The San Diego Music Hall of Fame doesn’t have an official theme song — or a physical location — at least not yet. But if it did, Bruce Springsteen’s “From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)” fits the bill perfectly for this homegrown grassroots event, which will hold its fifth annual induction ceremony next Friday.
“It’s absolutely a labor of love,” said Jefferson Jay, 49, the hall’s founder and driving force. “And it’s a great opportunity to showcase the amazing musicians in San Diego and honor them.”
This year’s honorees are a characteristically diverse batch of artists for this annual induction ceremony, which was launched in 2018.
They include piano great Mike Wofford, 85, whose weekly Sunday solo gig at Manhattan of La Jolla is a must for fans of sublime jazz keyboard artistry, and classical guitar standout Fred Benedetti, 66. Although he retired last year after four decades as a music professor at Grossmont College, Benedetti still teaches part time at San Diego State University.
Also being inducted are violinist Jamie Shadowlight, who has heroically battled back after being diagnosed in March with stage four cervical cancer, percussion dynamo Monette Marino and singer-songwriter, band leader Jeff Berkley, one of the most in-demand album producers in San Diego. Singer-songwriter Mary Dolan, who died last year, will be honored posthumously. (Ticket information appears at the conclusion of this article.)
Together, this year’s inductees boast a dizzying wealth of credits.
Wofford, the former music director for Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, made his first solo album, “Strawberry Wine,” in 1966, He has collaborated with everyone from John Lennon, Dizzy Gillespie and B.B. King to The Jackson 5, Joan Baez and leading jazz flutist Holly Hofmann, Wofford’s wife.
Berkley, as of 2017, had produced or performed on more than 200 albums, working alongside Grateful Dead alum Bob Weir, the Indigo Girls and such San Diego favorites as Jason Mraz, Jewel and Gregory Porter.
Shadowlight, who counts Bela Fleck & The Flecktones’ bassist Victor Wooten among her many colaborators, was shown busking — at the age of 18 — in Orgeon in the Grateful Dead film documentary, “Tie-Died, Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Most Deadicated Fans.” She, like Wofford, both cite the late San Diego jazz patriarch Daniel Jackson as a key mentor.
Berkley and Benedetti also both spent time busking in parks and on street corners. So did San Diego Music Hall of Fame mastermind Jay, who this month launched the 15th annual edition of his Acoustic Evenings concert series at La Jolla’s Athenaeum Music & Arts Library.
A veteran singer-songwriter who has a master’s degree in history from San Diego State University, Jay is doubly qualified to appreciate and celebrate the city and county’s eclectic musical legacy. He is the founder of The Good Vibes, which is the name of his production company and his animated TV series.
“Both serve the community of underserved, overlooked talent,” said Jay, who in 2005 started a nonprofit called San Diego Musicians Collective.
San Diego Music Hall Of Fame founder Jefferson Jay is also a veteran singer-songwriter and the founder of the 15-year-old Acoustic Evenings concert series at La Jolla’s Athenaeum Music & Arts Library.
(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Jay is well aware of the 32-year-old San Diego Music Awards. He credits its founder, Kevin Hellman, for providing valuable advice to the San Diego Music Hall of Fame. But Jay hopes to one day move beyond staging an annual event to opening a San Diego Music Hall of Fame.
In the meantime, he is striving to improve and expand the annual induction ceremony, which this year is moving from a church in Ocean Beach to a larger venue in Mission Valley. No matter the location, Jay provides each honoree with a night in the spotlight and a distinctive commemorative gift.
“Everyone gets their own special, one-of-a-kind pot,” he said. “Each is made, just for this event, by San Diego potter Sharon Strong Patsko. Just like each inductee, each pot is unique.”
Here, in alphabetical order, are this year’s San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductees.
San Diego, CA, October 15, 2023: Guitarist Fred Benedetti on Sunday, October 15, 2023 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Fred Benedetti, guitarist, music educator
Birthplace: Sasebo, Japan
Website: Fredbenedetti.com
Next gig: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 with Camarada at Bread & Salt in Logan Heights
First and most recent recordings: “The Orion Quartet Performs” by The Orion Guitar Quartet (1978); “My Favorite Pieces” by Fred Benedetti (2021).
What drew you to music? “I remember making up songs —without a guitar — and singing them when I was around 5 or 6, after we moved to the U.S. My parents told me I used to do that when I was even younger, singing in Japanese, but I didn’t remember that. I do have proof, though, because my dad, who played the guitar, made reel to reel recordings of it!”
What was the first record you bought and the first concert you attended? “ ‘Revolver’ by The Beatles, in 1966, in Oahu, Hawaii; and Andres Segovia, around 1977, at the San Diego Civic Theatre.”
