Published in the Feb. 5, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Mark Fenichel

Photo by Roni Depue Morgan Hill Life Advertising Director Mark “Fenny” Fenichel and Greg Kihn at Kihn’s signing of his new book at BookSmart Oct. 15.

Photo by Roni Depue
Morgan Hill Life Advertising Director Mark “Fenny” Fenichel and Greg Kihn at Kihn’s signing of his new book at BookSmart Oct. 15.

There is a lot of music in the air and all over town. The biggest news in local music (and food) is the opening of 88 Keys Cafe, Restaurant & Bar. Owners Mark and Susan Gaetano are not new to the music, entertainment and restaurant business. In earlier years they successfully ran the Gaslighter Theater in downtown Campbell and downtown Gilroy. The Gaslighter featured live vaudevillian style acts along with a variety of live music.

I ran into Mark and Susan by chance two years ago at the Taste of Morgan Hill when they were passing out fliers promoting the opening of The Upstairs Jazz Cafe their newest venture at the time. The restaurant bar was a place to drink fine local wines while listening to live (mostly jazz) music as you munched on tasty appetizers and select dinner items. A good deal of the music was provided by Mark who is a virtuoso pianist with the ability to play any style of music that a piano is capable of. The Upstairs Jazz Cafe had many successful evenings throughout its relatively short run and proved to be a good training ground for the Morgan Hill couple’s newest venture 88 Keys Cafe.

88 Keys Cafe is a full-service restaurant complete with a full bar, a wide selection of wines (many local) and as an added feature live music provided not only by Mark as a soloist, but also with his trio, and various groups selected from his many amazingly talented friends. The idea is to have an artsy, fun cuisine of high quality with surprisingly reasonable prices. As a bonus, it is also a place that welcomes a host of musical styles from piano bar style to blues and rock to jazz, swing, standards, vocalists, country and rootsy American folk music.

The menu is modern American cuisine with influences from around the globe. Finger foods include specialty items like charred octopus or crispy skin Cabernet glazed duck. The Gaetanos brought on board chef Jonathan Toste, winner of the 2011 Gilroy Garlic Festival Master Chef Showdown.

88 Keys Cafe plans to open their doors some time around Feb. 6. Check its website (www.88keyscafe.com) for details. 88 Keys Cafe can be found at Murphy and Dunne avenues right next to the Concept Cyclery shop. It’s sure to be a brilliant addition to the abundant assortment of high quality eateries in Morgan Hill.

For you guitar enthusiasts there is something interesting going on now until March 15. The Santa Cruz County Art of Guitar Exhibit & Festival is a six-week show at the Blitzer Gallery. High-end guitars are presented in a format that lets visitors examine them up close. For more information, google Santa Cruz Art of Guitar Festival. The Blitzer Gallery is at 2801 Mission St. Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.