The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society has a rich history of providing locals with the finest classical concert music available. But as all organizations, nonprofit or otherwise, have been feeling the economic crunch, the philharmonic has had to step up to the challenge of providing the community with quality music on a dwindling budget.
The philharmonic’s upcoming concert is a first for the organization, in that they’ll be presenting a group that won’t be performing strictly classical music. Café Musique is a five-piece ensemble of instrumentalists, some of whom sing, who perform American folk, French café jazz, tango, waltz, Eastern European, Gypsy, and other genres. The group also performs classical pieces, but with its own distinct twist.
“We are just trying something different, kind of keeping the costs down but also providing this great concert music at the same time,” said George J. Majoue, executive director for the Philharmonic Society. “They have a variety of music that goes back. They all have their own musical style, and it makes a collage that just works. It’s awesome.”
Café Musique’s closest connection to the Philharmonic Society is the group’s violinist, Brynn Albanese, who also plays violin in the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra. Albanese has been playing the violin since childhood and has earned accolades and veneration in the classical community. But, after living in Europe, she discovered she didn’t want to live in the classical community full time, for she fell in love with the various forms of folk music she encountered.
“There is no one particular style that got me,” she said. “I wanted to play it all.”
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It’s this feeling that made it easy for Albanese to join Café Musique about five years ago: The group shares the same musical outlook. The “founding father” of the ensemble is accordionist Duane Inglish, said Albanese, a local who’s been involved in the San Luis Obispo music scene since the 1970s. He played host to KCBX Public Radio’s “Basically Bluegrass” show for 16 years and helped found and direct the first Live Oak Music Festival.
The rest of the band includes upright bassist Fred Murray, who has played almost every genre imaginable from rock to Cajun funk. Piper Heisig plays bass, percussion, and vocals for the group, and, like her music compadres, has played a plethora of music styles, including traditional swing jazz, Hawaiian folk, and other world music. Craig Nuttycombe has been a guitarist and singer songwriter since the ’60s, and his 1970 debut album At Home with his then duo Lambert and Nuttycombe.
Every one of these artists brings a unique flavor to the music of Café Musique; the end result is sure to please the musical palate. The group has several audio samples available on its website, cafemusique.org.
“We like to take people on musical journeys far beyond one genre,” Albanese said. “We’re sort of an ‘all of the above’ band.”
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The concert will be at the philharmonic’s usual haunt: Grace Baptist Church at College and McCoy in Santa Maria.
“It is going to be exciting beyond excitement; we’ve never done a program like this before,” Majoue said. “I’m moved every time I hear Café Musique play.”
Music at the Maverick
The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez presents the country music of Teddy Spanke and the Tex Pistols Nov. 18 at 8:30 p.m., followed by DJPJ at 11:30 p.m. Concert on the Deck is on Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. Teddy Spanke and the Tex Pistols play country music Nov. 19 at 8:30 p.m., followed by DJPJ at 11:30 p.m. “Reunion Night” will feature DJPJ and his light show Nov. 23 at 9 p.m. Tickets are available at 688-0383 or talesfromthetavern.com.
The ‘Hellbound Hoedown’ comes to town
O’Sullivan’s Pub presents the Ghost Town Hangmen and The Infamous Swanks performing rockabilly/punkabilly music on Nov. 18 at 8:30 p.m. at O’Sullivan’s, 633 E. Main St., Santa Maria. More info: osullivanspub.net.
Contact Calendar Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Nov 17-24, 2011.