Los Angeles Jazz Journeys

Bye Bye Blogspot!

2009-02-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends! I realize that I've neglected this blogspot for some time, and I think it's because my attention has been divided. My original goals were to write about jazz experiences and to invite others to join me out there in the jazz community. I haven't been doing a good job of either recently, so I've decided to focus my efforts a bit better. In that vein, this will be my last post to Los Angeles Jazz Journeys at www.pamelahowell.blogspot.com. Old entries will remain here, but no new posts will be made.

But don't you fret - I am still blogging and getting out to hear jazz!! Here's how you can keep up: For jazz anecdotes, check out my blog at http://www.lajazz.com/blog14.cfm. My most current post, "When I [Fell] In Love", talks about how my love of jazz first began. Don't miss it! And if you'd like to stay abreast of future blog posts, simply subscribe to the RSS feed on that page. I hope to post once monthly there.

For updates on jazz events and invitations to group outings, subscribe to my email distribution list. If you are receiving this message by email, no sweat - you're already on it! If you're reading this on Blogspot, and would like to be on my mailing list, shoot me an email at "pam.howell@gmail.com" and I'll add you! I typically only send one email per month, roughly.

In summary:

This is my last Blogspot post!
Future jazz commentary can be found at my LAJazz.com blog!
Info re: upcoming local jazz shows will be sent by email - shoot me a note at "pam.howell@gmail.com" to be added to my distribution list!

Thanks so much, and enjoy the music!
Pam

September is for Stalkers

2008-08-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hello my friends!

It's so hard to believe that summer is almost over, especially since it's SO FREAKING HOT in the Valley right now. I posted a little tale in LAJazz.com about how the heat impacts the face of jazz in LA (namely, mine). Check out my latest post, "Too Darn Hot / The Way You Look Tonight" and feel free to comment with your stories!

Luckily, with fall comes cooler weather, making it easier to wear bulky coats, wide brimmed hats, and other accoutrements to make stalking easier. Several local musicians suspect that I am stalking them, most notably (and verifiably) the Jeff Hamilton Trio. Last week alone I saw the pianist, Tamir Hendelman, perform three times, and drove all the way to Fullerton and back on a Friday night to hear three sets of the trio (HELLO - gas is expensive plus I start work at dawn).

Anyway, the September calendars are not all up yet so I don't have a bunch of shows to flag; however, if you only see one show in September then grab your trench coat, and fedora and join me in stalking, er, I mean hearing, drummer Jeff Hamilton with another stalkee, the unbelievable Atsuko Hashimoto on the Hammond B3 organ (seriously, think Jimmy Smith). Mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 10 at the Radisson Century City and as always, if you want company just email to let me know. See you there - I'll be the one in the oversized sunglasses!

Hot Fun in the Summertime

2008-07-19T12:59:00.001-07:00

Hey there! It's been a while since I've posted a blog entry, and this one is going to be a short one, but I wanted to highlight a couple of things....

Number 1 - PLEASE check out my latest LAJazz.com blog entry! I was especially excited to share my experience exposing children to jazz (and getting exposed to kids' music in the process). And the kids in question are so cute I can't even stand it!!!

(l-r: Jada, Jordyn & Jasmine Keys)

Number 2 - Summer is a fabulous time to experience open air music in LA! Be sure to hit up Hollywood & Highland's Tuesday night jazz series, LACMA's Friday night jazz (both free) and of course the Hollywood Bowl (not free, but can be pretty inexpensive).

Number last, but not least - if you desire more structure, do check out one of these shows in July / early August!!!

Graham Dechter at Pasadena Jazz Institute, Thursday, July 24th. Graham is a fabulous guitarist and friend of mine and he's working on his actual birthday!! My favorite thing to say about him is that his musical sensitivity belies his tender years, but at almost 22 years old I'm going to have to come up with a new gimmick for him, like, Dang, that guy can play.

The Thurman Green Scholarship Jazz Festival at Catalina Jazz Club, Tuesday, August 5th. My friend and fellow LAJS Board Member Mrs. Thurman Green coordinates this annual event for jazz trombonists. So you've got a) a fun show, b) young honorees and c) a good cause. What more could you ask for?

And speaking of good causes, how about dinner or drinks (or both) and jazz at Red, White + Bluezz in Pasadena on Wednesday, August 6? If a fun night out isn't enough of a good cause for you, how about the fact that on that evening, RWB will donate a portion of sales to Young & Healthy, an organization that provides health care to low-income, uninsured children? My friend Dene Preston is on the board and I'm excited to have a chance to support such a great program.

As always, if you'd like to go to any of these shows and are looking for a buddy, shoot me an email! Hope to see you there, or out at one of the open air spots. Enjoy your summer!!!

June Jazz Jubilee

2008-05-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

Long time, no chat! It’s been a while since I’ve been trolling about in the LA jazz scene, given my recent move to SuperTramp, but I’ve been listening to a lot of recordings, some of which I’m talking about at my LAJazz.com blog. Please check it out and let me know what you think!

Despite my dependence on recorded music, I’m ready to get out again. It’s time to highlight a few shows coming up in June and invite you all out to join me. Here we go…

Tuesday, June 3 (plus additional dates): Cedar Walton Quartet at The Jazz Bakery, Culver City. Cedar Walton occupies a place in jazz history and heads up a hard bop quartet that is not to be missed!

Wednesday, June 4: Tony Inzalaco Quintet at Charlie O’s, Van Nuys. One of my perpetual favorites is playing again – check out this show for fresh original compositions with superb musicianship.