Why the guitar? “What drew me to the guitar was hearing my father play it and the recordings of Segovia and Sabicas that he would play constantly. Although I played drums first, I gave that up for the guitar. The guitar feels very natural to me. The sound of the instrument always caught my attention as a kid, and to this day I never tire of playing it.”
First band: “The Aluminum Byrds in 1970, but we never performed publicly.”
When did you realize you would devote yourself to music? “It must have been the age of 16 when I thought that being a musician could be a real vocation. Many things were happening musically for me at the time. I started formal classical guitar lessons and was busking on a regular basis in Balboa Park. By 18, I was playing with a professional guitar quartet and a duo performing local concerts and playing regularly at The Prophet vegetarian restaurant — that sealed the deal.”
Had anyone told you when you were 20 or 30 that — in 2023 — you would be inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame, how would you have reacted? “I would have said: ‘Ha! Yeah, right!’ — in a very sarcastic tone — but, silently, wished it could be possible. It is so nice to get the recognition.”
Music is: “An enduring gift that has given me a life of joy, a life with a musical family, and a life with amazing friendships.”
If I wasn’t a musician, I would be: “A better surfer!”
San Diego, CA, October 15, 2023: Singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeff Berkley on Sunday, October 15, 2023 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Jeff Berkley, singer-songwriter, band leader, producer, audio engineer
Born: San Diego
Website: jeffberkley.com
Next gig: Berkley Hart 25th anniversary concert, Nov. 4 at Brooks Theatre, Oceanside.
Day job: Producer
What drew you to music? “My dad was a musician. He played trumpet and bass and piano and guitar and all sorts of instruments. He had a degree in music and theology and was the worship leader at church. He also was the preacher at church and took me to recording sessions. My mom sang in the choir and loved harmonies. She would sing along to the radio in the car and I remember those things being the very first time I noticed the magic of music. I would set up cardboard boxes by the stereo and ‘play drums’ along with my mom‘s Beatles’ records. My mom and dad showed me the ropes!”
First performance: “When I was 17, I was in a band called Marilyn Manor. We all went to Vista High School and played all sorts of weird places all over town. We played at a lot of churches, church fairs and things like that. It got to the point where our flyers said: ‘Marilyn Manor live! Brought to you by the LOSBFTPIC!’ That stood for the League of Serious Bands Forced to Play in Churches!”
Key mentor: “The singer in Marilyn Manor, Mark Thiessen, was the first one to sit me down and show me about songwriting. I still do a couple of his songs sometimes, to this day. He died when we were 20 years old, from all the same drugs I was taking. It was quite a wake-up call. Mark is with me wherever I go — always there for inspiration.”
What was the first concert you attended? “I don’t remember the year, but it was Adam & The Ants. I think it was at the San Diego Sports Arena and it was the loudest, most amazing thing I ever heard or saw! They were still a punk band, but had all sorts of hit songs on the radio. It was just an amazing punk show!”
When did you realize you would devote yourself to music? “There was never a point — it was always this, music.”
Had anyone told you when you were 20 or 30 that — in 2023 — you would be inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame, how would you have reacted? “I would have said: ‘Never.’ I never, ever would have expected this.”
What musician or piece of music continues to inspire you that inspired you when you were young? “ ‘Take It With Me When I Go’ by Tom Waits, ‘Guitar Shopping’ by David Wilcox, ‘Riverman’ by Nick Drake, or whatever springs to mind off the top of my head today. It’s a different song every day. Sometimes it’s by Bauhaus sometimes it’s by the Grateful Dead, you never know. I feel so lucky to still have the ability to be moved by music.”
Music is: “An ancient, mystical and powerful magic that flows through all of us. I’m never trying to control it. I’m just trying to stay out of its way most of the time.”
If I wasn’t a musician: “I would be, 100 percent, an anthropology professor!”
San Diego, CA, October 15, 2023: Percussionist Monette Marino on Sunday, October 15, 2023 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Monette Marino, percussionist and music educator
Birthplace: San Diego
Website: monettemarino.com
Next gig: 5:30 p.m. today with Atomic Groove at the Belly Up, 143 South Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach.
Day job: “I’m a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch. I also teach West African Percussion through my non-profit corporation Mo’Rhythm School of Percussion.”
What drew you to music? “When I was around 9, my father (San Diego drummer Jimmy Marino) taught me to play the drum set in our garage in Solana Beach. That’s when my obsession with rhythm sparked.”
