Welcome to the Bay Space Bucket Checklist, the place readers counsel issues to do across the Bay, and we exit and examine them. Received an thought for one thing to discover or a query you need answered? Ship it to us!
As we speak, Lawrence, a reader, asks us to take a look at the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society in Half Moon Bay for “world-class reside jazz on Sunday afternoons.”
Clearly, essentially the most noteworthy factor in regards to the society is its historic – and ongoing! – position in attracting large musical abilities like Artwork Blakey, Etta James, Invoice Evans and the Kronos Quartet, in addition to fostering a tight-knit neighborhood of jazz lovers in charming Half Moon Bay.
The second most-noteworthy factor needs to be its uncommon title, actually linked with explosives. Pete Douglas, the society’s departed founder, associated the story this fashion:
The title arose out of an off-the-cuff get together in 1963. A small group of associates have been hanging out on a Sunday afternoon in my unique beer joint going through the ocean, the Ebb Tide Cafe. Whereas consuming and listening to recorded music, another individuals fell in with some dynamite. They advised all of us exit and explode it on the seaside. (After we) declin(ed) their supply, the dynamiters left us to do their deed. In the meantime again to the get together and music: In a change of temper, I placed on my recording of the Bach Brandenberg Concerti. Upon listening some time, somebody advised the music was in 4/4 time – why not dance to it! This we did, doing a type of West Coast Swing dancing to Bach, once we heard an explosion on the seaside. An inebriated visitor, Bob Swift, upon listening to the blast, claimed we have been the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society.
Douglas’ daughter Barbara Riching, who’s taken the reins as president and creative director of the society, recollects rising up in that wild ambiance. “Within the Nineteen Sixties, individuals bought away with stuff, usually,” she says. “The (native) inhabitants was in all probability one-third of what it’s right this moment. Moreover, on the coast there have been simply loads of crazies that lived there. It attracted individuals who didn’t slot in or conform to different locations.”
A type of non-conformers was a person named Pat Britt, who went on to turn into a widely known saxophone participant within the L.A. space. Now, Douglas wasn’t a musician himself – he simply grew up through the Large Band period and liked the entire West Coast scene – however he was a probation officer. Britt was on probation for having stolen some baloney from a grocery retailer, so it was maybe pure they’d meet up. What wasn’t so anticipated was the 2 males forming a bond that helped rework Douglas’ seaside home right into a star-powered jazz membership.
“Pat lived within the Peninsula and was linked to loads of native jazz musicians, so loads of (what adopted) emanated from that relationship, at first,” says Riching. “Then jazz had a renaissance within the late ’70s and there have been loads of musicians coming by way of San Francisco. My dad at all times did Sunday afternoons. It’s a little bit area of interest the place you seize touring musicians. They’d come play a membership in San Francisco after which Sunday afternoon, they may be free.”
Because the Douglas youngsters sat and tried to do homework, a cavalcade of jazz musicians would drop by to do reveals or hang around and play information – Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Betty Carter, McCoy Tyner. Joe Locke, a well-known vibraphonist, stayed the night time a number of instances (however was good sufficient to not hold the youngsters up banging on his instrument).
As we speak, visiting the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society nonetheless feels such as you’re strolling into someone’s home.
“What makes it particular is the confluence of the ambiance and the fantastic thing about the ocean mixed with how my dad created the live performance room,” Riching says. “The stage is particularly designed to not be that tall, so it makes it tougher possibly to see, however you are feeling such as you’re in a lounge proper with the musicians. It’s a really intimate expertise.”
I visited the membership on a current Sunday to see Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, an all-female Afro-Cuban band with a killer drummer and vocalist. The wind was whipping off the Pacific like a banshee, however contained in the acoustics within the elegantly cedar-paneled room have been good. Some friends introduced their very own bottles – in reality, it’s inspired – and glasses of wine and beer and a light-weight dinner have been served in adjoining rooms. (Some evenings there are additionally meals vehicles.)
“My dad considered this earlier than everybody began doing that type of factor – the picnicking, the wine,” says Riching. “It’s meant to be extra of a social outing. And ultimately you expertise this glorious factor and it rejuvenates you for the week.”
So, to summarize: two jazz-hands up. And for folk who need to make an evening of it, there’s Half Moon Bay to discover. The upscale Pasta Moon is a standout for its home made pastas, akin to buttternut-mascarpone ravioli with sage and amaretti or Manila-clam linguine with pancetta and braised leeks.
La Costanera is a good, if considerably expensive possibility for up to date Peruvian delicacies from well-regarded Bay Space chef Carlos Altamirano. For a less expensive chew, attempt the Lamas meals truck that’s usually within the car parking zone behind La Costanera. It attracts traces for conventional Peruvian/Mexican choices and bountiful ceviche.
Then there’s the stalwart Half Moon Bay Brewing Firm positioned so near the water, you’ll be able to hear the seals going off on one another. The pub fare is strong, and the cooks blacken an excellent fish sandwich. And followers of California’s greatest vegetable, the artichoke, will discover it grilled or beer-battered in parts massive sufficient to fulfill the Jolly Inexperienced Big.
If You Go
Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society: 311 Mirada Street, Half Moon Bay; reveals begin at 4:30 p.m. on Sundays, for more information name 650-726-4143 or go to bachddsoc.org.
Pasta Moon: Opens at 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday at 845 Essential St.; www.pastamoon.com.
La Costanera: Opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, with lunch beginning at 11 a.m. Friday-Sunday, at 260 Capistrano Street; https://lacostanerarestaurant.com.
Lamas: Try the meals truck menu at www.lamasperuvianfood.com.
Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.: Opens at 11 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. weekends at 390 Capistrano Street; www.hmbbrewingco.com.
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