Luna Star Events

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

Community Philosophy Conversations

THE MIAMI PRESERVATION SOCIETY

The Miami Preservation Society is a non-profit organization focused on preserving and supporting the envrionmental, ecological, and cultural heritage of Miami, Florida. Founded by Hugo Guzman in 2019, it consists of regular meetups in some of Miami’s oldest and most important cultural venues, with an emphasis on longstanding live music venues such as Luna Star Cafe in North Miami.

Diane Ward

Who: Diane Ward & the Band of Virgos
What: ALBUM RELEASE EVENT!!
When: SATURDAY, September 21^st 2019
Where: Luna Star Cafe located at 775 NE 125th St, Miami, FL 33161
Time & cost: 9pm sharp / $10 cover (includes a copy of the new album on CD).
More deets: Happy Birthday, Virgos! Please join Diane Ward & the Band of Virgos feat. Jack Shawde, Debbie Duke, Bob Taylor, & John Yarling at the Luna Star Cafe as we celebrate the release of the new album “SIX” and Virgos everywhere! Music starts promptly at 9pm. There is a $10 cover charge and with that cover you will receive the new album on CD! The Luna Star Cafe is a cash-only establishment. PLEASE help spread the word. Thank you!

“She’s gentle, strong, poignant; her own story will move you — so will her music.” Janet Goodman – Music News Nashville

“As a showcase for everything that makes Diane Ward so special, this record [Beautiful Ways] is a gem that should not escape your attention. It is a triumphant and emotive collection of songs that will answer the question: “Where have all the great singer-songwriters gone?” Before you lament the poor state of popular music, make sure you check out Beautiful Ways to have your faith refreshed and restored!” – KEYBOARD MAGAZINE

“VOTED BEST ROCK VOCALIST / MIAMI NEW TIMES – Blessed with a conscience and a voice like honey in a blender, Ward always finds a way to sweeten her woeful lyrics while stirring up those themes that deserve the whirring-blade treatment. Her gift has made the Miami native a regional attraction…” Miami New Times – Miami, FL

“VOTED BEST SONGWRITER / CITY LINK MAGAZINE – On her latest CD, Wonderlight, Ward pens tunes that are so damn hummable you’ll find yourself whistling the choruses while standing in line at Publix…” City Link Magazine – Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

Arthur Cruz 
Keyboard artist, singer and songwriter Arthur Cruz is an interpreter of jazz standards and his own original songs – melodic tunes with pensive lyrics that blend jazz, rock and pop influences from Cole Porter to the Beatles to Sting.

A hopeful romantic, with a distinctive voice and style of song, Arthur Cruz sings of longing to be your valentine, believing in fairy tales of love and holding on to each other through the dark night of the soul

With the energetic Elvis Taylor on drums, these three musicians produce a dynamic, syncopated sound.

The trio is often joined by accomplished jazz instrumentalists (Ted McDermott,) and vocalists (Loye Hawkins,  for an exciting evening of live, improvised music.

Sarah Jacob views songwriting as a catalyst to navigate through emotions and give them voice. Aided by her love for puns, double entendres and allusion, her songs transform the confusions and ambiguities of inner experience into a “language of the emotions.” Since 2012 Sarah, who composes on the piano, has teamed up with Darrell Arnold, baritone vocalist and guitarist, and Fred Napolitano, saxophonist, forming the Sarah Jacob Trio. The result–mixing hints of jazz, blues and folk into contemporary rock-ballads–is an original lyrical and musical blend. The trio combines a sense and sensibility that make for beautiful songs, offering a psychological expedition of the inner world.

Darrell Arnold

Darrell Arnold’s compositions are soulful folk-rock, with a twist of country blues.

LOU DOMINGUEZ

Lou Dominguez is a modern day folk singer and award winning songwriter in the tradition of Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie.  Lou does not shy away from political and social issues while still being able to deliver heartfelt songs about every day experiences.

WAGNER, HAND & PFLUG

WAGNER, HAND & PFLUG
ARE Nancy Wagner (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Robert Hand (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and Jamie Pflug (vocals, stand-up bass, guitar, banjo, dulcimer). They play a mix of original songs and their own acoustic versions of classics from the 60s and 70s folk-rock tradition. Featuring their distinctive three-part harmonies, WHP plays music that makes you feel good and think well.

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

ALL THAT JAZZ
Come join Loye and Ted for an evening listening pleasure. Smooth jazz standards and ballads with a mix of blues and pops. Intermissions and last set opened for those who want to jam with us…
Free Free Free

ALL THAT JAZZ
Come join Loye and Ted for an evening listening pleasure. Smooth jazz standards and ballads with a mix of blues and pops. Intermissions and last set opened for those who want to jam with us…
Free Free Free

BOB LIND

Since his 1966 mega-hit “Elusive Butterfly” helped revolutionize American music, Bob’s artistry has continued to improve and evolve. Today, 50 years into his impressive career, his songs have been covered by more than 200 quality artists. He’s writing and singing better than ever. And he’s playing his fantastic music all over the United States and Europe.

