ARTS & EVENTS

Returning to Roots

Americana concerts expand definition of genre in outdoor series

By Bridgette M. Redman

This year’s Americana in the Park has set out to challenge what people think of as Americana. Traditionally looked upon as country, folk, R&B, bluegrass and roots-rock, Tom Zehnder of McCabe’s Guitar Shop wanted audiences at the second annual event in Gandara Park to think more deeply about what this country’s music sounds like. The concert series began on Sept. 4 and continues 4 to 7 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 25. Each free outdoor concert includes music, collaborative art events and rotating food trucks. McCabe's Guitar Shop also gives away items via a raffle. It is one of many Santa Monica Art of Recovery projects and picks up where Jazz on the Lawn left off. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and picnics. Allison Ostrovsky, the cultural affairs supervisor for the city of Santa Monica, formerly produced Jazz on the Lawn and is now a production partner for this new incarnation of the series. “We realized in cultural affairs that we wanted to engage and support local community organizations instead of producing events in-house,” Ostrovsky said. “McCabe’s, for example, is producing the Americana series from their store. It’s in the neighborhood and is exposing a whole new group of people to the store. It’s a local treasure as well as a resource.” Zehnder said when he was brought on this year, he was very intentional about choosing groups that represented a more inclusive view of Americana music. “I’m a middle-age white man and I wanted to help redefine what Americana means,” Zehnder said. “I’m going to talk about the roots of what we think of as Americana and paint a very inclusive, broad stroke and grab the talent that represents as much diversity as we can.” It’s partly why the series opened with indigenous performers and has included alternative country, soul, swing and jamming traditions. The remaining two concerts will feature I See Hawks LA and Earthwork Ensemble on Sept. 18 and Little Willie G and Jacob G and the Score on Sept. 25. “They’ve done a great job with exposing people to the breadth within Americana,” Ostrovsky said. “That’s been a really great sort of education.” In the past, there was only one band per night. For this year’s series, Zehnder scheduled an

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA McCabe’s Guitar Shop, in partnership with the city of Santa Monica, presents the second annual Americana in the Park concert series in Gandara Park.

opener as well as the main band each night. The shows have, Ostrovsky said, a McCabe’s sensibility which appeals to their loyal fan base and following. Zehnder said that Wayne Griffith of McCabe’s Guitar Center helped him to book many of the acts because he has his hand on the pulse of all the talent. It was Zehnder’s idea to start the event with Tina Orduna Calderon, who shared a song and a creation myth. It became a very authentic land acknowledgement blessing to kick the series off. The remaining performers were also indigenous. The second week started with a jam session where audience members were invited to bring their instruments and participate in the music-making process, followed by AJ Lee and Blue Summit. This coming Sunday features I See Hawks LA with the Earthworm Ensemble opening for them. The Earthworm ensemble features members of I See Hawks LA, but they are performing more kid-friendly pieces. Zehnder describes them as being an acoustic version of themselves. “I See Hawks is a fantastic local band and alternative country and folk rock,” Ostrovsky said. “They’re really fun. They’re fantastic performers with great energy and it feels very Los Angeles.” The final week stars Little Willie G who gained fame in the '60s for his Chicano soul. He has a large brass-infused soul band that will fill the stage. They’ve performed in the back room of McCabe’s guitar shop, but they had to shoe horn themselves in because they were so large and the room was so small. “Wayne said you’ve got to get these ideas out to the park because that’s the kind of band that’ll play really well in a setting like that,” Zehnder said. The group that is opening for them is led by Little Willie G’s son Jacob G., who is a drummer with his own band. One of the activities for each of the remaining concerts is led by a Rediscover artist who will create a communal cardboard structure that everyone can engage in. It’s a site-specific work that will be done only for this concert series. They’ll lead a free workshop at the event. Another activity for the remaining concerts will be a workshop led by a group called Hope Flags. They will bring in Tibetan prayer flags and ask audience members to write their hopes and wishes on them. The artist will then create an installation in the park out of these flags that will be on display for a month. The concerts are designed to be an outdoor family-friendly event. Ostrovsky said the grass has just been replanted, making it both comfortable and beautiful. “One of the special things about this concert series is the ambiance,” Ostrovsky said. “There is such a great sense of community with all ages and anything goes from people playing basketball to some of the kids riding their scooters around the park. It’s a great feeling of community and freedom.” Zehnder added that along with the beautiful setting, the music and vibe are great. In the first concert, he said people were dancing in front of the stage with others hanging out in the shade under trees. There’s even free parking with attendants and plenty of bike racks for those who want to bike over. The collaboration is one that both sides praise, saying how each has brought support and knowledge to the event, letting them do a lot of things to make a great event for the public. With two weeks left in the series, there is still plenty of time to enjoy a Sunday in the sun soaking up some of the best Americana both on and off the stage.

Americana in the Park Concert Series

WHEN: 4 to 7 p.m. Sundays Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 WHERE: Gandara Park, 1819 Stewart Street, Santa Monica INFO: mccabes.com