Experience a sonic interpretation of wine harvesting on March 22, at Claiborne & Churchill Winery 

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Have you ever wondered, "What would the art of winemaking sound like from a musical perspective?" San Luis Obispo musician and composer Brook Munro gives you his answer in Harvest in the Twelve Parts: A Sonic Exploration Through Harvest, an album produced throughout the 2021 and 2022 harvest seasons at Claiborne & Churchill Winery, where Munro works as wine club manager.

"I found the parallels between winemaking and music creation to be incredibly captivating," Munro explained in album notes. "The quality of a wine is intrinsically tied to its winemaker and their vision for what they hope to produce and share with the wine lover. The same is so for the musician and the songs they craft."

Much of Harvest in the Twelve Parts can best be described as ambient—its 12 tracks feature the kinds of immersive, contemplative soundscapes favored by Philip Glass, compositions with ample negative space and pulsing layers of tone. However, things do get a little rock 'n' roll in the track "Crush Eternal."

Munro provides everything from synthesizer, loops, programming, electric guitar, and piano, and he enlisted a cadre of other musicians playing cello, violin, contrabass, and more. It's a remarkably beautiful album available on his website, brookmunro.com.

On Friday, March 22, Claiborne & Churchill Winery will host an event to celebrate the album with a live performance as well as the premiere screening of Harvest Calls, a documentary about the album's making (6 to 8:30 p.m.; $54 at claibornechurchill.com or call (805) 544-4066). The evening also features a gourmet dinner by chef Jesus Martinez of Grapevine Catering paired with Claiborne & Churchill wines.

"The resulting collection of 12 songs highlights the parallels of wine and art," Munro said. "Trials and tribulations, romance and celebration, and of course, the ever-unexpected. It's my hope that the listener will find Harvest in Twelve Parts to be an immersive experience through the sonic landscape of harvest."

One-man band

Numbskull and Good Medicine have a slate of great shows this week, but I'm most excited about Scott H. Biram at Club Car Bar on Tuesday, March 26 (7 p.m.; all ages; $18 at goodmedicinepresents.com) with Joe Koenig opening. Last week, I finally got around to experiencing the venue that used to be AJ Spurs' banquet room in the Templeton Mercantile building. It's a cozy room with a craft cocktail bar, the perfect place to see Biram unleash his blues, classic country, bluegrass, and rock sounds to which, according to his bio, he adds "punk, heavy metal, and frankly, anything else he wants to."

The Texan, who's been at it for nearly 30 years now, had a near-death experience in 2003 after a head-on collision with a big rig, but he bounced back with Rehabilitation Blues EP, the predecessor to his 2005 debut for Bloodshot Records, The Dirty Old One Man Band, and he's been with Bloodshot ever since, most recently recording The One & Only Scott H. Biram released this year. He's a musical wild man.

"I'm constantly trying to go back to the junky, lo-fi sounds of my early records," Biram in press materials. "But it's harder to do now. The more you learn about production, the harder it is to convey that genuine unproduced feeling. I have to compromise between overproduced and lo-fi, so it sounds pro but still keeps that grittiness." 

I'm also stoked for the return of Morro Bay's Joe Koenig, another transplanted Texan who had taken a long break from performing live but whose song "Lila Rose" won second in last year's New Times Music Awards Best Songwriter category. Welcome back, Joe.

Samba-reggae-funk act SambaDá plays The Siren on Friday, March 22 (7:39 p.m.; 21-and-older; $18 at goodmedicinepresents.com). The ensemble features Brazilian natives Papiba Godinho and Dandha da Hora and their knowledge Afro-Brazilian song and dance.

Minneapolis songwriter Mason Jennings plays The Siren on Saturday, March 23 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $23 at goodmedicinepresents.com). He's got a new album, Underneath the Roses, and a new video for its single "Only Lovers Welcome."

"I called it Underneath the Roses because I feel like these songs are musical roses, and when I look below them, there are many thorns and so much dirt and soil," Jennings said in press materials. "All of it was needed for them to come into existence and bloom. It's been a long hard road of self-discovery and discernment for me the last few years, and the roses wouldn't be here without what lies underneath."

Get ready to jump

In addition to the aforementioned Numbskull and Good Medicine shows, The Siren also hosts what I'm betting will be a killer night of jump blues and swing music when MarciJean & The Fever featuring pianist Carl Sonny Leyland play this Thursday, March 21 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; free). This lady has a set of pipes on her, and her stage presence is undeniable. Her amazing band includes Burning James Scoolis of Burning James and the Funky Flames and famed pianist and KCBX Rhythm Retrospective host Carl Sonny Leyland, who plays boogie-woogie piano like nobody's business.

