South Lake Tahoe is not known just for its beautiful lake, great skiing and casinos. It also attracts great musical artists, and it produces them as well. Here’s a look at the best of the year 2007:

Artist:

Rocky Tatarelli: As a single parent in Detroit, Tatarelli had to turn down offers to play on the road with top-level bands. After playing in clubs for years in the Motor City and the Bay Area, the 68-year-old saxophonist has ended up in Reno, and every Friday and Saturday he performs in Tahoe with the jazz band Blu’u Prophetz at Galerie Bluü in the MontBleu Casino. His wide, resonant sound is recognizable after hearing just one or two notes.

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New band

Ten Cent Lure: Songwriter/guitarists Sean Groover and Jason Sherman, five-string bassist Chad Oleson and drummer “Fuzzy” John Oxendine really are

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a rock band that jams. Ten Cent Lure blends Allman Brothers and Widespread

Panic styles with Fuzzy’s zydeco and sixties’ psychedelia to create what it calls “funkin’ swanky tonk.” The live shows are fun and the new CD, “Trollin,’ leaves you wanting to hear more.

Concert

Michael Franti and Spearhead with Keller Williams: Williams warmed up the

MontBleu audience with his amazing one-man looping show, then Franti ignited

it with his inspiring concert featuring songs from his album “Yellfire.”

It’s not surprising that someone with the audacity to walk the streets of Baghdad armed with just a guitar would present such a bold performance. He sang, “Those who start wars never fight them, and those who fight wars never like them.” Good point.

Ironman

Dave Mason: Just before the band traveled to Tahoe, it had all of its equipment stolen. A sharp string on Mason’s brand new Telecaster sliced open

his thumb on the second song of his South Shore Room show. Mason sweated out

the performance without even mentioning his injury, even though he couldn’t get tape to stick to the damaged digit.

Guitar solo

Ronnie Baker Brooks. The bluesman from the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue walked through the South Shore Room, went behind the bar, poured himself a pint-sized rum cocktail and drank it all without missing a single note. If you heard the performance on a CD, you’d never know.

Performance

Lindsey Buckingham: Bruce Springsteen has nothing on this guy. The driving force behind Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham comes from a high-achieving family with his brother swimming in the Olympics. Buckingham came to Harrah’s in

support of his first solo album in 15 years. He played every song with such

passion that it clearly merits the best individual performance of 2007.

Duke Theater performer

Harry Manx: Mixing Indian ragas with Mississippi Delta blues, Manx mesmerized the crowd with mastery of the Mohan veena, a 20-string lap guitar. Unfortunately, just 65 attended the show. Someday, the community will discover the treasure that is Lake Tahoe Community College.