Friday, June 6: Bill Cunliffe Trio with TriMotif Winds at LACMA, Mid Wilshire. Bill is a fabulous pianist, composer and arranger and LACMA’s Friday night jazz gives you an opportunity to enjoy the museum for free as well!

Sunday, June 8: The LA Jazz Society’s 15th Annual Vibe Summit, First Lutheran Church, Glendale. This event centering on the vibraphone’s place in jazz is lots of fun and gives you the chance to hear some performers that are rarely in Los Angeles. Plus you get to join me in supporting LAJS!

Thursday, June 19 (plus additional dates): Kurt Elling at Catalina Jazz Club, Hollywood. Kurt Elling is one of those highly visible young jazz vocalists and I’m delighted to get out and hear him again.

Thursday, June 19: Tales from the Diva Den at Crowne Plaza LAX, Los Angeles. Speaking of young jazz vocalists, the Diva Den is comprised of Kristin Korb, Inga Swearingen and Kathleen Grace, hugely talented musicians who put on a great show together. I saw them perform recently and was delighted to see that they’re doing it again!

And that’s all for now. Don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions about any of the shows listed above. Hope to see you out there!!

Introducing... SuperTramp!

2008-03-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted a jazz blog entry, and my ego is clearly suffering, for no one has missed it! However, being the Leo that I am, I am assuming that those faithful jazz followers who rely on my missives for juicy jazz tidbits are so devastated by my disappearance that they are unable to communicate such, and instead are sitting under their desks in the fetal position in the dark, writing bad poetry and chain-smoking unfiltered Camels while rocking back and forth.

Clearly my absence has given me even more of a flair for the dramatic, and my new entry at LAJazz.com rides the drama wave and addresses just how the jazz community as a whole has been impacted by my disappearance. Click here to check out my most recent LAJazz.com blog entry, "How Insensitive."

Part of my jazz absence can be explained, however, by the fact that I have moved yet again! You all may recall my former abode, The Tramp House, whose name is explained in a previous entry, "A Tramp House Primer." The end of the tale of the original Tramp House is my sister Kim's pursuit of her Ph.D. while I lived alone in mid-Wilshire. Well, she and I have decided to revisit the good old days of Tramp life and have moved in together again! I'm sending out yet another spate of change of address cards, this time announcing the christening of our new place, SuperTramp!

The SuperTramp Mat will definitely be out in the months to come, as I hope to host a jazz tasting very soon. Be on the lookout for more information on that score. In the meantime, I am dipping my foot back into the jazz pool, and recommend one last show for the month of March - Kristin Korb's Tales from the Diva Den at the Airtel in Van Nuys on Saturday, March 29. Tell me, who can resist three fabulous young jazz sirens (Kristin Korb, Inga Swearingen, and Kathleen Grace) regaling us with tales from, well, the diva den? I hope the first tune tells what a diva den actually is, but if not, I can certainly make something up since I live at the SuperTramp anyway. I'm there - hope you make it too! Let me know if you'd like more details - I believe reservations are required and there is a cover charge.

That's all for now. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy the music!

Happy Valentine's Day (Yeah, Right)

2008-02-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends! Those who know me understand that I am not particularly fond of that evil day called Valentine's Day (or, Black Thursday), but despite the fact that it is coming up I am in love, big time. With jazz. Sigh. So it's time for an update on the love of my life.

I've posted a new entry at LAJazz.com entitled "Sophisticated Lady," a little peek at how humbling the live music experience can be. And then I wanted to tell you about some stuff coming up in February!

Thursday-Sunday, February 14-17: Newport Beach Jazz Party in Newport Beach. So, this is definitely not in Los Angeles, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart, but this is a really good jazz time. I'm checking out as much of it as I can manage, so if you are interested let me know and we can connect!

Monday, February 18: Jeff Hamilton with Atsuko & Yutaka Hashimoto at Pasadena Jazz Institute in Pasadena. Kids, it's the Hammond B3 organ again - this is a rare chance to hear Ms. Hashimoto "put her foot in it" as they say in the south. I'm definitely in for this - who's coming with me?

Saturday, February 23: Dena De Rose Trio at the Airtel Hotel in Van Nuys. I'm moving this weekend so can't go to this show, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't! Dena's piano playing is very compelling and she's got a great voice - and she's not in town too often. Get on out there, OK?

Thursday, February 28: John Beasley Trio at Spazio, Sherman Oaks. A perpetual favorite and a good friend, I'm excited about this show as I'll be living in the Valley again by the 28th! If any Valley folks (or otherwise) are up for a weeknight out, let me know!

That's all for now - be good and I'll see you out there!

Quick January Jazz Update!!!

2008-01-15T20:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of you!!!

It's hard to believe we're halfway through January... While I am still trying to get my jazz bearings amidst all of the end of year stuff, I thought I'd post a quick update with a promise to be more thorough in February!! I promise!!!

I have managed to post a very candid (read: embarrassing) look at how I view the combination of jazz and dating. Check out "Isn't It Romantic?" at LAJazz.com. It's kind of a Valentine's Day preview. Egad.

In terms of personal goings on, 2008 is already proving to be an exciting year! I'll post the following updates in the weeks to come:

Get ready for yet another Tramp House relocation - Super Tramp!
Politics and jazz - will I scare Barack Obama away tomorrow night with my rendition of "Undecided"?
And.... My first foray as an (Old) Maid of Honor! Yee Haw!! Best wishes, Carmen!

And last but certainly not least, here are a few jazz shows on my calendar for the balance of January. This is just a quick and dirty list but if any appeal, let me know!

