Musical tribute to a mom lives on at Poor House Bistro
After eight years establishing Poor House Bistro as a go-to spot for live blues and Cajun-style food, owner Jay Meduri launched the Big Easy Music Festival in September 2012. It was quite a happening, with people parading a couple blocks in a New Orleans “second line” from the Autumn Street eatery in San Jose to Arena Green next to SAP Center.
With eight bands on two stages, the festival was a hit and Meduri was looking forward to a second edition. But in November of that year, Sally Meduri — Jay’s mom, who had walked with her cane in the second line — suffered a stroke and died. Putting on another big festival in 2013 seemed like to much to take on, but customers and music lovers urged him to keep the festival alive.
Meduri decided on a compromise — a smaller event at Poor House Bistro that would also serve as a fundraiser for the Stroke Awareness Foundation. That was the start of the Lil Easy Backyard Party, which has its sixth edition Sunday at Poor House and continues to be held in memory of Sally Meduri. The festivities include a silent auction with all proceeds going toward the foundation.
“It was a perfect way to raise awareness on how to deal with a stroke and raise money for cause dear to my heart,” Meduri said.
It’s also a fantastic day for music, with six bands performing on the Poor House’s patio stage and inside the Poor House Studio stage next door. It starts at noon with the Ben Rice Trio and continues with the Filmore Slim Band, the Marina Crouse Band, Six String Explosion, the John Nemeth Band and Zigaboo Modeliste and the New Aahkesstra. Tickets are available for $60 at lileasy2018.eventbrite.com.
POETIC SENDOFF >> Nils Peterson, who has managed to capture the beauty, humor and complexity of Santa Clara Valley in his poetry, will have a farewell reading Sunday at Cafe Stritch. The first poet laureate of Santa Clara County, Peterson will read from his upcoming book, “All the Marvelous Stuff” and will be accompanied by the For This Hour Singers, who will sing a poem of his set to music by composer Kendrick Huynh.
It’s a farewell because Peterson and his wife, Judith, are moving to be closer to their daughter, who lives a couple states away. “So, it’s Seattle and moving out of a house I moved into 50 years ago this last August, every corner filled with stuff and out of a valley I’ve loved
since first moving here 55 years ago,” Peterson said in an email. The show starts at 6 p.m., admission
is free and the memories will be priceless.
ALL ABOARD » The National High Speed Rail Leadership Summit is taking place in San Jose this week, with a couple dozen speakers including State
Sen. Jim Beall, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino and Mineta Transportation Institute Executive Director Karen Philbrick talking the ins and outs of high-speed trains.
This year’s annual gathering is also the last being hosted by Rod Diridon, who is stepping down as chair of the U.S. High Speed Rail Association after eight years and turning the gavel over to Dan Richard, who leads the
California High Speed Rail Association. It’s fitting that the summit is taking place at the chambers of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, where Diridon served five terms from 1975 to 1995.
“I sure did flunk retirement,” said Diridon, 79, who has been transitioning from several leadership positions over the past few years. Contact Sal Pizarro at spizarro@ bayareanewsgroup.com.