Artists

MEZZE MUSIC PROJECT

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 5:45pm Friday/Viernes

The Mezze Music Project performs jazz, blues, bossa nova, and original music. The band members are from across the Americas, from Brooklyn to Argentina and points in between.  Stella (keyboard), Lucho Garcia (guitar), Jamie Nugent (clarinet), Jorge Diaz (bass), Bene Navarro (drums)

PAOLA VERGARA

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 7:00pm Friday/Viernes

Paola Vergara reaches her audiences hearts with her warm voice, rich and with wide range, mixing her native Mexican roots with dancy latin-rock-RnB beats.

Her composing style reveals how she’s dedicated much of her life travelling, studying music, and playing with wonderful musicians including Ruben Blades, Danilo Perez, Porter, and Sussie 4.

She combines instruments from different cultures to create a rich fusion with memorable melodies, always making sure she’s accompanied by talented groovy musicians.

Paola’s concerts spread a huge wave of good-vibe grooves that will make everybody dance and sing as they connect with her music.

OLIVIA DE LA CRUZ AND DAVID JAMES

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 8:15pm Friday/Viernes

Cruz and James are a vocal-driven rock, r&b, + soul duo. Both have roots in the US Pacific Northwest, and have worked as solo artists and in a range of music projects. Though friends for many years, they only took up music together in 2022, performing around beautiful San Pancho, Nayarít.

https://www.oliviadelacruz.com/

https://listentodavidjames.com/

THE CRAIG CAFFALL BLUES BAND

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 9:45pm Friday/Viernes

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Craig Caffall has been involved with music literally since the age of 9 when he began as a drummer in Mexico for a school band. After 50 years later he continues to dazzle audiences with his showmanship and vocal talent unsurpassed by many. Born in the Bay Area and growing up in the United States and Mexico, this bi-cultured musician wows them in both English and Spanish. 

Caffall’s career has paired him up with some notable artists including 

Bo Diddley, John Mayall, Martha Davis and the Motels, David Clayton Thomas, Cyril & Charles Neville (Neville Bros.), Lee Oskar, Dan Hicks, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Wier, and Steve Earle, just to name a few. 

Caffall has been residing for the last 20 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and  has been playing guitar with legendary singer Maria Muldaur for the past 16 years, touring throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Japan.

Caffall has also been playing and touring with Shana Morrison (daughter of Van Morrison) for the past 6 years, here in the Bay Area and venues up and down the west coast.

Big Water

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 5:45pm Saturday/Sabada

Hola, hola!!

My name is Big Water. Yes, Big Water! Or, Agua Grande, here in San Pancho! I am an artist/builder/educator and singer/songwriter with a voice like liquid gold. Making music and making art and sharing it, is my life. I have 5 albums of music to my credit and lots of art. My name comes from Lake Tahoe, California. Tahoe is a Washoe Indian word that means, ‘Big Water’. I lived in North Lake Tahoe for 12 years and in February 1993, the lake, mountains, trees and sky gave me my name as an artist. Now, in February 2023, at the San Pancho Music Festival, I will be celebrating 30 years of writing and playing original Country, Folky, Blues, Americana Roots Rock! Woo hoo! I have traveled far and traveled wide to learn and teach and play. There are many places I call home, at present I live in Portland, Oregon and right here in San Pancho!

Pico De Gallo

Dave Fisher Stage – 6:15pm Saturday/Sabada

JUAN VILMOS

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 7:00pm Saturday/Sabada

The name of my project is “Orange Sound”. We play original music from Juan Vilmos. It’s a fusion of Jazz Rock and experimental music.

We are four in the group: guitar and whistle, bass guitar, piano and drums. It’s a new project and the Festival is the first performance.

Renee Wilson

Dave Fisher Stage – 7:30pm Saturday/Sabada

Award-winning director, singer, writer, actress, and producer Renée Wilson began performing as a child in New Orleans and made her film debut portraying “Raelette” Pat Lyle in the Academy Awarding-winning film Ray starring Jamie Foxx.

In 2010 Renée released her first album Voodoo Queen, reflecting a multi- genre of influences including Jazz, R&B, Pop, and classical/choral music. She has toured the United States and abroad, and shared the stage with Grammy winning artists Charles Neville and Sounds of Blackness. Her single ‘Maybe’ is featured on the HOPE campaign tribute album with Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Slightly Stoopid, Fishbone, Good Charlotte, 311, and Blues Traveller. 

