EDIBLE: Breakthrough benefit involves barbecue, a unique band and tales from the morgue.

When you’ve seen – and heard – a man open another man’s skull with a saw, you tend to listen to what he has to say.

So it was with John Hain. But the former forensic pathologist for the Monterey County Coroner earned my attention in a number of ways beyond autopsies.

The Big Sur resident’s job was to investigate abnormal deaths in our area: homicides and suicides, fatalities due to contagious diseases, accidents and poisonings.

But unlike the dissections, a part of his approach wasn’t required. He would write historical fiction from the perspective of the dead. He penned poetry. I remember what he told me when I did a 2011 cover story on his wise efforts to reform the way the tri-county area deals with its dead.

“I can tell you how somebody died,” he said, “but I can’t tell you why they died. I keep coming back to that.”

That was one reason he took up with now-Seaside-based Breakthrough Men’s Community, a nonprofit founded by local leader Fred Jealous in 1987 to give men (and now women) tools to free themselves from counterproductive, painful and/or abusive aspects of their lives. At this point it celebrates 1,000 graduates, and appears in MC Gives! (see insert).

Hain participated because he wanted to understand what might drive an individual to a dark and mortal place. He also took part because he wanted to retain his humanity, even if being sensitive can prove dangerous in the face of gruesome car accidents and 25-puncture stabbings.

“I have become equally interested in what enlivens men in a culture such as ours,” he said in 2011.

Local blues legend/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Dennis Murphy knows how to enliven a culture – more on that in a second – but he also has felt the impact of Breakthrough firsthand.

“It allowed me to process things I was carrying for years,” he says.

Murphy anchors this weekend’s second annual Breakthrough benefit, in a way that is novel and inspiring. After years performing in groups like Acoustic Alchemy and the Dennis Murphy Band, he shifted his focus to Dennis Murphy School of Music (920-1310). “I noticed there was a lot of music going away in schools,” he says, “and I wanted to get more grounded in the community.”

Now he’s borrowed a page from Jack Black (School of Rock) with Operation Rock, a six-part group of his students age 12-17 who charge through songs ranging from Marvin Gaye to Bruno Mars to Bon Jovi. “They’re slaying everything I throw at them,” Murphy says. “I use them at more gigs, and they’re getting their own. They’re genuinely as good as any group in the area, and just great young men.”

They drive the dinner-dance benefit 5-9pm Sunday, Nov. 13, at The Moose Lodge in Del Rey Oaks ($35, $500/table of 10 plus 100 raffle tickets, 375-5441). Monterey native Adrien Antoz of A-Train’s Barbecue and Catering (383-1542) – with a resume that includes cooking for The Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival (which returns next weekend) and the motto, “If you grill it, they will come” – will do barbecue with a twist. Think popular tri-tip, chicken, grilled veggies, salad, bread and his signature eggplant parmesan. One star of the spread will be his secret-recipe dry rub.

Murphy and company know describing the work Breakthrough does can be complicated, like the challenges thrown at modern men and women. ButChris Fitz, Breakthrough’s executive director since January, thinks he can sum it up: “The mission is to help people build more deeply meaningful and happy lives,” he says.

OK, not bad – but meaning and happiness can be difficult to define. Fortunately the program’s success is easy to see in men like Murphy. And fortunately it will be easy enough – and fun – to support Breakthrough’s work this weekend.

~ QUICKBITES ~

• Aabha Indian soft opens in The Barnyard in Carmel by the end of this month, in the former Bahama Billy’s. Chef-owner Bhupender “BD” Singhformerly owned Ambrosia in Monterey for a solid decade. More on the blog, www.mcweekly.com/edible.
• The Beach House at Lovers Point’s (375-2345) downstairs coffee shop just opened. They’ve begun installation of innovative solar panels above its popular outdoor patio too.
• Epic arts benefit coalesces at Joyce Vineyards’ Carmel Valley Road tasting room (before it moves up the block to its big new space): Music from two-time world champ DJ Vinroc, sharp urban art from five edgy creatives, Joyce wine, Alvarado Street Brewery beer, Poke Lab and Nacho Biznesssnacks, happens 7-10pm Saturday, Nov. 19. And it’s free; a donation to Youth Arts Collective Monterey gets you a glass.
• @MontereyMCA has officially surpassed 7,777 tweets as of election night.
• Brad Briske’s new spot Home (431-6171) in Soquel opened last week. The former Main Street Garden furnishes a functional and soothing space in a craftsman-style house with patios and a big backyard. Everything I tried was excellent, from the braised-tomato-pecorino meatballs ($7) to the lemongrass fried chicken ($25) to the beef tongue empanadas ($9). Open from 5pm Tuesday-Saturday at 3101 N. Main St.
• Back at Briske’s former digs at la Balena (250-6295), owner Emanuele Bartolini is getting back to his chef roots and the results are promising, at least if the pork belly and beef tongue bruschetta at a victorious Big Sur Food & Wine are any indication.
• Speaking of Big Sur Food & Wine, its first installment as a nonprofit with reconfigured leadership was a roaring success. The wine-tasting panels brought discovery from independent labels who share the renegade BSFW spirit, the Pinot Walkabout was heaven by way of caviar bumps (BlackRiver), super-small-batch Pinots (Fink Family’s vineyard is 1.5 acres) and great grub (Elizabeth Murray’s marinated quail eggs). Then the Wine & Swine and Hoe-Down at Henry Miller Library rocked.
• When down the coast and facing down a deadline, Big Sur Taphouse (667-2197) is a haven for Wi-Fi, and locals and road-burnt travelers too. That’s the power of an oak-cradled patio up top, 10 beers like Firestone Wookey Jack, Humboldt Hemp Ale and Mad Otter Ale on tap, charisma from peeps like beertender Lydia Holden and underrated food.
• The Poke Lab’s (200-3474) smartphone app is now live and ready for orders-on-the-go.
• Basil Seasonal Dining (626-8226) features a new fall menu highlighting Pajaro Pastures goat. The chef’s inspirations change daily from goat racks to braised goat belly to a gourmet goat-liver platter ($14). Other new dishes include pumpkin gnocchi ($12) and fall kale salad ($14).
• The schedule for the 37th EcoFarm Conference Jan. 25-28 at Asilomar Conference Grounds is now out.
• The Wharf Marketplace (649-1116) hosts Mingle with Magnums tasting ($10) 4-7pm Thursday, Nov. 17, featuring 10 local wineries, great food and drinks.
• The Covey at Quail Lodge holds Vino in the Valley ($65/member; $80/nonmember, 620-8910) on Friday, Nov. 18, starting with a reception at 6pm. Four-course dinner – pasta carbonara, roast pork loin roulade, seared beef short rib, and creme brûlée – follows, paired with wine by Otter Cove andOh.
• Flavors of Pacific Grove has another robust lineup of restaurants – with 15 including Passionfish, Fandango and Crema – and a new venue, Asilomar Conference Grounds at 5:30-8:30pm Saturday, Nov. 19, plus Wildcard performing live ($50, 373-3304).
• Peace of Mind Dog Rescue’s final wine tasting benefit of 2016 at Hofsas House in Carmel is 5:30-7pm Friday, Nov. 11 ($15 goes to POMDR): Wines from Scheid, small bites and a chance to adopt a little studly buddy. Monday, Nov. 7, was Hofsas’ 70th birthday. Check out pics at www.mcweekly.com/photoblog.
• Bob Marley: “We must have redemption.”