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NAMBA is beyond thrilled to feature Maya Burns on Saturday July 29th. A bilingual singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has been cited as “a feminist Mexican folk singer who challenges the Ranchero style of music by injecting a feminist edge to this traditionally “machismo” musical genre”. Maya Burns grew up in Ensenada, Mexico, living there since the age of 4. She has traveled around California with her parents, who are crafters, to music festivals such as Live Oak and Whole Earth. Her music is a combination of ranchero, rock, folk, funk, and jazz. NAMBA Performing Arts Space is a non-profit, multi-use venue for music, dance and theatre. Come enjoy an up close and personal 'Listening Room' experience.

On Thursday, July 20, NAMBA presents Franck L. Goldwasser; a French blues singer and guitarist who has spent most of his life in the United States. An art student, Franck abandoned his ambitions of becoming a painter and moved to California in 1983 to pursue his dream of playing with his idols and become a legitimate blues artist in his own right. Recognized by peers and aficionados alike as a major player in his field, Goldwasser has played on over one hundred albums by other blues artists and released a dozen under his own name. His first “Blues For Esther” receiving a nomination for a W.C. Handy Award (later re-named Blues Music Awards) in 1989. NAMBA Performing Arts Space is a non-profit, multi-use venue for music, dance and theatre. Come enjoy an up close and personal 'Listening Room' experience.

Swinging bandleader, trumpeter, and singer Mr. Chris Norton brings his 8-piece Big Band to Elings Park for the first-ever “Music Under the Stars” concert on Saturday, August 12. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and popular local DJ Darla Bea opens the family-friendly, outdoor show with dance music at 5 p.m.

General admission tickets are now on sale, at $29 for adults, and free for kids 12 and younger.

Parking is limited, costs $20 per car, and must be purchased with event tickets. Ridesharing is encouraged. No dogs, please.

“There’s nothing quite like a concert under the stars at Elings Park on a summer evening,” said Dean Noble, the Park’s executive director. “You’re on the grass, surrounded by oaks, and the kids play while parents relax on blankets or dance, while the stars come out.”

Concertgoers are asked to bring blankets or low-backed chairs for seating, and a large dance floor is available. Food trucks onsite include Sassafras, serving “Elevated Comfort Food” (tri tip sandwiches, hot chicken nuggets, and grilled cheese, bacon, fried egg sandwiches), and Big Truck Foods (grilled sandwiches, burgers, loaded fries). Beer, wine, and soft drinks are also for sale.

Elings Park opened in 1985 thanks to community donations, which transformed the former city dump into a gathering place for recreation, arts, nature, and inspiration. At 230 acres, it is more than twice the size of Disneyland – the largest privately funded, public park in the country. The Park continues to operate thanks to donations and receives no regular government funding. Visit www.elingspark.org.

About Mr. Chris Norton

“Even before putting his lips to the horn or stepping up to the microphone to sing, Chris Norton already knows how to win over an audience, and he does it every time,” raves Jazz Monthly. Norton is celebrated for his soulful musicianship, unique voice, and interpretations of jazz standards, along with energetic pop, R&B hits, rock classics, and heartfelt ballads.

He has entertained celebrities during New York Fashion Week, played for philanthropists at the amfAR gala, wowed sports executives and football fans during official NFL Super Bowl events, and performed for heads of state, including former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

His unique shows earned him artist residencies and private events in New York City’s most iconic venues including the Waldorf Astoria, The Rainbow Room, Cipriani, the St. Regis, the Plaza, the Standard Hotel, Le Cirque, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera House, and Tavern on the Green.

Norton and his ensemble headlined Jane Fonda’s 80th birthday party, Golden Globes and Cannes Film Festival parties, two Whitney Galas, and at locations around the world.

About Darla Bea

Award-winning DJ Darla Bea was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California, and for the past 16 years has provided music and sound services to weddings, private parties, and corporate events in the local area.

She was voted “Best Event DJ” in the Independent’s 2022 Best of Santa Barbara Readers’ Poll – the only female DJ to win for seven years in a row. She recently opened for Diana Ross at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Also an on-air radio personality, her Sunday night radio show “Rock It Properly” can be heard on KCSB-FM 91.9.

