Music

Melody Klemin photo by Cameron Ingalls

go to slolifemagazine.com and click on See our Commercials to watch “Living the SLO Life” which was written and performed by Melody Klemin

Growing up in Long Beach, Melody Klemin remembers taking piano lessons like so many other kids do, but it was not until her grandmother gave her a guitar, which had belonged to Klemin’s grandfather, that she became hooked on music.

And, as it turns out, that guitar would carry her through good times and bad. It was during her time at Cal Poly as a student that she became serious about her music while also recognizing its power to unite people and create community. It did not take long for her dorm room to fill up with friends and neighbors wanting to sing along and hear what else she had written. According to Klemin, “The guitar is such a social instrument, and I love how it can bring people together – it can also be very healing.”

After graduating, Klemin spent much of her time teaching music to children in local public schools. Now, along with her partner, Savannah, the San Luis Obispo-based couple have two children of their own at Pacheco Elementary. With a busy family life, she states that “music is the way I center - music is what fuels me emotionally.”

Klemin, who describes her music as being somewhat similar to “contemporary folk, acoustic love harmonies, with interesting melodies” she laughs at the obvious play on words. “My parents both loved music, so they thought ‘Melody’ was the right name for me.” When asked for a sampling, she pauses for a moment, looks off into the distance with her piercing blue eyes, and in a style reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt or Sheryl Crow softly sings a verse from a song she wrote called “Cannoli.” I never guessed that you’d be mine / cannoli to go and a bottle of wine / you gave me a second chance given the circumstance. She shares that Cannoli is a love song, but admits that it is also one of her favorite desserts, and “a great symbol for how sweet love is.”

Today, Klemin works at the Performing Arts Center as a marketing and outreach coordinator for children’s programs, and she performs as often as she can, usually at weddings and artistic events. Her soft, folksy, acoustic style lends itself well to elevating the mood of a gathering without dominating it. She is working on completing a new album, which she expects to finish by the end of the year and looks forward to a time when she is “doing music all day long.”

It would not be hard to imagine Klemin doing music all day long professionally. As with so many talented artists, she seems to be just a lucky break away. Her unique sound combined with a disarming sincerity combine for an experience that runs counter to the loud and in-your-face contemporary pop culture that is pervasive in today’s Top 40. But, it’s not stardom that Klemin is aiming for; her objectives seem much more grounded, so it comes as no surprise when she says, “I feel free when I’m playing music - it’s such a blessing to be able to play and perform.” SLO LIFE

Robert Maja

PHOTOS BY STEVE WILLISON

IIn 2007, Robert Maja, an award-winning local muralist, was commissioned to restore the 1940’s era Eskimo Pie billboard found beneath some old wooden siding at the High Street Market & Deli by the building’s owners, Alex and Anne Gough. At that time there were only two such signs known to be in existence. Maja was born and raised in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, where he served as the official muralist of the Dominican presidency. There he was tasked with travelling the country to create inspiring and captivating murals in public buildings. Reputation of his work spread overseas, and he became renowned in Europe where many of his murals can be seen, particularly in Spain, Italy, and Holland. After settling for a period in Spain, it was love that brought him to the Central Coast in 2006. Love led to marriage and today his wife, Tyler, enthusiastically describes Maja’s approach to art as primarily a focus on colors and emotion, “His inspiration comes from his travels and his Carribean upbrining, but he is not locked into any one particular style.” Recently he was hired by the owner and operator of the High Street Market & Deli, Randy “Doobie” Coates, Jr., to bring life to the benches outside of the building as well as an adjacent wooden fence. Maja was given creative license to do whatever he pleased, but was asked to include a bit of a “40’s and 50’s vibe” to go along with the style and décor found inside. The result is a vibrant, colorful display that, acccording to Maja, “goes along with the SLO Life and the SLO culture.” SLO LIFE