The best way to interview Gary Mandell, the recently re-established producer of the Summer Music Festival series at City Hall is to place a tape recorder on the counter, sit back and wheee, away he goes.
Sometimes sentimental, often pun-ish and occasionally sharp-tongued, he is a human salad who would be a tasty any Downtown restaurant.
Tomatoes have been pitched at him every year in Council Chambers for the decade he has been creating enthusiastically received weekly concerts in the Courtyard. A number by would-be rival producers.
“It would take a psych major to endure what I have gone through the last 10 years,” he says, “and it is a good thing I was.”
Evidently one never gets used to public dressing-downs.
During the latest scolding masquerading as a professional critique at last Monday night’s City Council meeting, Mr. Mandell became so exasperated with the unapologetic dissembling of his work that a scribbled a note to his wife:
“I think I will quit.”
This, however, was one of those rare darkest-before-dawn moments. Although the most concentrated campaign yet was waged this year to dump or shrink Mr. Mandell, by the end of the evening, he appeared to have four of the five Council members on his side. “Yeah, that’s good to know,” he says in the tone of “why not?”
“I really thought that after last year’s (similar multiple nights of excoriation), these kinds of things were done. The Council said I was going to be their guy until 2012, and they reneged on their agreement. I didn’t think last year’s concerts were so far off that I didn’t deliver what the contract said. I fulfilled my obligations. The people of Culver City had a good time.
“Then they wanted to change their original verbal agreement.
“I don’t do that with my customers at Boulevard Music. If I quote someone a price, we fulfill it.”
Question: Does Mr. Mandell feel vindicated?
“No. It’s not as if it is a big victory. Like I said, I did outlast Mubarak, Charlie Sheen and probably Gaddafi, too.
“I am disappointed (Councilman) Scott Malsin did not like the marketing I have done. Then he asked, ‘What was the marketing?’ Wouldn’t you think he would find out what was done with marketing before saying ‘I don’t like it’?
“What gets me is, three months ago Scott said ‘The concerts have gone beyond the fact it’s an economic development thing.’ Remember that?
“And then he said, ‘We have got to bring the Jazz Bakery in. This is such an opportunity.’ It’s like, ‘Forget the people of Culver City and their concert series. This is a great development opportunity.’
“Let me tell you, the frustration is tiring. I tried to give the Council answers to their questions.”
Mr. Mandell was hurt when Mr. Malsin said during the meeting that the presence of the Jazz Bakery during the eight weeks of the Summer series would enhance the event considerably more than Mr. Mandell’s affiliation with Boulevard Music.
“One thing I don’t understand, the branding of the Bakery,” said Mr. Mandell. “They have been there 16 years, right?
“They may not like the music we do here at Boulevard Music. But it should be pointed out we are bringing in some of the greatest guitar players in the world. Tommy Emanuel is recognized as the greatest steel-string guitar player in the world. He has played here twice. Does over 300 dates a year. Plays huge festivals all over the world.
“So big now that when he comes to Los Angeles, he plays the Smothers Theatre up at Pepperdine. This is the first place he played in Los Angeles County. We had him at the Summer concert series twice.
“We had Jim Kweskin here. He is giant in the folk music world. We had Maria Muldaur play here. The top five Chet Atkins’ style guitar players in the world. Martin Taylor. Richard Smith, a child prodigy from England. Carl Verheyen.
“Now this is not something they listen to. But in the world of guitar players, the people who come here are big.
“Our place is not chopped liver. I would like a little respect for our place.”
(To be continued)
