Tooting His Own Horn

by Josef Woodard

LICORICE STICKLER: Whatever his other
contributions to the world’s store of knowledge and amusement,
Woody Allen should also be recognized as one of America’s poster
boys for a solid work ethic. Long ago, he settled in on his
creative life, and he has stuck to it, cranking out nearly a film a
year for 30 years — mostly of the comic variety, with occasional
visits to the dark sides of suspense or existential despair
(equipped with escape routes). Lesser known, during that entire
period, has been his passionate pursuit of the specific “trad jazz”
subgenre of New Orleans jazz, playing (and publicly practicing) his
clarinet in a band which has religiously held down Monday nights in
New York City for three decades, first at Michael’s Pub and now at
the Carlyle Hotel.

Allen’s musical personality now heads west for the band’s first
West Coast tour, and makes a stop at the Lobero Theatre on Sunday.
The last time Allen’s name hit a local marquee in any special,
Santa Barbara-specific way was when his film Melinda and Melinda
opened the Santa Barbara International Film Festival two years ago.
Unfortunately, most were not amused by the film, a great idea
thrown to the wind of a lazy realization. But Allen fans know that
something better is usually just around the corner in his
ever-unfolding filmography. Thus, along came the brilliant,
Hitchcockian Match Point, followed by this year’s good-enough
model, Scoop.