January 21 - Frank Fontaine Latin Jazz Quintet at Spazio
January 23 - Dale Fielder Quartet at the Westin LAX
January 23-26 - Jeremy Pelt Quartet at the Jazz Bakery
January 28 - Frank Capp Juggernaut at Charlie O's
January 30 - Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band at Charlie O's

AND - if anyone's brave enough to hit the Newport Beach Jazz Party over President's Day Weekend, let me know! I'll be there!

Thanks to those of you who joined me at various shows over the past few weeks - Bijon Watson's Latin Jazz Syndicate at Jason's in Santa Ana; Bill Cunliffe Trio at Spazio in Sherman Oaks, and Cross Hart with John Beasley, Sandra Booker and Dale Fielder at Hotel Angelino on the West Side (this is a super cool joint). I'm having a ball!

More to come - and thanks for listening!!!

Ring-a-Ding-Ding in the New Year!!

2007-12-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

Hello there! Can you believe 2007 is winding down? Seems like just yesterday I was stuck in Times Square wondering how I’d make it uptown before the ball dropped. Now I’m trying to keep a bunch of balls in the air getting ready for another year-end blitz. WOWZA!

In the midst of it all, I’ve had to deal with totaling yet another car (this makes 4 since I moved to Los Angeles 17 years ago – I am an insurer’s nightmare). I’ve also lost some great (and not so great) CDs. Check out the story, “Ruby, My Dear,” at LAJazz.com!

And without further delay, and with apologies for the delay (so I guess that IS further delay), here are some December jazz picks. Please note that due to circumstances I’ve missed flagging some really amazing shows, so my apologies to those musicians and jazz fans who I missed. Okay, I’m finished apologizing and delaying – NOW here are the picks!!

Saturday, December 8: Gerald Clayton Trio at the Airtel, Van Nuys. This young piano virtuoso has energy and sensitivity for days. Take a break from the mall and stop in!

Tuesday, December 11: Evan Stone’s Translucent Ham Sandwich Band at the Mint, Los Angeles. This isn’t mainstream jazz – there are magicians, and belly dancers, and a rabbi juggler, and ham sandwiches – but it’s a fascinating improvisation project. You’ll be thinking about it for days afterwards!

Thursday, December 13: Howlett Smith at Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill, Hollywood. A friend recommended this show and she’s got great taste. I understand this is a holiday concert too – how fun is that??

Wednesday, December 19: Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band at Charlie O’s, Van Nuys. This will be a great way to wind down 2007, by listening to some textbook straight-ahead jazz.

Saturday, December 22: Details to be confirmed, but trumpeter Bijon Watson is leading a Latin jazz band at a hip new spot in Santa Ana. The O.C. is tough for me, but much easier on a Saturday night… Let’s make an evening of it!

Thursday, December 27: Bill Cunliffe Trio at Spazio, Sherman Oaks. One of my favorite pianists, I’d love to hear him one more time before the year is over.

Saturday, December 29: Ernie Andrew’s 81st birthday celebration at the Jazz Bakery, Culver City. In my ‘hood and a part of Los Angeles’ jazz history, this is a must-see.

Oh, I fibbed – one more apology… The Jazz Tasting for December 15 has been postponed, with a new date to be announced. I was over-ambitious with the timing, and hopefully the new post-holidaze date will be easier for everyone!

That’s it for 2007 – next jazz update will be in the new year!! Happy holidays to all of you, and I wish you a holiday season and year filled with every good thing you can imagine, especially great live jazz!

The Young(ish) Woman and the Sea - Part the Second

2007-11-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

Well, folks - I made it back from the Jazz Cruise and none the worse for wear. I am marlin-free and still a little woozy from the boat, but had a great time. Check out my LAJazz.com entry, "How Deep Is The Ocean?", for some cruise commentary.

My nattering wouldn't be complete, however, if I didn't play favorites and list some of the musical standout moments from my vantage point:

---Lewis Nash Quartet, consistently throwing down night after night. I overheard this comment about pianist Renee Rosnes by a 75 year old male passenger: "I didn't expect someone so pretty to be able to play so well!" C'mon now, it’s 2007.

---The all-star jam session including an all-bass performance led by Christoph Luty. There's something really powerful about seeing and hearing a bunch of double basses on stage, despite Christoph's bad joke comparing them to lifeboats...

---Jeff Hamilton Trio's cover of "Here, There and Everywhere." Until then, I thought "Yesterday" was my favorite Beatles song. The trio's treatment was quite possibly the sweetest thing I've ever heard and I may perish if it doesn't make it on their next recording.

---Gilbert Castellanos and Wycliffe Gordon dueling mutes on "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You?" My jazz fanaticism centers on the trumpet, so you can imagine my glee when trumpeter Gilbert took on trombonist Wycliffe in a sultry, growly tete-a-tete. Mmmmm. *waves hankie*

And the trip wouldn't be complete without a shout-out to my roommate and new friend Bunny, who endured my rambly commentary and a late-night charley horse episode.... Thanks, Bunny!!

Switching gears... The December jazz calendars aren't all populated yet so I won't have picks for a week or so, but in the meantime, MARK YOUR CALENDAR for Saturday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m. for the 2nd annual "Tramp House Jazz Tasting"!! It's time for me to start collecting RSVPs so that I can confirm the location - so PLEASE EMAIL ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and let me know if you are planning to attend. I have some fun ideas in mind so if you're free, you won't want to miss it!!!

Thanks for listening, enjoy the music, and happy Thanksgiving!

The Young(ish) Woman and the Sea - Part the First

2007-10-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

November is nigh, and so is my second venture aboard The Jazz Cruise! I'm hoping that jazz isn't a metaphor for Hemingway's marlin, but I am planning to come back with jazz critiques to dazzle and amaze you. If I come back with a carcass though, you've been duly warned.

