ON the Beat | Wrapping Up Loose, Noteworthy Year-end Ends

The Columnist Dips Into Notebook for Shows As-Yet Uncovered, Indulges in Further List-o-mania

Antonio Artese Trio at SOhO | Photo: Josef Woodard

In the lazier lurch of early January’s cultural calendar, as we gather steam for the coming storm of concerts and culture (and other storms beyond the ken of this column), the time is ripe to take stock of some recent shows not given their due in this space. In the thick of Santa Barbara’s generally busy musical schedule, it can be hard to give attention due to the pile-up of goods. It’s a happy problem.

In early December, the fine Italian-in-Santa Barbara jazz pianist Antonio Artese brought his trio — with drummer Matt Perko and now Santino Tafarella on bass (replacing former bassist Jim Connolly) — to SOhO as a warm-up/prelude to a kiss with a big show in Los Angeles at the legendary Village Recorders. A generous crowd showed up to catch this impressive example of the piano trio tradition, rooted in the 805 (Artese spends part of the year in his native Italy). He last played on The Granada Theatre stage — with the audience literally onstage with him, in a special Granada at 100 presentation.

Much of the material was from Artese’s own literate musical mind, and sometimes with music-related focus. “And Here Comes the Tango” mixes up the t-word reference with rumba and Cubana influences, while “Bartokiana” — which the pianist explained was inspired by a recent obsession with Bartók’s Mikrokosmos piano works — stirred in Chick Corea–esque Latin tinges with shades of Bartók.

In terms of local color and cultural respects, he also called up his tune “Joan’s Dream,” in tribute to Joan Rutkowski, a key player in the Granada’s centennial celebrations. Another musical cross-talk original was Artese’s redux of the ancient musical form “canzona,” dating back to the time of Gabrieli, and in a swing-pulsed change-up Artese quipped,“has a kind of Medieval flair.” Medievalism met drum kit magic in the form of an especially inventive solo from Perko on the piece.

Strong playing, individually and in ensemble empathic ensemble mode, made for a memorable jazz encounter, one distinctive via the Artese’s inventive yet easy-on-the-ears compositions.

Singer-songwriters of a certain age, but of clearly different instincts, were in the house when Livingston Taylor and Loudon Wainwright III showed up at the Lobero Theatre last month. Taylor is part of a decidedly musical family, and comparisons to his superstar bro James has been both a bane and a boost to his modest career. As heard in his opening set, this Taylor is a fine elastic-fingered guitarist and man of lilting songs, such as the sweet “Carolina Day” and “I Must be Doing Something Right.” He was, and is.

Wainwright is another can of singer-songwriter worms entirely, a dry-witted and sometimes brilliant twist on the very archetype of a songman with a healthy catalogue of sardonic and secretly romantic taste treats. He, too, has musical family ties, as the (absentee?) father of the rightfully famed Rufus (subject of dad’s “Rufus is a Tit Man,” about baby Rufus’ inclinations) and the unjustly overlooked Martha. Among the Lobero set’s high points were “It’s Not the End of the World, It’s Just the Middle of the Night” (we know that feeling), “Hank and Fred” (a tribute to American heroes Hank Williams and Fred Rogers), and a cover of Rufus’ “One Man Guy.”

No syrupy sentimentality here, bless Pa Wainwright’s crusty heart and witty way with words, melodies, and musical notions.

Wainwright teamed up with his bill-mate for a couple of songs, on the theme of bard Bob Dylan’s songbook, “Don’t Think Twice” and “You Ain’t Going Nowhere.” And this was before the hoopla and controversy of the Dylan biopic.

Yes, she is one, and at the concert, Ward spoke about her frustrations with image for a female artist in the marketplace. “I felt the industry would judge me if I had kids. But I came out on the other side stronger. It was my way of sticking it to ‘em.”

List-o-mania, Continued

Submitted for your approval, a baker’s dozen list of 2024 albums which grabbed my ear and bubbled up into consciousness when it came time for a year-end list. Genres blur and become less relevant when you dive into the pool of wonder that music — as an eclectic whole — embodies.

Passage Du Desir, Johnny Blue Skies (Sturgill Simpson) | Photo: Courtesy

Johnny Blue Skies (a k a Sturgill Simpson), Passage du Desir (High Top Mountain)

Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter (Parkwood/Columbia)

Laura Marling, Patterns in Repeat (Chrysalis)

Kit Downes, Bill Frisell, Andrew Cyrille, Breaking the Shell (Red Hook Records)

Melissa Aldana, Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Blue Note)

Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey, Compassion (ECM)

The Messthetics, James Brandon Lewis, The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis (Impulse!)

Patrica Brennan, Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic)

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian, The Old Country: More from the Deer Head Inn (ECM)

Danish String Quartet, Keel Road (ECM)

Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra, Joana Mallwitz, The Kurt Weill Album(DG)

Aroof Aftab, Night Reign (Verve)

To-Doings

Pickings are lean for live music at the moment, but the trusty and venerable Santa Barbara Jazz Society keeps the flame alive, presenting the Ed Smith Group at its monthly Sunday afternoon soiree at SOhO this week.