GAUCHO
Amnesia
01/17/07

Every Wednesday, at the heart of the Valencia corridor, you’ll notice a shift in the scenery. Coalescing along the sidewalk near 20th street, derby hats and vests, flapper dresses and feathers appear like proverbial moths to the flaming red lounge that is Amnesia. Every Wednesday, this dive-bar den-womb sprouts Django-hands and Golden Era hot-jazz feet to become home to San Francisco’s gypsy jazz band, Gaucho.

I was there on the 17th of January, a cold night that warranted the comforting warmth and 28 microbrews on tap that Amnesia offers. Gaucho started on time (rare), and everyone was relaxed . That’s the comforting feel of Gaucho. Nobody’s in a hurry, you can settle into your barstool, sip your beer, check out the costuming of the clientele, and feel confident that, in a few minutes, your ears will be indulgently feeding on some fine 20s & 30s jazz.

Dave Ricketts, Gaucho’s band leader and lead guitarist, started the show with a lively set of old standards mixed with some modern smirks (at one point, the band starts in on the Danger Mouse theme). The rest of the band houses a full batch of instruments and talent including Michael Groh (guitar), Rob Reich (accordion), Ari Monkers (stand-up bass), Pete Devine (drums and mouth percussion!), and the ubiquitous Ralph Carney (clarinet, sax, and a strange reed instrument that he said we could call “the Harold”, but just for that night).

Although, I’ve seen Gaucho many times at Amnesia, watching them in preparation for a live review reminded me of just how talented and enjoyable they are. At one point, my pal Steve Owen, himself an accomplished singer/songwriter, leaned over to me and said, “You know, it says a lot about the demise of the live music scene in SF that a band this good is playing for free.” Whether its lack of appreciation or an embarrassment of riches, here in the Mission, we have a treat waiting for us every Wednesday night, free for the taking,. Dress up and tip well.

[Ann Larie Valentine]

[STREAM] Gaucho: Various Tracks