Always a joy! Not singing this time — I’m “just” playing the solo for “Something” (!!!!! — What? Yeah! One of my favorite guitar solos of all time! So much feel!!)
Nearly 50 of LA’s finest musicians will take the stage to celebrate The Beatles’ timeless catalog! Join us — sing along to your favorites, discover deep cuts, and soak in the magic. As always, they’ll kick things off with an acoustic opener to set the tone.
FAR-West Conference Schedule
Thursday Night, October 9
Mother Hen Promotions / Two Blue Roses private showcase 11-11:55pm — 4 Songwriters in the Round
Everybody Sings —12:20-12:40am
Friday, October 10
My Presentation, Songs Between Us — 2-3:30pm
Official Showcase accompanying Zoe FitzGerald Carter — 9pm
“Chase Rainbows, Not Dustbunnies” — 10:30-11:30, one hour in the round with Milo Binder and Claudia Russell + Bruce Kaplan.
Songs Between Us is a 60-90 minute interactive workshop exploring ways to ignite songwriting in people of all ages, backgrounds and musical experience levels. Drawing on my work with youth, seniors, and multicultural communities, our core exercise combines visual prompts, storytelling, and music-making to spark creativity. Inspired by Colum McCann’s Narrative 4 and my own Merging Pictures workshops, participants will exchange and reimagine personal stories — using photographs and sensory details as entry points — then they’ll transform these fragments into building blocks for songs.
Additionally, we’ll explore inclusive approaches that guide groups toward songwriting, whether they’re beginners or seasoned artists. These include circle singing, line pattern techniques, and methods for building empathy, drawing out sensory language, and fostering trust through group dynamics. Attendees will leave with a new songwriting exercise and a practical toolkit for teaching, facilitation, or personal creative practice.
We’re back at Archetype on July 12 with Kēhau Kahananui and Alison Lewis. I’ll be accompanying both before doing my own set. It’ll be quite an eclectic evening with Kēhau bringing traditional Hawaiian songs and Alison bringing her beautiful arrangements of classics and a few originals (maybe even some of my songs)! Some of you might know my connection to Hawaii — and my love of a well-written song! — so you can imagine that I’m really excited for this evening! (And thanks to Cary Baker for the pic of me above from the Nilsson show last week).
Here are some snippets from their bios:
Kēhau Kahananui is an accomplished Hawaiian singer, drummer, chanter, and hula dancer.
Having grown up listening and practicing to a wealth of Hawaiian music through her father, she
was influenced by Hawaiian vocal icon Auntie Genoa Keawe and local legend Auntie Moana
Chang. She has taught at hula workshops and performed in California, Hawai`i, México, and
England. Having learned her first hulas as a child from her aunties, she has continued her studies
throughout the years. Singing and dancing hula standards remains a joyful expression of her
cultural heritage.
Additionally, Kēhau, is an experienced and vivacious singer, well-versed in blues, soul, and
rock. She is skilled both as a lead and background singer. She landed her first background gigs as a
teenager and has been gigging ever since. Audiences enthusiastically receive her and are bound to
get out of their seats and dance.
Alison Lewis was described by Cabaret Scenes as, “a singer with a hauntingly beautiful voice who transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary with brilliant arrangements and vocal experimentation.” No stranger to stages large and small, Alison has performed as a soloist at venues ranging from Disney Concert Hall to Lincoln Center. She has performed/toured with world music a cappella groups, major cover bands, R&B acts, as well as gospel and classical ensembles at high profile events throughout California. She has also shared the stage with such notables as Michael Franti, Peter Yarrow, and Patti Austin. She has additionally performed the national anthem for the LA Lakers, the Clippers, the 49ers and the Golden State Warriors.
Her debut solo album, Seven, received much national and international acclaim, as well reached the top 40 of both the CMJ and RMR charts. Here are just some of the things reviewers across the globe had to say:
” Seven is a tour-de-force, varied in styles of jazz, what is best about today’s jazz vocal offerings, but taken to task by a highly qualified and potent vocalist. One I hope to hear for years to come. Well done, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.”