Believer

When Moonshiner Collective releases new music, it's always worth celebrating, and this Friday, March 22, the local folk ensemble plays an album release party at Rod and Hammer Rock (formerly SLO Brew Rock) for Reason to Believe, a new EP with songs written by bandleader Dan Curcio (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $20 at ticketweb.com), with Wolf Jett opening.

The EP's five tracks are gorgeous, the first two recorded and mixed by multi-Grammy winner Fred Vogler, principal sound designer for the Hollywood Bowl, and the last three by violinist and producer Tyson Leonard of Tropo, who's also recorded music for the Alan Parsons Project and Jeff Bridges.

"The five songs that represent a gratitude for life that has grown for me since having my daughters who are 5 and 7 years old now," Curcio explained. "It's got a love song about the night that ultimately led me to this place, a song about the partnership with my wife that has unlocked my most important goals in life, a nostalgic tune about growing up in the '90s, a song about my belief that our spirits carry through beyond this life, and then a song about my belief in something greater than ourselves growing immensely after having our daughters and witnessing the pure spirit of childhood from this angle."

The entire album is lovely, but my favorite, "Under the Moon," takes its cue from the Van Morrison playbook: "We were dancing in the moonlight when I first called you mine." It's about a long relationship that may have changed over the years, but the love remains.

Also at Rod and Hammer Rock, San Joaquin Treads Scooter Club in conjunction with Rides of March and Strange Brew Scooter Club present Police and Thieves featuring Jackie Mendez on Saturday, March 23 (doors at 7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $20 at ticketweb.com). This soul and reggae octet is joined by mod power pop act The Question, as well as DJs The Selecter DJ Kirk from San Francisco, Cid Hernandez from Ventura, Chito Islander Mod, and Virginia Ann from Los Angeles.

Finally, psychedelic funk trio Balthvs plays on Tuesday, March 26 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $20 at ticketweb.com). Formed in 2020 in Bogota, Colombia, their style fuses elements of cumbia, funk, psychedelia, and surf rock.

The Clark Center

Don't forget Rumours—a Fleetwood Mac Tribute plays on Thursday, March 21 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $39 to $65 at clarkcenter.org).

The other big tribute show is Hank Williams' 100th Birthday Celebration on Saturday, March 23 (7:30 p.m.; $29 to $55 at clarkcenter.org). Jason Petty returns to the Clark Center with his amazing, critically acclaimed tribute, Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes, a nostalgic look at the country music giant and hits like "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Hey Good Lookin'," and more.

More music ...

The Frog and Peach presents an evening with guitar shredders Travis Larson of the Travis Larson Band and Jen Majura (ex-Evanescence guitarist and backing vocalist), on Friday, March 22 (9 p.m.; 21-and-older). "It's something we've done in Europe a few times throughout 2023 and will be doing a few very select dates in the U.S. this spring," Larson said. "The shows will be extremely eclectic with a mix of hard rock vocal tunes from her solo albums, guitar-centric instrumentals, and even some finger style acoustic music showcasing and merging our diverse careers."

The Basin Street Regulars Hot Jazz Club presents The San Lyon Swing Jazz Quartet and the Ernest Righetti High School Jazz Band on Sunday, March 24, at the Oceano Elks Lodge (11 a.m. jam followed by the concert at 1 p.m.; $15 general, $10 members, $5 for jammers; Elks and Paradise British Car Club members get a $5 discount). San Lyon is an LA-based swing jazz quartet specializing in early 20th century jazz with a Parisian Gypsy flare. The Righetti High School Jazz Band is a 12-piece playing swing, bebop, funk, and more.

If you want to hear some absolutely stellar Americana picking, get thee to one of the upcoming Brittain & Silva shows, and bring some extra dough for their new 12-song self-titled CD. Eric Brittain (vocals, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro) and Paul Silva (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bass, percussion) are two super talented players, and whether they're playing dizzyingly textured instrumentals such as "Capricorn" or country crooning on songs like "Welcome to Paradise," you're in the presence of deep talents who know how to get the best out of each other. See them Saturday, March 30, and Saturday, April 20, at The Porch in Santa Margarita (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.); Friday, April 5, at Tent City in Atascadero (6 to 8 p.m.); and Friday, May 3, at Opolo Winery (5 to 7 p.m.). Can't make the shows? Their CD is available at all major media digital outlets. Δ

Contact Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey at [email protected].