But now, as the clamorous applause gives way to the din of forks on plates and of conversations shared over green apple martinis, Devon Geyer replaces his Gibson ES-135 on its stand and goes in search of his between-sets reward: an order of creme brulee with slices of strawberry decorating its crispy, burnt-sugar surface.

"This restaurant was rated five stars, so it's never a hassle to come here and eat," he says, brandishing a spoon.

It is the sort of precocious conversational gambit one soon comes to expect from the young musician -- Devon is all of 11 -- whose talents have conspired to expose him to vocabulary, experiences and opinions beyond his years.

Here's Devon on the subject of scales: "I don't play (them) anymore. (They're) boring. I would call them a waste of time."

On why B.B. King is one of his top-three favorite guitarists (along with Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan): "He is like the godfather of the blues to me."

On why he wears his hair in the style of the Beatles circa the early '60s rather than in bleached spikes like other kids his age -- a subject he brings up himself: "Being different is good for me."

And then there's this comment to a reporter who is jotting down his words: "Am I going too fast for you? Just let me know."

It should be noted that Devon's creme brulee was sent over by Jonathan's at Peirano's, a restaurant located across the street from San Buenaventura Mission in downtown Ventura. Its Mediterranean cuisine has been lauded by local food critics and the likes of Sunset magazine, but there is nary a Michelin star in sight, much less five.

No matter. Devon, who began studying guitar two years ago with his musician father, Stephen Geyer of Newbury Park, happily dines there most Saturdays before slipping over to J's Tapas next door to play blues guitar with a jazz duo fronted by the elder Geyer.

Joined by bassist Jim Monahan, Stephen Geyer has been playing Friday and Saturday nights at the combination lounge and informal restaurant since it opened in April. When Devon started sitting in four months ago to play blues covers, bluesified rock tunes and original songs written by himself or his father, the reaction was immediate.

"It was 'Wow!' Everyone was amazed," says Sharon Enabnit, who with husband Jonathan Enabnit owns both Jonathan's at Peirano's and J's Tapas.

"Now people look at me when he's not here and say, 'Where's your son?' " adds Geyer. "I like to call him the guest artist, but he's becoming the star."

Instrumental changes

"I take any chance I can get to play guitar," says Devon, a sixth-grade student at Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park, where he plays saxophone in the school band under the direction of Nathan McIntyre.

Devon says he likes to play the blues because "its between non-musical rap and contemporary jazz -- it's a kick but classy at the same time."

And he likes playing the blues at J's Tapas in particular because "The acoustics are pretty good and the people are great, even though they don't tip that much."

On this night, however, the presence of so many friends and family in the audience has encouraged the appearance of several $10 bills and at least one $20 in the fishbowl turned tip jar that sits atop a nearby drum.

On hand are Devon's mother, Erin Pohl, with whom he lives in Oak Park; his grandmother, Maureen Pohl, visiting from Orange County, and former classmate Elise Schoneberg, 11, in attendance with her sister, Emily, 13, and their mother, Becky Smith.

"This is a real family venue," says Smith. "They're out of here at 10, and so are we."

As for Devon, "I've never seen a kid play so effortlessly, so naturally," Smith says. "And yet, with all that talent, he's still a kid. They were jamming last week and Devon threw in a 'na-na-nana-na.' It was so funny."

"To my estimation, he is a prodigy on blues guitar. He has an innate musical sense," says Geyer. "And yes, I'm his father and may be biased."

Geyer also is a self-described "career musician" who with Mike Post shares the writing credit for "Believe It Or Not," the theme song from the early '80s TV show "The Greatest American Hero."

Devon also gets some of his musical sense from his mother, a Realtor who occasionally plays guitar, the instrument she picked up at age 9. "Devon says I'm a better finger-picker than he is, but I don't know about that," Erin Pohl says with a laugh.

Devon and his father first started playing together in public when he was 7 or 8 and focused on the blues harmonica. ("He found a harmonica I had but didn't play," recalls Geyer. "He taught himself.")

They appeared at The Commons in Calabasas, The Promenade at Westlake and at Borders Books and Music in Thousand Oaks, where Devon endeared himself to the audience by singing a jazz-rock version of "Jingle Bells" that he capped by sliding across the stage on his knees. Then he stood, took a bow and introduced the members of the band.

"He absorbs things, 'gets' things, immediately," says Geyer. "But translating that into technique takes time. It's muscle memory."

Thus did Devon's request to learn to play the guitar begin with the aforementioned scales and chords. The first song he learned to play all the way through was a nod to one of his favorite bands: "Norwegian Wood" by the Beatles.

A brown belt in tang soo do, Devon gave up sports to play guitar, he says. "I felt I was going somewhere with this."

"Somewhere" may include attending the University of California, Berkeley, after graduating from high school, he adds.

Geyer also envisions putting together "a tight and high-quality blues rhythm section" for Devon, with the idea of going into the studio to cut a demo.

"I'm not interested in recreating the Mouseketeers," Geyer says. "Devon is a very mature player and deserves to be listened to as a guitarist would be listened to, not as a child or as a novelty -- although the fact that he's only 11 is pretty unusual."

For now, though, Devon has picked up another guitar -- his Fender Stratocaster -- and is back in the front window that doubles as the stage at J's Tapas, preparing for his second set.

Once the music starts, Geyer, who is wearing a guitar-print shirt, alternates between singing lyrics and shouting out encouragement to his son.

"Talk to me, Devon," he says. "Bring it on home."

When Devon lifts the Stratocaster into the air, lays it across his shoulders behind his head and continues to play, his grandmother leans forward in her seat, hands clasped as though in prayer.

The audience erupts in cheers.

And Geyer laughs as he takes in the scene.

"Just like I taught ya, baby!" he says. "I play jazz behind my head all the time."

DEVON GEYER

Blues guitarist, 11, joins father Stephen Geyer for sets of blues covers and original tunes, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturdays at J's Tapas, 208 E. Main St., Ventura. Stephen Geyer and bassist Jim Monahan also play 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays. 648-4853.

E-mail Lisa McKinnon at mckinnon@insidevc.com

March 15, 2002