One of the best-kept secrets of California's Central Coast is the Black Pearl coffeehouse on Pomeroy Street in downtown Pismo Beach.

Walk inside this intimate, comfortably funky establishment, and you could be anywhere – Greenwich Village, Tangier, Paris. It offers some of the strongest, most flavorful brew you'll find anywhere, along with other caffeinated beverages, juices and a choice assortment of snacks.

The serving bar takes up one side of the long, narrow coffeehouse, while a few tables and chairs line the opposite wall – one of the tables equipped with a chess set. At the far end of the room, a compact bookshelf is flanked by two overstuffed chairs. Brick walls, tapestries, paintings and rugs give the room an international ambience.

The café draws a variety of multigenerational clientele – on a recent day a group of punkish young people socialized on the sidewalk in front, while a sixtyish couple played chess inside and a thirtyish man read a book at a table just inside the front door.

The stereo system could be playing anything from Pink Floyd to Bob Marley, but on some nights local musicians show up to play.

On Friday night, those who happened by the Black Pearl were treated to an hour and a half of American roots and popular music by an out-of-town duo who stopped by for an unannounced performance.

Brothers Rich and Chris Samson, from West Hollywood and Petaluma, respectively, have been playing at coffeehouses, street corners, taverns and back porches for more than 25 years. Accompanying themselves on guitar (Rich and Chris) and banjo (Chris), the duo wove their brotherly vocal harmonies around an eclectic bag of songs that drew an enthusiastic response from Black Pearl regulars and passers-by.

They opened with the rousing West Virginia coal mining song, “Coal Tattoo” and segued into “The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore,” a wistful ballad about a dying rural town. Donovan's “Belated Forgiveness Plea” was given a haunting treatment with rich vocal interplay.

The brothers traded verses on “Robert Johnson,” Bill Morrissey's tune about the myth of the legendary American blues singer. Rich soloed on the classic “Greenfields” and “The Windmills of Your Mind” before leading the audience in a stirring “God Bless America.”

The brotherly harmonies were in fine form on Chris' original country-flavored “Cold Weather Blues,” the Kingston trio's “MTA” and Tom Waits' “Ol' 55.”

Chris concluded the evening with Jimmie Rogers' “Waiting for a Train” and Peter Rowan's plaintive ballad about the American West, “Land of the Navajo.”

David Johnson, night manager of the Black Pearl, was delighted with the Samson brothers' surprise performance. “Rich stopped by here earlier in the day and asked about our open mike night,” he said. “I said, 'Sure, come on in and play, man.' I had no idea what they sounded like. But I'm glad they played. They had a real good sound. And they brought in some extra customers tonight.”

Pete Williams, a 65-year-old San Luis Obispo resident, who met his ex-wife Shirley, of Santa Maria, at the Black Pearl for a game of chess, also liked the unexpected live entertainment. “It reminded me of a night years ago when we heard an unknown singer at the Purple Onion in San Francisco's North Beach,” Williams said. “She had a terrific voice. There were only about 10 people in the club that night, but we liked her so much that we followed her career. Her name was Barbra Streisand.”

Brandon Marley, a 17-year-old guitarist who played earlier in the evening at the Black Pearl, hung around and listened carefully to the Samsons' vocal harmonies. “They've got a nice vocal blend,” he said. “You can tell they've been singing together for a long time. I learned something from them.”

At closing time, the brothers packed up their instruments and headed out into the balmy Pismo Beach evening, promising to return again. When they do, I hope they let this writer know in advance.

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