“Come and see why this engaging poet / guitarist / philosopher / singer / wise-ass has endured in the sometimes-cruel and always-fickle music business for [five decades]. But be prepared to feel emotions you may not have let yourself feel in a while – feelings that may scare you a little. His songs hit the heart like a wrecking ball!”

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

NSAI South Florida Chapter Songwriter workshop

Bring an original song for critique on CD, or perform it live acoustically. Make sure to have 13 copies of your lyric sheet.

$5 for non-members/ FREE for members.

This workshop is affiliated with the Nashville Songwriters Association International. (nashvillesongwriters.com)

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

Community Philosophy Conversations

JOHN CAMACHO
A fixture on the South Florida music and poetry scene for years, John Camacho brings his friends together for a farewell concert at one of the best venues to hear music anywhere, The Luna Star Cafe. His resume as poet and musician is considerable. Beginning with local heroes The Goods–the band he formed and co-fronted with his brother, Jim–through early 00s idiosyncratic human juke box cult faves, Mongo, to his current Christian band, Messiah Has Come, John has been writing and performing (with high-energy virtuosity), poetic and powerful pop rock songs with sometimes poignant, sometimes comical lyrics for the better part of two decades. He’s an award-winning poet whose work is published in literary magazines throughout the U.S. and Europe. A long-time paladin of our verse and music scene, John is saying goodbye to South Florida, and he’s asked some special friends to help him say sayonara in style. Don’t miss this very special night!

SCOTT BECKER

Drummer turned guitar player turned singer-songwriter. That is the path. When you listen to my music and experience my live performances you will see and feel all three phases. Lyrics are at the core of my music. Penning lyrics is a powerful flow of released emotion.

RAIFORD STARKE http://www.raifordstarke.com/media.php

Some astute fans were asked which two artists they would combine to describe one Raiford Starke, and they said:

“John Prine meets Ted Nugent.”

“Merle Travis meets Link Ray.”

“Jimmy Page meets Jerry Reed.”

“Doc Watson meets Johnny Guitar Watson.”

Actually, Raiford Starke is nothing if not David Allan Coe meets Jimi Hendrix, an outlaw country folk singer steeped in southern rock and psychedelic blues guitar. He’s an American original.

Colin Kenny is proud of his real name, but got stuck with the gallows humor of “Raiford Starke” long ago, branded by prison walls without ever having walked through their gates. It’s a Florida brand, the duo of state pens in the name recognizable to locals and fans of Ol’ Sparky, but Raiford Starke’s only crime is indecent distortion.

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

WAGNER, HAND & PFLUG

WAGNER, HAND & PFLUG
ARE Nancy Wagner (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Robert Hand (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and Jamie Pflug (vocals, stand-up bass, guitar, banjo, dulcimer). They play a mix of original songs and their own acoustic versions of classics from the 60s and 70s folk-rock tradition. Featuring their distinctive three-part harmonies, WHP plays music that makes you feel good and think well.

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

Sarah Jacob views songwriting as a catalyst to navigate through emotions and give them voice. Aided by her love for puns, double entendres and allusion, her songs transform the confusions and ambiguities of inner experience into a “language of the emotions.” Since 2012 Sarah, who composes on the piano, has teamed up with Darrell Arnold, baritone vocalist and guitarist, and Fred Napolitano, saxophonist, forming the Sarah Jacob Trio. The result–mixing hints of jazz, blues and folk into contemporary rock-ballads–is an original lyrical and musical blend. The trio combines a sense and sensibility that make for beautiful songs, offering a psychological expedition of the inner world.

Darrell Arnold

Darrell Arnold’s compositions are soulful folk-rock, with a twist of country blues.

LOU DOMINGUEZ

Lou Dominguez is a modern day folk singer and award winning songwriter in the tradition of Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie.  Lou does not shy away from political and social issues while still being able to deliver heartfelt songs about every day experiences.

Sarah Jacob views songwriting as a catalyst to navigate through emotions and give them voice. Aided by her love for puns, double entendres and allusion, her songs transform the confusions and ambiguities of inner experience into a “language of the emotions.” Since 2012 Sarah, who composes on the piano, has teamed up with Darrell Arnold, baritone vocalist and guitarist, and Fred Napolitano, saxophonist, forming the Sarah Jacob Trio. The result–mixing hints of jazz, blues and folk into contemporary rock-ballads–is an original lyrical and musical blend. The trio combines a sense and sensibility that make for beautiful songs, offering a psychological expedition of the inner world.

