Thursday, Oct. 2
THURSDAY LOWDOWN: Longtime Robert Cray Band Keyboardist Set for Redwood Coast Music Festival
[The following profile of Jim Pugh, one of many artists in town for this weekend’s Redwood Coast Music Festival, was submitted by local musician Paul DeMark]
When keyboardist Jim Pugh left the Robert Cray Band after 24 years, he had no idea what to do next.
“No one wants a 60-year-old blues piano player,” Pugh remembers thinking in 2014. A friend arranged for him to do volunteer work at the Santa Ynez Valley Botanical Gardens three or four days a week. He and his wife had moved from the Bay area to the Santa Barbara area that year.
“Someone said to figure out what I have a passion for,” Pugh recalled. “I decided that I have a passion to help people in small ways. I like diversity in my life and the emotional community of music.”
He conceived of a 501-C3 nonprofit music label to record new or under-recognized artists and help their careers. The result is the Little Village Foundation. He is its only employee.
Little Village has released more than 70 records in 11 years, including 16 this year. Many of his artists have performed at Eureka’s Redwood Coast Music Festival, including some at this year’s event. The fest, also called Eureka’s American Roots Music Festival, takes place Thursday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 5. (More on that later.)
Little Village recently released a new record for singer/tenor sax player Terry Hanck, “Grease to Gravy.” Pugh plays keyboards on the album. Hanck will be playing the festival on Saturday evening, Oct. 4, at the Eureka Theater. Also on the bill are The Revelers, a Cajun band from Louisiana and Cajun fiddler Michael Doucet.
Another performer who has an album coming out on Little Village is blues guitarist Mack Macdonald, who will perform on Friday night at the Adorni Center. Other Little Village artists who have performed at the festival in recent years include Curtis Salgado and Diunna Greenleaf.
In keeping with Pugh’s purpose of helping artists in small ways is his approach to producing and releasing records. The foundation’s mission is to find musicians who are creative and compelling and under the radar.
Through successful fund-raising and donations from various organizations, including his local Rotary Club, Pugh pays for all the recording costs and the making of 1,000 CDs for the artist to sell. Little Village does not sell any CDs, that is up to the artists. He said selling records at live shows is the primary way musicians make money from the CDs. The musicians retain all the rights to their recordings.
“Quite a few of the artists we produce go on to hook up with commercial record companies,” Pugh said. “That’s one way of helping these people.”
Pugh is a highly accomplished recording and performing artist. In addition to touring and recording with Cray for two and a half decades, he has performed with Boz Scaggs, Etta James and Van Morrison. He is currently touring with Taj Mahal and the highly regarded Phantom Blues Band.
The Redwood Coast Music Festival started more than 30 years ago as the Redwood Coast Dixieland Jazz Festival. In the last decade the music acts have broadened to encompass a wide spectrum of roots American music, including cajun and zydeco, rockabilly, country, western swing, and rhythm and blues.
The event is now spread out over eight Eureka venues, including the Adorni Center, the Eagle House, the Veterans Building, the Red Lion Hotel, the Eureka Theater, the Sequoia Center, the Morris Graves Museum and an outdoor stage near the Gazebo on Second Street.
For more information on the festival, go to RCMFest.org. For other Thursday gatherings, scroll your Lowdown below.
Top Events!
(Look ahead!)
Redwood Coast Music Festival
Eureka
/ noon
The fest has eight venues spread throughout Eureka including the Eagle House, the Adorni Center, The Eureka Theater, the Eureka Veterans Hall, the Sequoia Center, Morris Graves, the Red Lion Inn and a street stage next to the Gazebo on Saturday night. More details inside.
/ Web site
(CANCELED) Taste of Main Street
Downtown and Old Town Eureka
/ 5-8 p.m.
/ $35
Taste of Main Street is Eureka’s premier culinary event, bringing together local restaurants, food producers, and the community for an evening of delicious bites and lively atmosphere.
/ Web site
‘A Reason to Listen’ October Poetry Show
Septentrio Barrel Room
/ 7-9 p.m.
/ $7
Humboldt’s longest-running live poetry event welcomes our Featured Poet for October, Kimi Sugioka, Poet Laureate of Alameda and author of two books of poems, most recently Wile and Wing (Manic D Press).
/ Web site
Lumberjack Weekend 2025
Cal Poly Humboldt
/ 9 p.m.
Thursday’s festivities feature Camp Cryptid Drag Show in the Van Duzen Theatre.
/ Web site
All Events!
CalATBI North Coast BioBlitz
See Event Description
/ 7 a.m.
/ Free
Help Participate in the California All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (CalATBI) by collecting soil samples from your own backyard!
/ Web site
Henderson Center Farmers’ Market
Henderson Center
/ 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
/ Free
Offers the freshest fruits and vegetables, bread, muffins, tamales, jam, nursery plants, and more.
/ Web site
Live Music Happy Hour w/ Good!
Venicia Italian Restaurant
/ 4-6 p.m.
/ Free
/ Web site
ERV Community Art Night
Gene Lucas Community Center
/ 5-7 p.m.
/ Free
Bring your own project or find inspiration.
/ Web site
Community Mediator Training
Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
/ 5:30-9 p.m.
/ $400
/ $360 volunteering for 10+ hours
/ $360 Early bird discount
/ $360 Students and seniors
/ $320 2 cumulative discounts
Join our Mediation Training and learn how to handle conflicts like a pro!
/ Web site
DJ Josh Def3nder
Crisp Lounge
/ 6 p.m.
/ $5
Neon glowing dance party.
/ Web site
Comedy Night!
Arcata Vets Hall
/ 7:30 p.m.
/ $5
The Alley Cats
The Basement
/ 8-11 p.m.
/ $5
/ 21+
Sit back and listen to great Jazz played by some of the best musicians from around Humboldt County.
/ Web site
The Siren’s Open Mic
The Siren’s Song Tavern
/ 8 p.m.
/ Free
“Our stage is open and our mic is on. Add your performance to our open mic.”
/ Web site
G.O.A.T. Karaoke at The Goat
The Miniplex at Richards’ Goat Tavern
/ 8:30 p.m.
/ Free
/ 21+
Supportive atmosphere, over 59,000 songs to choose from, all skill levels welcome.
/ Web site
DJ Statik
Blue Lake Casino Hotel
/ 9 p.m.
/ Free
/ 21+
DJ Statik has made a name for himself in Humboldt as one of the best wedding and party DJs.
/ Web site
Thumb Leader
Double Trouble
Savage Henry Comedy Club
/ 9-11 p.m.
/ $5
Two comedians, one stage….hilarity ensues.
/ Web site
Karaoke
Vista Del Mar
/ 9-11:59 p.m.
/ 21+
Treat Yourself Entertainment hosts.
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