October was a slow month jazz-wise but inexcusably and soul-searchingly so. Please check out my LAJazz.com update called "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", or, "DUDE! What the bleep happened to October!" As a reminder, I am splitting my jazz commentary between this blog and LAJazz.com, so please be sure to check out that site - not just for my posts, but also for their other fabulous jazz content. I should also interject here that any feedback you have on my jazz natterings is quite welcome and in fact desired right now; clearly I can be a bit of a windbag and would love to hear thoughts on how to better inform and/or force feed jazz to those near and dear.

Anyway. November promises to be much more populated with jazz, in part because my jazz-centric vacation will give me an opportunity to hear several shows a day for an entire week.

*thunk*

I just fainted with gleejazzhappiness.

But besides that, there are so many phenomenal local shows too!! I'll be gone for some of these, but back for others - so if you would like to get together, you know what to do!* Here are some of November's highlights, but as always, please do post comments if I've missed any goodies!

Saturday, November 3: Bob Sheppard at Vibrato, Bel Air. Bob is a super groovy, clearly Coltrane inspired tenor player who never fails to entertain.

Monday, November 5: (and other dates) Howlett "Smitty" Smith at Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill, Hollywood. I have it on good authority that this will make for a fun evening out. I defintely plan to catch a show soon!

Tuesday, November 6: (and other dates) Ahmad Jamal at Catalina Bar & Grill, Hollywood. There are not one, but TWO non-LA-based jazz pianists on my must see list this month. Ahmad Jamal's "Live at the Pershing" is among my favorite jazz recordings, and although this isn't likely to be a rehash of the good old days, I'd love to hear him live.

Wednesday, November 7: Tony Inzalaco Quintet at Charlie O's, Van Nuys. A regular on my "must see" list, Tony's having a CD release party and I want to be sure to get my copy of the new music!

Saturday, November 10: Kathleen Grace Band at Rosalie & Alva Performance Gallery in San Pedro. 1 - Kathleen Grace is awesome. 2 - I've heard great things about this venue.

Thursday, November 15: (plus other dates) McCoy Tyner at Catalina Bar & Grill, Hollywood. The other non-LA-based jazz pianist and living legend is not to be missed - he is really a very significant part of jazz history.

Tuesday, November 20: Dale Fielder at the Jazz Bakery, Culver City. This time it's for real - I am definitely going to this show! Very much looking forward to hearing this reed man at last!

Wednesday, November 21: Queen Latifah at Royce Hall, Westwood. Seriously. Queen Latifah. I heard her sing at the Bowl this year and she has the makings of a real live jazz diva. If you're not on the road for Turkey Day, try to get tickets!

Tuesday, November 27: Bill Cunliffe explores Billy Strayhorn at the Jazz Bakery, Culver City. So Bill is doing this discussion / performance series on various musical figures and it's really pretty cool. I'm looking forward to seeing this one!

And last but not least (or, considering the talent I've just named, it really IS least but that's OK), it's time to SAVE THE DATE for the 2nd annual "Tramp House Jazz Tasting"!!! Please mark your calendar for Saturday afternoon, December 15 as the day when those who are interested will get together, location pending depending on how many bodies are interested, and we'll chew the fat about jazz, nosh a bit, listen to some tunes, sip some wine, and break down why jazz is so groovy, in a very non-threatening environment. Last year's theme, "How Pam Listens to Jazz" will be replicated in part, but we are going to narrow the focus a bit to have an even livelier discussion. Some preliminary thoughts (but all suggestions are welcome):

"Pot Luck: Here's My Favorite Song!"

"Why Ella Fitzgerald is so awesome"

"Jazz Genres: Latin jazz, cha cha cha? Bebopaloobop? Swing a ding ding?"

"I still think it's weird when people clap in the middle of a song."

"Cantaloupe Island (Herbie Hancock) versus Cantaloop (Us3) - or, When jazz meets pop - Tasty melange or train wreck?"

At this point I am gauging preliminary interest, so if you are available and interested in this fun fun fun adventure, please email me no later than Saturday, November 17 so I can confirm the session and location. CAN'T WAIT!!

Thanks for listening,

Pam

*um, that means call or email me.

Singin' the Blues

2007-10-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

Well, folks - it's time for some jazz recommendations for October, but I'm writing this with a heavy heart. This past Monday we lost one of our most dedicated local jazz ambassadors. Dave Ameele wasn't necessarily a household name, but odds are if you ever went to hear Joe La Barbera play in the area, Dave was there too. A talented drummer, arranger and instructor in his own right, his rich jazz history, ready smile and penchant for spinning a jazz yarn made him easy to be around. Click here to read my little tribute to Dave...

But in a testament to how the universe's cruelty can be matched by its generosity, the very next day my newest niece was born! Jordyn Natalia has joined Jasmine Nicole (aka "Jazzy") and Jada Noelle (she's the one in the blogspot photo with me) as the next generation of jazz fans in my family. One of these days I'll get all three of those ladies out to a jazz show!

And speaking of shows, they are abundant in October. My personal availability is limited, but if any of these (or any others) appeal to you, do let me know and I'll do my level best to join you. Here are a few of my October picks (but know that there are tons more good shows happening):

Sunday, October 7
Tony Inzalaco Quintet at the Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach. Time and again I've said to go out and hear this group; they perform original tunes in the bebop tradition and sound oh so good. Rumor has it that they have some new material too!