Renée’s documentary, Crepe Covered Sidewalks – about her hometown of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina was the centerpiece film of the Patois New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival and she received the Best New Filmmaker Award at the Peachtree Village International Film Festival.

Her new film Ode To Joy, an intimate paean to Mother Earth and the power of the feminine is currently screening at festivals and won the 2022 Maui Film Festival Audience Award for Stunning Short Film. Her production company, Meta Mana Media, dedicated to telling the stories of women, girls, and underrepresented voices, currently has a slate of projects in the film, TV, podcast, and music space. It is set to release new music in 2023. Renée is thrilled to be performing at the San Pancho Festival de Música with her son Adrian Wilson Snegg, and with her long time collaborator and friend, Grammy Award-winning artist Tammy L. Hall.

BATALA SAN PANCHO

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 8:15pm Saturday/Sabada

Started by San Pancho resident Kelly Guenther (formally of Batala NYC 2013-2017) in 2019 with 7 friends playing, the band now has a strong and growing 26 members each week. We believe in the power of drums to bring connection and positivity to those who play and all who listen. We are changing lives one heartbeat at a time. We are available to play marches, festivals and events of any kind. Contact to join or book.

Batala San Pancho is part of a world music project started by Maestre Giba Goncalves over 20 years ago to share the power and joy of Brazilian reggae afro samba percussion with the masses. Batala San Pancho is the new Batala, one of more than 45 Batala bands around the world.

Jeff Oster Live!

Dave Fisher Stage – 8:45pm Saturday/Sabada

A Jeff Oster LIVE! show is an evening of sound, light and color. With a sound moving through cool jazz, cool ambience and hot funk, the Jeff Oster experience leaves an audience both satisfied and yearning for more.

From a three piece pure improv ambient trio, featured in sold out planetarium shows, to the full five player ambient jazz funk experience, all led by Jeff’s silky smooth horn, a Jeff Oster show has to be heard and seen to be believed.

This will be Jeff’s 16th year of performing at the San Pancho Music Festival, and he is thrilled to be returning to the San Pancho Music Festival with his full band.

Juan Ted’s Renegades

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 9:45pm Saturday/Sabada

The Story Of Juan-Teds’ Renegades:
An ordinary kind of gringo was falsely charged with a horrendous crime in the states. This gringo was accused of tearing off the tags from Posturepedic Mattresses – and became “Wanted” in twelve states.
Not trusting the justice system, he feared for his freedom, fled to Mexico where he became “Juan-Ted” and teamed up with a rather motley crew of Renegades (Cupcake, Pai & Diego)!

Renegades: Individuals who reject lawful or conventional behavior…
Best To Lock Up Yer Wimen… Juan-Teds’ Renegades are back in town!

The Black Hats

Puerco’s Garden Stage Stage – 5:45pm Sunday/Domingo

FRIDA’S EYEBROW

Dave Fisher Stage – 6:15pm Sunday/Domingo

Frida’s Eyebrow was formed 20 or so years ago, in John “Puerco’ Anderson’s backyard, at the second San Pancho Music Festival, which began as a backyard jam session, by and for musicians.

Our band has morphed over the years, added and subtracted players, changed instruments, learnt new ones, lost a few high notes and play songs that either crack us up or move us deeply.

This current gang has hung through the hurricane of band life and has emerged battered and better than ever. The big news is: Our former band manger Hank, now plays percussion with the band.

Band Members:
*Dana Maxey: Seamstress for the Band, Guitar, Vocals
*BBQ Bob Maxey: Guitar, Uke, Dobro, Vocals
Pete Razza: Boss of all of us, Bass, Vocals
Rick Kahn: The Noodler, Mandolin,. Guitar, Vocals
*Brent Barsotti: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Julie Galbos: Guitar, Vocals
The Groove Squad:
Julie Caldwell: Percussion, Vocals
Will Caldwell: Percussion, Djembe, Vocals
Hank Fieger: When He is NOT managing the band, he is banging on a Beat Box, Vocals
Joe Hadlock: Keyboards
*Denotes the original backyard band.

SAYUDRAMA SOUND MACHINE

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 7:00pm Sunday/Domingo

Sayudrama Sound Machine is a band of original music and covers that mix some musical genres such as Funk, jazz, Latin jazz, reggae, afro beat among others.

