Kicked Upstairs

Well, it’s a lot mellower than a Papa-Nata gig when Guy Jeans does his one-guy, one-piano instrumental thing Thursday evenings at the former bank that is now an Italian restaurant, Cafe Banca d’Italia in Ventura.

This gig features 100% fewer dancers than all those Papa-Nata gigs once held down the street at Nicholby’s.

This low-key yet in-key gig has Jeans sitting upstairs playing a piano; he doesn’t even bring the X-1 keyboard with a sling he wears around his neck when he rocks.

You will hear none of Jeans’ rockers from the past--no “Simple Soul,” no “Beer in My Hand” no “Destination.”

In short, there are no Papa-Nata songs, no Throbbyn Willies songs, no Trouser Trouts songs and no Lion I’s songs--nothing from any of Jeans’ prior bands. He plays original instrumental compositions that sound classical in nature.

“It’s like a practice for me for three hours,” said the piano player. “I have some songs that are pretty much structured, but at this gig, I pretty much improvise.”

Originally, the piano was downstairs. It took seven strong men to wrestle it up the stairs to its present location for a recent classical performance.

Since they’ve had no luck in reassembling seven strong men, the piano remains upstairs, and on Thursdays, Jeans has the whole floor to himself.

So how did this guy Guy, who once fronted one of the most popular local bands, end up all alone with his own floor, not rocking? Glad you asked.

About a year ago, Jeans said, the band became mired in a controversy over finances.

The squabbling resulted in the other band members kicking Jeans out of Papa-Nata, a novel idea since he not only started the band, copyrighted the name but also wrote and sang all the songs. Continuing to bill themselves as Papa-Nata, the now Jeansless band hired Mike Menchaca, the former front man of an L.A. band called the Specs, to take Jeans’ place.

That lasted for just a few gigs. Jeans’ lawyer sent them a cease-and-desist letter, so now that band is called the Blue Beat Players. They perform no Papa-Nata songs, but instead play Specs songs.

“That whole thing was ridiculous and I was stupid,” says Jeans, putting it all in perspective.

So is this a story with an unhappy ending? Not even close. Earlier this year, Jeans was doing some studio work with Kenny Loggins and ended up with some free time at Gold Mine Studios in Ventura.

He recorded an album of piano music and made a CD called “Equinox” on his own Po-Folk Records. He’s already sold all 500 copies he had pressed. But there’s more.

Thanks to some connections at Carpinteria-based Re-Set Records, the Arista label is interested in Jeans and a reassembled Papa-Nata featuring some of the players from Lion I’s and none from the Blue Beat Players.

Jeans could sign a deal as early as this week. Arista? Maybe Papa-Nata can tour with Kenny G, Nerf Herder and Aretha Franklin.

Oh, and the Blue Beat Players have a date upcoming in August. In the meantime for Jeans, there’s always Thursday.

“If the piano was downstairs, they’d do a lot more business. I’ve seen lots of my friends stick their heads in the door then leave because they didn’t see me. The other night, I could’ve sold about 10 CDs, but I’m out of them. It’s like my own little world up there. The people eating don’t really pay much attention to me, and the people that work there are always telling me to play softer.”

* Guy Jeans at Cafe Banca d’Italia, 394 E. Main St., Ventura, tonight, 6 p.m. Free. (805) 643-7424.