UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The informal series of “Concerts with Conversation” at Upper Lake’s Tallman Hotel in the winter and spring of each year has become a favorite of Lake County music lovers over the years.

Five great Sunday afternoon concerts will headline the hotel’s 14th concert season beginning on Jan. 19.

“We really enjoy these concerts,” said Tallman owner Bernie Butcher. “It’s a relaxing Sunday afternoon with some of the finest musicians in the area.”

Leading off the series on Sunday, Jan. 19, will be Good Measure, a highly talented and entertaining group of Lake County musicians.

The quintet makes its own style of acoustic music which is influenced by folk, pop, rock & roll, jazz, Cajun, country and bluegrass.

Ingrid Larson, Doug Harris, Bill Bordisso, Sissa Harris and Richard Vassilaros blend three- and four-part harmonies accompanied by a wide variety of instruments. Good Measure has, and is, a lot of fun.

Blues lovers won’t want to miss the Feb. 9 concert with the Blue Wing’s favorite blues guitarist, singer and songwriter “Mighty Mike” Schermer paired with blues harp master and bandleader Andy Santana.

Schermer was a fixture on the West Coast scene for 20 years when he moved to Austin, Texas, to tour with the legendary band headed by Marsha Ball.

Headliners in their own right, Schermer and Santana have enjoyed getting together in smaller acoustic venues to give audiences a feel for the true origins of the blues.

The series turns to jazz on March 15 when one of the country’s leading male jazz vocalists, Kenny Washington, makes his second appearance in the Tallman series.

Recently dubbed “the Superman of the Bay Area jazz scene” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Kenny Washington is a jazz virtuoso who thrills audiences with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and rapid-fire scatting.

The incomparable jazz guitarist Jeff Massanari will be backing Kenny for the Tallman show. Massanari is one of the most in-demand guitarists in the Bay Area. He has performed with the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Hall and Stern Grove as well as on tour in China.

“If you haven’t heard Kenny Washington in concert before, get ready for a jaw-dropping experience. I just love playing with him,” Massanari said.

The series returns to the blues and American roots music on March 29 with Terry Robb, one of the leading acoustic interpreters of the genre on the West Coast.

Robb is a Canadian fingerstyle guitarist, composer, arranger and record producer with 15 solo CDs to his credit. He is a member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and Cascade Blues Association Hall of Fame. His original compositions draw on the Delta blues, ragtime, folk, country and jazz traditions.

The Ukiah area has become a magnet for some of the country’s finest popular jazz musicians.

The Tallman series concludes on April 26 with one of the finest groupings of such musicians – the Pierre Archain Concept featuring vocalist Paula Samonte. Included in the “Concept” is veteran keyboard artist Barney McClure and percussionist Gabe Yanez.

Bassist Pierre Archain grew up in the South of France but emigrated to New York City in 1979 to be closer to the center of the jazz scene. He’s been a fixture in the Bay Area for many years and has assembled an amazing jazz group since moving to Ukiah recently.

The petite Paula Samonte is an effervescent performer with decades of national and international experience plus local gigs including as a soloist with the Ukiah Symphony.

The Sunday concerts run from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Riffe’s Meeting House next to the Hotel. The venue seats only about 40, so people are encouraged to purchase tickets as far in advance as possible.

Tickets at $25 + tax are available online at www.Eventbrite.com. Coffee and cookies are served to guests and the Tallman is offering a 10-percent discount on hotel bookings that weekend for people purchasing concert tickets.

More information is available on the hotel website or by calling 707-275-2244, Extension 0.

I'm a big fan of short, imagistic, haiku-like poems, and here's a fine one for the end of the year.

It's by Sarah Freligh of New York, from her book “Sad Math,” from Moon City Press.

December

On the fire escape, one
stupid petunia still blooms,
purple trumpet blowing
high notes at the sky long
after the rest of the band
has packed up
and gone home.


American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2015 by Sarah Freligh, "December," from Sad Math, (Moon City Press, 2015). Poem reprinted by permission of Sarah Freligh and the publisher. Introduction copyright @2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.

‘UNCUT GEMS’ (Rated R)

Though not lacking for dramatic roles in his cinematic career, Adam Sandler is well-established as a comedic presence, often in the guise of the man-child goofball in characters like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore.

“Uncut Gems” allows Sandler to shine in the serious role of Howard Ratner, owner of a jewelry store in New York’s fabled Diamond District. Addicted to gambling, Howard leads a messy, complicated life at work and on the home front.

His marriage to Dinah (Idina Menzel) is crumbling due to his infidelity and heavy gambling losses. He’s estranged from his own children. His assistant Julia (Julia Fox) is also his mistress who lives in his pied-a-terre in Manhattan.

While his personal life is in shambles, things are even worse for his cavalier attitude about high stakes betting on sporting events. In debt to bookies, Howard is constantly working a scam to hold at bay unsavory characters owed money.

