The Sepulveda Garden Fair took place on the weekend of May 17 and 18, at 16633 Magnolia Blvd. in Encino, hosted by the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks. Located in a Valley "greenbelt" area called the Sepulveda Garden Center, the event was free to the public, and yet the roster of talent that turned out for the affair was priceless, studded with luminaries from a variety of genres, including blues, pop, and folk. According to promoter Brian Chan, the affair began about 23 years ago as a bluegrass showcase, but in the three years or so that Chan has been involved, numerous "upper-food-chain" players have come on board, including Tracy Newman, James Lee Stanley, Bernie Pearl, and many others.
Performers serenaded fairgoers from a platform set up in the middle of a lush green lawn, surrounded by crafts and agriculture exhibits and a food vendor or two, amid a zone that is home to hundreds of garden-plot "mini-farms" that are tilled and maintained by local residents for a nominal annual fee. Chan spoke of the event as a "give-back to the citizens of L.A.," and it was likewise a showcase for growers of fruit, vegetables, and the "little trees" that are known as bonsai.
Following an opening performance from Andy Rigrod on Saturday morning, L.A.-based singer-songwriter Brooke Trout delivered an acoustic set, accompanied by Dave Strauss, of Flat Cat Radio and Flat Cat Records. Other performers at the Fair who are also associated with Flat Cat included Justefanie and Goh Kurosawa, both of whom played on Sunday. Bluesman Mike Dill made an appearance, followed by the folksy stylings of Sabrina and Craig, after which Tracy Newman and the Replacements played a humorous set that included
the song Tracy wrote for her sister, Laraine Newman of Saturday Night Live fame. Another well-received bluesy set came from James Lee Stanley and John Batdorf
Promoter Bryan Chan himself had the chance on Sunday afternoon to demonstrate his prowess as a slide blues player. Also playing the blues on Sunday, alongside Mike Barry, was legendary musician Bernie Pearl, who had been a DJ in the Sixties on a radio show called "Nothin' But the Blues" on KPCC in Pasadena, and who also helped produce the first annual Long Beach Blues Festival in 1980.
From blues and boogie to folk to flamenco, the Sepulveda Garden Fair provided a chance for Valley denizens to get out into the fresh air amid the green growing things, while sampling an abundant buffet of satisfying musical talent, both homegrown and imported. All those associated with the event hope to see even more visitors, participants, and supporters next year, for another garden party in the open air at the annual Sepulveda Garden Fair.
