Click to hear CSN Live Audio (from inside my pocket)

David Crosby performs for the ICEF Foundation at the Skirball Ctr., Los Angeles, CA

What do you think of when you hear the names Jackson Browne, CSN, Keb’ Mo’ and Ben Harper? And then throw them in an intimate room with inner city school kids, foi gras, and fancy guests?

Last night these legendary musicians raised just over $472,000 for one of the largest private entrepreneurial foundations that brings success in the arts to schools in areas with some of the highest dropout rates. Teenagers who would otherwise never make it to the end of their high school term, let alone move onto college, are now mentored and encouraged by this organization, and are accepted into top schools like Dartmouth, Berkeley, even IVY leagues like Yale and Harvard.

Jackson Browne © ANNA WEBBER 2010

Success Through the Arts Foundation, co-founded by Jackson Browne, focuses its efforts on using the arts to help young people realize their full potential by creating an environment where students of all ages who have been traditionally underserved by the public schools, can learn to appreciate and produce music and art.

Last night these kids brought out their musical talents and covered songs by Jackson Browne, a formal tribute to a longtime mentor. They played on the same stage as CSN, Ben Harper, Jackson Browne, and Keb’ Mo’ – a bone chilling room to be in. Usually to see that kind of talent as a westsider, that means a drive to the Hollywood Bowl or Staples Center. Last night, we got them intimately in our own backyard.

Stephen Stills © ANNA WEBBER 2010

Graham Nash © ANNA WEBBER 2010

David Crosby © ANNA WEBBER 2010

Keb' Mo' © ANNA WEBBER 2010

Ben Harper © ANNA WEBBER 2010

David Crosby and Monty Python's Eric Idle © ANNA WEBBER 2010

Fernando Pullum, Keb' Mo', David Crosby, and guest © ANNA WEBBER 2010

The West Beach Music & Arts Festival Saturday is like no other large music festival of its kind – abutting the historic Stearns Wharf, adjacent to an even more historic Pacific ocean, and perpendicular to Santa Barbara’s main drag (lower State Street) the festival took place with a sandy, inebriated floor, and a bright and beautiful sky blue sky. The unfortunate part was that dogs were allowed in (and children), and the drunks were wondering why “If your dog can pee here, why can’t I!?”

The music lapped against the tide in a very burningman-esque dusty shakeup of sand, surfers, hippies and cloudcover as it was delivered from three separate stages (and one techno dance tent).

The full line-up included Ben Harper, Steel Pulse, Slightly Stoopid, G. Love, Ozomatli (with special guest Chali Tuna), The Bravery, The Aggrolites, Donovan Frankenreiter and many more. Everything from Reggae, Rock, Electro and Phillie hip-hop splayed out over the land and sea while kids tripped over lost sandles and plastic beer cups stuck in the sand, and adults carved out seats for themselves against blankets and towels in makeshift dunes.

It was fairly apparent that this festival is in its infancy. Only three years old, the beer lines and garden were more chaotic than a demonstration rally and it was easy to note that the security wasn’t too firm when attendees were sneaking in behind the main stage. It’s how I got in, anyway.

The main draw at the festival was Ben Harper by far – the stakes were low. The whole venue packed close to hear Harper’s new undistinguished set. The festival ended at 10 o’clock sharp and the ones still standing  lumbered up state street for the well advertised after-shows.

She’s what Stevie Ray Vaughan would look like without a soul patch and the Texasflooder Manny Gammage hat. That was a certain likeness – and the first immediate good sign. She could have a wailing match on par with Caleb Followill, and her cracking pitchy snarling voice would surely win. If she wasn’t wearing little heels, she could probably jump around a little more, but dirty blues woman Erika Wennerstrom packs a punch and holds no mercy.

The Heartless Bastards took the stage and needless to say, the shimmery blue sequined bandstand disappeared and the crowd was slammed into what could have been Townes Van Zandt’s Hole in the Wall in Austin, TX, Wennerstrom’s hometown. Her little physique was no foolin’, and her strapping bronchial tubes tore through all the lonely ones out there saluting their Shiner Bocks dry. The Heartless Bastards are a bare-bones band, whose sound may possibly be as timeless as the music genre they’ve landed in. Keep an eye out, they’ve got a hot US tour rolling through, as well as a short bit in Europe, then back for some big shows at ACL Music Festival, Bonnaroo in Nashville, and SF Outside Lands.

Erika Wennerstom of The Heartless Bastards - photo: Anna Webber

The Viper Room and Atlantic Records supplied the Open Bar and luncheon – however – it didn’t matter how drunk they got the guests, the music was phenomenal. By the first song, enough honest sweat was flowing out of his pores to mean he would not be letting up anytime soon – he’d done this before. Paolo has got the same Johnny Lang elated, scathing, rasp and quiver, mixed with Jeff Buckley moans and lingering “ooo’s” during the sultry ballads that were to die for. The timelessness of his music would throw a smile across anyone’s face and a chill down their spine as his boyish sincerity dabbled in motown and blues, reggae and barbershop bebop. As he picked up what appeared to be a watered down whiskey, smiling, he says “It’s the first one I’ve done of these things where everybody’s listening.” Not because he’s not extraordinary, but because he can be seen most often playing at big music halls, bigger concert venues, and music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo. And his giddy Scottish accent would sometimes sound more like a thick island one. It was adorable. In fact, all but one of the 6 piece band is from Scotland, and his 2007 record went platinum in the UK, and sold about 2 million copies. He played the single off of his last record, “New Shoes”, which Paolo is most notably known for. Keeping an eye on Paolo and awating the release of his next record out in June, he showed no deficit of talent Tuesday, no elevated ego.

Paolo Nutini @ Viper Room showcase (photo: anna webber)

listen to ingrid here: [03:27] Keep Breathing – Ingrid Michaelson

Michaelson collapsed all sense of expected genteel ladylike-ness on stage last Thursday at the El Rey, throwing the audience with a clandestine back-room chatter in between songs that shot out in spastic spurts throughout her soft, honest set.

Her voice is timeless, it speaks an old love song against a solo ukulele, the kind of ballad we don’t hear anymore, the kind our 90 year-old grandparents sing themselves to sleep with.  She really is timeless, talking love, inciting peace, some Republicans might even call her Socialist: “Let’s get rich and buy our parent’s home’s in the South of France / Let’s get rich and buy everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance / Don’t you worry there my honey, but we got our love to pay the bills.” In between songs, she was really, very honest and paid no never mind to whatever social tact we might be used to: “My girlfriends always tell me I shouldn’t talk about bowel movements onstage because it makes me seem less sexy. But I don’t really care.”

She didn’t care what she said, what we thought, and that’s really her message. Whipping up a carefree provocation to the rigid rest, to get loose and to say what you feel, feel what you say.