Live Acoustic Venue Association (LAVA) is a non-profit organization that connects musicians with appreciative audiences. We are a small group of volunteers who are dedicated to bringing live music to comfortable, listening room settings. If you would like to receive our newsletter, click here. Your information will be used only to communicate information about our events and will not be sold or distributed in any way.

LAVA hosts concerts pretty much every Saturday night at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, located at 2450 S. Kolb Road, just north of Golf Links on the west side of the street. This beautiful sanctuary seats 250 in a comfortable setting with cushioned seats and pristine acoustics.

We also host a spring concert series in the courtyard of the Civano Neighborhood Center.

Bed and Bagels presents: Music on the Mountain. Bed and Bagels owner, Sharon Arkin, filmed this documentary about the evolution of Bonnie Vining from Javalina's coffee shop owner to founder of LAVA Music. It features interviews and footage from the 2009 Music on the Mountain series on Mt. Lemmon. The documentary airs on Access Tucson (Cox channel 98 and Comcast channel 73) on Thursday nights at 10:30 pm and Sunday mornings at 11:30 am throughout the month of December. To learn more about Access Tucson, please visit Access Tucson website.

Friday, January 15 - The Vail Theatre of the Arts presents John McEuen in concert. Joining John will be special guests Matt Cartsonis and Danni Bettencourt and opening act Pete Kartsounes.

John McEuen is a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, which formed in August, 1966. They are now in their 44th year and have continually played over 7,000 shows and traveled 3 million miles to do it. They have performed on over 200 television shows.

John's engaging solo show brings the audience in to his world and stories of where it has taken him, to the accompaniment of his banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle. Using favorite Dirt Band songs and others he is known to be connected to we trace the journey we have ALL been on that brought us to this night's show! As a solo entertainer, John McEuen plays to a wide span of an audience: the "boomer-hippie" crowd; the traditional/bluegrass and folk audience; the older country music audience (from his 100 appearances on TNN); and now the younger crowd is showing up to see where 'it all came from', with about twenty percent of his audiences are under the age of 25.

John has made over 40 albums (six solo) that have earned four platinum and four gold recognition awards, Grammy nominations, CMA and ACM awards, Western Heritage Award, an Emmy nomination, and the IBMA record of the year award. John has performed on another 25 albums as a guest artist.

McEuen has known and worked with his good friend Steve Martin since high school. In the '80's John scored Steve's first NBC television specials, and arranged his music, which led to currently producing Steve's 2009 CD "The Crow" (which has been at the top of the bluegrass charts for 6 months. ) It would be tough to match even this partial list of who John has also performed or recorded with over the years: Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Jerry Garcia, Phish, Jerry Jeff Walker, Alison Krauss, Bill Cosby, Stephen Wright, Mark O'Connor, Tommy Lee Jones, Sissy Spacek, Linda Ronstadt, Leon Russell, Maybelle Carter, Kenny Rogers, Doc Watson, Jimmy Buffet, The Smothers Brothers, Rowan and Martin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jose Feliciano, the Allman Brothers, Steve Goodman,Waylon Jennings, Robin Williams, the Little River Band, Marshall Tucker Band, the Doobie Brothers, Andy Williams, Merle Travis, Vassar Clements, Dizzy Gillespie, the Osmond Brothers, the Everly Brothers, Crystal Gayle, Doug Kershaw, Michael Martin Murphy, The Doors, Donovan, Lee Marvin, Arlo Guthrie, America, Bill Monroe, Asleep at the Wheel, and then some!

John has invited his 'music pal' Matt Cartsonis (with his great vocals, guitar and mandola) to join him at this Tucson show. Matt has some "roots in Arizona": as Roster Artist for the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Matt conducted public school residencies with a broad assortment of regional artists. In addition to performing with John McEuen, Matt performed nationally with Warren Zevon (for 6 years), Jennifer Warnes, The Austin Lounge Lizards, Glen Campbell, and Bryndle. You can listen to some of his originals at Matt's myspace page. He first picked up a guitar and mandolin at age 14, beginning his lifelong exploration of American roots music. By 16, Matt was touring the southwest in bluegrass and country bands. While still in his teens, he tackled banjo, harmonica, piano, base, fiddle dulcimer, and whatever other instruments of American folk and traditional music were within arms' reach. While attending Vassar College, Matt met folk legend Pete Seeger and was soon playing with him in support of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. John has had Matt join him at select shows around the country, bringing their eclectic influences and performing talents together, covering much of the "Circle" music of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band as well as other seldom heard favorites; and John loves to sit back and watch as Matt's vocal acrobatics knock out the audience.

