Wine tasting/food event to include entertainment

The Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks will present the third annual ConejoFest on the lawn of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza from noon to about 5 p.m. Sun., Sept. 24.

This benefit for local Kiwanis charities features live blues and jazz music from Michael John, Elliot Caine and Dona Oxford.

The cost is $40 per person and includes music performances, a wine glass, food and wine tasting, and an auction paddle.

Blues Revue said this of Oxford: "...(her) work on the ivories is stunning. Her confident, passionate playing . . . will take her a long way." Event organizers said Oxford "impresses audiences with her double-fisted, high energy performance, her attitude, sultry good looks and a down and dirty beat." Amazon.com rates Oxford as the "best blues, boogiewoogie and barrelhouse of recent times." "Double threat singer and keyboardist" wrote Keyboard Magazine. The Elliot Caine Sextet, with its "blue note style jazz," is dedicated to soulful, honest and swinging music. The sextet will perform original melodies, songs of the greats and music from straight-ahead to Latin to funk grooves and ballads.

"Jazz enthusiasts who appreciate the great masters-Davis, Morgan, Blakey, Byrd-should check out the sounds of trumpeter Elliot Caine" states the Pasadena Star News.

Michael John and The Bottom Line, a six-piece high energy contemporary original Blues band, was recently selected by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation as one of the top 10 unsigned blues bands in the world.

John's strong, soulful vocals are his main instrument, supportare his main instrument, supporting his groove on the harmonica and rhythm guitar.

Jon Hayes of

Southland Blues

Magazine describes

the band as "raw power and emotion." John Taylor of Blues on Stage calls John a "powerful, gutsy vocalist."

Tickets are available by calling (866) 468-3399 or going to www.TicketWeb.com.

For event information, visit www.ConejoFest.com.