Tuesday/Wednesday, October 9-10
Houston Person at Vibrato, Bel Air. Bring your hankies; you'll need them to wipe the tears during the ballads and to wave when he gets his groove going.
-also-
Bill Cunliffe at The Jazz Bakery, Culver City (Tuesday, 10/9 only). Bill is doing a part performance / part informal lecture to celebrate Thelonious Monk. I went to the George Gershwin show and thought it was fun, informative and comfortable (the Bakery has new chairs! WOOT!).

Friday, October 12
Tamir Hendelman Trio at The Jazz Bar at the Universal Sheraton, Universal City. This newest addition to the jazz bar scene in LA is in the thick of things at Universal - with validated parking and fabulous music by one of my very favorite musicians - don't miss it!

Sunday, October 21
The Los Angeles Jazz Society is having their 24th annual Jazz Tribute Awards Dinner & Concert! Last year's show was amazing so I am very excited about the upcoming show! Please let me know if you'd like more information; I can send you an invitation or information on sponsorship opportunities. And if you would like to attend and try to sit together, please contact me!

Monday, October 22
Dale Fielder Quartet at The Jazz Bakery, Culver City. I'm hoping to get a chance to hear this fine baritone player at last, after several failed attempts to make it to a show. I've heard nothing but good things!

That's just a teeny tiny subset of all of the jazz excitement in October. Hope to see you out there!

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

2007-09-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

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!!

2007-09-06T18:30:00.000-07:00

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

Uncle Karl Marx Needs YOU!

2007-08-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

It's August (again) and the jazz choices in LA are still bountiful. I have been meaning to write a lenghty set of picks for the month, but it's 5pm on a Monday and I'm DYING to get outside for a walk! So, I'm challenging you, gentle readers, to exercise your first amendment right to free speech and embrace Marxism at the same time. Oooh, a conundrum. Plus I'm really thinking socialism but why split hairs?

Anyway, with my apologies for the rambly rant, here's what I'm hoping you'll do: Please post a comment to this blog entry if you hear of or are performing in a Southern California show in August that you think people really oughta get out and hear. I'm going to drop a few names but will leave it up to you to fill in the blanks - these are just a few artists who will be out and about in August.

Katie Thiroux
Graham Dechter
Dave Ameele
George Kahn
Evan Stone
Tony Inzalaco

Once the comments are populated, I'll send another email to my mailing list to remind them to check out the shows.

In other news, I received a flyer for the Winard Harper Sextet in Long Beach on August 26 from a new friend and am definitely planning to go to this event!! If you'd like the information please do let me know and I'll forward a flyer.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this political experiment goes - and if my walk is sufficiently energizing, I may come back and fill in the blanks myself, plus update you on some shows I've seen recently...

Enjoy the music,

Pam

August Sneak Peek....

2007-07-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

...but wait - there's still more JULY left!!!

Just wanted to flag a few things for you all before my August update. Looking for something to do this month? Check out the following MUST SEE / MUST DO events:

Wednesday, July 25: Dale Fielder Quartet CD release party at The Jazz Bakery in Culver City. I've heard great things about this baritone sax player and would be there in a heartbeat if I could. If you're around, check it out!

Various Dates (below): Jeff Hamilton featuring Atsuko Hashimoto and Ron Eschete (on guitar, some dates) / Houston Person (tenor sax, other dates). I've said it before and I'll say it again. Don't. Miss. This. How often do you get to hear the jazz organ? Ms. Hashimoto plays it like nobody's business, and as a Hammy I make a point to catch as many local Jeff Hamilton shows as I can. Here's the scoop:
Saturday / Sunday, July 28-29: Pasadena Jazz Institute in Pasadena (der) w/ Ron Eschete
Tuesday, July 31: Crowne Plaza LAX in Century City w/ Houston Person
Wednesday / Thursday, August 1-2: Pasadena Jazz Institute in Redondo Beach (just seeing if you're paying attention) w/ Houston Person
Friday / Saturday, August 3-4: Steamers in Fullerton w/ Houston Person

Friday, August 3: Evan Stone Trio at Red, White & Bluezz in Pasadena. One of the great things about being an unapologetic jazz junkie is getting CDs from musicians who would ordinarily fly under my radar. I got a copy of Evan Stone's latest CD and it is absolutely amazing. Finally getting a chance to hear him live! Hooray!

Sunday, August 5: Thurman Green Scholarship Brunch at Catalina's Jazz Club in Hollywood, featuring Barbara Morrison and Phil Ranelin. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than to enjoy some great music and support an important music program. I'll definitely be there - hope to see you there!

That's all for now... There's lots more great stuff coming up in August, so be on the lookout for a full update in a couple of weeks! Until then, I'll see you out there!

Enjoy the music,

Pam

What happens in Vegas....

2007-06-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

On the weekend of June 15 (happy belated Flag Day) a group of us converged en masse upon Sin City for my first ever jazz blog interstate field trip!! I mentioned in a previous blog entry that I was planning to go to hear Diana Krall backed by the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and was joined by FOUR friends! The concert was at the same theater where I heard the Commodores a few years before. I kid you not. I am shameless, but that show was fun too.

ANYWAY, Mark Heimbigner, Kesha Rodgers, Emily Hands, David Daunch and I had a fabulous time at the Krall show. I've seen Diana Krall at least a half a dozen times, but this was the first time I've seen her live with a 19 (+/-) piece orchestra behind her. The show opened with 3 big band pieces before Diana came out and that was very fun / very old school Vegas. I enjoyed the show quite a bit, in part because it was like getting two shows in one: she did several numbers in a combo format with just herself on vocals / piano, John Clayton on bass, Jeff Hamilton on drums, and Anthony Wilson on guitar. She did other tunes in front of the big band with Tamir Hendelman on piano (although at one point during an instrumental break she sat down on the piano as well because "it was swinging so hard I couldn't resist!"). If you get a chance to check them out at the Hollywood Bowl this August, please do!

