music projects of
Justine Lucas
JUSTINE LUCAS
& the ferns
Folky Originals with an Acoustic Band
This band is an acoustic-electric ensemble of rotating musicians based out of the Bay Area in California. Traditionally the band consists of fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, piano, bass, and drums. However, depending on the show, you may also hear clarinet, lap steel guitar, accordion, or a variety of other world music instruments accompanying original songs by Justine Lucas. With roots in Americana, Bluegrass, Folk, and Gypsy Jazz, Justine's live show is eclectic and intriguing. Her profound and prolific songwriting lends itself to a stage show full of fictional stories, mythic legends, poetic concepts, and real-life anecdotes.
You'll cry, you'll laugh, you'll fall in love with life.
MADAME Z'S CABARET
Big Band Jazz & Swing Originals
with a 9-Piece Ensemble & Dancers
Madame Z's Cabaret is a live show full of theatrical music numbers of original music by jazz vocalist & songwriter Justine Lucas (Madame Z) and guitarist & composer Jonah Udall. The two mad composers met at a camping trip among friends. They played an improvisational and unique version of "Summertime" around the campfire, and the rest was history. These two music-power-houses collaborate with a loose sense on reality and fantastical furry that makes their music and live show feel larger than life. With influences like Edith Piaf, Louis Prima, Count Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald, these songs tug right at your heart strings while the live dancers and horn players create a manage of entertainment on stage.
ÆDEQUATE ÆVILS
Acoustic World Music Duo
Adequate Evils is an eclectic band that specializes in music from the British Isles, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe. With traditional Celtic songs from Wales, Cornwall, Scotland, and the Isle of Mann; as well as tunes and songs from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Turkey, Serbia, and Romania. Their dynamic voices, tight vocal harmonies, and unique instrumental arrangements makes Adequate Evils a band to remember.
two drifters
Lullaby Duo
Also known as "the lullaby band", Justine Lucas & Jordan Finlay's voices are a perfect mirror of each other in tone and texture. Their tight harmonies, dynamic vocal ranges, and soft musical finesse makes this band a must-see. Their choice in classic songs in combination with their poetic originals creates a show reminiscent of a nostalgic dream.
Jordan & Justine met in Utah while Justine was on tour. They started singing together on their second day, and recorded their first album "The Cottonwood Sessions" within the first 2 weeks of meeting. Having traveled around the US and West Coast, and never lived in the same place, this band only reunites for coastal tours and special events -- hence their name Two Drifters, which was taken from a line in the song "Moon River" from the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany's -- the first song they ever sang together in harmony.
SUNDOWN SPARROW
Americana & Old Timey Trio
This Americana acoustic trio blends triple harmonies with sweet and savory instrumental solos between fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin. Hallie Richards, Lee Corbie-Wells, and Justine Lucas bring their love of folk music and dark sense of humor to the stage for a show that is unforgettable.
ici
Dream-Rock Duo
Whatever your dreams look like, that's what this music sounds like. Justine Lucas & Mathew Harmon have been playing music and making visual art together since they met at an art gallery walk in 2005, where they both showed up with 35mm film cameras around their necks and became instant friends. Their love of surrealist art, fantasy fiction, absurdist theatre, and children's book illustration plays into the music and art they create. Sound influences are The Flaming Lips, Pixies, Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, and Sufjan Stevens. These two extraordinary songwriters combine lyrical storytelling with vivid poetry and lilting melodies to portray a fantastical world that they've created in their minds -- where dinosaurs still walk the earth, and deserts seamlessly melt into jungles and oceans.
Note: All current recordings are at least 15 years old and recorded at home on low-fi gear! So please listen with a grain of salt.
bouche grandé
Gypsy Jazz & Swing Quartet
This band of revolving players is based out of Santa Cruz where the band leaders, Megan Harenburg & Justine Lucas, met when they both showed up to the local café with their instruments to practice jazz independently, and decided to play together instead. They shared a repertoire of gypsy jazz tunes and old American jazz from the 1920's-1960's on ukulele and fiddle and decided to start a band with other local talented musicians. Originally known as Ring Ring Jazz Band, Bouche Grandé has played several street festivals & events around the Santa Cruz area.
