Justin Ancheta and Maren Metke have musical nectar flowing through their veins. The dynamic Grass Valley duo are the driving force behind a project that is even sweeter than it sounds. Honey of the Heart is an ambrosial mix of musical interpretations influenced by folk, soul, roots and world/flamenco styles. Built upon a repertoire of uplifting original material, they join together with other phenomenal musicians to create in an organic state of symbiosis. Many of their songs come forth like ancient incantations, casting angelic spells on all in their path. Honey of the Heart weaves soaring harmonies and hypnotic polyrhythms into an alchemical semblance of groove intended for dancing, rejoicing and blissful recalibration.
Internationally acclaimed touring musician Justin Ancheta is a guitarist, vocalist, multi instrumentalist, joined forces with Maren Metke, who is a vocalist, songwriter and instrumentalist performing across the US, Europe and India. Both strong composers & performers, they tour as a duo as well as full band, often forming superbands with beloved musical collaborators such as Heather Normandale Band and BrightSide Blue!
Justin and Maren formed the group Honey of the Heart to inspire, uplift and connect people with their hearts, voices, melodies and rhythms from around the world. Based in Northern California with strong roots in the Bay Area, Seattle & Sierra Foothills, The group presents their studio full length album that combines talented musicians from across California. The new album gets as intimate as just vocals and Ukulele, to as large as a twelve-piece band with a horn section, multiple percussionists, and DJ. Their live shows emote a sweet nectar of sounds that can bring people to personal revelation, community awareness, and uplift the power of joy in our hearts. They have also been prolifically writing and releasing singles throughout the pandemic, inspired by the challenges and gifts of this unique time.
They are parents and family with their daughter, Juniper, and combine their work as parents, educators, and musicians, to support a humanistic model to dancing with life, loss, joy, and other meaningful matters of the heart. Watch out for them on their west coast tour this spring, and this summer/fall.
Credentials
Frequent performers around the Bay Area, they were featured twice at WorldFest 2015, Prana Festival 2014, Foreverland Festival 2014, had the honor of opening for Taj Mahal in March 2015, and Rising Appalachia in Fall 2014. They made appearances at SOUP Fest ’14-’17, Bicycle Music Festival, Wild and Scenic Film Festival ’14- ’17, High Sierra Music Festival ’15-’19, Makers Faire ’15-’18, SoulPlay, Celtic Fest and Leonard Cohen Fest ’19 & ’21. They have produced 3 EP’s since Fall 2014, including ‘Live @ CFTA’, ‘Best of Live’ “Duo Live’ in Nevada City, and released their full studio album ‘Dive Deep in 2020, (just before the pandemic hit) and have been releasing Ep’s every couple of months ever since. Justin Ancheta and Maren Metke of Honey of the Heart are often joined by other talented musicians and collaborators.
Locally, they play venues such as Strings, Swedish American Music Hall, Center for the Arts GV, The Nevada Theater, Amados, and the Great American Music Hall, while their tour schedule has taken them from Barcelona to Hawaii. After more than a decade of shows and touring, they have shared the stage with Ayla Nereo, Taj Mahal, Rising Appalachia, Blues Traveler, The Wailers, Joan Baez and many more musical luminaries.
This year at Worldfest: Honey Of The Heart & Brightside Blue will be performing together on stage.
Please check the schedule for their stage set times listed as “Brightside/Honey”