Other Vegas highlights: part of the fun of stalking a group of musicians is running into them in the lobby bar and hanigng out. Unfortunately I've gotten worse than ever at capturing memories by camera, but my BlackBerry did enable me to get a couple of grainy shots at the "Lobby Trumpet Summit" where we were able to hang out with, among other notables, trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos (recently named one of Downbeat Magazine's 25 trumpeters to watch), trumpeter Terell Stafford (who has played with McCoy Tyner, among others) and bassist Christoph Luty (you all know he's one of my all time favorite bassists). Unfortunately, my plans for a "dessert hang" with pianist Tamir Hendelman and his wife, bassist Sherry Luchette, were foiled by a lengthy (but productive) power shopping session (outlined below).

Gilbert Castellanos' non-chalant look

Trumpeter Terell Stafford and me in a BlackBerry "self portrait"

Christoph Luty sitting down for the first time in hours

And in the interest of true confession time, I decided to revamp my "throwing away my money in Vegas" strategy and shopped more than I gambled. My "shoe guy" Justin McKay from the Wynn spent the better part of Saturday afternoon with me and Mark helping us find my new very favorite shoes:

Christian Louboutin's "Ernesta"

and man bag / "murse" for Mark:

Louis Vuitton's "Citadin PM"

If you ever go to Vegas and want to do some power shopping, be sure to let me know and I'll hook you up with St. Justin of the Strip, the patron saint of fashion. He really is tons of fun and an amazing resource...

And that's all for now. Net-net, it was a really fabulous trip and while it has taken me almost two weeks to make up for the sleep deficit, it was definitely worth it!!

Jeopardy Answer: "Hotter than July"

2007-06-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

If you answered with the question: "What is Stevie Wonder's 1980 release?" you'd be partially right. However, the answer I was looking for is, "How is the summer jazz calendar shaping up?".

This year's Southern California jazz has been awesome and this month is no exception. But before I get started listing my picks for the month, let me backtrack and highlight two recent shows.

Friday, June 22: A bunch of us (Mark Heimbigner, Holly Bower, Christy Luna, Ted Kane and myself) went to LACMA on a Friday night after work to hear the Charles Owens quartet. Charles is money in the bank when it comes to fantastic jazz, and the courtyard was FULL of people with a cool demographic. If LACMA is on your radar for Friday night jazz, you'll do yourself a disservice if you don't try to make it. And the five of us had so much fun, both at the show and afterwards for nosh at The Spanish Kitchen.

Friday, June 29: Tanya Finks, Angela Webb and I caught Malcolm-Jamal Warner's one man show, "Love and Other Social Issues". (Yes, MJW is "the artist formerly known as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show".) I'm including this in a jazz blog posting because the show includes music by his jazz-ish funk band, Miles Long. While I have a propensity to seek out mostly straight-ahead jazz, I really liked the integration of spoken word into some standard jazz riffs. This show is not for kids, but it was so entertaining that I actually went to see it again. And I might try for one more time before it closes next weekend. Any takers?

Me & Malcolm-Jamal Warner

(if I had an iPhone, bet this photo would be clear)

And now, without further ado, July's Jazz picks courtesy of yours truly:

Sunday, July 1: Ro sham bo to decide whether to take in:
Charles Owens Quartet at Charlie O's in Van Nuys - fabulous reed player and genuinely kind human being
-or-
Onaje Murray at Hal's Bar & Grill in Venice - Vibraphone player who I've only heard once but have been anxious to hear again...

Wednesday, July 11: Queen Latifah at the Hollywood Bowl. I've been curious to hear QL perform live after hearing the buzz about her latest jazz endeavors. And for those who don't know, the Hollywood Bowl is one of my very favorite places on this entire planet (although not necessarily as a jazz venue, but let's not split hairs...) Tickets range from a billion dollars to like $3, and you can bring your own food / wine. What's not to like?

Friday, July 13: Another ro sham bo opportunity!
VR & Putter Smith at Cafe 322 in Sierra Madre - Great old school jazzers and a fun, low key venue.
-OR-
Bill Cunliffe at Pasadena Jazz Institute in Pasadena (der) - A brilliant pianist / composer / arranger who always puts on an entertaining show.

Tuesday, July 17: Poncho Sanchez at Hollywood & Highland, Hollywood. The free summer series outside with snackies and wine is always a must-do, and Poncho always puts on a great show.

Thursday, July 19 (plus more dates): Ravi Coltrane at Catalina Bar & Grill, Hollywood. Yes, this is John and Alice Coltrane's sax playing son. I heard him last September in Long Beach and have been jonesing to hear him again.

Tuesday, July 24: Cedar Walton at Hollywood & Highland, Hollywood. Another jazz legend doing a free (?!?!?) concert. Why would we miss this? Why???? (Happy 30th Birthday, Danielle!! xoxo)

Wednesday, July 25: Javier Vergara quartet at Cafe 322, Sierra Madre. Javier plays reeds for Poncho Sanchez and the Banda Brothers and this gig as a bandleader should be a great opportunity for him to really cut loose.

Saturday / Sunday, July 28-29: Jeff Hamilton with Atsuko Hashimoto and Ron Eschete at Pasadena Jazz Institute, Pasadena. OK chickadees. Listen up. I heard Jeff and Atsuko with Houston Person last August and I am not exaggerating when I say it was some of the most amazing music I have ever heard in my life. And I have heard a LOT of music. My stepmother Esther, from the deep south, heard Atsuko play the Hammond B-3 organ and said, "She is a soul brother reincarnated!". All I can say here is, do NOT miss this show. There are a couple of other dates coming up in August with Houston Person on tenor instead of Ron Eschete's guitar, so stay tuned...