“It’s a hoot! A return trip to the Emerald City in the Santa Monica Playhouse’s imaginative, colorful musical” - LA TIMES.

It’s the joyous Rudie-DeCarlo musical comedy, a hilarious and heart-warming internationally acclaimed reworking of the beloved story, filled with music and dance, fun special effects, laughter and love, proving once again that there’s no place like home.

Follow Dorothy and her companions to that mystical place where dreams really do come true and nothing is as it seems, as they do battle with the vain but glorious Queen Coo-ee-oh, join forces with a Vagabond Princess who is revolting, meet a Patchwork Girl and a Rainbow Maiden, face such looming monsters as war, drought and mortgages, and learn a great deal about the world around them, and even a little bit about themselves. Guest appearances by Auntie Em and the Wizard, too!

“Delightful fun for kids of all ages.” The Tolucan Times. Sparkling costumes by award-winning designer Ashley Hayes, magical FX by The Attic Room, lilting musical numbers, and the heartfelt discoveries about family and home that develop along the road to OZ bring the adventure to its deservedly happily-ever-after. Helmed by Playhouse Artistic Director Chris DeCarlo, with book, music and lyrics by Evelyn Rudie, featuring Dara Adedara, Linda Bard, Adya Mohanty, Cydne Moore, Michala Peltz, Graham Silbert and Isabel Lindley as Dorothy, kids and adults alike will be delighted by this brand-new Dorothy adventure! Birthday Parties, hosted by costumed fairy tale characters, are available with every performance.

Saturdays at 2pm, Sundays at 12:30, July 16 through August 27, 2023

The theatre is air-conditioned!

SBMM is pleased to announce the return of its annual Paddle Out Party (POP!), which will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at Leadbetter Beach.

With great food; cool music; activities for kids; and a paddle out featuring every kind of person-propelled craft, the fun-filled day is not to be missed! Participate in the Paddle Out by registering as an individual or by creating or joining a team. Registrants may enter in one of five categories – swimmer, surfboard, stand-up paddle board, kayak/canoe, or dory/rowboat. Teams can include up to five individual registrants. The friendly, rewarding competition will help SBMM raise funds via participants’ personal networks while also providing the opportunity to receive prizes.

Register as an individual or create or join a team here: https://bit.ly/SBMM_POP_2023

The experience of paddling out is symbolic of the ocean bringing people together while honoring an individual. For SBMM, paddling out is a celebration of the museum’s commitment to the connections we all share with our oceans and the underwater world. It is an opportunity to bring the community together as we work to preserve and steward Santa Barbara’s natural environment and rich maritime history.

Help us make the Paddle Out a success! Funds raised allow the museum to do its good work even better, showcasing exciting exhibitions, providing for hands-on educational experiences; and building community through gatherings and events – all while highlighting 13,000 years of maritime history – from Chumash culture to today’s surfing and environmental movements.

Enjoy an intimate night of acoustic music with Colorado-based, Americana and blues singer/songwriter David Starr.

David has honed his decades-long career touring internationally and sharing the stage with esteemed artists such as John Oates (Hall & Oates) and John McEuen, as well as opening for acts like America, Jim Messina, Karla Bonoff, Survivor, and more. In 2022, he was a showcasing artist at Folk Alliance International, AmericanaFest, and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance. David’s latest project Better Me, features acoustic-driven songs such as the title track and “Closer To You,” the feisty blues-rock “Poison The Water,” as well as “Any Chance Of Going Home,” showcasing Starr’s masterful storytelling. For his 2020 Touchstones project, Starr covered the music that shaped his own, including "I've Got To Use My Imagination" (Gladys Knight) and "These Days" (Jackson Browne). His critically acclaimed album Beauty & Ruin is a collection of songs inspired by Of What Was, Nothing Is Left, a novel written by Starr’s grandfather in 1972. Produced and arranged by John Oates, it is a southern gothic tale beautifully told through Starr’s own musical lens. His prestige extends beyond the stage, having launched Starr’s Guitars in Little Rock, before relocating to Cedaredge, CO in 2001, where it is now a beloved institution. Starr is also a founding member of the board for the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center in Cedaredge, an intimate event space aimed at attracting musicians and visual artists to Colorado’s Western Slope.

