Children of Lucy
Children of Lucy is…
an electrifying instrumental sextet forging new paths in global dance music. Based in San Francisco and led by veteran drummer-composer A.C. Lewis (aka DrClock), the band fuses Afro, Asian, and Latin-American traditions with jazz and rock to create a singular, intensely rhythmic sound. Their lineup—drums, bass, guitar, percussion, alto sax, and trombone—channels a world of influence into original compositions that are earthy, ecstatic, and unmistakably alive.
Each tune tells a story that spans continents and centuries: a cumbia from Colombia, a Wassoulou groove from Mali, a polymetric dance from the Congo, a Hindu rhythm from South India—all transformed through the band’s collective energy. DrClock, a Juilliard-trained percussionist and composer with decades of experience performing with artists like Ray Charles, Yo-Yo Ma, Lenard Bernstein, and Ella Fitzgerald, is at the ensemble's heart. His compositions are the band’s backbone: rich with history, bold in form, and built to move.
Meet the band
The band’s cast of characters is as colorful as its music:
Guitarist David El brings Latin rock fire and hip-hop soul, delivering solos that sizzle with jazz-blues fusion.
Noah Magor, a young phenom from Santa Cruz, holds down the low end with groove-heavy electric bass.
Percussionist Mar Stevens, a lifelong student and teacher of West African drumming, infuses the band with healing rhythms and ancestral power.
Alto saxophonist Eric Scheide adds melodic depth and harmonic fire, drawing from jazz, big band, and experimental traditions.
Trombonist Rick Brown, a seasoned player and storyteller, adds texture and humor, honed over decades in big bands and Afro-Latin ensembles, and even practiced scales on cornet while driving a semi.
The band’s name refers to Lucy, the 3.2-million-year-old hominid fossil discovered in Ethiopia. For Children of Lucy, the image is more than symbolic—it's a mission. They believe all music is ancestral, and all dance is a return to the roots.
Whether on stage at a jazz club or an outdoor festival, Children of Lucy brings a joyful urgency to every note. Their music is global in scope, local in groove, and always aimed at the hips and the heart.