“A really wonderful first outing from a talent that will have your attention from start to finish”
“… a true vocal talent that you will only encounter once or twice in your lifetime”
“Seven is in a world of its own”
”…seeing songs like Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” in a new light, a way that makes the songs seem even more brilliant than their original version.”
Second Saturdays Jazz Night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends
Saturday, July 12, 2025
7:30 Doors,
8pm Showtime, runs until 10:30
Performing:
Kēhau Kahananui
Alison Lewis
Jason Luckett
Hosted by Jason Luckett
Suggested donation: $25 at the door or online
Venmo: @jasonluckett (venmo.com/jasonluckett)
PayPal.me/jasonluckett
Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3FMPOZo
Archetype Yoga
638 E. Colorado Blvd. Ste. 301
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-345-5676
Please RSVP to coordinate accessibility options. Elevator is in the back so we’ll need to meet you there.
In Playhouse Village in the heart of Pasadena, just around the corner from the Playhouse, plenty of parking on Colorado or in the city lot behind Urth Cafe.
Enter through the front, we’re on the third floor. Let us know if you need an elevator and will let you in the back through the alley. 626-345-5676
IG: @secondsaturdaysjazznight @jasonluckett @archetypeyoga
Thanks to Cary Baker for the photo of me!
We’ll be celebrating another Harry Nilsson birthday at Molly Malone’s! This time I’m covering “Open Your Window” from the Harry album, a song that was also covered by Ella Fitzgerald as well as the 5th Dimension! That’s what I love about Harry, his songs are so musical that everyone wants to do them! This is the 10th annual show put together by my friend Todd Lawrence! In the past I’ve sung “Wailing of the Willow,” “Together,” “One,” “Remember (Christmas),” “Nevertheless”, “Perfect Day,” and the big one, “Without You.” Maybe I should do a cover album!?
I’ll be singing “Michelle” and playing lead guitar on “Till There Was You” as part of the June Beatle Jam celebration of Paul McCartney at Hotel Cafe. There’ll be a collection of 40 musicians doing songs from the early Beatles through Paul’s solo career to celebrate his birthday. Show starts at 7.
A pre-Juneteenth celebration! I open and close the hourlong program of songs, poetry and storytelling.
I’m happy to be back in Santa Monica for Mother’s Day for the last Library Girl in the original Ruskin Theater at the historic Santa Monica Airport. I’ll play a couple original mom oriented songs! 🙂 Buy Tickets
Library Girl Presents: Portrait of the Artist’s Mother – on Mother’s Day Night, MAY 11th, 7 PM. Show #180! Featuring readings by: Rick Bursky, Jane Cantillon, Melanie Chartoff, Melissa Greenwood, Stevie Kalinich, Shivani Mehta, Cynthia Adam Prochaska, and Kelly Shire. Featuring music by Jason Luckett. For tickets, [click here] or go to ruskingrouptheatre.com – Click SHOWS in top right. Look for Library Girl icon. This is the LAST LIBRARY GIRL in ORIGINAL RUSKIN THEATRE BEFORE MOVING TO NEW (INTERIM) RUSKIN SPACE.
May 10th, we’ll be back with Casey Lipka, and The Eldermen!
Casey is a consistently fascinating artist who works with sublime presence whether as a bassist or vocalist in a number of different formats. We had her with us at Lyd & Mo’s in 2024 singing with Tres Acústicos, then she accompanied me on bass for a tune. I think she’s wonderful and am excited to hear what she has in store for us this month in her duo show with a violinist!
The Elderman are a group that I believe originated from Raspin Stuwart’s nights at Lyd & Mo’s back in 2022. Raspin is the one who booked me there (at the suggestion of the dear Anne Dixon) which started this whole journey of curating and playing monthly for me! I’m excited to hear what he does in a purely democratic group setting with equally excellent songwriters Kim Margolis and Robin Hild.
