Quick mid-month jazz update + new post on LAJazz.com + dusting off the jazz series???

Happy Autumn! Yes indeed, we are a couple of days into fall already and I have happily exchanged my tank tops for cashmere t's. Life is good for sure....

Quick Update: I'll do an October update in a week or so because there is a LOT of good jazz happening in October, including the annual LA Jazz Society Tribute Concert and Awards Show ! If anyone is interested in coming, please do let me know and perhaps we can meet up. Good times, for sure. And please check my blogspot at http://pamelahowell.blogspot.com/2007/08/socialism-schmocialism-plus-september.html, because there are still a couple of fabulous September shows remaining and it would be groovy if you could join me.

New LAJazz.com Post: I'm still super jazzed (ha) about my new LAJazz.com gig, and have posted another entry there - this time, the general theme is how to make jazz more fun for non-jazz fans (NJFs). Check out this sneak peek:

"Recently I was talking to one of my NJF friends about exposing more folks to live jazz in LA, and she made a powerful statement: 'There is no space for the novice.' I immediately felt bad, because it did ring true. I'm guilty as charged - if I go out to a show and there is a loud group of folks talking during the performance, my first instinct is to turn around and glare. I'm a softy, so being at the receiving end of one of my glares isn't all that bad, but there are some folks out there who could burn lasers through you with their evil eye. It's hard to motivate to hear more jazz if you have laser holes in your forehead from the last outing." Click here to read more!

Dusting off the jazz series: As I was writing the above entry, I remembered one of the most fun and successful "listeners series" sessions ever - the Tramp House Jazz Tasting ( click here for a recap). In a nutshell, a bunch of folks got together in my living room to listen to jazz in a "friendly setting" and talk about what we heard / didn't hear / liked / hated. It was a great time despite the fact that I prepared the hors d'oeuvres myself and let's just say cooking isn't my strong suit. Nonetheless, I'm thinking about putting another one together, if there is interest. Shoot me an email if this might be up your alley and I may try to put together a holiday jazz think tank.

More to come! Until next, enjoy the music!

Socialism, Schmocialism - Plus September Shows! - PLUS Interesting News!!

In case you were keeping track, it's safe to report the blog score as Capitalism - 1, Socialism - 0. While I did get one response to my request for collaboration in my last blog post (GOLD STAR to Lorna Chiu! Woot!) I didn't get any others, so I made it out to precious few shows in the 2nd half of August. I would blame you, gentle readers, but my own frenetic schedule has made it tough to get out as much as I'd like.

So, without further ado, I will resume the usual format of shamelessly hawking shows I think might be cool. Here are my September picks!

But wait! Here's just a little bit of ado after all. You heard it here first, kids - I am branching out! I have just signed on to provide blog content to LAJazz.com. I'm so excited! I love that site - it's my go-to spot to find local shows - and am looking forward to perpetuating my biases to a larger group. I'll need your help, too; my scope is going to be a bird's eye view of the LA Jazz scene, and that scene is the most fun when you all come out to shows with me! But don't you worry - I'll still post things here as well and will loop you all in whenever I can't resist passing along juicy jazz tidbits. But in the meantime, check out my first LAJazz.com entry! Hooray!

OK, done with the ado! On with the shows! This is just the tip of the jazz iceberg for September, so if you hear of other shows and might like company, just let me know and I will do my level best to join you! Unless you wanted someone else's company, of course.

Monday, September 10: Bill Holman's Big Band at Charlie O's, Van Nuys. I've got a meeting in the valley that night and might poke my head in for the 2nd set at Charlie O's since I haven't been there in ages.

Sunday, September 16: Frank Capp's Generation Gap at Charlie O's, Van Nuys. Two times in six days? I need to check out this band because I love the concept. What's the concept, you might ask? Come to the show and find out!

Wednesday, September 19:Bill Cunliffe plays George Gershwin at The Jazz Bakery, Culver City. So you probably know that I love the Gershwins. And Bill Cunliffe's no slouch either! I'm excited to hear his interpretations of one of the majors in the Great American Songbook.

Thursday, September 27: Joe LaBarbera Quintet, Charlie O's, Van Nuys. OK, I'm also a fan of drummer-led small groups, and Joe's one of the finest on the planet.

Friday, September 28: Kathleen Grace at LACMA, Mid-Wilshire. This is right around the corner from me so it seems a shame not to go, especially on a Friday night, and ESPECIALLY especially since I've only had the opportunity to hear Kathleen live one time. She's fabulous. And the last time I went to a Friday LACMA show I had so much fun it didn't make good sense.

And that's a wrap. Enjoy the music!

Pam