SUBMIT AN EVENT TO METROACTIVE:CLUBS Picks for the week of June 18 - 24, 2008 Monday June 23 Rio Theatre 1205 Soquel Ave Santa Cruz 831.423.8209 $18 Brandi Carlile SINCE being placed on Rolling Stone's "Artists to Watch" list in 2005, Brandi Carlile has indeed been worthy of attention, having churned out three noteworthy albums in three years including 2007's The Story. The alt-pop songstress delivers a sophisticated blend of material that bridges gaps between country, folk, rock, and jazz. Her story lines are equally rich—a compelling feature given Carlile's age; she was only 23 when she released her major label debut. But experience isn't an issue for Carlile, who began performing at age 8; in fact, her artistic maturity is one trait that seems to bode well with the adult contemporary crowd—after all, they're the ones buying her albums. Thursday June 19 Kuumbwa Jazz Center 320-2 Cedar St Santa Cruz 831.427.2227 $10–$13 Uptown Trio THE FORMATION of a band can come under the most unexpected circumstances. Chance meetings in a neighborhood bar, answering an ad scrawled on a music shop message board. Not so with the Uptown Trio. On the contrary, bassist Jeff Picker, pianist Sam Reider and drummer Jake Goldbas were all chosen as the rhythm section for the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship All-stars, a group made up top-rated 18-year-old jazz musicians. After a New York performance, Picker and Goldbas found themselves rooming together at the Manhattan School of Music, while Reider attended school a few blocks away at Columbia. The three picked up where they had left off with the All-Stars, officially forming as the Uptown Trio. Specializing in a smooth, stylish blend of contemporary jazz, the Trio weaves improvisation with set melodies, producing a wide-ranging sound well beyond their years. Joining the Uptown Trio are special guests Jesse Scheinin and Ben Rocks. ©Copyright 2008 Metro Newspapers. All rights reserved.