Story by Shawn Perry
Photos by Joe Schaeffer
A charity concert benefiting the homeless, California Saga 2 featured a night of classic songs, mostly with a California theme, played by The Tribe, a collective of Los Angeles musicians, joined by several special guests. Along with the concert, there was a VIP reception, plus a live and silent auction, all set up to provide funds directly to programs helping families and individuals in serious need.
The organizations behind feeding, clothing, and bringing comfort to local citizens, mostly working yet displaced by a lack of affordable housing, include Get Together Foundation, Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, and The Midnight Mission, located in downtown Los Angeles with programs for families, children, seniors, veterans, women, and men, including recovery counseling.
Judith Owen and Derek Smalls (of Spinal Tap fame) hosted the evening. Special guests included David Crosby (the Byrds, CSNY), Al Jardine (Beach Boys), Jesse Colin Young (Youngbloods), guitarist Albert Lee, and the Immediate Family featuring Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, and Steve Postell. Jason Sinay (The Dirty Knobs), guitarist Laurence Juber (Paul McCartney & Wings), drummer Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers), Freebo (Bonnie Raitt), singer Rosemary Butler (Jackson Browne), actor/singer Rob Morrow, singer Carly Smithson (American Idol), singer John Pratt, the Honeys, David Marks (Beach Boys), and poet Stephen Kalinich, also appeared.
After Kalinich read a poem, accompanied by Lawrence Juber, Al Jardine, his son Matt, and the house band hit the stage with “California Girls” and “Don’t Worry Baby.” Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys would be name-checked more than once this night. After running through “He’s A Doll,” the Honeys, featuring Marilyn Wilson (Brian Wilson’s first wife) and Ginger Blake, were joined by original Beach Boys guitarist David Marks for “Surf City” and “Little Old Lady From Pasadena.” More Beach Boys material would surface later in the show, but first…
There was blues guitarist Albert Lee blowing through “Wheels,” and Jesse Colin Young, joined by Juber, for “While Texas Is Drowning,” a song from his new album Dreamers, and his 1969 classic “Darkness, Darkness.” After auctioning off meals by world-class chefs and vacations to Mexico, the show resumed with the Immediate Family. With renowned guitarists and songwriters Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, and Steve Postell, the group played through well-known songs they were associated with, including “Werewolves Of London,” “All She Wants To Do Is Dance,” and “Somebody’s Baby.”
By the time David Crosby arrived, the audience was ready to rock. He started off with a couple of newer acoustic pieces before kicking out the jams with the Immediate Family for “Long Time Gone” and Neil Young’s “Ohio,” an odd choice considering the California theme. It would prove to be a highlight of the night. Jardine would later return to the stage for more Beach Boys music — “In My Room,” “Surfin’ USA,” and “Help Me Rhonda.” Jeff Alan Ross lead the band through “Woodstock,” but Crosby had apparently left the building and missed out. Nevertheless, most of the night’s participants, including Al Jardin, Derek Smalls, Judith Owen and the Immediate Family, joined Jesse Colin Young for a rousing and spirited rendition of “Get Together” to bring the show to a close.
