The world of wine and jazz music are intertwined, and it’s easy to see why—they make a perfect pairing.
That’s why trumpeter and jazz musician Ron Helman was surprised when he moved to the Santa Ynez Valley, the heart of the Central Coast’s wine country, and found a lack of jazz music in local venues. Undeterred, he has set out to change that and has enjoyed a weekly live set on Fridays at The Bear and Star restaurant in Los Olivos since October.
“I kind of marched in and said, ‘I want to play here. I want to be the local guy here. I want to create something,’” Helman said.
Helman said he spoke with one of The Bear and Star’s owners, Amanda Parker, granddaughter of the late Fess Parker. Parker was very gracious, Helman said, taking into account how musicians are often viewed as “second-rate citizens.”
He found more than a welcome home at The Bear and Star and its owners, he said.
“It was shocking. She called me ‘Mr. Helman,’ and ‘I really like your work,’ and ‘I’d be honored for you to play here,’” he said. “I had never heard that, maybe ever. It was the sweetest thing.”
According to The Bear and Star’s restaurant manager, Robert Williams, the inspiration to begin a live music series at the restaurant began with the Parker family’s famous patriarch.
“Fess Parker himself used to love to play music and entertain guests here in his heyday,” Williams said. “There’s a lot of local stories about Fess Parker playing a piano in the corner and singing along with friends and locals here.”
Bringing Helman in as a regular performer is a perfect fit for the restaurant, Williams said. Helman’s flugelhorn carries from the restaurant’s bar area through to the dining room. He usually plays with either a guitarist or pianist for accompaniment. He will also perform on New Year’s Eve with a full quartet.
Before he relocated to the Central Coast, Helman lived in New York City and then Santa Fe, New Mexico. He wore a variety of hats in New York in the creative industry. He was a professional dancer, a dance/gymnastics personal trainer to stars like Al Pacino and Julianne Moore, and was even a manager for prominent jazz artists. He made lots of friends among the jazz world’s top brass.
“I’ve been around the block; I’m 66 years old and I’ve experienced it all,” he said. “When I was in New York, I loved jazz so much I decided to go into the business of jazz and became a manager. I had a company called Mileshigh Artist Management.”
The name of his management company was inspired by his musical idol, Miles Davis. Helman actually transcribed an entire Davis album once in the quest to emulate the iconic trumpet player.
Helman said he always selects the most skilled local musicians to collaborate with. He brings either guitarist Chris Judge or pianist Kent Rollins to perform with him at The Bear and Star.
Both collaborators play differently, Helman said, which helps him explore different songs and arrangements. That’s the spirit of jazz, finding the beauty in each new and unique musical moment.
“I try to mix it up for the audience as well as myself,” he said. “It’s pretty interesting. To me, they are two entirely different bands, and I improvise and I play differently with each one of them. It’s a pretty nice contrast for me as a player.”
Managing Editor Joe Payne gets misty writing about jazz. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 14-21, 2017.