AND AN AUGUST SNEAK PEEK

Sunday, August 5: Thurman Green Scholarship Brunch at Catalina Jazz Club, Hollywood. Featuring Barbara Morrison and the Phil Ranelin Jazz Ensemble, this event will raise funds for scholarships for aspiring young jazz trombonists. Gloria Green, a friend of mine and the wife of trombonist Thurman Green, is coordinating this amazing event - don't miss it!!!

There you have it - July's jazz picks. Be sure to post a comment to this entry if you have other jazz shows to flag. See you out there!!

Summer Solstice Jazz Update

2007-06-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

Happy summer solstice! I hope you all enjoy the longest day of the year.... Although you've got a little more daylight today than any other day, I won't waste your time with a long jazz update - just want to point out three weekend jazz events:

Event #1 - Charles Owens Quartet at LACMA, Friday, June 22, 6-8pm. I'll definitely be there and hope you can make it too! Charles is spectacular and John Beasley is on piano so it'll be a fabulous evening. If you'd like to get together afterwards for a bite or a nip, be sure to let me know.

Event #2 - Dave Ameele Sextet at Cafe 322, Saturday, June 23, 9:30pm-midnight. East-siders, if you are looking for some entertainment be sure to check this out! Special guest Jeff Clayton will be on hand to make things even more fun!

Event #3 - Tony Inzalaco Quintet at Rosalie & Alva Performance Gallery, Saturday, June 23, 8:00pm. West-siders, don't miss this one! I just heard about this place and it's apparently pretty cool, BYOB sort of joint. And Tony is working on his follow-up live CD so you will definitely be in for a treat.

Stay tuned for a July jazz update in a little over a week, including a recap of my most recent Vegas trip - first time ever to hear jazz in that town.....

Enjoy the music!

Summertiiiiiiiiiime....

2007-06-04T18:11:00.001-07:00

...and the jazz is easy! I know. Corny. But, there is just SO much jazz happening in June that I don't even know where to start. So I am only going to list a few shows here but if you are interested in other jazzy happenings please respond to this post or email me and we can certainly do more!

But first... Jazz Page 6. I have heard SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC lately that I had to cyber-yell. I just got a CD by Evan Stone (and by the way, if you google him, throw "drums" in there because apparently he has a pornographic namesake) and man, is it good. Tight arrangements, interesting interpretations, and just plain old fun to listen to (the drummer, not the porn star, as far as I know). You should get a copy. And I'll be sure to fill y'all in if I hear of him performing anytime soon.

I have also been a faithful Hammy and made it to Orange County twice this past weekend to hear the Jeff Hamilton Trio. Lots of folks came along and we really had a fabulous time, hearing some amazing music and hanging out with some of the most fun folks in Southern California. I'm still kind of floaty over it all!

There's so much more that I could share, but in the interest of keeping your attention, allow me to introduce:

PAM'S PICKS FOR JUNE

(exciting, huh?)

Now, remember that there are about a BILLION more shows than this, so if you are interested in doing something on a night that I haven't mentioned, reach out and let me know and I can certainly help find someting or even tag along.

Saturday, June 9: Graham Dechter Trio at the Native Cafe, Calabasas. Graham is a 20-year-old guitar virtuoso whose sensitive playing rivals 22 and 23 year olds. But seriously folks, if you're in the area do yourselves a favor and check him out - he's absolutely fantastic!!

Sunday, June 10: Vibraphone Summit XIV, Musician's Union, Hollywood. 13 vibraphone players. Me selling raffle tickets. My sister Kim drinking Terry Lloyd's screwdrivers. I cannot imagine a tastier recipe for good times on a Sunday afternoon. DON'T MISS IT!

Sunday, June 10: Carol Robbins at Vibrato, Bel Air. OK, so if an afternoon of vibes wasn't enough, how about finishing up the day with a jazz harpist? Yes, friends, you heard it here first. How could you NOT be at least a little curious???

Wednesday, June 13: Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band, Spazio, Studio City. If I've said it once, I've said it 3 times. This is textbook straight-ahead jazz and a great show to hear.

Saturday, June 16: Diana Krall with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra at the Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas. Yes, folks - I am seriously doing a weekend in Vegas and checking out this show while I'm there! I could do a separate blog outlining the perils of Vegas with Pam but I think some things are better left unsaid. In the meantime, wouldn't it be loverly to hear Mrs. Costello in Sin City?

Sunday, June 17: Kathleen Grace Band at The Jazz Bakery, Culver City. If I have some steam (and money!) left after Vegas, I might try to stop by on my way home from the airport! I heard Kathleen a couple of months ago and bookmarked her - great vocals and lovely personality!

Friday, June 22: Charles Owens Quartet at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Mid-Wilshire. Charles Owens is a wonderful tenor sax player and an absolutely delightful human being. As this show is less than a mile from Tramp House II, there is a possibility that I could be tempted to entertain a small group of folks after the show (it goes from 6-8pm). If you are interested, be sure to let me know!

Saturday, June 23: Dave Ameele Sextet at Cafe 322, Sierra Madre. I missed Dave's birthday show in February and a quick calendar check shows that I might have to miss this show too, but the last one had guest appearances by some of the finest musicians in LA. Be sure to stop in and support this group and venue - Dave has some really fantastic arrangements and a stellar horn section!

