RISING SINGER-SONGWRITER ELI SMART SPECIAL HEADLINE PERFORMANCE SET FOR LA'S GENGHIS COHEN AUGUST 5
BACKED ON BASS BY HIS LEGENDARY 'MERRY PRANKSTER' GRANDMOTHER, DENISE KAUFMAN, CO-FOUNDER OF
GROUNDBREAKING ALL-FEMALE ROCK BAND, THE ACE OF CUPS
GROUNDBREAKING ALL-FEMALE ROCK BAND, THE ACE OF CUPS
CURRENTLY ON TOUR SUPPORTING DECLAN MCKENNA
Rising singer-songwriter Eli Smart is currently making rock ‘n’ roll history on his North American tour. In what San Francisco music critic Joel Selvin calls “a rock ‘n’ roll first,” Smart is backed by a combo that includes his legendary "Merry Prankster" grandmother, Denise Kaufman (aka “Mary Microgram”), co-founder of the groundbreaking all-female rock band, The Ace of Cups, on bass guitar.
"From his incredible dance moves to his grandma absolutely killing it on bass, he's an act that we can't wait to see again!" The Honey Pop
The dates – with Smart traveling as special guest alongside friend and collaborator Declan McKenna – got underway July 11, in Toronto, ON’s Danforth Music Hall and continue through early August. Smart and his band will celebrate the tour’s conclusion with a very special headline show set for Los Angeles, CA’s Genghis Cohen on August 5.
“Going on this musical adventure with my grandma brings me so much joy!” says Eli Smart.
“It’s a dream-come-true for me to play with Eli and his awesome bandmates” says Denise Kaufman. “Family vibes and sharing love – that’s what we’re up to!”
An iconic figure on the San Francisco Scene, Denise Kaufman was at the epicenter of the counterculture revolution, from getting on the bus at 18 with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters (where she was dubbed “Mary Microgram”) to co-founding the first-ever all-female psych rock outfit, The Ace of Cups. The Ace of Cups became known for dazzling performances spanning free concerts in Golden Gate Park to the ballrooms of San Francisco, sharing stages with everyone from The Band and The Grateful Dead to Jimi Hendrix, who they opened for at a free concert in Golden Gate Park, the week after his groundbreaking performance at the Monterey Pop Festival.
Despite eliciting music industry interest for their exceptional songs, sublime harmonies and exuberant live shows, The Ace of Cups never got the chance to make a record until a 2011 reunion caught the attention of George Baer Wallace, founder of High Moon Records. Though Wallace’s initial goal was to release archival concert recordings, he was so moved by the band’s spirit that he offered the Ace Of Cups the opportunity to record their first-ever studio album. 2018’s The Ace of Cups finally delivered on the band’s promise, showcasing fifty years of timeless songcraft with the help of special guests including such legendary players (and longtime friends) such as Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Charlie Musselwhite, Bob Weir, Taj Mahal, Peter
Coyote, Buffy Sainte-Marie. A number of additional releases followed - with contributions from Jackson Browne, Sheila E., Wavy Gravy, David Grisman and Steve Kimock - all available now at www.highmoonrecords.com/shop/ace-of-cups.
Coyote, Buffy Sainte-Marie. A number of additional releases followed - with contributions from Jackson Browne, Sheila E., Wavy Gravy, David Grisman and Steve Kimock - all available now at www.highmoonrecords.com/shop/ace-of-cups.
Kaufman’s journey following the original iteration of The Ace of Cups eventually led her to being one of the seven founding mothers of Island School on Kauai, Hawaii; to studying aikido and yoga with Robert Nadeau Shihan, Yogi Bhajan, Pattabhi Jois, and Paul Grilley; and to teaching yoga to Madonna, Sting, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Quincy Jones, and Jane Fonda. Kaufman currently lives between Kauai and Venice Beach, CA, playing music, teaching yoga, surfing, and continuing to learn, channel inspiration and connect all those around her.
Raised on Kauai, but currently based in London, England, Eli Smart has continued his family’s musical legacy with his own distinctive brand of “Aloha Soul,” blending rock, jazz, and Tropicana with the laconic vibes of his Hawaiian home. His incandescent vocals and lush tones quickly earned a growing fan following and critical applause from the likes of NME (which named him toits prestigious NME 100: Essential Emerging Artists For 2023 listing) and BBC Radio 1, forwhom he recently recorded a “Radio 1’s Future Artists” session, streaming now. Smart – who also saw his 2022 track “See Through” covered in Simlish for the latest expansions of The Sims 4 – recently shared his latest single, “Fiesta 99.9FM".
REMAINING SUMMER TOUR DATES:
AUGUST
1 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
3 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
5 – Los Angeles, CA – Genghis Cohen *
W/ DECLAN MCKENNA EXCEPT *
CONNECT WITH ELI SMART:
CONNECT WITH DENISE KAUFMAN:
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