Pete Kartsounes from Boulder, Colorado, will open the show. First runner-up in the prestigious Telluride Troubador Contest in 2009, Pete's music spans blues, bluegrass, jazz, and folk. Pete's smoky voice has a depth that stretches well beyond his years, as he sings with all consuming passion and conviction.

This great show is from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm at the Vail Theatre of the Arts, located at 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way (2 miles north of I-10, and .4 mile east of Houghton). Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Vail Unified School District students receive 50% off of the ticket price. Tickets are now available for purchase online at the Vail Theatre of the Arts Website.

Saturday, January 16 - Dave Stamey will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary from 7:00 pm to 9;00 pm.

Dave Stamey has been a cowboy, a mule packer, a dude wrangler, and is now one of the most popular Western entertainers working today.

He has been twice voted Entertainer of the Year, three times Male Performer of the Year, and twice Songwriter of the Year by the Western Music Association, and he received the Will Rogers Award from the Academy of Western Artists.

Dave has delighted audiences in fourteen states and finds that he prefers this to being stomped by angry horses.

Admission $15. Doors open at 6:30. Please arrive early for best seating.

Saturday, January 23 - Pete Kartsounes from Boulder, Colorado, will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Pete Kartsounes is an award winning songwriter who has established himself as a dominant figure in today's music scene. Pete's unparalleled talent to perform a wide variety of individual genres, or meld them together gives him a diverse musical expression. Not only a performer, but a songwriter, Pete is a truly limitless artist and a craftsman, whose songwriting draws from a myriad of musical traditions. The summer of 2009 Pete took 1st runner up out of over 400 songwriters in the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour Competition. (Also placed 2 years at the Telluride Brews and Blues Acoustic Blues Competition 2005/06) Writing ballads, blues, jazz, bluegrass, folk, and compositions that defy definition, he is best described as a story teller, weaving a tale through a soulful musical journey. Pete's smoky voice has a depth that stretches well beyond his years, as he sings with all consuming passion and conviction. There's something undeniably infectious about Pete's music that is especially powerful in his live performances.

Pete will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30, and admission is $10.

Saturday, January 30 The Redhouse Family Jazz Band will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Abounding Grace is located at 2450 S. Kolb, just north of Golf Links. Admission to this special show is $15.

The Redhouse Family Jazz Band "RFJB" is Arizona's Native American First Family of Jazz which consists of six musically talented siblings, who are members of the Dine' (Navajo tribe), are part Filipino, and are the four sons and two daughters of Rex and Maria Redhouse. Among this award-winning family are musicians, composers, vocalists, Native dancers/performers, artisans and four Native flutists; some of whom are Grammy Nominees and Native American Music Award "NAMMY" recipients. Together, they create an intensely vibrant and soulful music influenced by straight-ahead, latin, fusion and contemporary jazz; as well as R & B, funk, folk and traditional Native American sounds and spirituality as featured on their URBAN INDIAN cd, on Canyon Records.

Mary Redhouse, a versatile jazz vocalist with a 5-octave vocal range, plays electric bass, Native American flute, and guitar. She is a Tucson Weekly "1995 Best Performing Artist", a "NAMMY" recipient, and a 2005 Grammy Nominee for the R. Carlos Nakai Quartet's "People of Peace" cd. She works with Will Clipman, William Eaton Ensemble, Ananeah, Larry Redhouse, Amber Norgaard and "RFJB". She has worked with saxophonist Oliver Lake and guitarists Joshua Breakstone and Mitch Chmara. Mary teaches General Music (Preschool to grade 8) and Beginning Spanish (Preschool to grade 3) at San Xavier Mission Indian School and St. Joseph Catholic School.

