Parties and music all December long. Guess we are making up for the COVID Quarantine, Because instead of having a party or two a week, sometimes it’s a party or two each day.
What a season!
(Harrumph! Who are the people who whine there is “nothing to do” in this town … ?!)
So let’s check out some of the fun. First up we have the Mistletoe Ball benefiting Catholic Charities of Santa Barbara County.
The very cool part about Catholic Charities is that it serves everybody (i.e. regardless of your church, religion, etc.) and, second, it specifically concentrates on helping the “working poor.”
Perhaps a father has had a major injury and is unable to work for a time, so Catholic Charities might step in to cover the rent so the family can stay in their home.
Or maybe the family car breaks down. Catholic Charities can provide bus vouchers so the parents can get to work.
Basically, Catholic Charities tries to provide a “hand up,” not a handout. And it directly helped more than 4,000 (unduplicated) people throughout the county last year.
This is all good stuff we can get behind in our community.
In starting the program, advisory board president Patrick Beach, quipped, “I promise I won’t speak more than an hour and a half …”
He then proceeded to introduce the honoree, who he described as a “tireless supporter of our mission.”
The man of the moment was, of course, Vito Gioiello, and honestly it seemed like everybody in the room was so happy about the opportunity to recognize him.
That’s because Gioiello is one of the quietly efficient guys who spends so much time on helping address real basic needs in the community.
He never badgers people, but has a gracious enthusiasm that is hard to refuse.
For 24 years, Gioiello has served on the Catholic Charities board — including serving in every executive position at least twice. He is also on the board of People’s Self-Help Housing.
When he’s not spending all his time helping other people in the community, Gioiello is a wealth management manager with J.P. Morgan, and before that Northern Trust, specializing in tax-efficient portfolios for high-net worth individuals.
So now you can see why he is such a valuable community commodity: He has a head for assisting wealthy individuals AND an absolute heart for helping those on the other end of the economic spectrum.
A good combination of skills for a board member.
The event was held at Birnam Wood Golf Club and the women were sooooo elegantly dressed.
And this event always has such a warm and friendly hometown feeling. To start with, everybody knew Yolanda Vasquez, Catholic Charities’ regional director for Santa Barbara and Ventura counties who has been a blessing to so many families.
Fun people there: Father Lawrence Sayer, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Montecito; from Santa Barbara’s Old Mission, were Father Dan, the pastor, and the ubiquitous Father Larry; as well as Barbara Kummer, Diane Brighton, Chris Beach, Beverly Cavaliere, Maribel Jarchow, Debbie and Mike Bruce, Wendy and Don Gragg, and Barb and Art Najera.
I also enjoyed speaking with Father John Love, pastor of 7,000 families at Santa Clara Parish in Oxnard!, who grew up in Santa Barbara and attended Westmont College. — “Local Boy Makes Good” … or would that be Good Boy Makes Local?
People were greeting the new regional bishop for Santa Barbara-Ventura region. That would be Bishop Sławomir Szkredka from Poland who graduated from Kraków Seminary.
Naturally, we had one of those “only in Santa Barbara” moments.
You see, at an event of some 160 people, would you believe thatt here was not just one … but TWO native Polish speakers to join the bishop in conversation: Teresa McWilliams and Danuta Bennett.
The only other blessing to add to the excellent evening was of course the CHOCOLATE DESSERT: Warm Molten Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream.
It may have seemed to be a sin to eat the entire thing, but there were enough priests there to grant a culinary indulgence. Amen.
• • •
Rockwood Rocks the Holiday
Then, over at the Rockwood Women’s Club in Santa Barbara, it was the annual sold-out-to-the-max Holiday Luncheon, which included oodles of ladies: Alison Brainard, Valerie Williams, Tara Stoker, Chris Frisina, Tina Pedotti, Linda Alderman, Celeste Barber and those Profant girls: Marie, Michelle and Musette.
What makes this luncheon exciting is that the members decorate the tables in wonderfully artistic fashion.
It is not a contest, but the ladies love the challenge of coming up with something unique, artistic, whimsical — all different and it all works. Take a look here.
Dana Hansen crafted a clever rustic scenario with a homey cabin in the woods, amid glittering lights and festive place settings. She even included some of her family heirloom crystal.
And here are two more interpretations: tall, elegant candles amid a Christmas red tablecloth, sweet low lights and roses and pine on a snowy white backdrop.
Helma Christiane Bloomberg, Marie Profant and Michelle Profant opted for an elegant, burnished gold table set on green.
