History of The Four Muses
The Four Muses was founded to educate beginning musicians, produce great entertainment for our members and also, very important, provide an open venue where aspiring entertainers can mature artistically and connect with other entertainers. Please help us and join our Four Muses community.
The Four Muses
Our History
The Four Muses Story
I am Jonathan Morgan Jenkins the second of three sons from our parents Jim and Mary Jenkins. We are Michael, Jonathan and Jeffrey.
The fact that The Four Muses community of artists still exists today in a Facebook page – The Four Muses, is a testament to how many lives my parents changed. My wife Sasha and I decided to bring The Four Muses back to life to continue its mission of help promote current and future artists.
In the 1960’s and 70’s, my Mother taught guitar to most of the students in San Clemente and at the adjoining FOUR MUSES, these students could also mature as performing musicians. I am one of those students.
There are so many stories to tell but I will let Robert Hilburn from The Los Angeles times do that with his excellent article below.
This article was written by THE LOS ANGELES TIMES entertainment critic Robert Hilburn, released on Sat July 17, 1971.
A Center for Folk-Rock by the Sea
SAN CLEMENTE- Jim and Mary Jenkins and The Four Muses Club is just a few yards off the San Diego Freeway’s Ave. Palizada turn –off here, a location that makes it the closest contemporary music club to President Nixon’s summer White House.
But despite a standing offer by the Byrds rock group (whose “Eight Miles High” was the subject of an anti-drug address by the Spiro Agnew a while back) to play the club free if the Jenkins could get the Vice President to stop by, neither the President nor any other high ranking administration official has been to the Four Muses yet. Still there was a full house on hand last Saturday night to hear John Stewart, who ranks alongside Gordon Lightfoot, Kris Kristofferson, James Taylor and a few others as part of an excellent group of contemporary singer-song-writers. His “California Bloodlines” and “Willard” albums are among the best in recent years.
The Four Muses is a combination folk-music club, record shop, music lesson center and local hangout. It was opened in the mid-1960’s as a simple, one-room head-quarters for Mary Jenkins’ guitar lessons, but was gradually expanded, by adding adjoining rooms in the three-story building it shares with other businesses, to its present level of activity.
Guitar Lessons First
The Jenkins moved to San Clemente about 10 years ago. He was making a handsome salary in the aerospace industry and she was singing from time to time in folk music spots in the Orange County area. Neither had plans for anything like The Four Muses.
As a favor to friends, Mary began giving guitar lessons to some children in the area. When it got too hectic for her house, she rented one room in the three-story building. Everything else was an outgrowth of that move. More and more people wanted guitar lessons and some of them wanted to rent or buy instruments so, almost as a service to them, the Jenkins got into merchandising. The first step into concerts was to hold informal Friday and Saturday night events to let students and friends get together to perform.
Eventually, the couple began booking name acts and presenting them on a Thursday thru Sunday basis. Their list of attractions has included Tim Hardin, the Dillards, Kate Taylor, Hedge & Donna, Hoyt Axton, John Hammond, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. With the help of Mike Brinkman (who manages the record stores and whose knowledge of contemporary music is helpful in booking acts for the club), the Jenkins have created a warm, relaxed atmosphere in the club.
Help for Beginners
There are no waitresses who wander through the club while performers are on stage. Instead, refreshments (such as soft drinks, cider, a few sandwiches, some pastries, etc.) are available from a snack bar in the rear of the club. Other features include a large warm-up and rest area (1,000 square feet) for performers, particularly beginning or unknown ones, who want to cut down on expenses.
“We spent so long in a business environment when money was almost the sole basis for judgment that we wanted something different.” Jenkins said. “We try to stress quality in our shows. It’s a good place for people to play. We always have good audiences. Even when they are small, they are warm.”
Though The Four Muses had some financial problems recently with heavy advertising expenses and other problems, things seem to be looking good. The Persuasions, a fine a cappella rhythm and blues group, is at the Four Muses tonight and Sunday, while the Dillards are due next Thursday through Sunday.
John Stewart, who is at the Ice House in Pasadena tonight and Sunday, sang several of the new songs at the club that will be in his upcoming “The Lonesome Picker Sings Again” album, songs which showed he is still producing some fine, sensitive, emotional material.
Despite almost unanimous rave reviews, his first two albums did not sell well, but he has recently moved to Warner Bros/Reprise records and may, thus, follow in the footsteps there of James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot, both of whom had $1 million albums after leaving other labels for Warners/Reprise.
Thank You Robert Hilburn!
The Four Muses Original Headline Talent
The Four Muses Vision
Just like the vision of the original Four Muses, we want to produce great entertainment for our members and also, very important, provide an open venue where aspiring entertainers can mature artistically and connect with other entertainers. Please help us and join our Four Muses community.
The Idyllwild Music Camps
Before The Four Muses was created, my parents signed up for Folk Music Camps in Idyllwild, Ca and they took the family. This is really where it all began.
I want to backtrack a little farther back to the roots of The Four Muses. Per my recollection, the roots of The Four Muses, began in the later 50’s when the whole family often traveled to the local mountain community of Idyllwild where our parents participated in popular Folk Music camps. Some of our parents were also blossoming artistically.
One important issue about 60’s music that often is overlooked is that the increased interest from the general public for playing guitars, singing and writing new music began with Folk music. Many folk artists, like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and John Stewart, started as folk artists and crossed over during the musical explosion of the 60’s.
My father earned a BA in Cinema from USC and he was also a photographer. He shot many of my mother’s first photos sessions to promote her as a solo folk artist, MARIA DEL ARTE. The friendships that they developed at these retreats grew quickly and soon, we often often held “Hootenanny’s” or folk music “Jam Sessions” in the living room of our home in San Clemente.
Mom was already teaching many local guitar students in our home, mentioned in Hilburn article, but now it appeared to be a logical progression to not only open a guitar teaching studio downtown San Clemente, but also to have a location where they could produce the weekly Friday night Hooteanny’s. So, they rented a second unit next to Mom’s teaching studio and The Four Muses was born.
As we know, the evolution of the club became far more involved than the simplicity of its beginnings. As years past we continued producing shows with aspiring and professional artists.
As a family, we are so blessed that all of you have kept The Four Muses alive all these years. Now the club has been reborn and returns online and you will even be able to watch the shows on your smart phone! How cool is that!
My parents would be so proud that all of you still love THEM and The Four Muses.
We say “Thank You” to our Four Muses family.
