Last week the music world lost harmonica legend and longtime Bay Area resident Norton Buffalo to lung cancer. He was 58 years old. A member of the Steve Miller Band for over 30 years, Norton's talent on the harmonica was unmatched. He was as comfortable on the blues harp as he was on the chromatic harmonica; and he was an accomplished singer as well.

Born into a musical family in Oakland, he learned harmonica from his father. He released two critically acclaimed solo albums in the late '70s on Capitol Records, Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon and Desert Horizon. Over the years he played with Mickey Hart, Merl Saunders and Bobby Vega in High Noon, formed a duet with blues guitarist Roy Rogers during the '80s, toured with his bands the Knockouts, Norton and Friends, the Christmas Jug Band and Bill Kirchen. He also played extensively with slack-key master George Kahumoku and singer Lisa Flores. His harmonica work can be found on over 180 albums. His amazing talent and generous spirit will be missed by us all.

Fairfax's 19 Broadway nightclub celebrated 25 years of nightly live music this past weekend as founders Garry and Amory Graham and managing partner John Dunsing presided over the reopening of the fire-damaged tiki bar. Congratulations and many thanks to them for contributing so much to our local music scene for so long! Fairfax showed its true colors Saturday night as all three downtown clubs were packed with costumed partygoers--and the music of Johnny Vega$ pumped out of 19 Broadway, Lumanation's reggae beat pulsed from the Sleeping Lady and Honeydust and35R rocked Peri's bar.

Meanwhile, it sounds as if Lucy Mercer's 142 Throckmorton Theatre is in need of serious help. The combination of high mortgage payments and the lingering recession has pushed this great spot to the brink of closing; they have set a goal of raising $500,000 by the end of the year to stay alive and keep Marin entertained. There are already several benefit shows scheduled, including a roast of Mark Pitta on Nov. 17. Check out www.142throckmortontheatre.org to find out how to help.

This month Bob Brown and Angela Strehli mark their 11th year running Rancho Nicasio and will celebrate by hosting Jim Lauderdale on Nov 21. Congrats! Make sure you head out to the Rancho on Nov. 13 to welcome back Dave Gleason, who will team up with Sacramento's Golden Cadillacs for an evening of topnotch California country. The longtime Bay Area resident recently relocated to L.A. and is hard at work touring and working on a new album. The band features lots of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens as well as original tunes with lots of twang and pedal steel guitar. You don't want to miss this show.

Award-winning North Bay groovers Vinyl will celebrate the release of their sixth album, Fogshack Music Vol. II, on Wednesday, Nov. 25, at San Francisco's Independent. The album, produced by Tony Mindel (Avila St. Records) and remixed by the Rondo Brothers, features Primus's Les Claypool, blues diva Sugar Pie DeSanto, vocalist Marcus Scott, members of Felonious and producer/bassist Yossi Fine. The concert will feature a super jam with the Monophonics and lots of special guests.

Speaking of Les Claypool, he will celebrate the release of his Purple Pachyderm Pinot Noir with a show at Hopmonk Tavern on Friday, Nov. 20. He will also play his traditional New Year's Eve show this year at the Fillmore. Both events are almost sold out.

November Live: Buddy Guy and Elvin Bishop are at Marin Center Friday, Nov. 13; Mark Karan and Jemimah Puddleduck take the stage at Harbor Lights (305 Harbor Drive, Sausalito) on Nov. 20; Hamsa Lila will appear with Airto Moreira at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on Saturday, Nov. 14; Bill Champlin and band make their Mill Valley homecoming at 142 Throckmorton on Wednesday, Nov. 11; Mose Allison is at 19 Broadway on Nov. 21 (6 and 8pm shows); dancehall legend Tanya Stephens takes the stage at 19 Broadway on Nov. 20; rapper Too $hort is at Petaluma's Phoenix Theater on Nov. 20.

Got a hot tip for The Beat? E-mail me at marinbeat@gmail.com and keep rawkin'!

Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.