by Lizze Slocum
“I can promise you this,” said harmonica virtuoso Gary Allegretto at the beginning of his sold-out show Saturday evening, “we’re gonna have fun tonight.”
He wasn’t foolin’, either. Singer/songwriter Gary and singer/songwriter/guitarist Ian Espinoza delivered a good time in the form of some rocking bluesy cowboy music, along with tuneful melodies and some guitar work from Ian that got our feet stomping. And then there was Gary’s dazzling harmonica playing. Gary can play the harmonica so well, bringing forth such a diverse measure of sounds, it makes a listener take that instrument downright seriously.
Enhancing the pleasure of the music was its relaxed, comfortable setting: Bob and Marie Mann’s Altadena backyard. Last Saturday night was the second in a series of 2011 summer house concerts sponsored by the Manns through their company, Big Hat Promotions. Their goal is to bring Western music to a wider audience by booking top acts, inviting the public, and serving dinner to boot.
Some of the songs Gary and Ian performed Saturday night took one’s breath away. An original song by Ian, which he said he’d completed only that morning, was so polished and pretty that it was hard to believe the twosome was playing it in front of a crowd for only the first time Saturday night.
Gary also has a band of his own and a nonprofit organization that provides music therapy with harmonicas to special needs kids worldwide, Harmonikids. The crowd was a mix of Gary’s fans and newcomers. As such, Gary was happy to accommodate audience requests for favorites from his WMA award nominated album "Harmonicowboy", including a couple of humorous numbers such as “Ugly Woman Blues,” and “Copenhagen”. Cowboy blues, old-time cowboy songs, spiritual numbers served up on Ian’s 1920’s-era steel guitar, and some original Western music filled out the evening. A solo harmonica train song called "Untrainable", an audience favorite, closed the show and gave us a glimpse at Gary and his harmonica at work when he is entertaining and inspiring kids.
For more information and to reserve seats at upcoming Big Hat concerts, visit www.bighatonline.com.
(This story was slightly revised to include some more information and clarification from Gary Allegretto).