What drew you to percussion, specifically? “It was happenstance that I discovered the congas. My brothers were taking up all the time after school on the drum set and I needed to play something! So, I looked around the garage for anything else to play and saw these red congas that I had never noticed before. I asked my dad to show me some stuff on them and the satisfaction of playing was immediate and overwhelming. I fell in love! The sensation of connecting directly with the drum skin and feeling the vibration and sound filled my soul with joy. The congas spoke to me.”
Music education: “I have been fortunate to meet many master drummers from Africa, Cuba, Brazil and South Korea who have passed on their musical traditions to me outside of any formal educational institution. My training was through old-school oral transmission — not written. The master shows you, you repeat it in the exact same way, and you build from there.”
First gig: “At the Belly Up when I was 17 or 18. I was invited to play with a group of high school friends called Sonic BBQ. I only played on a few songs, but the butterflies in my stomach were no joke! I was so nervous, and thrilled, it was hard to breathe steady and my hands were shaking uncontrollably!”
First band: “I have played in many bands founded by other people, but the first band I put together was a funk band, Urban Gypsys, in the late 1990s. It was a collaboration with guitarist Mychael Moaze and the now award-winning blues singer Sugaray Rayford. I don’t remember where our first show was, but we did open for a lot of acts at the Belly Up.”
When did you realize you would devote yourself to music?
“I took the leap of faith to devote myself to a career in music in 1996 after graduating from UCSD, in 1994, with a bachelor’s in Studio Art. My drumming passion exploded when I connected to the African/Afro-Cuban/Afro-Brazilian drumming community and all I wanted to do was drum, 24/7! I had been steadily picking up gigs to the point where I was earning enough money from music and no longer had time for any other jobs.”
Key mentor: “(San Diego) musician Semisi Ma’u. He was the first person to ‘hire’ me — to perform regularly with his band, Semisi and Fula Bula. His philosophy around making music was about listening to what was being played in the moment, being guided by that sound in that instant, and that each musician brought to the song their own interpretation. So, every time you played, the song would be slightly different, based on who was playing and what they were feeling at the time. Music is not static, it breathes and grows and evolves as we do. His band never once had a rehearsal, he would always say: ‘You have all the tools you need, just listen and play what you feel.’ This prepared my ears and listening skills in ways that I would only recognize much later in my career.”
Had anyone told you when you were 20 or 30 that — in 2023 — you would be inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame, how would you have reacted? “My reaction would have been loud laughter, and I would have responded: ‘You’re crazy!’ But my inside voice would have said: ‘You never know; keep working hard and stay focused, that would be incredible!”
Music is: “The essence and the soul of life; it contains the power to heal and unite our hearts, our bodies and our minds.
If I wasn’t a musician: “Honestly, there is no alternative — it’s an integral and inescapable part of my being. If I were not a musician, I simply would not be. I could have other “day jobs” I suppose, but to not play/perform/teach drums is just not an option.”
San Diego, CA, October 15, 2023: Violinist Jamie Shadowlight on Sunday, October 15, 2023 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Jamie Shadowlight, violinist, music teacher
Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
Next gig: “These days I’m flowing with what the day brings. You can find out through the grapevine where I’m at next.”
Day job: “Lately, my day job is healing myself — mind, body and soul.”
What drew you to music? “I was 5 when I started studying violin. When I was 12, the Mendelssohn violin concerto was a piece I tackled fully, all three movements. That showed me I could work to achieve anything. Nowadays, I create so I reach that moment instantly, every time. I was drawn to music for several lifetimes.”
When did you first perform? “I assume it was a violin recital and I played ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’ It was fun!”
First record and concert? “The first record I brought was Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’ and the first concert I attended was by Pink Floyd. somewhere in Los Angeles.”
What drew you to music? “My mom. I eventually learned guitar, piano and other instruments, including my voice.”
Music education: “I learned the language of music formally, I learned the art of being an artist informally.
First gig with your first band: “ ‘Jamie Plays Jobim’ (in 2005) at Dizzy’s, when it was at its first location downtown (across from what is now Petco Park). The band featured all the stellar jazz musicians in town — (bassist) Bob Magnusson, (guitarist) Jaime Valle, (pianist) Mikan Zlatkovich, (saxophonist) Joe Marillo, (drummer) Carlos Vazquez and (flutist) Dave Millard — and I wondered how I got so lucky! We played to a sold-out house.”
When did you realize that you would devote yourself to music? “Music chose me when I was 18. I knew the road ahead was to be devoted to becoming love and music. It was prompted by serendipity, magic and a feeling that this is it, this is the path for me.”
Key mentor: “Daniel Jackson taught me dignity in upholding sound. He also taught me I was perfect being me and playing beyond genres.”
Had anyone told you when you were 20 or 30 that — in 2023 — you would be inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame, how would you have reacted? “With joy! And celebration.”
Music is: “Love.”
