SamanAndrew Keep in touch with Mama Kin

Under a red glow of curved neon, round club tables surround a platform stage framed by windows looking out into San Jose’s SoFA District. Music rises into the air, melding with savory smells of home cooking and revelry conjured by the serving of libations. The amalgam drifts out streetside, beckoning new and old patrons to come in and stay a while. A painting of American multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland-Kirk clings high on the wall near the second-floor mezzanine, looking over the rebirth of a locale once home to Cafe Stritch. The phoenix rising from the brick walls, copper-lined bar counter, and hearts of San Jose music lovers is Mama Kin, SoFA’s newest venue for live entertainment.

Mama Kin is the brainchild of owner Andrew Saman, whose values reflect hard work, family, and keeping music alive. The venue’s namesake is derived from a song entitled “Mama Kin” on Aerosmith’s 1972 self-titled album. When explaining the allusion in the venue’s name, Saman references an interview in which Steven Tyler describes the song’s hook, “keep in touch with Mama Kin,” as staying humble to the creative process that got you to where you are. Saman shares, “I think that concept creates a nurturing vibe here. I always hear from customers how friendly the staff is. That’s not by accident.” During his career managing venues in the Bay Area—including Rockbar, the Continental Bar, Hawthorn, the Ritz, and Cafe Stritch—Saman has cultivated a team of friendly and hardworking individuals he views more like family than employees. He met his current business partner, Sam Becker, during his tenure at the Continental. Saman explains, “Sam was one of my first customers there. He saw how I worked, saw me get other venues up and running, and would say, ‘We should open a place someday.’ I had heard that kind of thing before, but this guy was serious.” After managing businesses for others with expected financial and visionary constraints, Saman now steers the ship at Mama Kin.

What separates Mama Kin from other venues is the variety of entertainment, Creole home-style cooking, and a menu of signature music-inspired drinks. Saman believes that “to be successful, you have to have the trifecta. You need food, drinks, and entertainment. If you have all three of those, people won’t have an excuse to leave; you can lock them in at the door, and they won’t be upset.”

When considering the location’s history as a jazz venue, Saman reflects, “There were many people ready for this place to open. I made sure Thursdays were always dedicated to really good jazz. I am always trying to get the jazz heads to come here more regularly.” In addition to jazz, Saman takes inspiration from what notable venues in places like New York and Nashville have done before, mentioning, “I want to own a spot where people can come down knowing there will be cool music.”

He also hopes that Mama Kin can be a launching pad for local musicians. When describing the San Jose music scene, Saman observes, “There ain’t a lot like it. San Jose is flooded with outstanding artists. I always find new acts during the open mic on Tuesdays. I do a thing on Fridays and Saturdays called ‘play the break,’ where I have those acts perform during the headliners’ 30-minute break between sets.”

Saman’s love for music is deep. He spent his childhood on the move, from the Everglades outside of Miami to New Jersey, Orlando, London, and California, and recalls, “I was an only child, moved around a lot, and had a lot of quiet time as a kid, but I always had records. I remember reading the lyrics on record sleeves

-Andrew Saman

and feeling like they were saying things I didn’t know how to put into words.”

That love for music has driven his musical pursuits in bands such as Pushing the Sun and Royal Rebels, in his bachelor’s degree in applied science in sound, and now in creating a home for music in San Jose. Saman says, “Arts are our last grip on humanity. When people don’t know how to express themselves verbally, art becomes language, and having a house, home, or platform for that is vital. I have always wanted to run a music venue because it is about passion and love for music. I think that can be infectious, and I think that’s what people should expect when they come to Mama Kin. Get here early, grab a drink, and donate if you want, but support live music. I hope people understand that this is a tough industry and we are not some big corporation. We are a momand-pop operation trying to survive.” Saman credits his wife, Crystal, and children, Lyric and Winter, for motivating and inspiring his vision for Mama Kin and the future. C