There are not a lot of bands that I want to see repeatedly, regardless of how excellent their shows are.  Club d’Elf is an exception for me, in great part due to their rotating cast of characters.

Mike Rivard (sintir) and Mat Manieri (viola)

They have a regular bi-weekly gig at Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, and the only constant seems to be Mike Rivard who plays bass and sintir.Their style, as you may have read in my post about their January 3rd show, is hard to describe. They have roots in jazz, prog-rock, electronica, and Moroccan music and blend those and more to create a trance-like vibe.

Paul Schultheis, Vincente Lebron and Yaure Muniz (l to r)

For this Valentine’s Day show, the band comprised Paul Schultheis (keys), Vincente Lebron (percussion), Dean Johnston (drums), Yaure Muniz (trumpet), another trumpeter, and a flutist, as well as Mike and Mat.

Yaure Muniz

Mat Manieri

Paul Schultheis

I love sitting back and closing my eyes, letting the music transport me. It’s a beautiful thing when music can do that, and Club d’Elf does that to me every time.

Regardless of the musicians playing at any particular show, you can be assured of hearing some extraordinary talent performing for you as if you were in their living room.