LAKEPORT – The first in a series of Musical Breaks scheduled for Café Victoria on Main and Third Street in Lakeport got off to good start with Phil Mathewson & Friends putting on a variety show on Aug. 18.

This group of friends featured Clay Adams on guitar, dobro and harmonica, Jim Waters on keyboard and Zane Lorne on keyboard and harmonica. Also performing were "Karaoke Sue" Ricci without her karaoke machine and Lorna Sue Sides, local poet and founder of the "Poetry & Music Interlude" which is coming on the last Sunday of August to Café Victoria.

Mathewson performed his own Lake County songs including "Lake County, CA" and "Lakeport Polka" plus other originals: "Avocados," "Whirlwind" and "Gotta Get Used to It."

Clay Adams sang bluegrass songs including "Highway 61," "Blackwater," "Wreck of Old 97" and "I Pity the Poor Immigrant," a Bob Dylan tune, while playing one of his guitars and his harmonica. He also did a bluesy tune by Robert Johnson on his harmonica called "Come into My Kitchen."

Zane Lorne, also of karaoke fame, dusted off her portable keyboard to play "A Love Affair to Remember" from that famous old movie and her jazzed up version of "You Turned the Tables on Me."

She also played her brand new birthday harmonica, which she has only been playing for a week, along with the recorded music of "I Did It My Way."

Jim Waters, an accomplished jazz keyboard player, put the resident piano at the café to good use with "Cast Your Cares to the Wind" and the "Swinging Shepard Blues." He also did some Steely Dan and Boss Skaggs tunes.

These acts were interspersed with Lorna Sue Sides' original poetry. When she did "Modesto in July" you could feel the steamy heat that is associated with the valley. "I'll Take My Summer Evenings – Unconventional" also had a lot of imagery. In keeping with all the jazzy music of the day she finished up with "Swinging" which had a great jazzy beat.

Since Zane has just celebrated a birthday (we won't say which one), Sue Ricci sang the only song she knows without her karaoke machine, "Happy Birthday." The café provided a muffin, candle and a birthday hat for the occasion.

Mathewson finished up the session with a farewell song, “We Are on Our Way Back Home" while Zane Lorne did a encore on her harmonica of " I Did It My Way."

Thanks to all the friends who came to the event and thanks to Café Victoria for making this venue available for local talent.

Phil & Friends will be appearing next at "Art in the Park" on Sept. 1 in the gazebo in Library Park.

Next week's Cafe Victoria show is the Ritchie Roberts Band featuring Little Deer. You don't want to miss this one on Saturday, Aug. 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. Call 263-1210 to get on Victoria's entertainment calendar and do come by and listen to great local music. These events are free and since the free concerts in the park are over for the year you can still enjoy good music nearby that fits everybody's budget.

 

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