The story of The Nitecaps in pictures, audio, text and newspaper clippings
Those that grew up in the San Jose/Santa Clara area in the 60s and were fortunate enough to spend some time at the Santa Clara Youth Village, better known as “Wutzit Club,” should find this site of interest and a lot of fun.
“The Nitecaps were part of the new music revolution in the 1960s in the San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area. Those were very exciting times. The group was very active in the local Bay Area music scene. There is a generation of kids who grew up with them and remember the band to this day. I find it pretty amazing that people still walk up to me and bring up that I was in The Nitecaps. If they grew up in the 60s, they all seem to remember the band.”
– Jim (Jimmy Nite) Bruno
Band Members
The 1st Surf Band Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Tony Coronado – Bass guitar
Steve Cron – Rhythm Guitar
Jim Bruno – Lead Guitar
The 2nd Surf Band Lineup
Johnny Diaz – drums
Tony Coronado – Bass guitar
Steve Cron – Rhythm Guitar
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Jim Bruno – Lead Guitar
The 3rd Surf Band Lineup
Johnny Diaz – drums
Tony Coronado – Bass guitar
Steve Cron – Rhythm Guitar
Larry Lunsford – Rhythm Guitar
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Jim Bruno – Lead Guitar
The Final Surf Band Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Butch Martin – Bass guitar
Bob Martin – Trumpet
Larry Lunsford – Rhythm Guitar
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Tony Ceraolo – Keyboard
Jim Bruno – Lead Guitar
The 1st Soul Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Larry Lunsford – Lead Guitar
Butch Martin – Bass guitar
Tony Cirillo – Keyboards
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Bob Martin – Trumpet
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
The 2nd Soul Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Larry Lunsford – Lead Guitar
Butch Martin – Bass guitar
Tony Cirillo – Keyboards
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Bob Martin – Trumpet / Saxophone
Phil Salgado – Trumpet
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
The 3rd Soul Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Larry Lunsford – Lead Guitar
Butch Martin – Bass guitar
Robert Vallelunga – Organ
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Bob Martin – Trumpet / Saxophone
Phil Salgado – Trumpet
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
The 4th Soul Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Larry Lunsford – Lead Guitar
Chip Benson – Bass Guitar
Robert Vallelunga – Organ
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Bob Martin – Trumpet / Saxophone
Phil Salgado – Trumpet
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
The 5th Soul Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Larry Lunsford – Lead Guitar
Jim Morgan – Bass Guitar
Robert Vallelunga – Organ
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Bob Martin – Trumpet / Saxophone
Phil Salgado – Trumpet
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
2nd Nitecaps – 1st Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Bob Martin – Lead Guitar
Butch Martin – Bass Guitar
Eric Benson – Organ
Tim Smith – Saxophone
Kevin Marcy – Trumpet
Vince Lopez – Saxophone
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
2nd Nitecaps – 2nd Lineup
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Bob Martin – Lead Guitar
Butch Martin – Bass Guitar
Rick Panell – Keyboards
Kevin Marcy – Trumpet
Vince Lopez – Saxophone
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
2nd Nitecaps – Final Lineup
Richard Alves – Drums
Bob Martin – Lead Guitar
Butch Martin – Bass Guitar
Rick Panell – Keyboards
Kevin Marcy – Trumpet
Vince Lopez – Saxophone
Phil Salgado – Trumpet & Trombone
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
Reunion Lineup – 1983
Larry Lunsford – Lead Guitar
Bob Martin – Lead Guitar
Chip Benson – Bass
Sam Johnson – Trombone
Kevin Marcy – Trumpet
Phil Salgado – Trumpet
Tim Smith – Saxophone
John LaBaum – Saxophone
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Robert Vallelunga – Organ
Eric Benson – Organ
Jimmie Bojorquez – Lead Singer
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
Reunion Lineup – 1988
Larry Lunsford – Lead Guitar
Bob Martin – Lead Guitar
Chip Benson – Bass
Johnny Diaz – Drums
Tim Smith – Saxophone
Tommy Sosa – Baritone Saxophone
Phil Salgado – Trumpet
Kevin Marcy – Trumpet
Eric Benson – Organ
Robert Vallelunga – Organ
Jimmie Bojorquez – Lead Singer
Jim Bruno – Lead Singer
Reunion Lineup – 2018
Bob Martin – Guitar
Ray McNatt – Guitar
Robert Boehm – Bass Guitar
Eric Benson – Keyboards
Robert Vallelunga – Keyboards
Rick Alegria – Drums
Dave Daly – Guest Drummer
Kevin W. Marcyes – Trumpet
Phil Salgado – Trumpet, Trombone, Flugel Horn
Abraham Vasquez – Tenor & Alto Saxophone
Stacy Kay – Tenor & Alto Saxophone
Jim Bruno (Jimmy Nite) – Lead Singer
Jimmie Bojorquez (Little Jimmie B.) – Vocals