Marcos Warshaw belts out a classic jazz tune to a large crowd gathered at Pono Hawaiian Grill for the Backbeat Jam Session.

Marcia Quackenbush on alto sax and Steve Uccello on the bass.

Musicians take part in the Jazz Society of Santa Cruz’s twice-monthly Backbeat Jam Session at Pono Hawaiian Grill in downtown Santa Cruz on Sunday. Iconic Santa Cruz jazz musicians guitarist Gino Raugi, vocalist Jeannie Liu, Marcus Bettencourt on baritone sax, flautist Suki Wessling, Ken Koenig on tenor sax and Steve Gray on tenor sax were among the regulars who joined in. The jazz jams, complete with a professional house band open to instrumentalists and vocalists at all levels, are held on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month. Founded by local musicians in 2000, the Jazz Society of Santa Cruz County is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to preserving the jazz music legacy in Santa Cruz. It promotes the performance, education and appreciation of jazz and seeks to provide “an inclusive format that welcomes musicians of all levels to improve and develop their skills, and by spreading awareness of jazz among the music-loving community.” An upcoming Jazz Society Showcase at Kuumbwa Jazz Center on Sept. 7 will be the largest benefit of the year to support the society. The concert features veteran West Coast guitarist Bruce Forman, who lives in Carmel Valley. Forman has played with many of the towering figures of jazz including Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Hutcherson and Ray Brown. Eminent local musicians playing at the fundraiser include pianist Jon Dryden and percussionist Rick Walker. In addition, celebrated Santa Cruzans, saxophonist Ben Flocks and bassist Aron Caceres, who are currently based elsewhere in the world, return to town for the event. Betty Nadeau of the William H. Nadeau Memorial Foundation is a major sponsor of the concert in honor of her husband Bill Nadeau who died in 2024. Bill was a retired professional bassist and vocalist who participate regularly in the jazz society’s jams until his death. Go to jazzsocietyshowcase.eventbrite.com for tickets to the showcase.

Trombonist Steve Wilson and guitarist Gino Raugi get into the groove.

Composer, multi-instrumentalist and master percussionist/drummer Rick Walker is a member of the Jazz Society of Santa Cruz Backbeat Jam Session house band. Walker has played in numerous local bands since the 1970s, is considered one of the founding architects of the world beat movement and is respected as a leading light in the looping/electronica movement.