The format in the new venue, is the same as it’s been for the past two years, I’ll usually bring up my guests for their sets, then close the night with a set of my own. But it’s unpredictable. We switch things up and often collaborate. We want you to stay for the full 2 1/2 hour evening.
One thing to look out for is that we’re on the third floor there, so if you need the elevator, please let me know. It’s in the back and one of the staff will have to let you in. I’m sure this will all get down to a science as we develop, but bear with us as we get everything going. Street parking is available, or there are lots behind Urth Cafe and next to Basecamp Fitness (across the street from the Pasadena Playhouse).
Second Saturdays Jazz Night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends
Saturday, May 10, 2025
7:30 Doors,
8pm Showtime, runs until 10:30
Performing:
Casey Lipka
The Eldermen
Jason Luckett
Hosted by Jason Luckett
Suggested donation: $25 at the door or online
Venmo: @jasonluckett (venmo.com/jasonluckett)
PayPal.me/jasonluckett
Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3FMPOZo
Archetype Yoga
638 E. Colorado Blvd. Ste. 301
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-345-5676
In Playhouse Village in the heart of Pasadena, just around the corner from the Playhouse, plenty of parking on Colorado or in the city lot behind Urth Cafe.
Enter through the front, we’re on the third floor. Let us know if you need an elevator and will let you in the back through the alley. 626-345-5676
IG: @secondsaturdaysjazznight @jasonluckett @archetypeyoga
Gary Stockdale and Emily Zuzik will join us on April 12 for our third show of the year in our new location! RSVP on Facebook. Advance tickets on Eventbrite or Venmo. $25 suggested donation.
Gary and I met, I think, doing a show called Sit’n’Spin at the Hudson Theater years ago. I loved that series, kind of a live This American Life or The Moth that featured mostly comedy writers, reading pieces, eliciting laughs and tears. Gary often did the music and for my first visit, I actually read one of my essays.
Gary has a new one man show, Showstopper, that’s playing at The Whitefire Theater throughout April, so we’re really lucky to have him join us again. His writing reminds me of a mix of Henry Mancini and Randy Newman, with a touch of Tom Lehrer.
Despite having many people in common, I just met Emily Zuzik in Cambria at the Sam Cooke tribute and happily got to play along with her. She’s got a new EP, age + alchemy, coming out May 2. It’s a brilliantly tough roots rock record, from what I’ve enjoyed so far. But on the 12th, she’ll be exploring some standards and jazz oriented originals. I’ll be playing with her, too.
The format in the new venue, is the same as it’s been for the past two years, I’ll usually bring up my guests for their sets, then close the night with a set of my own. But it’s unpredictable. We switch things up and often collaborate. We want you to stay for the full 2 1/2 hour evening.
One thing to look out for is that we’re on the third floor there, so if you need the elevator, please let me know. It’s in the back and one of the staff will have to let you in. I’m sure this will all get down to a science as we develop, but bear with us as we get everything going. Street parking is available, or there are lots behind Urth Cafe and next to Basecamp Fitness (across the street from the Pasadena Playhouse).
Second Saturdays Jazz Night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends
Saturday, March 8, 2025
7:30 Doors,
8pm Showtime, runs until 10:30
Performing:
Gary Stockdale
Emily Zuzik
Jason Luckett
Hosted by Jason Luckett
Suggested donation: $25 at the door or online
Venmo: @jasonluckett (venmo.com/jasonluckett)
PayPal.me/jasonluckett
Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3FMPOZo
(100% goes to the musicians).
Archetype Yoga
638 E. Colorado Blvd. Ste. 301
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-345-5676
In Playhouse Village in the heart of Pasadena, just around the corner from the Playhouse, plenty of parking on Colorado or in the city lot behind Urth Cafe.
Enter through the front, we’re on the third floor. Let us know if you need an elevator and will let you in the back through the alley. 626-345-5676
IG: @firstfridaysjazznight @jasonluckett @archetypeyoga
I’ll be joining this amazing group of artists in this great community theater center for a song or two to benefit those affected by the Eaton Fire. BUY TICKETS