Darrell Arnold

Darrell Arnold’s compositions are soulful folk-rock, with a twist of country blues.

LOU DOMINGUEZ

Lou Dominguez is a modern day folk singer and award winning songwriter in the tradition of Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie.  Lou does not shy away from political and social issues while still being able to deliver heartfelt songs about every day experiences.

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

ALL THAT JAZZ
Come join Loye and Ted for an evening listening pleasure. Smooth jazz standards and ballads with a mix of blues and pops. Intermissions and last set opened for those who want to jam with us…
Free Free Free

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

NSAI South Florida Chapter Songwriter workshop

Bring an original song for critique on CD, or perform it live acoustically. Make sure to have 13 copies of your lyric sheet.

$5 for non-members/ FREE for members.

This workshop is affiliated with the Nashville Songwriters Association International. (nashvillesongwriters.com)

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

Sarah Jacob views songwriting as a catalyst to navigate through emotions and give them voice. Aided by her love for puns, double entendres and allusion, her songs transform the confusions and ambiguities of inner experience into a “language of the emotions.” Since 2012 Sarah, who composes on the piano, has teamed up with Darrell Arnold, baritone vocalist and guitarist, and Fred Napolitano, saxophonist, forming the Sarah Jacob Trio. The result–mixing hints of jazz, blues and folk into contemporary rock-ballads–is an original lyrical and musical blend. The trio combines a sense and sensibility that make for beautiful songs, offering a psychological expedition of the inner world.

Darrell Arnold

Darrell Arnold’s compositions are soulful folk-rock, with a twist of country blues.

LOU DOMINGUEZ

Lou Dominguez is a modern day folk singer and award winning songwriter in the tradition of Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie.  Lou does not shy away from political and social issues while still being able to deliver heartfelt songs about every day experiences.

WAGNER, HAND & PFLUG

WAGNER, HAND & PFLUG
ARE Nancy Wagner (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Robert Hand (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and Jamie Pflug (vocals, stand-up bass, guitar, banjo, dulcimer). They play a mix of original songs and their own acoustic versions of classics from the 60s and 70s folk-rock tradition. Featuring their distinctive three-part harmonies, WHP plays music that makes you feel good and think well.

Bring your axe. Very laid back – a great way to meet some of the Café’s performers & regulars in a very low-pressure environment. Novices & pros are welcome to come on down & join the jam. Try out new material or just participate in some sing-alongs.

ALL THAT JAZZ
Come join Loye and Ted for an evening listening pleasure. Smooth jazz standards and ballads with a mix of blues and pops. Intermissions and last set opened for those who want to jam with us…
Free Free Free

NSAI South Florida Chapter Songwriter workshop

Bring an original song for critique on CD, or perform it live acoustically. Make sure to have 13 copies of your lyric sheet.

$5 for non-members/ FREE for members.

This workshop is affiliated with the Nashville Songwriters Association International. (nashvillesongwriters.com)

NSAI South Florida Chapter Songwriter workshop

Bring an original song for critique on CD, or perform it live acoustically. Make sure to have 13 copies of your lyric sheet.

$5 for non-members/ FREE for members.

This workshop is affiliated with the Nashville Songwriters Association International. (nashvillesongwriters.com)

KEVIN SO

Kevin So has earned the respect of 4-time Grammy award winner Keb’ Mo’, singer/activist Billy Bragg and Tony Award winning playwright David Henry Hwang, and has built a loyal fan base around the world for the past 20 years. He has performed recently at The Wiltern Theater, as well as Carnegie Hall and The Ryman in Nashville. Kevin was also recipient of the 2007 NYC Fringe Festival Award (Best Music & Lyrics) for “Great Wall” – a semi-autobiographical musical. His songs have been recorded by India Arie (“Crush On You”), Keb’ Mo’ (“Talk”), and Shemekia Copeland (“Sounds Like The Devil”).  He is blues, folk & soul in its finest blend.

“The Amy Tan of the singer/songwriter world.” -Recording Magazine

Since graduating from Boston Latin School in 1989, and in over 25 years of performing his music around the USA, Kevin So is a Chinese-American musician who has earned the respect of fellow musicians (Keb’ Mo’, Amos Lee, Melody Gardot, Simon Lynge), won over members of press (the late editor-in-chief Timothy White/Billboard Magazine, Steve Morse/Boston Globe) and radio (John Platt-WFUV, New York, Rich Warren-WFMT, Chicago), and has built a loyal fan base around the world.

Born and raised in Boston, So channeled his early passion for singing into the start of a music career with his 1990 appearance on the nationally broadcast Fox TV show “Big Break” hosted by Natalie Cole.

