Marcel Anton’s funky mysticism

Singer, guitarist, composer, teacher, actor, mystic and poet. All these describe Marcel Anton, but they fall short of capturing the high-energy experience of hearing him and his band on stage.

Black Mountain audiences recently got a taste of his personal brand of funky dance music when he blazed through an incendiary opening set for Rick Estin and the Nightcats. That was hardly enough, so he’ll return to the White Horse Black Mountain as the headliner on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Marcel Anton is of Native American and Creole descent. A child of show business parents (mom was a Rockette, dad on the business side), he lived in many places, but life centered around New Orleans. Music, healing and vision from his sense of place along with exposure to Jewish, Christian and Native American mysticism helped shape his world view from an early age.

Anton originally planned to be a scientist, but the arts called more strongly, and he went on to study with musical giants like Gil Evans, Henry Mancini, Lalo Schiffrin and guitarists Larry Coryell, Joe Pass and Pat Martino. Charlie Allen of the classic rock band Pacific Gas and Electric heard Marcel’s work and brought him to California where he gained experience with PG&E, later working with major artists as diverse as blues greats Albert and Freddie King, Boz Scaggs, Van Morrison, the Jazz Crusaders, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. John and many more.

Jazz, New Orleans funk, R&B, blues, rock and world music are all part of his sound.

Mystic, on line 2

Who: Marcel Anton

When: 8 p.m. Sept. 26

Where: White Horse Black Mountain

Cost: $10 advance, $12 door