Charlotte Redhouse Tividad is a singer/songwriter and a visual artist. When performing with The Redhouse Family Jazz Band, Charlotte adds lead and backing vocals and plays percussion. She also performs with the family's Native dance group, The Redhouse Dancers. Charlotte can be heard on the family's Canyon Records recording "Urban Indian" and also on two SOAR recordings with brother Vince Redhouse "Faith in the House" and "Indian Summer".

Since moving to Tucson AZ in 1999, Vince Redhouse has recorded and released 6 CDs, two of which were GRAMMY nominated in 2003. Most recently Vince has written a book for the Traditional Native Flute that enables one to play the wooden flute chromatically and is teaching American Indian students on Reservations this method. For these students the recorder/clarinet has been replaced with the Native American Flute for their music education.They learn to read music, improvise, express themselves and play Tribal songs on their cultural instrument. Vince is currently working on an advanced book for the Native Flute which will have Classical pieces as well as transcribed Jazz solos by Bob Mintzer and Pat Metheny. In addition to Native flute, Vince also sings and plays tenor-sax and guitar.

From his youth, Tony Redhouse was inspired to Hoop dance to his Navajo father's traditional drum beat. As a teen he became passionate about playing the Conga drums after he was exposed to Afro-Cuban drumming by artists like Mongo Santamaria and Santana. This fusion of diverse ethnic drumming styles created the eclectic and provocative performances that Tony shares live and in the studio. One audience member likened him to a Native American "Airto Moreira". Mr. Redhouse has performed with Seal's "Game of Chants" Band, the late Vince Welnick of the Grateful Dead, and various music ensembles from Kirtan to Salsa. Currently he performs his spiritual music for The Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers' Gatherings and facilitates Group Healing Meditations and offers One-to-one sessions. Tony Redhouse recently won the "Best New Age" NAMMY for his solo CD "Deep Within". He has also won a "Best New Age" NAMMY for the CD "Maze" which he recorded as a trio with Tree Cody and Rob Wallace and a "Best World Music" NAMMY for the CD "Native Flamenco" that he recorded as a trio with Ruben Romero and Tree Cody.

Lenny Redhouse has studied with Alan Dawson in Boston, and has played extensively throughout the East Coast. He sites Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Vinnie Caliuata, Dennis Chambers and Jack De Johnette as major musical influences. Lenny has played with various jazz groups in the Tucson area since the 70's, including the Larry Redhouse Trio and the Redhouse Family Jazz Band. Lenny also realizes the importance of his Din´ heritage and he is a recognized Grass Dancer and Hoop Dancer in his community.

The youngest of the Redhouse siblings, Larry Redhouse was influenced by many musical styles growing up in the Bay area ranging from: Tower of Power; Santana; Malo; Cold Blood; Miles Davis; Herbie Hancock; Keith Jarrett and Weather Report, to name a few. Larry, a self taught jazz pianist, has led and been in various jazz groups from the 70's until now. He began performing with his siblings the Redhouse Band at age 9. He composed 6 of the 9 titles on "Urban Indian" The Redhouse Family's debut cd. Larry also performs with The Larry Redhouse Trio, emphasizing, originals, improvisation and fresh interpretations of jazz standards. Larry has self produced two cds, "Live at Westwardlook" and" Spirit Progression". Some of the places Larry Redhouse has performed are: the Kennedy Center Jazz Club Washington DC, the Smithsonian Washington DC, and the Grenoble Jazz Festival, Grenoble France.

Saturday, February 13 - LAVA Music proudly presents Dolan Ellis, Arizona's official State Balladeer, in a special program entitled "Arizona: The Valentine State" in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary". As Arizona's Official State Balladeer since 1966, Dolan Ellis is uniquely qualified to present a special concert celebrating Arizona's 98th anniversary as a state. He has written more than 300 songs about Arizona, many of which he has orchestrated to his beautiful large-screen photography. A Dolan Ellis concert is indeed an exciting multimedia event as he uses his remarkably resonant baritone voice, his melodic 12-string guitar, his photography, and his innate ability as an entertainer to tell stories of the Arizona he loves.