The public is invited to learn about – and comment on – a new project by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and Elings Park at a series of four public forums led by Denise Knapp, Ph.D., the Garden’s director of conservation and research, and Scot Pipkin, their director of education.


The Landscape Transformation Project is a collaborative effort between the two partners and the public to transform an acre of the Park from invasive to entirely California-native plants and document the effects.


The final meeting is on Wednesday September 13 at Garden’s Blaksley Library from 5:30 to 7 p.m.


“Native plants lay the foundation that supports all life on Earth. Through the transformation at Elings Park, we’ll be able to demonstrate, through science, the value of native plants and a healthy ecosystem,” said Dr. Knapp. “We want the public not only to hear about what we hope to achieve but to weigh in on our plans. Later, they’ll have a chance to get their hands dirty as we plant and tend to the plants.”


The project began with a Bioblitz on May 11 in which participants used the iNaturalist smartphone app to record birds, bugs, plants, and more that they discovered at Elings Park’s South Bluffs. Several native California plant species identified on that day will be planted in the new area, along with others, including those suggested during the public meetings.


Ongoing monthly Nature Walks led by Garden experts explore the park’s biodiversity – and one of the public meetings is scheduled following the August 19 walk (see below).
The project’s one-acre location on the South Bluffs has been selected and staff and project volunteers will clear the plot of invasive plant species, prepare the soil, then plant and monitor the native species. Earlier this spring, Garden staff began monitoring plants, birds, pollinators, and other bugs and will be following up after planting to gather additional data on the site’s vitality. Data before and after the transformation will be compared, and both will be compared to an adjacent invaded area.
Elings Park opened in 1985 as the result of a community campaign to turn the former landfill into a public park. First encompassing 90 acres, the Park expanded to 230 acres in 1994 with the purchase of an adjacent property. Currently, approximately 75% is undeveloped.
“We’ve recently made a major push to bring native plants back to the Park. Over the past two years, we’ve removed non-natives and planted over 250 California native oaks, plus thousands of native grasses and shrubs,” says Dean Noble, Elings Park executive director. “This project concentrates natives in one area, and powerfully demonstrates how this transformation can impact an entire ecosystem.”
It is a diverse landscape with recreation and natural ecosystems side by side. Nine miles of trails traverse shady oak groves and sunny, ocean-facing hillsides covered with chaparral. Youth and adults enjoy league play in softball, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, and tennis. Special areas are dedicated to BMX racing, hang gliding, paragliding, disc golf, and remote-controlled cars and airplanes. It is also a popular location for weddings and special events.

Celebrated blues legend Taj Mahal brings his glorious voice and virtuosic multi-instrumentalism to this uniquely powerful evening of new world music. A musical innovator, cultural ambassador and winner of the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album, Taj Mahal’s long career touches on every imaginable strand in the fabric of roots music. Joining the Taj Mahal Quartet is Gambia’s griot kora sensation Sona Jobarteh, who regularly plays to sold-out crowds all over the world. Witness the alchemy of African griot traditions and American blues in this special evening.

NAMBA’s Playwrights’ Splash Festival, 5 Cultures and 5 Perspectives in 5 Shows presenting 5 Years or 5 Minutes, Sunday, August 6, 7 pm. Written and performed by Jonatan Pinke, directed by MJ Karmi. Winner Hollywood Producers Encore Award. Nominated for Best Solo Show & Splash Award at the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Based on a true experience, a young man says goodbye to his family and friends to find his story. With only a backpack, while Covid closes borders, he finds himself on the streets of Spain scared, hungry and in a lot of pain. See how he survives it all with an epic tale of adventure to tell.

NAMBA’s Splash Award Winner of the Hollywood Fringe! As headliner for our Playwrights’ Splash Festival, 5 Cultures and 5 Perspectives in 5 Shows - Ode to la Pachuca will be performed Saturday August 5, 3 & 7 pm by Contemporary Arte in Movement; choreography by Laurie Muniz, written by Jessica Cornejo.

Celebrating Pachuca culture through dance and spoken word, a young woman explores her pachuca roots and discovers the untold stories of the women on the forefront of the Mexican American experience.