was a singing prodigy. That’s how I learned to sing harmony.”

Now on different ends of the country, they see each other when they can, but their solo careers keep them busy. “Every time I see Molly, and we sing together again, it’s just sort of like back in the old days, and it just feels so natural,” says Lee. “Even though we aren’t on the same projects anymore, it just feels so nice being able to have that history.”

AJ Lee is on tour now with Blue Summit in support of their latest album, “I’ll Come Back.” The tour comes to Moe’s Alley on Friday, May 13. The Po’ Rambling Boys open the show at 9pm. Tickets for the 21+ show are $20/$25. moesalley.com.

Letter to the Editor: Listen More Deeply

The tone and tenor of the recent council meeting related to the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance (OVO) reflected deep divisions in our community. However, I believe—after speaking with many voters now, and serving on the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness (CACH)—many people (housed and unhoused) do care deeply about those who struggle just finding a place to sleep. Homeless advocates are also not all blind to scary and dangerous behaviors on the part of some who are unhoused. (They are just mindful that fully housed people do terrible things too! Crime is not a special feature of this demographic. And so many of the unhoused are kind, creative and wonderful, for the record.) 

We simply cannot move forward as a city or county on homelessness without incorporating homelessness advocate concerns and best practices in all we do. As a former member of the CACH, I am dismayed by the council’s decision to overrule many of the Planning Commissions revisions to the OVO. 

It has been stated at least twice now by council members, including recent letter writer—and my supervisorial campaign opponent (District 3 Supervisor)—Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, that the OVO somehow is a “recommendation of the CACH.” The CACH never voted to place further penalties on the unhoused—neither through an OVO, nor a camping ordinance. We did not, as a group, feel these to be helpful, practicable, nor even legal. This should be clear to the community.

The decision to “attach” the OVO to safe parking sites, sanitation and wastewater dumping services was a decision of the OVO proponents on the current council. These things do not need to be coupled.

I have heard through conversations with some Westside Neighbors members and others that the feeling is that the community would be more amenable to support safe sleeping sites if ordinances were also passed.

This may be true, and one strategy, but we come down to the chicken and the egg: Which should come first? Current safe parking sites are not even located on the Westside. I appreciate the council’s and city’s work on safe parking, but it is unfair to deny moving forward on the city’s “tiers” until an OVO is passed. And here we are, once again in a quandary—with housed residents of the Westside and homeless advocates seemingly pitted against one another. 

So, how to proceed so that no one is dehumanized and also young children are not pulled off their bikes riding home from school by desperate looking strangers? I do not believe the city can nor should move ahead without advocate support. Blaming, attacking and tribalism are not going to help.

If we all care, we must dialogue with those who may be our perceived “enemies.” New forms of meeting and dialogue—beyond two minutes at the mic at City Hall—were what I recommended from the CACH for just this reason, and what I promise to pursue as a county supervisor.

Assumptions and accusations have come from everywhere. This comes from fear. Ninety-seven people died in our streets last year. This is why advocates—who spend their days working directly with the unhoused, and know them as fully human—become upset. On the other hand, parents fear for their children and some neighborhoods are overburdened.

We are going to have to listen more deeply to each other and make goodwill concessions, or both the housed and unhoused will continue to suffer.

Ami Chen Mills | Santa Cruz


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