The Carnation Fourth of July offers two days of live music. The eclectic line-up includes Highway 203, Jeff Zuber, the Rockin’ the Blues Benefit Band, Felonious Monk, the Late Boomers, Redline and Renee Wolf, in live sets at three venues.

Carnation 4th music includes:

Tuesday

• 6 p.m., Highway 203 at Tolt Commons Park

Wednesday

• Post-parade, Jeff Zuber at the Parade Stage

• 4 p.m., Rockin’ the Blues Benefit Band, Tolt-MacDonald Park

• 5:15 p.m., Felonious Monk at Tolt-MacDonald Park

• 6 p.m., Late Boomers at Tolt-MacDonald Park

• 7 p.m., Redline at Tolt-MacDonald Park

• 10 p.m., Renee Wolf, to sing the national anthem.

Felonious Monk

After spending time with friends and family, the five musicians of Felonious Monk will step on the stage to perform at Carnation’s Fourth of July celebration. Ben Parrish on guitar, Taylor Cramer on saxophone, Zach Malek on bass, Parker Malek on vibraphone, and Dan Marroni on drums form the Duvall fusion band that calls itself Felonious Monk. Thelonious Monk, a jazz pianist and composer, is considered a great of American jazz and is the inspiration for the Duvall band name. Formed in 2011 for a cover show, the group is now known by many from their two years at the Cedarcrest High School Battle of the Bands. They returned this April to take grand prize, beating their 2011 second place finish.

Each musician is very involved with music. Parrish said that they are focused on their music “individually, and for the group as a whole.” Parrish will be studying jazz next fall at the University of Northern Colorado. Cramer, a Cedarcrest senior, performs in the renowned Bellevue College Jazz Band. Brothers Zach and Parker Malek attend the University of Washington; Zach is a physics major and music minor, and Parker is an atmospheric science major. Marroni attended Bellevue College in the past and works there now as a recording and sound engineer.  Parrish said they have grown together to “become a complex entity of colorful and original sounds.”

Late Boomers

Keeping alive the rock traditions of yesterday is the style of The Late Boomers, who play at 5:15 p.m. at Tolt-MacDonald Park during the run-up to the big Fourth of July fireworks display.

The band is the brainchild of guitarist and vocalist Steve Borquez. It’s his first real rock and roll band.

“I pulled together musicians that I’ve been playing with for as many as 20 years and some that I’ve never played with,” he told the Record.

All of the Late Boomers’ music is original.

“Our name pretty much gives away when our influences were forming,” Borquez said. “Except for one of us, we are boomers in our 50’s. So our style is born out of the late sixties and early seventies. You might say our style is rock, but I was listening to (jazz guitarist) Wes Montgomery on reel-to-reel tape machines back then, so you can’t deny him.”

Their lineup includes Bill Buck on flute, mandolin and vocals. Buck grew up in upstate New York and moved to Seattle 30 years ago. A dad to four, both his parents were musicians, and Buck’s been singing since age 2.

Bass guitarist Tom Adair has played in numerous garage bands. Steve and Tom have been in the same original garage band “The Un-” since 1985.  This band got together to write, record and play original music.They don’t play live, though, so he is  happy to be with the Boomers.

Joe Muharsky, on keyboards and vocals, is a six-year resident of Washington, a longtime hobbyist musician, and is thrilled to be adding keys and harmonies to the Boomers.

On drums and percussion is Joe Leonti, a California transplant who began playing drums in the Northwest back in the late 1970s. He worked with Chaka Kahn and Rufus in the early 1980s. A veteran of a number of progressive rock bands, Leonti’s musical credits include performing in numerous musicals with Cascade Community Theater such as “To the Castle,” “Grease”, “Babes In Toyland” and most recently, “Surf’s Up.”

“We all have day jobs, our drummer is the only working musician and even he has to rise and shine with the rest of us,” Borquez said. “So we are drawn to making music out of a passion for it. I’m sure I can speak for all of us when I say that this project will end but we will come together again, in part or in whole, as new ones come along.”

“I hope people are having a good time while we are up there doing our best to do the same,” he added. “If I can catch someone whistling the hook the next day, that would be cool.”

Highway 203

Local band Highway 203 performs an outdoor concert the day before the parade,  6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 3, at Tolt Commons Park.

The band is made up of Gary Wilson on guitars and vocals, Mike Davison with lead guitar and vocals, and Joe Leonti (also of the Late Boomers) on drums and percussion.

Wilson started playing guitar at age 7, inheriting a love of music from his grandfather and uncle.

He has continued to play all his life. Wilson moved to the Valley 23 years ago, raising his son here.

“As he neared high school graduation I found that I had more time on my hands and that I could now commit the time necessary to play with organized bands,” Wilson said. “I have been fortunate to have been able to play in a few area bands with several talented local musicians, and enjoy entertaining people in the local area.”

Davison has a studio in Duvall, where he teaches guitar and drums. He’s performed in many bands, playing classic rock and blues.