To finish off the program we had Erin McKinnon, with the Music Academy SING! program, bringing us traditional carols from around the globe.
McKinnon brought just a sampling of her 200-member ensemble (seven schools around the county getting a music program!).
• • •
The Alan Parsons Party Project
Another important program locally is One805. If you are not familiar with the nonprofit organization, it was forged from the ashes of the Thomas Fire and deadly Montecito debris flows of 2017 and 2018 in gratitude and in recognition of the work of first responders.
One805 raises funds for all three first responder groups — fire, police and sheriff — to provide immediate assistance with unbudgeted items and equipment to support public safety teams.
Richard Weston-Smith and his wife, Kirsten Cavendish Weston-Smith, are co-founders and chief operating officer and chairwoman/CEO, respectively, of the organization.
Their first Kick Ash Bash in 2018 raised more than $2 million through a public concert featuring top musicians and entertainers.
So now this event was a fundraising concert, held at the Lobero Theatre, and featuring birthday boy Alan Parsons.
Oh yes, that Alan Parsons, of The Alan Parsons Project.
Turns out the Montecito resident is also on the board of One805.
What a program! It was a nonstop (three hours, no intermission) performance of rock legends paying tribute to Parsons, who was turning 75 years young.
To start with: Did y’all know that Parsons is also a magician, and even a magician member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, home of the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts?
With that in mind, our emcee for the night was Bill Cook, a magician from Chicago, which seemed sort of random. But he delightfully fit right in with the crowd and seamlessly kept the patter, laughter and legerdemain moving briskly to entertain us while the musicians changed up between sets on stage.
So he was kind of multitasking while he multitasked.
Mike Dawson also entertained us during another setup change. Formerly a DJ on KTYD, he is also a rocker in his downright down in Los Angeles now.
Naturally, this show featured all the British musical compatriots whom Parsons grew up with in the industry, or produced their music, yadda yadda.
Parsons remember, is OBE — appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2021 for services to music and music production.
Although he’s from Tennessee rather than the Thames, singer-songwriter Jordan Asher (who is Parsons’ son in law) opened the program and showcased his versatile vocal range.
Then Britain’s Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits — and a Montecito resident — came out to entertain us a bit after promising he would NOT sing “Henry the Eighth” … so we missed his crooning, but loved his quips.
Terry Sylvester (of The Hollies … more Brits!) gave us his signature songs: “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” and “The Air that I Breathe” (which was originally produced by Parsons).
Al Stewart (Blimey — another Brit!) provided “On the Border” and, of course, “Year of the Cat.”
And did I mention the incomparable Laurence Juber (from London) with his flaming finger-style talent blew us out of the water?
Next up: Michael McDonald.
OK so he’s not British, but he has the coolest voice ever and since he lives in Santa Barbara we feel like he’s one of us now.
One of my favorite musicians, McDonald just completely poured out his vocals and keyboard on “I Keep Forgetting” and “Taking it to the Streets.”
And another American who the audience cheered and hooted for: Joe “The Blues Boy” Bonamassa. (This is the guy who opened for B.B. King when he was 12 years old.)
Whenever appropriate — and even when not! — the whole audience was rocking and singing along with the choruses, exuberant and excited to be experiencing the exceptional talent of every guy on stage.
That’s because Parsons’ whole band was incredible: Jeff Kollman on lead gee-tar, Danny Thompson on drums, Guy Erez on bass, Tom Brooks on keyboard, Dan Tracey, guitar and vocals.
Dangnabbit! I haven’t got all the names (who dat sax player ?) … but they were all ON for the occasion.
P.J. Olsson, a singer with The Alan Parsons Project, was fully armed with his incredible vocal chops, stepping in to deliver the tenor harmony on opening tunes, then delivering the goods on Parsons’ set. He was especially appreciated on his solo, “Time (Like a River).”
It seemed like most of Santa Barbara was happily stuffed in the Lobero’s full house: Olesya and John Thyne III, Michelle Higgins, Terry Ryken, The Palminteri (yes, you know who dat is), Lisa and Gary Novatt, Adam McKaig and Melissa Borders, Ursula and Pat Nesbitt, Rebecca Brand, Michael Putin, Mindy Jenson, Fred Brander, Rochelle Mirabello, Music Man Earl Minnis, Katie de Witt, Catherine Remak and District Attorney John Savrnoch.
Lorraine McIntire summed up the whole magical evening of world-class entertainment in the wonderful intimacy of the Lobero so succinctly:
“Wow … we are so lucky.”