News - Local - The Cambrian

Thursday, Jun. 11, 2009

My Turn: A musical kaleidoscope for your ears and spirit

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June 11 - 17,2009

Cambria has a trove of treasures: Moonstone Beach, wild turkeys, scurrying quail families, driving Santa Rosa Creek Road in spring, etc. You get the idea. Well, you can add one more jewel to that collection of riches.

On May 22, five musicians entertained an audience of about 75 people (ranging in age from 10 years to late 80s) at the Painted Sky Studio, an East Village building that was a saloon in the early 1890s. Café Musique is comprised of five very talented, experienced musicians who have come together from all points on the compass. Their musical selections are also eclectic and represent many countries.

The late San Francisco columnist Herb Caen enjoyed kidding about accordions. “The definition of a gentleman is a guy who knows how to play an accordion … and doesn’t.” “Did you hear about the car that was broken into and someone put an accordion in the back seat?”

He obviously never had the opportunity to hear Duane Inglish play.

Duane’s biography is heavy with a history of his accomplishments. He was a founding member and served as a director of the Live Oak Music Festival, has produced numerous shows and concerts, and hosted “Basically Bluegrass” on KCBX for 16 years.

Craig Nuttycombes musical career began in the 1960s while attending Hollywood High School. In time, he worked for Fleetwood Mac, Three Dog Night and The Eagles and is a prolific song writer.

Piper Heisig began playing music in 1977 and teaching in 1987. Was a member of the popular San Francisco trio Cats & Jammers for 17 years and plays more than a half-dozen instruments. She has a delightful wit, is a percussionist, vocalist and album producer.

Fred Murray has been playing music for most of his life. His broad background includes piano, clarinet, bass, drums and guitar. He played bass in his first band when he was 14.

After living in Austin for a period of time, he returned to the Central Coast in 1998 and has been in demand by several groups and recording projects.

And then there is Cambria’s Brynn Albanese, a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory, a division of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

She has traveled the world, performing with orchestras from the Boston Symphony and Pops to the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. Brynn is a violin virtuoso in a collage of music from gypsy, tango, classical, swing, waltzes—everything.

Café Musique’s recent performance in Cambria was a musical kaleidoscope. Selections from several countries provided a potpourri of rhythms and flavors to the enthusiastic crowd. Familiar melodies and upbeat songs moved the audience to sway and bob their heads and sing along with the performers. The variety was a delight to hear and watch as Duane and Brynn complemented each other with their instruments.

Near the end of the evening’s presentation, Brynn absolutely ignited the place with her version of “Czardas.” My poor ol’ arthritic hands could only watch in amazement when her fingers became a blur as she created hundreds of notes in only a few seconds.

THE CAMBRIAN

Then she gently guided her audience back to earth with a lovely, soothing rendition of “Sunday River.”

It was an evening of infectious sounds, inspiring those in attendance to sing along or clap in accompaniment – to join in was irresistible. Had there been room, I’m sure many of those clapping would have jumped up and danced.

For a partial list of future engagements, go to www.myspace.com/cafemusique or call 423-3564.

I highly recommend an evening of Café Musique.

E-mail John Brannon at jrogb1433@yahoo.com