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Pearl Alley: A Musical Tribute to Rick Holden
June 2, 2024 @ 3:30 pm - 7:00 pm at Levitt Pavillion at St. James Park
About the Event
Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose, along with co-hosts Fil Maresca and Suzanne St John Crane, have organized a special afternoon of music, friends, and fun dedicated to Rick Holden, the former board leader and tireless advocate for the arts. Holden chaired the Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose Board of Directors.
Rick Holden 11/2/1944 – 4/10/2024
Holden was a strong advocate for music, arts, and education, and was involved with various community organizations. He facilitated Community Leadership San Jose, an adult leadership program promoting community involvement.
He created and facilitated the San Jose Leadership Academy for high school juniors, supported by the San Jose Unified School District. As a teacher, Holden was president of the American Federation of Teachers Local 2390. He was a member of the San Jose Jazz Society Board for 14 years, serving as board president for eight years.
He served on the boards of the Belle Foundation, We Players, and the San Jose Arts Commission from 2008-2015, chairing it for three years.
Pearl Alley Band is opening for Noah + the Arkiteks in St. James Park as a part of the Levitt Pavilion Concert Series, in partnership with the Fountain Blues Foundation. It’s festival weather! So grab a chair and come on down!
For nearly 20 years, Pearl Alley Band has been rocking stages, opening for legends like Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, James Hunter, and Canned Heat. Imagine The Black Crowes meeting Janis Joplin, and you’ve got the essence of Pearl Alley’s unique sound.
Photo credit: Kevin Raymond
Front woman Suzanne St. John-Crane channels Janis Joplin’s power and presence, baptized into the blues in the late ’90s. Guitarist Dave Crane, a lifelong music enthusiast and SJSU music major, brings hard-hitting blues to life.
Backing them up, blues veterans Dennis Dove (drums), Doug Mancini (bass), and Pamela Arthur (keys) elevate Pearl Alley Band’s sound. With roots in Santa Cruz’s juke joints, they’ve become a must-see live act.
And, Suzanne St. John Crane is a member of the Fountain Blues Foundation Board of Directors.
PearlAlleyBand.com
About Fountain Blues Foundation Board Member: Suzanne St. John Crane
Suzanne St. John-Crane is CEO of American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley and Executive Director of American Leadership Forum
St. John Crane worked in public media for twenty-four years, serving as founding Executive Director of two Bay Area television stations. She is the recipient of dozens of regional and national awards for television shows and documentaries she’s produced, and was named one of Silicon Valley’s 100 Women of Influence in 2012 by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. St. John-Crane is co-authoring the book A Guide to Human Citizenship – The ALF Way, due out in 2024.
Photo credit: Kevin Raymond
Suzanne and her husband Dave Crane formed the Pearl Alley Band in 2000, and have played hundreds of shows throughout the bay area. Pearl Alley Band has opened for the likes of Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, James Hunter & Canned Heat. Suzanne St. John sings with the power, rawness and presence of Janis Joplin. She was baptized into the blues in the late 90s, singing with Archie Lee Hooker in the Bay Area.
About Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose
Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose, is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming St. James Park into a vibrant community destination. Since 2016, they’ve hosted more that 50 free concerts and performances, making the park a lively and inclusive space for all ages and backgrounds.
Their Mission
Their mission is to build community and revitalize St. James Park with annual concerts, fostering cultural and economic growth in downtown San Jose.
Want to learn more? Visit levittsanjose.org
An architectural rendering of what is planned for St. James Park.
Venue
Levitt Pavillion at St. James Park
E St James St @ N. Second St.
San Jose,
CA
95112
Details
Date:
June 2, 2024
Time:
3:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Fountain Blues Foundation
The Fountain Blues Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is organized to preserve and promote the indigenous American music known as the blues, and related genres like rock 'n' roll and R&B. Activities take a variety of forms, including live performances, broadcasts, lectures, and community education, culminating in the longest-running blues festival in Northern California: the San Jose Fountain Blues & Brews Festival and live music events throughout the year.
New This Year: Follow the Music
We are thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration between Fountain Blues Foundation and Follow the Music, a pioneering music education and emerging artists program. Follow the Music, spearheaded by a passionate group who recognize the profound impact of music, boasts honorary guests such as 49er legend and NFL Hall-of-Famer Ronnie Lott, alongside Oakland music icon and Elevate Oakland co-founder Sheila E.
This innovative program, developed in partnership with Elevate Oakland and key stakeholders in arts, entertainment, media, and sports, serves as the gateway into the vibrant South Bay community. By joining forces with Follow the Music, Fountain Blues Foundation aims to enrich the lives of young people by bringing the transformative power of music directly into their lives. Together, we envision a future where music becomes a catalyst for inspiration, creativity, and community engagement, and we invite you to be a part of this impactful journey.