When musicians find themselves in harmony in a certain place and time, the instinct is to make more music and more harmony, which requires more musicians.
Bent Myggen is a Danish-born musician and singer-songwriter. He comes from a family of musicians who have included conductors, concert pianists, and singers. He first came to America performing folk music in the early 1970s and now finds himself living in the heart of downtown Los Olivos.
“The truth I think that most people come upon is the best thing in the world is to be in the right place at the right time and have something to offer,” Myggen said. “And my thing is that I have music, and this town didn’t have music until I came here.”
Downtown Los Olivos, which spans about four blocks from the nexus of Grand Avenue and Alamo Pintado Avenue, includes wine tasting rooms, restaurants, art galleries, inns, and other specialty shops. At the southwest corner of the crossroads is “The Crooked Path,” the name that has been given to the garden of the small home that stands alone in downtown Los Olivos. There, Myggen has built a recording studio and “music sanctuary.” In the garden he hosts The Crooked Path Concert Series.
“I think it’s been a schoolhouse; it’s old, one of the earliest buildings that was here,” he said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s where my heart is at.”
The concert series happens every Saturday and Sunday and features full bands, smaller ensembles, and jam sessions in the garden. He reserves Saturdays for bands, but on Sundays Myggen performs his original music along with the help of local musicians he has come to know.
“The people I play with are true players,” he said. “They play because they love the sound.”
Myggen will be joined on his April 21 set by percussionist Grace Feldmann and Eric Brittain, who plays the violin, guitar, mandolin, and dobro.
“When I hear a little sound coming into the music, I think that makes the music greater,” he said. “The music or sounds that they make is the witness to their connection with the music, and it expands the listening.”
Myggen will also offer small percussive instruments, such as shakers, to the audience to allow them to join in on the jam. His ideal is to have the entire garden filled with music, emanating peacefully into downtown, and thus attracting more listeners and audience members.
“Music is a microcosm of our world working,” he said. “We all come with a different background of abilities and skills, and all that is required is a little bit of listening.”
But the audience is not limited to just those sitting in the garden or passing by. Myggen, with his state of the art studio, has rigged a streaming video and audio performance of the concerts to go out live on his website, losolivosnow.wordpress.com.
“The original idea for that was that the shops and tasting rooms around here with computers could stream the concerts inside,” he said. “Another way of getting people in town to come check it out.”
Through the Internet though, anybody worldwide can watch the concerts streaming in real time.
“It’s a way of opening up to the rest of the world,” he said, “and it’s like a lottery, you never know who or when they are going to tap into it.”
The website also serves as a hub for the musicians of the concert series to give each other heads up on music they will be playing, posting recordings and allowing artists who haven’t already met to get to know each other’s music before jamming.
“It’s a great tool; it’s wonderful for people finding each other,” Myggen said. “It just gives everybody power.”
Empowering others is a value Myggen holds to. Every Sunday at 4 p.m. after his set, he invites musicians to come join an improvisatory jam session.
“Music has been around for every civilization for every time in history, because it unites people, it puts us in sync,” he said. “It’s a language the audience understands, and it’s almost like they are a tribe within tribes.”
Open to all
Lucia’s Wine Co. offers an open mic featuring wine, poetry, and live music on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the tasting room, 126 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. More info: 332-3080.
Fine wine and live music
The Addamo Tasting Room and Bistro presents “Wine Down Wednesdays,” featuring live music on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Addamo Tasting Room and Bistro, located at 400 E. Clark Ave., Old Orcutt. Free. More info: 937-6400 or Bethany@addamovineyards.com.
All things pop
The Lompoc Pops Orchestra performs the concert “From Sea to Shining Sea” on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, Lompoc. More info: 735-6463 or lompocpopsorchestra.org.
Live from L.A.
O’Sullivan’s Pub hosts an open mic night for musicians and rappers accompanied by live music on April 23 with sign-ups from 7 to 8 p.m. at O’Sullivan’s Pub, 633 E. Main St., Santa Maria. More info: 925-0658 or osullivanspub.net.
Maverick music
The Maverick Saloon offers live entertainment, including live country by Sean Wiggins and Lone Goat on April 19 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” featuring Sean and friends is April 20 at 3 p.m. Sean Wiggins and Lone Goat perform live on April 20 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. Herrick performs alternative country music on April 25 at 8:30 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 18-25, 2013.