Spirits are stubborn things. Sometimes they refuse to leave. La Purisima Mission has its share. Stand in the middle of the surrounding expanses of grass, then at the animal pens. Face the area where skins are drying over a wooden beam. An infamous Lompoc breeze will charge through the emptiness, and the yard will suddenly come alive—if only for a brief moment.
Though life at the historic mission wasn’t easy, there is something beautiful now in its stillness.
On a recent afternoon, the sun baked the yard and an occasional note plucked from the nylon string of a guitar rippled through the silence, creating a trail to the church. Inside, Tony Harmon and Ray Pannell picked their Spanish instruments in preparation for their upcoming show, much to the delight of unsuspecting tourists.
“Missions are perfect for nylon string guitars. It enhances the sound,” Harmon said, and then he plucked at the taut line and the sound bounced off the walls with beautifully amplified richness.
The show will feature Harmon and Pannell and their guitars, surrounded by the haunting beauty of the mission church with its walls lending a hand with the acoustics.
“We’re going to play a lot of Spanish guitar, Latin guitar,” Harmon said.
“With a little non-traditional twist to it,” Pannell added.
Harmon explained that their style doesn’t conform strictly to flamenco. He called it Calmenco, which is something like flamenco with a California feel.
That fusion comes from the guitarists’ background in a variety of musical styles.
Harmon was professionally trained by some of the best guitarists all over the world, such as Patrick Read, Miguel Rubio, George Sakellariou, Ray Reussner, and Christopher Parkening. But his interest in Spanish guitar began when he was a kid and watched—and heard—Andrés Segovia.
“I heard him play, and I thought, ‘I want to play like that,’” Harmon said.
At the age of 18, Harmon was awarded the Outstanding Instrumentalist Award by the Northern California Arts Association. At the age of 21, he composed and performed the musical soundtrack for ABC televisions’ The William Randolph Hearst Story.
In 1976, Harmon moved to England to further his guitar studies, then returned to the states to attend Gavilan College in Gilroy, the Conservatory of Music in San Francisco, and USC, before settling in Paso Robles. He’s made numerous television appearances on PBS, ABC, and CBS, and was asked to perform for President Ronald Reagan at the Western White House.
Harmon’s classical training shines through as he expertly picks off notes in speedy, melodic succession. Pannell and Harmon met in a studio in the ’80s and have been close friends since—they’ve performed and recorded together regularly. There’s something dynamic between the two, and that something works on stage. It’s the kind of chemistry that only happens when you mix two different substances. Pannell, for instance, uses a pick and likes to mix some jazz and blues with his flamenco. The way he explains their interplay: “He’s Juliard, I’m junkyard.”
Pannell developed an interest in Spanish guitar in a less traditional way than Harmon. He started out teaching himself how to play electric, then grew to explore acoustics and nylon strings.
And he’s far from his self-described junkyard; Pannell’s credits include working in the studio with Steve Lukather of the band TOTO, with Lamont Dozier of Holland Dozier Holland, with Frank Stallone on the soundtrack to Stayin’ Alive and Rocky III. He’s performed on Johnny Carson, Arsenio Hall, and Jay Leno’s shows and The Today Show and is a member of the Mary Wilson Band of the Supremes. He’s toured the world, performing in concert.
Even with their different backgrounds, these different guitarists have one thing in common about their music.
“It’s the same for everybody, isn’t it?” Harmon said.
“The emotion,” Pannell added.
“The melodies, the syncopation,” Harmon said.
The duo plans to deliver plenty of all that in the performance at La Purisima. The show will feature classical, Spanish, Brazilian, Latin, and popular music. Proceeds will go toward the preservation of La Purisima Mission State Historic Park and supporting the youth programs at Equine Alliance Youth Foundation, which works with foster and mentally challenged youth to teach them to ride, to overcome life obstacles, and to develop relationship-building skills.
The show is part of a series of concerts the duo will perform at California missions to raise funds for such programs.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone taps in syncopation as she types. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 20-27, 2010.