Paris Calling

She’s a tall Texan with no accent and no tan, but plenty of hair, good songs and an unforgettable voice. She’s Suzanne Paris, who will serenade Poinsettia City locals twice this weekend during a couple of free shows. Friday night, Paris will appear solo at Zoey’s Cafe in Ventura; on Saturday, she’ll front a trio at Wine Lovers.

Zoey’s, in the far end of the El Jardin patio in downtown Ventura, is known for its salads and sandwiches, not to mention a supply of spirited spirits. Musically, it’s a low-budget production featuring Paris on a chair with her guitar. Wine Lovers is just what you’d think--but with beer and food as well. Inside, there’s a bar and also a bunch of comfy chairs and couches with a torch-lit patio outside. For this gig, Paris will be joined by her husband, David Holster, and percussionist Marty Van Loan.

Paris discovered her musical genes long ago when her significant parental unit played the right kind of music at the right time.

“When I was a little girl, my dad, who was my favorite person to hang out with, used to play Beatles records, and also Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck and Peter, Paul & Mary,” Paris said. “I remember the Beatles because immediately, I could hear everything they were doing, and I was singing along with them and doing all the harmonies when I was 5 years old.”

Paris’ father was a petroleum engineer, and the pursuit of the black goo took the family from Alaska to New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Ohio. While in the Buckeye State, Paris enrolled at Bowling Green University, taking design and photography, and still sang on the side. While attending a seminar in Rochester, N.Y., Paris happened to open a show for Michael Bolton. A week later, he called and hired the 19-year-old to be his backup singer for a summer tour.

“Michael was just great--he never drank or took drugs--he was into meditating. On that same tour, I met Johnny Winter, who played with us a couple of times. He wanted me to be in his band, but he was too scary for me. After that summer, I never went back to school, and even though I never learned to read music, I was always getting hired to sing somewhere.”

When her father was reassigned to Denver, Paris landed in nearby Boulder, and eventually Aspen. She kept her night job doing solo and band gigs, all the while hanging out with rock stars.

“I just started playing music everywhere with different people,” she said. “I opened for Dan Fogelberg, Stephen Stills, Richie Havens and once, the Temptations. I sang with them on stage, and I danced with the Temptations--I was in the middle. I sang ‘My Girl’ with David Ruffin, like to each other. I had a great time in Aspen and made good money. Since Aspen is such a small town, any time any famous musicians came through, they’d hang out with us.”

After moving to L.A., Paris returned to Aspen for a two-week vacation but stayed seven years. There, she hooked up with one of the local rock gods.

“I teamed up with David Holster, a great songwriter well-known in Aspen, who had written songs for John Denver, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Three Dog Night. We decided his songs and my voice would work.”

All that singing and moving eventually landed Paris in Ventura about a year ago, where she has become one of the mainstays on the local scene at Cafe Voltaire, along with Jimmy Adams (another Texan), Leslie Merical, Jonathan McEuen, Hippie Mark and all the others. As to the future--the musician’s tense of choice--Paris has plans. “David and I are doing an album together, then a solo album each,” she said. “They should be out in the next couple of months. There’s a wonderful group of musicians here in Ventura, very talented and extremely inspiring.”

Paris, always laughing as if she gets a joke we haven’t heard yet, has a voice that often transcends her songs. Two notable examples happen to be covers--John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” and her showstopper, “Wish We Never Met” by actress/singer Kathleen Wilhoite.

“I think I sound like Dusty Springfield, Joni Mitchell with Stephen Stills’ guitar style with some blues in there somewhere,” she said. “I’m just a singer/songwriter who does mostly my own songs. I just want to play music, have fun and, hopefully, make people happy.”

DETAILS

Suzanne Paris at Zoey’s Cafe, 451 E. Main St., Ventura, Friday, 7 p.m. Free. 652-1137; Suzanne Paris & Friends at Wine Lovers, 1067 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura, Saturday, 8 p.m. Free. 652-1810.

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The soundtrack for the good ol’ days will rev up Wednesday night when the Forever Fifties extravaganza comes to the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks. The lavish production will feature singer and movie star Gloria De Haven, million-selling piano player Buddy Greco, virtuoso vocal group the Four Aces and the singing De Castro Sisters, with the Dick Parent Band providing the music for all the above.

Gloria De Haven began her acting career in one of the greatest comedies ever, “Modern Times,” in 1936, and began her singing career five years later, while still a teenager, as the featured vocalist for the Bob Crosby Band. De Haven has made numerous light musicals over the years and has starred on Broadway and in many television shows.

Buddy Greco is recognized as one of the top jazz pianists and vocalists of all time. He began his career playing with Benny Goodman and has gone on to record more than 60 albums with such hits as “The Lady Is a Tramp” and “Around the World.” The legendary Four Aces are known for such tunes as “Tell Me Why” and “Three Coins in the Fountain,” while the De Castro Sisters’ hits include “Teach Me Tonight” and “Too Late Now.” The Dick Parent Band will back the performers and showcase drummer Dick Shanahan, who will offer a salute to Gene Krupa. Comedian John Wing will emcee.

DETAILS

Forever Fifties with Buddy Greco, the Four Aces, the De Castro Sisters, Gloria De Haven, the Dick Parent Big Band and John Wing at the Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, Wednesday, 8 p.m. $31, $26 or $21. 449-2787.

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While the happy feet portion of ska music is obvious, the words sometimes can have meaning as well.

To that end, Less Than Jake will attempt to make area skateheads, finheads and skinheads think as they dance when they headline a four-band wingding at the venerable Ventura Theatre on Wednesday. The band is touring in support of its fifth and latest album, “Hello Rockview.” Opening will be punk veterans All, along with Limp, and Frenzel Rhomb.

According to drummer Vinnie, it’s not just upbeat music and bald people pummeling one another in the mosh pit that matters. “I’ve never thought of Less Than Jake as a political band, but in the last year, we’ve started to swing that way, especially after playing on the Ska Against Racism Tour and working with the ARA [Anti-Racist Action], and it’s all an extension of how we run things in the band--making sure the shows are always all ages and making sure the T-shirts and door are low price.”

To that end, 12 bucks for four bands is a deal.

DETAILS

Less Than Jake and All, Frenzel Rhomb and Limp at the Ventura Theatre, 26 S. Chestnut St. Wednesday, 7 p.m. $12. 653-0721.