Peter Principle

On Saturday night I attended a fund-raiser in Santa Clara for the March of Dimes. I would normally never get to go to such a soiree. Fortunately, a friend had extra tickets and was kind enough to invite me.

The event was a food and wine tasting at the Santa Clara Marriott. Some of the best chefs and vintners in the South Bay offered samples of their creations. Which for the most part were exotic, inventive, and very rich.

The evening was billed as “black-tie optional”, or “business casual”. Well, my tuxedo is still in Ohio, and for me “business casual” means shorts and no socks. So I put on a nice suit and tried to fit in. We milled around with the beautiful people of the valley – older men and elegant women in long evening dresses. I felt like the country mouse at the city mouse’s party.

I didn’t bid in the auction for vacations or catered dinners. But I felt much better when one of the speakers told us: “Just by attending, you are helping to support the March of Dimes”. That’s wonderful. Until then, I just thought I was freeloading.

KPIG is one of my favorite radio stations, playing an eclectic mix of folk, blues, jazz, bluegrass and rock. On August 21, I went with some friends to the KPIG Songwriter Festival at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga. It was a great venue, and a chance to see some great acts.

Unfortunately, the headline act, the legendary Etta James, got sick and had to cancel. I had really been looking forward to seeing her. But we still got to listen to some terrific musicians.

Sonny Landreth, one of the best slide guitar players anywhere, played a terrific set of hot & spicy Louisiana rock and blues. I’ve been listening to his live album “Grant Street” a lot lately, and it keeps sounding better all the time.

We also got to see the great bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, and his fantastic harp playing. He played classic blues, some autobiographical songs, and even some intriguing Latin American blues.

We also caught angry Texas rockers James McMurtry and the Heartless Bastards, and David Lindley, grizzled master of all things stringed. He played some of his customized guitars and told some hilarious stories about bad food on the road. I just hope I never meet an authentic Irish head cheese.

Last Wednesday, I went to Villa Montalvo with some friends to see Jonny Lang. He’s a 24 year old blues and pop musician who’s been getting some airplay for his album “Long Time Coming”. He put on a good show, and of course the venue was as beautiful as always. But he sure attracted a different crowd than Keb Mo did back in June.

A lot of women in the audience were especially excited to see Jonny. They screamed and yelled “Marry me, Jonny”. Too bad, ladies – he’s been married 4 years already. Now I’m sure he’s cute, but not that cute. Maybe he just brings out the maternal instinct in rich Saratoga socialite women.

The high point of the concert was when two young women rushed the stage during one of Jonny’s piano solos. They danced around and laid a necklace around his neck before security hustled them off the stage. “Security” at Villa Montalvo being a matronly woman in Bermuda shorts carrying a walkie-talkie. It’s like having your mom chaperone the high school dance.

On Sunday some friends invited me to dinner at Layang Layang on De Anza Blvd in San Jose. We had a wonderful meal. They have a great menu of dishes that mix tastes from Malaysia, India and Thailand. I especially enjoyed two exotic non-alcoholic drinks: Coconut milk served in the coconut, and Cendol with its thick texture.

On Saturday I went up to Yoshi’s in Jack London Square, Oakland, to see Diane Schuur with the Caribbean Jazz Project.

On her new Concord CD, Schuur Fire, she collaborates with the fiery Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz ensemble Caribbean Jazz Project, led by vibraphonist and marimba player Dave Samuels. Schuur and Samuels takes us island hopping in the Caribbean with passionate and infectious Latin rhythms.

It was a fun show, and we had terrific seats, right in front of the stage. Diane sang, and did not play piano, but man, what a set of pipes on that lady!

Yoshi’s is a fun place. I had never been there before. But I enjoyed the combination of jazz club and sushi bar. After all, when you think jazz, you immediately think of sushi, right?