The Coffee Gallery Backstage in the Altadena Hills... so close and yet so far

South American ghost nations where coffee grows unchecked tend to attract pirates, bohemians, musicians and the crowds that follow them. There is one such rogue state, here in good socal country: The Coffee Gallery Backstage…

Nested in the otherwise unassuming Altadena Hills, you’d believe these guys share the JPL crowd IQ. I mean, it totally takes brains to constantly surprise you with their unique acts, to know how to ‘atmospherize’ their cozy settings for often sold out nights. Besides, they take their bohemian roles rather seriously and if you were looking for IQ pointers, well, there’s one.

While LA is known for its bland plasticity, the folks behind this lovely joint constantly refresh their calendar with both established and upcoming acts. Bob Stane, at the Gallery’s helm, pushes and shoves whom he must in order to get top talent to constantly show their wares there. He’s known for, given the right night ambiance, open a rare rum barrel rescued from a sinking ship in Altamar back in 1939…

What happens at the Coffee Gallery Backstage? Well, tons of stuff… they’ve got from a full coffee house at your disposal all the way to top notch night amusement: read, one-of-a-kind musical acts.

Because they understand that most musicians, while performing, are in a sort of trance, these folks have gone where no other coffee house that features live acts has gone before: to a total silent mode when someone is under the spotlight… that is, silent mode as in ‘no grinders’ allowed.

This sounds like an altar, doesn’t it? It sounds like profit isn’t always the bottom line… wow… this must be some ghost Trading Post after all…

If you haven’t gotten to their nifty quarters, check out some of their upcoming gigs and make it the perfect excuse to head out there. Who knows, either you hook up with some of the JPL guys who’re working on our next big martian ‘priority’ interstellar project or perhaps, at the very least, you can find out what it feels like to be a temporary resident of a ‘ghost’ trading post from days gone by…

The Coffee Gallery Backstage is located at 2029 N. Lake, Altadena, Ca. 91001 Reservations/Information: (626) 398-7917

Below is their upcoming list of events for the next couple of weeks. Make sure to check their site for details and other unlisted shows (www.coffeegallery.com)

Friday, Jan 6^th @ 8pm JAMIE LAVAL...with ASHLEY BRODER.....U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion Jamie Laval teams up with picking prodigy Ashley Broder to create a new soundscape for the ancient peasant music of Scotland, Ireland and Brittany. Jamie is just back from a month-long tour of the Scottish Highlands where he intoxicated his audiences with the modernized expression of bagpipe music which has become his trademark. Reviewers there called him "A New Star for the Old World." Ashley hails from Camarillo, CA and is a two-time winner of the Western Open Master Picker Championship. She appears in Southern California with the bands Stash and Ashland Road. Ashley's virtuosity is informed by forays into blues, jazz, bluegrass, Old-time, Irish, classical, and Brazilian music. She has been an instructor at the Mandolin Symposium and in 2004 collaborated with Mike Marshall in the creation of his Mandolin Method books. $15.00

Saturday, Jan 7^th @7pm JANET KLEIN & HER PARLOR BOYS...Ukulele Chanteuse Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys will bring you a rollicking feast for the ears, eyes and heart! Janet and her distinctive musician pals bring to life "Obscure, Naughty and Lovely tunes of the 1910s, 20s & 30s, delivering a bundle of spirited and inspired renditions of cleverly fun but forgotten Tin Pan Alley, early hot jazz, saucy bits and late ragtime gems. These merrymakers zestfully branch into obscure vaudeville and Vitaphone numbers, Hawaiian, Yiddish novelty tunes, French and Italian knock-out ballads. The Parlor Boys feature Ian Whitcomb, on accordion and ukulele (A Backstage favorite) as well as Tom Marion on guitar, banjo & mandolin, alumni of R. Crumb's Cheap Suit Serenaders, along with a bevy of hot musicians on Hawaiian lapsteel guitar, washboard, violin, upright piano, cornet etcetera. Watch out for the Charming and Alarming Ms. Klein! $20.00

Sunday January 8^th, @8pm JOHN McEUEN "...a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, McEuen is often called America's instrumental poet... He brings to the Coffee Gallery his guitar, banjo, mandolin, and fiddle to create "An absolute aural feast" (Billboard Magazine) with his "...thoroughly wacky and enjoyable performance" (Washington Post). His NGDB started here in Pasadena, with their first hit on KRLA in 1967 kicking off a music career that has taken John to over 4,000 different venues. Although a SoCal native, it has been said this innovator in Country Rock and Folk (he instigated the famous Will the Circle Be Unbroken album) has also created "...some of the most deft and impeccably tasteful music to come out of Nashville" (Chicago Tribune). www.johnmceuen.com will tell all, and if you go to this show, you will be telling many the next day "you should've been there!"  $20.00

Plus...MATT CARTSONIS...a Coffee Gallery Backstage fave. Picking, singing, comedy and comments. We'll throw some cold water on him and he will be just fine.

Friday, January 13^th, @8pm… HOT CLUB QUARTETTE....Celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli's innovative Hot Club de France, this sassy, snappy ensemble, consisting of violin, two guitars and a string bass, delivers early jazz swing with punch and perfection. It specializes in the music from the 30's and 40's, featuring well-known and rare compositions by Django and Stephane and other composers L.A.'s Hot Club Quartette evokes the glory years of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with rare flavor.

The Quartette is led by guitarist Billy Steele and violinist Benny Brydern along with bassist Dave Jones and Tom Marion spicing up the mix with rhythm guitar, banjo, and mandolin. The musicians are all also part of Janet Klein's Parlor Boys Band, featuring naughty, obscure, and lovely tunes from the 1910s through the 1930s. www.hotclubquartet.com Such as Fletcher Allen's viper song "Blue Drag," "Billet Deux," "Bouncin' Around," and "I'll See You In My Dreams." Into this mix, they add Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby" played in the style of Orcar Aleman and Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love? $15.00