Dolan will also celebrate Valentine's Day weekend with some romantic songs, including one in particular that fits both the Arizona Statehood Day and Valentine's Day themes. That song is "Spanish is the Loving Tongue" from a poem written by Charles Badger Clark in Cochise County, circa 1907.

Ellis was an original member of the New Christy Minstrels, one of the hottest groups of the early 1960's (and Grammy winners), and he is touring with them nationally again, along with four other original members.

Abounding Grace Sanctuary is located at 2450 S. Kolb, just north of Golf Links on the west side of the street. Doors open at 6:30, and Dolan Ellis will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00. Admission is $15, payable at the door.

Saturday, February 20 - Bryan Dean Trio will perform at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb Rd., from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Bryan's larger-than-life guitar-playing forms the basis of his trio which also includes his wife Koko on bass and lovable, talented drummer, Ralph Gilmore. The trio combines blues, rock and roll, and roots music, and they are such masters at their art that every performance is unique and wonderful.

Admission to this great show is $10. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Please arrive early for best seating.

Saturday, February 27 - Duo Sonora, featuring Native American classical guitarist, Gabriel Ayala, and Grammy-nominated percussionist extraordinaire, Will Clipman, will perform at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb Rd., from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

A member of the Yaqui people of Southern Arizona, Gabriel Ayala is at the forefront of a new generation of Native Americans making a career performing classical music. He began playing the guitar as a child and earned a Master's Degree in Music Performance from the University of Arizona in 1997. He performs regularly throughout the United States and has appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Arts and National Museum for the American Indian. He was recognized by the State of Arizona and Governor Janet Napolitano for his musical achievements and has won many other awards, including the 2009 Nammy (Native American Music Award) for Best Instrumental Recording.

A drummer since the age of three, Will Clipman has mastered a pan-global palette of percussion in addition to the traditional drumset. Will has recorded over 50 albums, including 21 for Canyon Records where he is regarded as the house percussionist. Will performs and records with R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton, Nawang Khechog, Gentle Thunder, Mary Redhouse, Ash Dargan, Robert Tree Cody, Randy Wood, Arvel Bird, and Amber Norgaard, among many other internationally-acclaimed artists. Will is a four-time GRAMMY nominee and a two-time Native American Music Award winner, and he has been inducted into the Tucson Musicians Museum in honor of his long-standing contributions to the musical community in his hometown.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Please arrive early for best seating. Admission to the Duo Sonora Performance is $15, payable at the door.

Saturday, March 6 - Amber Norgaard , 2007 TAMMIE Award Winner for Tucson's Up-and-Coming Artist of the Year, will perform at Abounding Grace Sanctuary, 2450 S. Kolb, with 2007 TAMMIE winner, Doug "Hurricane" Floyd on electric guitar, and Michael G. Ronstadt who bridges the gap between classical and non-classical genres on cello, guitar, charango, and voice through songwriting and composition. The Tucson Weekly did a Feature Article about Amber in their August 2007 issue. Amber who combines a unique mix of poignant lyrics, passionate vocals and raw, heartfelt music.

The Amber Norgaard Trio will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Admission is $10, and doors open at 6:30 pm. Please arrive early for best seating.

Saturday, March 13 - Hans Olson will perform in the beautiful Abounding Grace Sanctuary. Hans has been a fixture on the Arizona music scene for over 40 years. Originally from San Bernardino, California, Hans began his musical career as a lead singer in rock and roll bands in the late 1960's. His first inspirations were Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Muddy Waters. He also began performing solo in coffee houses in the 60's, and up until the mid 90's, he did band and solo shows. These days, he only plays solo. Hans plays an amplified acoustic guitar and a harmonica in a neck rack. Hans is known as one of the best "harp in a rack" players in the world. He has released 13 albums, and he toured the world up until the late 90's when he retired from the road. Only performing in Arizona now, Hans performs many old classic blues and country songs along with his original compositions in a variety of styles.

Hans will perform from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30, and admission is $10.

Please contact Bonnie for more information.