Chris Zanardi & The High Beamz

No matter how many times you’ve seen it, the sounds that can be produced by a guitar never cease to be a wondrous marvel. Craftsmanship and wizardry converge in ways that exceed basic logic. Any person with the focus, determination and vision can pick up the instrument and perform what many of us ordinary humans might deem magical feats. Chris Zanardi runs a recording studio in Pollock Pines by day when he’s not out on nature expeditions with his family. By night, he puts on his cape and turns into a modern-day jazz-funk-rock superhero with his band, The High Beamz.

His journey as a musician has navigated many phases. Early on, he gained recognition with a band called Five Eyed Hand which made a splash at High Sierra Music Festival, Las Tortugas Music Festival, Terrapin Crossroads, Sweetwater Music Hall and Crystal Bay Casino, to name a few. Known to his friends as “Z,” he invites listeners into the “Z Portal” – a seemingly mythical space where band and audience spiral together in a blissful confluence of music and feeling.

Following a period focused on family and away from the stage, Z has returned with a renewed sense of passion. Years after first wowing Crazy Horse audiences with improvisational showcases from the High Beamz, he brought us his Talking Heads tribute project – Crosseyed & Painless, featuring a super group of highly-acclaimed assassins. Their performances here were top highlights of the past two years with Z’s guitar solos incinerating the room.

Now we’re ready to witness the evolutionary development of the High Beamz as they play a highly-danceable, energetic mix of funky, portal-blasting originals, blues, jazz, and covers ranging from Talking Heads to the Beatles. Heavily influenced by jazz guitar greats, Steve Kimock and Phish, fans can expect buttery guitar tones and vibrant interplay between the musicians taking us to unexpected places.

Along the way, many elite musicians have joined High Beamz including Fareed Haque (Sting), James Whiton (TomWaits), Kai EcKhardt (John McLaughlin), Eric Levy (Night Ranger) and Jeremy Hoenig (Melvin Seals). Joining Z on this occasion will be Mike Meagher on bass/vocals (Stu Allen, Band Beyond Description), Dave Welsh on drums/vocals (Jonny Mojo/Nipper Brothers) and Ryan Vandenbroeck on keys/vocals (Bacon). Please join us in giving this band a warm welcome back to the Crazy Horse!