Locals Only Night at Blues Society 

Santa Barbara blues from native sons covering both electric and acoustic approaches are on the menu from the Santa Barbara Blues Society, the nonprofit still-thriving nearly half a century since its founding. Headlining is a band fronted by Mitch Kashmar, the singer and harmonica player who co-founded the legendary Pontiax back in the early 1980s when he was in his early 20s. 

The Pontiax enjoyed a terrific run playing at least two or three gigs every week in the local bars, as well as often serving as the house band for visiting aging blues masters such as Lowell Fulson, Big Joe Turner, Albert Collins, Pinetop Perkins, and Jimmy Witherspoon. Eventually they toured the U.S. and across Europe. But when the local scene waned, Kashmar decamped to Los Angeles for a spell before moving up to Portland, Oregon, back in 2011. 

Affordability of housing was the main factor, but the city – known as a breeding ground for alt folk-rock bands and singer-songwriters – proved to be a bit of a bastion for the blues as well, he said. 

“It’s a comparatively nice music scene up here with friendly musicians,” he said. “They just took me as a native as soon as I got here.”

Gigs are available nearly every night of the week, and even more importantly, audiences appreciate the live music. 

“Unlike most of the places I’ve been, people fill the tip jar every night,” Kashmar said. “I don’t know why, but it’s always been that way. You put the jar out there and they fill it up. It makes things a lot more sustainable.” 

What also keeps Kashmar thriving is his role as the harpist and backup singer for War – the blues rock band that dates to the late ‘60s – where he handles Lee Oskar’s solo harmonica role on such hits as “The World Is a Ghetto,” “The Cisco Kid,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” and “Low Rider.” The harpist is in his second stint with the touring band, rejoining in 2020 after a five-year stretch from 2006-2011. 

“I was always a fan, and I remember early on when I started playing with them, I’d be on stage listening to how good they sounded that I’d space out and forget that I was part of the show. It was disorienting but really, really cool.”

Kashmar will have his feet firmly on the ground when he plays the Santa Barbara Blues Society show at the Carrillo Recreation Center on Saturday, May 31, his first time performing for the SBBS since their 42nd birthday show in 2019. Kashmar hasn’t even been back to town since then. 

“There’s a whole mix of emotions coming back again,” he said. “Last time I was overwhelmed by how many familiar faces I saw. It was almost hard to concentrate. It’s important to connect with old friends as we get older.” 

There will be more of those on stage behind him as Kashmar will be playing with a blend of former Pontiax members and colleagues from Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including Tom Walsh (drums), Jimmy Calire (keys & sax), Stuart Ziff (guitar), and Steve Nelson (bass). The opening act are also good buddies and blues compatriots: the internationally famous acoustic duo of Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan, who have been playing together since before Kashmar hit the scene. 

“I hope they hang around and sit in with us and make it a real party, like it used to be when we followed them on some Sunday night at Cold Spring Tavern,” he said. 

Fans on Saturday night can expect a mix of originals and covers of blues classics over the years, which was always the Pontiax style. 

“I’ve been a pack rat with my song lists – I have every one from every band I’ve been in since I was 19,” Kashmar said. “Back in the Pontiax days, we could play seven nights a week and never repeat anything. So the issue with this show is paring it down for the gig.”