Los Gatos Music & Arts’ Archives

Collectivity is a jazz/funk, psychedelic soul band originally formed in Shanghai, China and now based in the SF Bay Area. We’re talking about blistering energy and genre blending from an ensemble of world class musicians with a focus on exploration through collective improvisation. Upbeat grooves, soulful guitar work and tight arrangements are things to expect from a collectivity show. They draw on influences from jazz/funk, gospel and psychedelic soul.

Website: Collectivity

Brooke and Emil play classics to modern hits in an intimate, acoustic setting. They cover a wide repertoire of songs from many genres, seamlessly weaving through rock, country, r&b, blues, 80’s rock and new wave, modern hits, and much more.

Website: Brooke & Emil

“I grew up listening to groups like The Temptations, The Miracles, and Curtis Mayfield,” says Lindsay, a longtime resident of San Mateo. “Donny Hathaway was my number one favorite, but there was Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, Joe Williams and Teddy Pendergrass, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan too. I took a little piece of all of those people and created my own sound.” Which is exactly how the last night of jazz “OFF” the plazz will sound. An evening of Tony Lindsay crooning us with all the classics that bring us happiness, comfort, and warmth, in his own way. As a favorite artist from this area, it will be a very special finale for a first-time-ever virtual concert series produced by Los Gatos Music & Arts. Joining him will be Janice Maxie-Reed on piano & vocals and Deszon Claiborne on drums.

Website: Tony Lindsay

Russian by birth – American by music: Svetlana is a New York-based acclaimed chart-topping vocalist, composer, band leader, educator, and a Manhattan School of Music MA and Columbia PhD graduate. She is a Finalist of the Paul Carr’s 2019 Discovery Act Competition, finalist of the American Music Abroad program, and an alternate of the 2019 & 20 American traditions vocal competitions.

Website: Svetlana

Ben Flocks, a Santa Cruz, CA born saxophonist and educator, has been captivating audiences all around the globe with his soulful sound. He is joining us from New York this week to bring us a sax solo performance. Ben is a current member of the smash-hit ensemble Sammy Miller and the Congregation.

Website: Ben Flocks

Ren Geisick is a jazz singer turned singer/songwriter from Silicon Valley, California. Borrowing elements of jazz, blues, and country, Ren delivers heartfelt performances of original music and reimagined classics. Never one to remain confined by a single genre, Ren flows seamlessly from a carefree country shuffle to an introspective ballad. What remains consistent throughout is her intimate lyrical delivery and vibrant energy. 

Website: Ren Geisick

Evelyn and her Vintage Ties plays upbeat, authentic vintage jazz, influenced by musicians from the 1920’s and 1930’s such as Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Charlie Christian and Ella Fitzgerald.

To follow or learn more about Evelyn & Her Vintage Ties, please go to their website: Evelyn and her Vintage Ties

Don Olivet and friends have been long-time guests on the “jazz on the plazz” stage over the years, and we are blessed to have them join us during this online concert series.

Find Don Olivet on Facebook to stay up to date with his quartet and other works!

Saxophonist Kristen Strom has been a mainstay on the Bay Area music scene for nearly two decades, acclaimed for beautifully rendered melodies, exceptional tonality, and accomplished musicianship. Strom has played alongside many well-known artists, including Manhattan Transfer, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Steve Turre, Pamela Rose, and Jon Faddis.

Website: Kristen Strom

Two members of the famous Jeff Goldblum Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, as well as musical directors for Spencer Day, a jazz on the plazz alum, will share an evening of classic standards and arrangements from their work together as front men on LA’s jazz scene. Sharing road stories as well as a unique program of show tunes and straight-ahead jazz, Alex and John are bringing a fun-filled evening of music to the jazz “OFF” the plazz audience in this special live-streamed event from Los Angeles!

Website: John Storie and Alex Frank

Sara Niemietz is a Chicago born, singer/songwriter and actress, now based in Los Angeles, California. Following a childhood career in television, film, and theatre, which included a leading role on Broadway, Niemietz teamed with Emmy award winning composer W. G. Snuffy Walden. The pair write original music and perform cover-songs for her YouTube channel and record catalog. Although fans around the world recognize her as an interpreter of popular songs,
this girl with the silky, smoky voice has much more to offer. Her new album “twentytwenty” is revealing her jazzy, bluesy and unique view of things through her writing and performance, giving us a whole new experience. Sara can be frequently found in her natural habitat: live
shows, but since we all can’t be at a live show right now, she is doing the next best thing, a streaming show with jazz “OFF” the plazz and Snuffy.

Website: Sara Niemietz and Snuffy Walden

Skyline Hot Club is a band formed by Kevan Smedt and Jason Bellenkes based on their mutual love of swing music and the music of Django Reinhardt. The band, including Nelsen Hutchison and Danny Gerz, play a wide variety of music from the jazz era, creative arrangements of pop music favorites, and some modern jazz songs. For the live streaming concert, Stella Heath will be joining the quartet, who hails from the North Bay and nails the sounds of Billie Holiday with her “Billie Holiday Project”. Combining the sounds of Django with Billie Holiday, they are sure to provide a fresh sound to jazz “OFF” the plazz streaming series.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/skylinehotclub

An L.A. native, Tiffany Austin’s refreshing approach to the jazz tradition blends elements of R&B, hip-hop, and the blues in equal measure, creating a fresh and invigorating hybrid that stirs the soul and moves the body. Austin, is one of the fastest rising jazz stars in Northern, California and has graced our jazz on the plazz stage for a few years, we are thrilled to have her on our summer concert streaming series.

Website: Tiffany Austin

Los Gatos Music & Arts is excited to have John Proulx, for the second to the last show of our summer streaming series. He has headlined jazz on the plazz summer concert series multiple times and we are blessed to have him. A jazz pianist and vocalist, John’s piano playing is hot and swinging, with vocal sounds that are smooth and mellow, we are assured you will hear some sweet jazzy music through your screen.

Website: John Proulx

TONY LINDSAY with Janice Maxie-Reed & Deszon Clairborne (GRANT FINALE of SERIES)

“I grew up listening to groups like The Temptations, The Miracles, and Curtis Mayfield,” says Lindsay, a longtime resident of San Mateo. “Donny Hathaway was my number one favorite, but there was Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, Joe Williams and Teddy Pendergrass, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan too. I took a little piece of all of those people and created my own sound.” Which is exactly how the last night of jazz “OFF” the plazz will sound. An evening of Tony Lindsay crooning us with all the classics that bring us happiness, comfort, and warmth, in his own way. As a favorite artist from this area, it will be a very special finale for a first-time-ever virtual concert series produced by Los Gatos Music & Arts. Joining him will be Janice Maxie-Reed on piano & vocals and Deszon Claiborne on drums.

Website: Tony Lindsay