Susan Anders at Paradiso

About this event

Santa Fe singer/songwriter SUSAN ANDERS

Performs at Paradiso November 6th, 2026. Tom Manche opens. “A soulful, commanding voice” - The New Yorker

SUSAN ANDERS: vocals-guitar TOM MANCHE: vocals-guitar CHAZZ FRICHTEL: bass-vocals Santa Fe singer/songwriter Susan Anders celebrates her newly functioning right hand at “The Happy Hand Show”, playing songs from her 2025 release NOW I’M A KITE as well as from her large catalogue of originals. Her husband Tom Manche opens with a set of his own sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant songs.

In July 2025 Anders released her fifth solo album NOW I’M A KITE to glowing reviews and several puns: “Susan Anders soars with NOW I'M A KITE” Ryan Emmert/World Music Central, “NOW I'M A KITE takes Anders to new heights.” Lee Zimmerman/blanknews.com. Though many of the songs were inspired by the passing of her father in 2022 she was in great spirits in 2025, enjoying life in her new home of Santa Fe, NM. That fall she started to feel pain in her right thumb and middle finger learned that she had two trigger fingers, and until surgery in February 2026 she could barely play guitar or piano. The Paradiso show is her first performance since her hand recovery. In addition to Manche she will be backed by Santa Fe bassist/singer Chazz Frichtel, who played with Michael McDonald for 19 years as well as with Chuck Mangione, Wilson/Phillips. While her hand was out of commission Anders turned to vocal arranging: her piece “A Wave That Rocks Me” was premiered by The Zia Singers in January of 2026.

Anders is known for her smart lyrics, moving vocals, and Americana meets folk/pop/jazz sound. Her lyrical focus is less on young love, more on mid-life issues like reinvention, forgiveness, healing, materialism, and mourning. As Dirty Linen wrote: “This is music for adults: smart, witty, and insightful.”

Her influences are vast and include Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Leonard Cohen, and other great 70s singer-songwriters, the Motown and Beatles she heard growing up, and recent artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Kimbra.

Anders grew up in Berkeley, California, collected degrees from UC Santa Cruz and SF State, then spent her twenties singing, playing, and writing for a cappella, rock, jazz, and Motown bands that played throughout northern California. She also paid her bills by delivering singing telegrams wearing a table around her waist, and teaching doo-wop songs to Buddhist monks. After moving to Los Angeles in 1990 and meeting her future husband Tom Manche, they formed, toured, and recorded with their band Susan’s Room for the rest of the decade. Susan's Room disbanded amicably and Anders moved with Manche to Nashville, Tennessee in 2002, where she coached singers and released four solo albums: Release (2005), Swimmer (2010), Loop de Loop (2016), and 13 Women (2021). Susan and Tom moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2023, where they live downtown with their dog Eddie.

Download or stream Hi-res photos and NOW I’M A KITE at: https://www.susanandersmusic.com/epk.

Live videos are at https://susanandersmusic.com/video.