In 1994, So toured the country in a cover band that would later see some of its members moving on to Britney Spears’ and Justin Timberlake’s bands.

“The Amy Tan of the singer/songwriter world.” -Recording Magazine

Since graduating from Boston Latin School in 1989, and in over 25 years of performing his music around the USA, Kevin So is a Chinese-American musician who has earned the respect of fellow musicians (Keb’ Mo’, Amos Lee, Melody Gardot, Simon Lynge), won over members of press (the late editor-in-chief Timothy White/Billboard Magazine, Steve Morse/Boston Globe) and radio (John Platt-WFUV, New York, Rich Warren-WFMT, Chicago), and has built a loyal fan base around the world.

Born and raised in Boston, So channeled his early passion for singing into the start of a music career with his 1990 appearance on the nationally broadcast Fox TV show “Big Break” hosted by Natalie Cole.

In 1994, So toured the country in a cover band that would later see some of its members moving on to Britney Spears’ and Justin Timberlake’s bands.

It was during that period when Kevin spent a considerable amount of time listening to the early recordings of Bob Dylan.  By 1995, So quit the cover band and became a regular on the open-mike folk scene in Cambridge, MA.  His strong musicianship caught the attention of Boston Globe critic Steve Morse who wrote that Kevin was “riveting… a smooth, impeccable guitarist.” The following year 1996, at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, an Austin Chronicle’s music writer took notice, writing that So was “the big discovery.”  The 1997 release of “Individual” was accompanied by a sold-out performance at Club Passim and hundreds of shows to follow througout 1998, including a historic concert recorded live, again at Passim, and released as “Along The Way.”

So moved to Chicago in the fall of 1999, booked his own gigs, performing shows in the Midwest and elsewhere.  Busking with Mary Lou Lord in Austin, TX the following year at the 2000 SXSW Festival, Kevin was “discovered” by head of The Agency Group, Steve Martin.  Subsequently, he opened for Joe Cocker, Billy Bragg, Randy Newman and Robben Ford. That year was documented in what some folks call the “Asian American Don’t Look Back” – a documentary aptly titled “HAVE YOU HEARD OF KEVIN SO?” (Frank Floyd Films).

Following the sudden passing of his father on August 10, 2000, So moved back to Boston in 2001, began work on his next album and continued to tour extensively throughout the US. The day after September 11th, Kevin connected with Grammy-award winning bluesman Keb’ Mo’ and co-wrote “Talk” which Keb’ would eventually record (“Peace… Back By Popular Demand”, Sony/Okeh).

What was Kevin So’s artistic reaction to his father’s death, 9/11, and the loss of his best friend soon after?

The double-disc, 32 track “Leaving The Lights On” was released in May 2003 and appeared to an avalanche of praise around the world that year.  Six months later, Kevin moved to Brooklyn, New York.

It was during that period when Kevin spent a considerable amount of time listening to the early recordings of Bob Dylan.  By 1995, So quit the cover band and became a regular on the open-mike folk scene in Cambridge, MA.  His strong musicianship caught the attention of Boston Globe critic Steve Morse who wrote that Kevin was “riveting… a smooth, impeccable guitarist.” The following year 1996, at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, an Austin Chronicle’s music writer took notice, writing that So was “the big discovery.”  The 1997 release of “Individual” was accompanied by a sold-out performance at Club Passim and hundreds of shows to follow througout 1998, including a historic concert recorded live, again at Passim, and released as “Along The Way.”

So moved to Chicago in the fall of 1999, booked his own gigs, performing shows in the Midwest and elsewhere.  Busking with Mary Lou Lord in Austin, TX the following year at the 2000 SXSW Festival, Kevin was “discovered” by head of The Agency Group, Steve Martin.  Subsequently, he opened for Joe Cocker, Billy Bragg, Randy Newman and Robben Ford. That year was documented in what some folks call the “Asian American Don’t Look Back” – a documentary aptly titled “HAVE YOU HEARD OF KEVIN SO?” (Frank Floyd Films).

Following the sudden passing of his father on August 10, 2000, So moved back to Boston in 2001, began work on his next album and continued to tour extensively throughout the US. The day after September 11th, Kevin connected with Grammy-award winning bluesman Keb’ Mo’ and co-wrote “Talk” which Keb’ would eventually record (“Peace… Back By Popular Demand”, Sony/Okeh).

What was Kevin So’s artistic reaction to his father’s death, 9/11, and the loss of his best friend soon after?

The double-disc, 32 track “Leaving The Lights On” was released in May 2003 and appeared to an avalanche of praise around the world that year.  Six months later, Kevin moved to Brooklyn, New York.