LIVE MUSIC + SCHEDULE

Hot and Cool Sounds
at Menlo Park Festival

KFOX Hosts Classic Rock Stage

David Martin's House Party OTR

The hot and cool sounds of classic rock and roll, rhythm and blues, contemporary jazz, popular Motown hits, old school funk, swingin’ surf rock, and dance-til-you-drop party tunes will turn Menlo Park into the Bay Area’s entertainment hot spot for a weekend with nine dynamite bands performing on stage and street at Connoisseurs’ Marketplace, Menlo Park’s annual festival of the arts celebrating its 26th anniversary, July 21-22. Shady, tree-lined Fremont Park will host the main stage with tons of great seating and easy access to food and drink. It’s a non-stop musical extravaganza all weekend long. And you can’t beat the price … it’s free.

David Martin’s House Party gets down like it’s nobody’s business. You can count on this phenomenally talented band to turn the streets of Menlo Park into one giant, pulsating dance floor for the free Saturday After-Hours Concert, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm in Fremont Park. This super-popular, high energy dance band features nine outstanding musicians, proprietary character dancers, a set list of more than 500 songs, and enough costumes and charisma to get any party pumping. Band leader David Martin is not only a talented guitarist, vocalist and lyricist, but also a world-class showman. With years of film, television and theatrical acting, he is the master of improvisation, spontaneously tailoring song lyrics for his audiences and delivering a fresh show to every performance.

In a new twist, the Bay Area’s legendary classic rock station, KFOX 98.5 FM/102.1 FM, hosts the Classic Rock Stage on Sunday. One of the station’s popular deejays—Greg Kihn, Tim Jeffreys, Big Rick Stuart or Laurie Roberts—will make a surprise guest appearance to host the stage. The lineup for Sunday’s KFOX Classic Rock Stage will knock your socks off with OTR and Wally’s Cocktail Combo on the afternoon bill.

Wally's Cocktail Combo The Brian Ho Trio

OTR covers the best of classic rock n’ roll and R&B from every decade, with music from the Beatles, Santana, the Doobie Brothers, Chicago, and other rock n’ roll greats. Voted the Best Cover Band in the 2009 KFOX 98.5 Last Band Standing competition and one of the top three finalists in the 2010 competition, OTR continues to add new material, carrying on the style of classic rock n' roll and R&B with their own unique interpretation.

Wally's Cocktail Combo features the smooth vocals and guitar of band leader Wally Trindade, backed by upright bass, drums, piano and sax. This Santa Cruz band delivers a solid repertoire of cool "Rat Pack" swing, while branching out musically into 50s rockabilly and jump swing, guitar twang 60s surf rock, neo ultra lounge, Latin jazz, samba and salsa. The incomparable Brian Ho delivers unique jazz compositions on the legendary Hammond Organ, where he solos and comps with his right hand while his left hand and feel play organ bass in the style of his idols, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Shirley Scott, and Jimmy Smith. Backed by drums and guitar, The Brian Ho Trio will be performing originals from their latest album, Organic, along with material that expands on traditional jazz by adding elements of funk, blues, Latin, and soul. Talented, professional, sophisticated, original — these are just some of the words used to describe the SF Bay Jazz. This group of experienced Bay Area jazz musicians plays all styles of jazz, from swing to bop, Latin to contemporary and even some jazzy pop tunes. SF Bay Jazz is built around a dynamic rhythm section of piano, bass and drums to which soloing instruments are added to provide a unique American Jazz sound.

Beyond the main stage, enjoy the sounds of street musicians throughout downtown. New age pianist and recording artist Jeffrey Michael describes his music as "Cinematic Piano," reminiscent of a romantic movie score. His melodies are inspiring, powerful, and enchanting and will create musical portraits in your mind. Take a musical journey to old Italy with Heartstrings Music, featuring Al Fabrizio on mandolin and Hugo Wainzinger on guitar. The pair plays romantic, easy listening, Italian melodies including tarantellas, polkas and traditional ethnic heartfelt ballads. Bob Culbertson is one of the original pioneers of the Chapman Stick, a guitar-like stringed instrument designed to be tapped, not strummed or plucked. Called, "The Segovia of the Stick" by the instrument’s maker, Emmit Chapman, Culbertson is a virtuoso, delivering the sound of the Stick in its purest form and an exhilarating listening experience.

Jeffrey Michael

HeartStrings Music

Bob Culbertson