Sun and Sounds at the Scottsdale Civic Center
Free Sunday concerts return in 2023 to the newly renovated outdoor spaces at Scottsdale Civic Center in Old Town Scottsdale! Experience the best local music in a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere, surrounded by unique artist vendors, hot food off the grill, cold drinks at the bar, and plenty of good company. Bring your pup and lawn chair for some fun in the sun!
March 5th, 2023
Remi Goode & Gabe Lehrer — noon to 1:30pm: Remi Goode has collaborated and performed with Gabe Lehrer since they were 13. They are both singer-songwriters and guitarists, working as guest artists on each other’s albums and releasing music together. Goode and Lehrer perform folk and pop covers in addition to their originals, utilizing acoustic guitar and their similar vocal ranges to create close vocal harmonies and a uniquely connected sound. Both artists are in the process of recording solo albums.
Hot House Orchids — 2 to 4pm: The blend of talent that formed the Hot House Orchids has its roots in one of downtown Phoenix’s most iconic haunts, the original Welcome Diner at 10th Street and Roosevelt. It was here, at an after-hours Thanksgiving night jam, organized by the diner’s founder Michael Babcock, that three of the four band members made music together for the first time. Fusing elements of rock, soul, and pop, the band’s songs transcend musical mores to create a style all its own. Their self-titled album is available at all online music stores and streaming platforms.
March 12th, 2023
Tatiana Crespo — noon to 1:30pm: Tatiana Crespo is a Costa Rican singer-songwriter living in Phoenix. Her music is a rich medley of Latin styles, blending and blurring the lines between Cumbia, reggaeton, waltzes, bossa nova, and more. Through her bilingual interpretations and fun, cross-cultural stage banter, she never loses the spontaneity of a tropical bird in our arid desert. Having recently returned from a visit to her homeland, she is eager to share her fresh new songs full of loving, healing energy and added instrumentation to her usual blend of accordion and guitar. You may have seen her fronting the local, all-female, Latin music supergroup Las Chollas Peligrosas, and her solo work is every bit as engaging.
Carlos Arzarte and the Kind Souls — 2:30 to 4pm: Tucson native Carlos Arzate has been a standout member of the Arizona music community since the ’90s, first known for leading bands like Innisfail and American Android with his huge voice. While those bands were known for their loud, confrontational sound and message, he nurtured a deep love of soul, folk, norteño, and Americana, influences that finally found a home in his solo project, Carlos Arzate and The Kind Souls. The voice is still huge, but these songs also make space for a quiet, yearning, and—at times—sweet side, delivering passionate stories about social inequity, border realities, family, struggle, and triumph.
March 19th, 2023
Japhar Pullen — noon to 1:30pm: Japhar Pullen is a 19-year-old singer/songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. Influenced by many great dancers, R&B, pop and soul performers, he brings passion and energy every time he is on stage. In 2019, Pullen was the winning solo artist in Alice Cooper’s annual Proof is in the Pudding music competition. He was recently invited to sing backing vocals in the recording studio for an upcoming Sister Sledge release.
Gabriel Bey & Friends — 2:30 to 4pm: Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Gabriel Bey, aka Spooky Kool, has played trumpet since 1960 and performed across the globe, from Thailand to Amsterdam and South Carolina to California. Bey has played with many of the Motown artists who made their way to the Cleveland scene, and he developed many performing and touring groups who started their careers playing his original compositions. You’ll hear the music of Miles, the songs of Kenny Garrett, and the groove of Roy Hargrove—even a little Prince, as defined by Herbie Hancock.
March 26th, 2023
Cisco and The Racecars — noon to 1:30pm: Cisco and The Racecars specialize in bluegrass, folk, and old-time Americana music. Their energetic style, diverse arrangements, and instrumentation create a unique blend of old and new. Under the management and vision of Francisco Briseno, Cisco and The Racecars have taken their place as one of the premier bluegrass bands in the Southwest.
Kim Weston — 2:30 to 4pm: Kim Weston is a vocalist, violinist, band leader, songwriter, poet, and recording artist. She released nine singles in 2021 with an eclectic group of musicians and producers, including Aaron Sterling, Adam Armijo, Brian Chartrand, Clarke Rigsby, Shea Marshall, and more. Her appreciation for jazz is obvious in the production, and poetry is the medium in which her lyrics come to life. Weston’s unabashed perspectives and elegance in lyrical writing are timeless and refreshing, speaking to the human condition from someone who has reflected on the lovely and difficult moments of life. Her jazz band consists of incredible musicians, the top talent in Phoenix, who perform Weston’s originals and put a seductive spin on jazz standards, crowd favorites, and favorite artists, such as Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Stacey Kent, Esperanza Spalding, Joni Mitchell, and Édith Piaf.
For additional information, visit: scottsdaleperformingarts.org