If I wasn’t a musician: “I would be a creator of beautiful things.”
San Diego, CA, October 15, 2023: Jazz pianist Mike Wofford on Sunday, October 15, 2023 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Mike Wofford, pianist, composer, arranger
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas
Website: mikewofford.com
Next gig: 8 p.m. tonight “A Tribute to Ray Brown,” with Holly Hoffman Katie Thiroux and Jeff Hamilton, La Jolla Commnity Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla
What first drew you to music? “My mother was a jazz fan and had been a jazz singer. She had records by Bix Beiderbecke and I remember being fascinated by them as a kid. And I listened to Art Tatum on the radio.”
Music education: “With me, it was always seat of the pants. I never had a real strong general music education or jazz education. I learned by listening to the radio and to recordings, and by playing with other people.”
First band: “It was probably when I was a student at Point Loma High School in the late 1950s. And we had little jam sessions in our living room in Old Town — just a bunch of teenagers trying to learn and figure things out.”
First solo album: “Strawberry Wine” (1966)
Memorable day job: “When I was a teenager, I worked as an usher at Starlight Bowl. I heard some great jazz artists there, including (pianist) Erroll Garner, and I played at the bowl a few times in a band with (trumpeter) Don Sleet. The planes flying overhead during performances were always a problem, even back then!”
Key mentor: “Bill Franks at Thearles Music Company was the only (formal) teacher I ever had. He was a real jazz fan — and a big Teddy Wilson devotee — and he really opened my eyes. And (saxophonist and pianist) Daniel Jackson, who was a couple of years older than my friends and me, was like a god to us. He was so good about showing and explaining things. And he had a very dry sense of humor. And Leon Petties was a wonderful drummer and a really good (informal) teacher. He was really generous with us younger guys and I have wonderful memories of him.”
What do you try to bring to every gig you play, no matter the style of music? “Honesty, and making the music as good as it can be, whether it’s jazz piano or anything else. I was never a really highly technical player and I never thought of in terms of flash. I try to concentrate on keeping things really clear and interesting for a listener, rather than playing flashy. As a young pianist, I learned fairly quickly that less is more.”
Music is: “The most important thing in my life, professionally and for personal enjoyment. I love many geners, including both modern and older classical music, and there has been so much great jazz over the years.”
Had anyone told you when you were 20 or 30 that — in 2023 — you would be inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame, how would you have reacted? “Oh, gosh, it just never occurred to me at that point. It was like that possibility didn’t even exist! It’s a wonderful feeling that people are that interested and want to recognize some things I have done and am doing.”
If I wasn’t a musician: “I would think I’d be involved in the arts in some way. When I was quite young, I was very interested in drawing and painting. But I never got into either professionally. I was too into music!”
(Kevin “MacMac” McCoy)
Posthumous honoree: Mary Dolan
The veteran singer-songwriter died in October, 2022. She was 57.
A mainstay of the San Diego coffeehouse troubadour circuit for years, Dolan also rocked out on stage with bands at the Belly Up and other area venues. She had several albums to her credit, along with a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and a master’s in library sciences.
Before becoming a singer-songwriter, Dolan studied classical voice at Cal State Fullerton. She directed traditional and contemporary church choirs before becoming a singer-songwriter.
“When I write a song, it has to be an honest expression of what I’m feeling,” she told an interviewer for The Morning Call in 1998. “I have to write about something I feel strongly about.”
Lisa Sanders — who was a close friend and regular musical partner — will perform in Dolan’s honor at next Friday’s San Diego Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Previous San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductees
2022
Jeannie and (the late) Jimmy Cheatham
Alex DePue
Chris Hillman
Marine Band San Diego
Gustavo Romero
Larry Zeiger
2021
The Beat Farmers
The Deering Family
DJ Carlos Culture
Lisa Sanders
Yale Strom
Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug
2019
Bill Caballero
Candye Kane
Robin Henkel
Charles McPherson
Eve Selis
Walt Richards
2018
Johnny Ciccolella
Lou Curtiss
Mark Goffeney
Jason Mraz
Sue Palmer
Jack Tempchin
Fifth annual San Diego Music Hall of Fame
Featuring performances by: Mike Wofford, Jamie Shadowlight, Jeff Berkley & The Banned, Fred Benedetti, Monette Marino, Lisa Sanders, Rob Deez, Gato Papacitos and Jefferson Jay
When: 7:30 p.m. next Friday preceded by a silent auction, outdoor entertainment and food and beverages at 6 p.m.
Where: Vision: A Center for Spiritual Living, 4780 Mission Gorge Place, Suite H, San Diego
Tickets: $50 (general admission), $100 (premium seats in first two rows)
Online: sdmusichalloffame.com
