Awards for the lesser-known wonders of the Santa Cruz arts scene.
Best Alternative Literary Scene
A New Cadence Poetry Series
Poetry Santa Cruz’s monthly readings at Bookshop SC and Capitola Book Café are the most prestigious venues for verse we have, but for more offbeat and unpredictable literary fare, A New Cadence series—hosted by James Maughn and usually held at the always interesting Felix Kulpa Gallery—is tough to beat. Like the PSC series, New Cadence sometimes mixes visiting with resident poets, but often one or two or a whole gang of exotic bards blows into town for an edgier evening of flying language and verbal subversion. (SK)
http://anewcadence.blogspot.com/
Best Art Gallery With An Ocean View
Davenport Gallery
Started a few years ago by artist/entrepreneur Roger Knapp, the well-placed Davenport Gallery regularly hosts eclectic shows loaded with choice artistic eye candy. Ever-changing exhibits feature an all-star array of the top local artists, from veterans like Ray Gwyn Smith, Mattie Leeds, Laurie Zeszut and Frank Galuszka to emerging stars like Andrew Purchin, Susana Arias and Ea Eckerman. It’s always a pleasure touring the gallery with manager/bronze sculptor Steve Rudzinski—but that’s not all! Across the street is a view many have crossed the globe to see: endless expanses of blue Pacific embraced by rugged cliffs and gnarled cypresses. Soothing and stimulating, it’s a thrill every single time. Open Wednesday through Sunday. (CW)
450 Hwy 1, Davenport. 831.426.1199
Best Six-Hour Block of Programming
Sunday Night on KUSP
The Fine 89 delivers quality local programming all week long, from Genial Johnny Simmons’ weather and traffic reports every morning to jazz guru Larry Blood’s show Tuesday nights to the 7th Avenue Project with Robert Pollie Sunday at noon. But on Sunday night, KUSP broadcasts five extra-fine programs in a row. It kicks off with Rick Kleffel’s Agony Column, a first-rate take on contemporary literature (especially sci-fi and fantasy) featuring his excellent author interviews. Next comes Talk of the Bay, which rotates hosts and is especially interesting when Kleffel is again at the mic. The Sound of Young America, hosted by Jesse Thorn (“America’s Radio Sweetheart”) is always a delight, and we count it as local even though Thorn, a former Santa Cruzan, has moved to LA. The Poetry Show, usually hosted by the charming Dennis Morton, is pure Santa Cruz and always worth listening to. And Howard Feldstein caps off the evening with Giant Steps, one of KUSP’s terrific every-night jazz shows. Click & Clack—meh. This is what public radio is all about.
KUSP, 88.9-FM
Best New Music for Beginners
Cabrillo Music Festival Open Rehearsals
Contemporary classical music being what critics call “challenging,” or what you and I would call “dissonant,” not everyone’s ready to pony up the price of a ticket just to try it out. For the curious and the impecunious, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music’s free open rehearsals offer the chance to sample cutting-edge classical music without risk. And for aficionados, it’s an irresistible glimpse into the inner workings of one of the year’s most exciting cultural events. (TH)
July 31-Aug. 14, 2011. http://www.cabrillomusic.org
Best Outdoor Art Fair
Year-end Open Studio at UCSC
So energy-packed it could charge batteries, this year-end art extravaganza showcases ingenious, inventive, illuminating and just plain off-the-wall visual, digital, sculptural and graphic experiments by the university’s vibrant population of art students. Pick up high-quality, low-cost lithographs and etchings or just feast on the expressive efforts by very excitable young artists, many on the verge of stardom, all on the edge of whatever trend is hottest. More fun than YouTube and just as immediate. (CW)
June 3, noon-5pm. Baskin Visual Arts Center, UCSC.
Best Place to Find Undiscovered Artists
Caffe Pergolesi
Dr. Miller’s vintage Victorian is not only home to some deep caffeine encounters, it also hosts within its many labyrinthean nooks and hallways an ever-changing exhibition of determined and provocative artwork by confident local artistes. You can sit outside and look like the second coming of Andy Warhol, or you can comb the corridors checking out earnest and surprisingly expert drawings, paintings and photographs by people who either don’t know any better or have decided to live their bohemian dreams just to spite their parents. Your call. Always an eyeful. (CW)
418 Cedar St, Santa Cruz. 831.426.1775
Best Place for Free Graphic Novels
The Public Library
Though they’re dismissed by some as remnants of a bygone era, this wordslinger considers our public libraries to be one of our community’s most valuable resources. And in addition to the usual informational, cultural and pleasure-reading fare, our local libraries—the downtown branch in particular—house quite decent graphic novel collections. From The Watchmen and Persepolis to Funhouse, Maus, the DC and Marvel regulars and a pretty solid Manga selection, the library is an irreplaceable resource for fans and appreciators of comic book culture. (CJ)
Various locations throughout Santa Cruz County—for now.
Best Singing and Dancing
Cabrillo Stage
Year after year, Santa Cruz County’s professional musical theater company mounts one barn-burner of a production after another, marshalling casts of singing-acting-dancing triple threats onto elaborately constructed and beautifully lighted sets to tell stories the old-fashioned way: by entertaining the daylights out of the audience. Regular performing and directing talents like Trevor Little, Andrew Ceglio, Ariel Buck and too many others to list here keep the houses sold out and fans coming back for more. (TH)
June 24-Aug. 14, Dec. 16-30. http://www.cabrillostage.org
—Paul M. Davis, Maria Grusauskas, Stett Holbrook, Traci Hukill, Cat Johnson, Eric Johnson, Stephen Kessler, Tessa Stuart, Christina Waters, Maya Weeks