In possession of a large rock from an Ethiopian mine that is embedded with sparkling opals, Howard claims it is worth millions and intends to sell the rock at an auction to reap a huge payday that would allow him to indulge his gambling obsession.

Vulgar and strident, Sandler’s Howard looks the part of a hustler with his goatee, designer glasses and leather jacket. He’s constantly yelling, often profanely, at thugs trying to collect the gambling debts and even his own staff and family.

His compulsive gambling is so reckless and desperate that he ends up deep in debt to his unforgiving brother-in-law (Eric Bogosian) who turns loose his violent thugs.

Howard’s business associate Demany (LaKeith Stanfield) is not immune to the verbal barbs, even after he brings in basketball superstar Kevin Garnett (playing himself) who takes a great interest in the opal-studded stone, believing it has some magical powers.

Garnett loans his Boston Celtics championship ring to Howard in exchange for the use of the stone as a lucky talisman for his next game. After upping his game play, Garnett decides he must own the stone and Howard is more than willing to sell it.

However, knowing that the stone must go for a price far beyond its appraised value, Howard gets deeper into trouble while employing unethical tactics to push the sale.

“Uncut Gems” is a brilliant showcase for Adam Sandler’s gritty performance as a hustler and gambler in need of impulse control so that his life would not be a complete train wreck.



‘6 UNDERGROUND’ ON NETFLIX

As the director of the action films “Bad Boys” and the “Transformer” series among so many others, Michael Bay’s bold approach is characterized by an aggressive visual style, high-octane action, extensive use of special effects and plenty of explosions.

Bay’s method is appreciated far more by movie-going audiences than critics. That’s likely to be true of his newest venture for the streaming on Netflix of the action film “6 Underground.”

Loud, goofy and outrageous are other means by which to describe the director’s bag of cinematic tricks, and all of these descriptions fit perfectly for an understanding of what’s in store for a “Mission: Impossible”-style adventure on steroids.

Operating from an abandoned airfield in the California desert, Ryan Reynolds is an eccentric billionaire who has assembled a group of mercenaries working off the grid to do the messy job of taking down corrupt foreign leaders that governments are unable or unwilling to handle.

Functioning without identities, Reynolds and his crew have all faked their own deaths to operate below the radar. Not one of them has a name, just a number. Reynolds is known as One, and his right-hand person is the sexy former CIA agent Two (Melanie Laurent).

The team is rounded out by tough guy Three (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), parkour risk-taker Four (Ben Hardy), putative medic Five (Adria Arjona), and daredevil driver Six (Dave Franco). After one member dies, former military sniper Seven (Corey Hawkins) joins the team.

The action starts in earnest during an extended frenetic car chase through the scenic streets of ancient Florence, Italy, during which shootouts and driving stunts are choreographed like a ballet of insanely desperate acts.

The primary mission is to take down the evil dictator of the fictional nation of Turgistan and replace him with his democracy-loving brother currently held prisoner in the gilded cage of a penthouse apartment in Hong Kong.

Given the setting is one of the “stan” countries, an overthrow of the totalitarian government will be greeted by the oppressed citizenry with the enthusiasm of a successful Arab Spring. If only that were true for some other Middle East nations.

With Ryan Reynolds on board channeling his “Deadpool” character, there is plenty of deadpan humor, snarky remarks and a remarkable amount of cynicism.

The plot is really immaterial because, after all, the Michael Bay signature style is to go over-the-top with the intent to entertain with a lot of pyrotechnics and dazzling stunts. “6 Underground,” regardless of its flaws, is headed in that direction.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

UKIAH, Calif. – On Jan. 10, 11 and 12, the 28th Professional Pianist Concert will hit the stage with three concerts featuring nine different pianists at the Mendocino College Center Theatre in Ukiah.

Performers letting the keys fly this year are Spencer Brewer, Elena Casanova, Wendy deWitt, Barney McClure, Frankie J, Tom Ganoung, Elizabeth MacDougall, Ed Reinhart and Charlie Seltzer.

The musical styles range from classical to jazz, boogie-woogie to Cuban, Broadway to ragtime. Each performance will be different.

This utterly fun and stimulating series features the finest regional pianists on stage in a living room environment throughout the performance trading stories and melodies with two pianos on stage to accommodate impromptu collaborations.

The event is an annual sellout because of the diversity, quality in a multitude of styles of music and humor that takes place throughout the evening.

A special sculpture art show benefitting fire victims featuring Spencer Brewer and Esther Siegel will also be on display at the Mendocino College Art Gallery throughout the weekend. It’s not to be missed.

The performance on Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. will feature Spencer Brewer, Elena Casanova, Elizabeth MacDougall, Ed Reinhart, Barney McClure, Frankie J and Charlie Seltzer.

On Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. the performance features Spencer Brewer, Elena Casanova, Wendy DeWitt, Tom Ganoung, Elizabeth MacDougall, Barney McClure and Ed Reinhart.

The performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, will include Spencer Brewer, Elena Casanova, Wendy deWitt, Charlie Seltzer, Tom Ganoung, Frankie J and Elizabeth MacDougall.

No two concerts are the same, so if you love piano and piano music, enjoy more than one performance.

The concert benefits the Ukiah Community Concert Association, Mendocino College Recording Arts & Technology Program and the Allegro Scholarship Program.

Tickets are on sale at Mendocino Book Co. in Ukiah, Mazahar in Willits and online www.UkiahConcerts.org.

Tickets are $20 general admission and $30 "I Wanna See the Hands" limited seating. For more information call 707-463-2738.

There will be autographed CDs by the artists for sale in lobby.

Sponsors are Sparetime Supply, Ken Fowler Auto, Savings Bank of Mendocino, Flow Kana, Yokayo Ranch, Mendocino College Recording Arts, Willits Furniture Center, Waterman Plants, K-WINE/MAX, KOZT-The Coast and KZYX/Z. Wine & refreshments will be provided by Ukiah Community Concert Association.

The Center Theatre is located at 1000 Hensley Creek Road in Ukiah.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Christian Center will host “An Evening of Devotion” featuring Raj Sodhi, Matt and Jill Rothstein, and Jazz Mirage on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the church, 455 S. Forbes St.

Admission is free, and donations will be appreciated.

From 2004 to 2017, Jazz Mirage was one of the most prominent improvising ensembles based in the wine country, featuring a blend of jazz, popular and folk music that delighted clients and audiences throughout Northern California, including gigs at Google, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Beringer Vineyards, Francis Ford Coppola Winery and the Mystic Theatre.

On the morning of Oct. 8, 2017, bandleader and bassist Raj Sodhi lost his Santa Rosa home to the Tubbs Fire, and the experience led to a period of searching.

As months passed, Sodhi found himself revisiting some of his earliest musical experiences – listening to his grandmother sing Indian Ragas.

“Those melodies are deeply embedded in my musical ear and consciousness,” acknowledged Sodhi, “and there is great peace and joy that comes from breathing new life into this material through jazz improvisation.”

The result is “An Evening of Devotion,” an arresting program emphasizing traditional Indian melodies, while retaining the jazz, pop and folk elements that previously made Jazz Mirage an enduring success.

“Only Raj could have been the impetus for this music, and that is what excites me most about this project,” noted longtime Jazz Mirage saxophonist Matt Rothstein. “This is a program with great depth, and speaks to themes both specific and universal; themes of displacement, perseverance, hope and love.”

Keyboardist Greg Schlaepfer first worked with Sodhi and Rothstein as a teenager, and is the founder of Orange Tree Samples.

“Greg has mastered a tremendous range of musical disciplines, and appreciates the physics and aesthetics of harmony at an extraordinarily high level,” said Rothstein. “It is a privilege to introduce him to Lake County’s community of astute jazz fans.”

“We are also thrilled to be working with master percussionist Kendrick Freeman,” said Sodhi. “Kendrick routinely creates textures that are otherworldly and engaging, and it is inspiring to play this material with him.”

Enrapturing and insightful vocalist and composer, Jill Rothstein, will join Jazz Mirage on four of the program’s selections.

“There is a different level of focus in the group when Jill is singing,” said Sodhi. “She has an intuitive melodic concept, and brings a sense of order and unique beauty that is unusual in improvising musicians. It really raises the bar for the whole group.”

“An Evening of Devotion” is a 100-minute program that will intrigue and satisfy a diversity of music enthusiasts. Richly textured and compellingly percussive, the music rewards close listening.

All are encouraged to attend, and the program will be appropriate and enjoyable for adults and children, alike.

Alberto Rios is a highly acclaimed American poet who lives and teaches in Arizona. I found this poem of community and peace in “Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poems,” published by Grayson Books of West Hartford, Connecticut.

The most recent book by Alberto Rios is “A Small Story about the Sky,” Copper Canyon Press.

We Are of a Tribe

We plant seeds in the ground
And dreams in the sky,

Hoping that, someday, the roots of one
Will meet the upstretched limbs of the other.

It has not happened yet.
We share the sky, all of us, the whole world:

Together, we are a tribe of eyes that look upward,
Even as we stand on uncertain ground.

The earth beneath us moves, quiet and wild,
Its boundaries shifting, its muscles wavering.

The dream of sky is indifferent to all this,
Impervious to borders, fences, reservations.

The sky is our common home, the place we all live.
There we are in the world together.

The dream of sky requires no passport.
Blue will not be fenced. Blue will not be a crime.

Look up. Stay awhile. Let your breathing slow.
Know that you always have a home here.

American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2014 by Alberto Rios, "We Are of a Tribe," from Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poems, (Grayson Books, 2017). Poem reprinted by permission of Alberto Rios and the publisher. Introduction copyright @2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.