Save a parking space in front of Red Bicycle Bistro & Sushi: Musicians will need it to unpack van loads of instruments and gear this weekend.
The Bike has lined up three nights of music that feature some of the Island’s favorite musicians as well as crowd-pleasers from Seattle.
The fun will start at 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, when Island percussionist Todd Zimberg will take the stage with guitarist Michael Gotz and bass player Keith Lowe for their second show on Vashon.
Zimberg, Gotz and Lowe call their band Long Lost, a nod to the close friendship they have shared since the mid-1980s, when they worked together in the Michael Gotz Quartet.
Although the trio has played together on and off since that time, Long Lost represents a revival of their musical collaboration.
Each player brings a different talent to the mix.
Gotz, a guitarist and pianist, began his musical career more than 40 years ago as soprano soloist with the Sacred Heart Boys Choir. He has performed in a variety of genres, including reggae, pop, country and most frequently jazz.
Lowe has also played and recorded in many genres, including orchestral, rock, folk, bluegrass, jazz, roots and country.
Zimberg, an Islander, has worked in the Puget Sound region as a drummer, percussionist and educator. He is a member of the Island Jazz Quintet as well as the Portage Philharmonic Big Band. He also maintains a practice in private instruction and has worked as an artist-in-residence in Vashon schools as well as for the Washington State Arts Commission. He created and directs a summer youth percussion camp that is now in its 11th year.
And just in case there are any jazz students under age 21 in the crowd, the Bike is making the “Long Lost” show an all-ages event until 11 p.m. There is no cover charge.
A night of reggae music will be on tap starting at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18, when Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band return to the Bike’s stage.
Fearon, a Jamaican-born reggae player who came of age in the early 1970s, first made his mark as a vocalist and the bass player for the legendary reggae group The Gladiators, and has been writing, playing and recording music ever since.
The show will have a $10 cover charge and is an event for ages 21 and older. According to show organizer Pete Welch, the Bike anticipates a sell-out crowd. Call 463-5959 to purchase tickets in advance.
The Spotlights will play a free, all-ages show at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Join Danny Cadman, Loren Sinner, Jerry Todo and Scotty Johnson for a night of classic rock and roll.
Families are especially encouraged to attend.
