When passing by the bars and restaurants of Cayman in the evenings, it is likely you will hear the dulcet tones of live musicians, wafting through the air.
We are spoilt for choice when it comes to live music on-island, with every night of the week offering a chance to see and hear a different artist, no matter what district you are in.
DAN EBANKS
Dan Ebanks is a popular choice for music fans, with many remembering his previous moniker Danny Loops.
Playing pop/top 40 and a mix of reggae and blues with a smattering of rock, Dan plays both covers and original songs.
Recently he has been signed to record label Everheart Records, so he is definitely a local artist worth keeping an eye, or ear, on.
Coming from a musical family, Dan dabbled in a variety of instruments before truly finding passion with his guitar. He is inspired by artists such as Tash Sultana and John Mayer, but creates a distinctive sound all his own, even presenting as a full band by using a live looping station.
Expect much more music to be released by him soon due to his record label signing.
Dan has performed at large events such as Taste of Cayman and Capella alongside UB40, Kes the Band, Leanne Rimes and Koffee.
Regular gigs take place at the Holiday Inn on Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., and at Agua on Saturdays, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Music available on all major platforms.
AGOUTI STEW
Formed as an offshoot of the Fabulous 68s two years ago, Agouti Stew are billed as Cayman’s only New Orlean’s style hot jazz, folk and blues act.
The original members of the band are Chris Sanchez on vocals and guitar, Adam Cummins on snare drum, Charity Putman on tuba, Michael Wilks on bass, and Freya Jane on clarinet, saxophone and ukulele.
About one-third of a typical set is original songs written by Sanchez, such as ‘Shake, Shake, Clouded Clarity’ and ‘Long Way to Nashville’. Cover songs performed
are from the 1920s and 1930s from such artists as Fats Waller, Leroy Carr and Leon Redbone.
The band is currently recording ‘Circus Devils’ and the tune ‘Agouti Stew’ has been performed live in the Z99 studio for the past two years to promote Agouti Day at the Cayman Parrot Sanctuary.
Besides corporate and local events, catch the band weekly at the Cracked Conch on Saturdays and once monthly, Thursdays, at Door No. 4.
While Chris’s songs which predate the band can be purchased on all digital retailers, the Agouti Stew versions, as well as new material, are presently being recorded, so will be available soon.
HI TIDE
If you’ve been on-island for more than five minutes, you will be familiar with Hi Tide. First formed in 1993 as a five-piece group, the now duo (with occasional guest musicians) is still going strong.
Sean Hennings plays drums, guitar and provides background vocals, while Shane Allenger is lead vocalist and plays congas and keyboard.
With 13 albums under their belts this easy-listening acoustic group also describe their genre as ‘pop songs with a tropical twist.’ They perform both original songs and covers, with some of their most popular originals being ‘Love you more’, ‘Wait’, ‘Open Invitation’, and ‘Begin Again’.
A new single, ‘Island in the Sun’, is due to be released soon, and Sean and Shane are also busy co-writing and recording with artists in Nashville, Tennessee, so keep an ear out for more tunes soon.
Catch them island-wide, with regular gigs at Ms. Piper’s on Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30
p.m., the Westin lobby on Fridays, 8 p.m. – 10 p.m., and Abacus on Saturdays, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Facebook: Hi Tide
Website: hitidemusic.com
Music available on all streaming and download platforms.
Z99 CAYMAN LOCAL ARTIST PODCAST
Check out the Cayman Local Artist Series on Z99. Available as a podcast, Tim & Teri feature Cayman’s diverse and talented local artist community with studio conversations and song premieres. Recent artists featured have included Cam Kline, Coma Stone, Stuart Wilson, and Fa$hen.
This article originally appeared in What’s Hot, Autumn 2023 issue.
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