Currently the band is made up of Roberto Godínez (guitar) Gerardo Ramirez (bass) Antonio Hernández (sax) Daniel Falabella (trumpet) and Alex García (drums) the project has been sharing their music for 3 years and is made on the coast of Nayarit. Sayulita, Nayarit

PUG

Dave Fisher Stage – 7:30pm Sunday/Domingo

Pugs are atypical dogs. They are not “useful” dogs, in a husky or German shepherds kind of way, not particularly smart like a border collie, and definitely not the most proportioned or beautiful breed of dogs out there. Yet they have been around for centuries, successfully dwelling in palaces and taking naps in the castles of both the Chinese and European royalties. Their infinite charisma, as well as a witty personality with a lot of humor, has earned them a place in the household of some of the most cold-hearted people history has ever known, thus earning the nickname “the clown of dogs”.

Like their canine counterparts, Pugband is an atypical band.
They have been playing together in the state of Nayarit for the last 3 years, building an organic fan-base, much more concerned with their electrifying live performances than their instagram posts, (an active web presence is not so needed in towns where word-of-mouth and old-school marketing techniques still hold their place).
Their chosen path to success is anomalous as well: four experienced musicians from different cities in Argentina, by luck, or chance or synchronicity altogether converge for a period of time in a small area in the state of Nayarit, on the Mexican pacific coastline. Instead of going to the Big city to follow the narrative of the average Rock n roll mythology, they decide to stay local, searching for a real human following in an evermore virtual world. The town is actively visited by travelers from all around the world, so it is here where they have the chance to connect with people from very different places while retaining the unique aspects of a small community scene. The music is also something different, driven by meaningful lyrics written in Spanish, groovy tunes that strive to get outside the harmonic commonplace, the presence of analogue synthesizers and electronic soundscapes, all these qualities resting confidently on their 4-piece Vocal Harmonies, and the uniqueness of the change in the band’s sound when bass and guitar are alternatively swapped between songs. The members of pug are: Nicolás Velez, on drums and vocals. Santiago Gavioli on Keys, Synths and Vocals, Valentin Gonzales and Gabriel Domeneghini on Guitar/Bass and Vocals. All of PUG’s members produce, record, and write their music, taking active parts of the creative process. At this moment PUG is finishing the recording process of their first full-length Album, alternating local gigs with regional tours to perform in neighboring states. For the future PUG has plans to take their music abroad, playing in venues and festivals, expanding their following to other countries and continents. Follow them on their social networks under @pugband or come and meet them personally on the streets of Sayulita
Ánimo.

PS: if you book them, they will come

Charlie Higgins and Sunset Station

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 8:45pm Sunday/Domingo

Charlie Higgins is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter based in Bucerias, Mexico whose work blends elements of roots rock ‘n’ roll, blue-eyed soul, vintage country and classic blues. His band, Sunset Station, is composed of Xavier Olazabal on drums, Manu Arreola on bass and Stephanie Ward on backing vocals.

On Gringo, his first EP, Higgins presents six original songs that combine engaging, no-frills arrangements, brought to life by lyrics that are equal parts heartfelt sentiment and dark humor exploring his experiences with modern love, loss and addiction. The band is currently working on its first full length LP Just Stay a Little Longer scheduled for release in early summer 2023, with a series of singles available for streaming leading up to the official release.

ANDREA OLIVET

Puerco’s Garden Stage – 7:30pm Sunday/Domingo

Andrea Olivet is a singer and songwriter born in the early 90’s in Epuyén, a small town in Patagonia Argentina. Raised in the very heart of freedom, she always knew that her destiny was the music with which she grew up and developed her vocation from an early age. At the age of 4 she was already beginning to take her first piano lessons and at 9 she was already studying at the Conservatory in the city of Lago Puelo.

In her adolescence, she already began to dabble in her first live performances, in local festivals as a soloist and as a member of different projects with musicians from the area.

At the age of 19, she moved to Buenos Aires to continue her learning process, where she lived for almost 10 years, studying and performing live both in Buenos Aires and in some places in Uruguay, always as a companion to different temporary projects.

In 2018, she formalized her career as a soloist with the recording of her first album “Amardeser” which has 8 of her own compositions, ranging from funk to candombe, demonstrating the versatility and passion for different musical edges that stand out so much. That same year, she began a tour of different parts of America and Europe with a duo, which led her to perform at “La Fete de la Musique” in Geneva, Switzerland and different cycles of

independent artists such as “Sofar sounds”, without knowing that her These steps will lead her to find her new home on the coast of the Mexican Pacific, where introspective moments of the pandemic lead her to gestate the need to continue her solo project. Driven by the intention of self-management, she discovered a new compositional partner in the guitar, and thus she began to go out and show her songs all over the Riviera Nayarit.
She is currently working on the pre-production of an EP that will come out in mid-2023.