Tuesday, June 26: John Beasley Circle at Charlie O's, Van Nuys. It's been a while since I've heard John as a bandleader so this show has a little gold star by it in my calendar. (Actually, I still keep a paper calendar so it has a pencilled in asterisk by it.) Anyway, I'll definitely be at this show and hope you will too!!

OK, so I fibbed. It's more than just a few shows but it's the tip of the June jazz iceberg. Step right up and come on out - you'll have such a good time!

Two MUST SEE Events in May / June 2007!!

2007-05-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

So I've gone on and on about the Los Angeles Jazz Society but many of you may wonder what the Jazz Society does.

Well.

Here is your chance to find out first hand!

This coming Sunday, May 20, the LA Jazz Society is hosting our annual Bill Green Mentorship Program Student and Mentor Performance. This is a real, live concert performed by two groups of teenagers who auditioned for spots in the mentorship program. These young people have worked hard for several weeks with mentors in the jazz community and even produced a CD of their music! We get a chance to hear them perform (the mentors will perform as well) and congratulate them on their hard work. It's an incredible experience and definitely worth making the time to come out! It's from 2-4pm at Giannelli Square in Northridge, and the cost is $15 for LAJS members / $20 for non-members. This program is supported by LAJS membership dues, so it's like seeing where the money goes. Hope to see you there!!

Then, on Sunday, June 10 the LA Jazz Society is hosting the 14th Annual Vibe Summit! So, for you non-musicians out there, this isn't a beatnik way of saying groovy music. (Even though it is groovy music). No sir. No ma'am. Vibe is short for vibraphone, so it will be a day filled with celebrating this incredible instrument and the musicians who play it. The event is staffed by LAJS volunteers and you'll be treated to the finest vibe players in all the land. Bring it out and let me sell you a raffle ticket! Dig it, man.

And finally, I am glad that it has cooled off because the hot weather was actually a little creepy to me so early in the year.

Hot Summer Shows! (but wait - it's still Spring!)

2007-05-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

Boys and grills, ladies and germs, I am officially too hot to write a lot right now. Yes indeed, the spring heat wave of '07 is what it takes to silence my nonstop mouth (or fingers, as the case may be). However, my ears are working really well so I wanted to give you all a heads up on some upcoming shows! As always, I'm hoping to make at least a few of these so if you'd like to come with, say the word!

Here's what's on tap for May:

Wednesday, May 9: Bruce Forman Trio at the Jazz Bakery, Culver City. Bruce, Kristin Korb and Bob Leatherbarrow are presenting a jazz libretto and it sounds uber interesting, especially since I had to wiki "libretto" to make sure knew what one was (I was close, thanks to having friends in the opera biz). If I get my work done in time tomorrow I'm totally checking it out.

Thursday, May 10: Tamir Hendelman Trio at the Crowne Plaza, LAX. OK, I'll say it again. Tamir's awesome. And apparently not above bribery, as I have it on good authority that he will play my sister Kesha's favorite tune in exchange for dessert. In his defense, I'm sure he would have played it (and had dessert) anyway, but still.

Monday, May 14: John Belzaguy with John Beasley at Spazio, Studio City. I haven't been to Spazio since my favorite bartender left, so it might be time for me to hiss at the new bartender and check out two fabulous musicians!

Wednesday, May 16: Janis Mann Quartet at Catalina Jazz Club, Hollywood. Catalina and the Jazz Bakery are practically in my backyard now. I'd do a disservice to jazz not to make it out.

Thursday, May 17: Bill Cunliffe at The Vic, Santa Monica. Come on out and help Bill a) celebrate his birthday (have a happy!) and b) show off his virtuosity as he performs one set leading a straight-ahead trio and another set as the leader of a six piece Latin jazz band!

Sunday, May 20: Bill Green Mentorship Program, Giannelli Square, Northridge. DO NOT MISS THIS! Here's your chance to see the Los Angeles Jazz Society at work! Students in the Bill Green Mentorship Program will perform, as well as their mentors, and if last year's event is any indication it'll be entertaining and inspirational!

Tuesday, May 22: Guitar Night with Anthony Wilson at Spazio, Studio City. If I don't hate the new bartender, and if I actually DO make it out on May 14, I'll be back to hear Anthony Wilson tear up the guitar (I mean that in the most complimentary fashion possible). Great artist. You'll love him.

Thursday, May 24: Jackie Ryan's CD Release Party at the Vic, Santa Monica. I've heard on at least a handful of occasions that I should hear Jackie Ryan perform. Here's my chance!

Tuesday, May 29: Guitar Night with Ron Eschete at Spazio, Studio City. Third time's a charm! Great guitar player at Spazio once again.

So I lied - I managed to be pretty verbose despite the heat. To reward you for hanging in there, here's a photo of me with two of the cutest jazz fans on the planet!!!

Swing Has Sprung! April Jazz Shows

2007-04-01T07:00:00.002-07:00

Hey there! So I am going to trim down my calendar postings, not because there aren't a lot of jazz shows in April (there are TONS), but because I think it could be info overload otherwise. What would make my entire day (ok, month!) would be if those who know of additional shows would post them as comment to this blog entry. That way, the whole world can see it (or at least the 17 people who check this listing) and can check out shows based on others' recommendations, not just mine. I've felt very excited recently that a handful of folks have mentioned attending shows based upon seeing them here - so this is a great place to share that info!

OK, let me put down my pom poms and tell you what's happening in April. Email or call if you want to go to a show and would like company. Have a great month!

Sunday 4/1
Vicki Von Eps Trio 6:30 - 10:30 PM
Cavallino Ristorante and Jazz Bar, Huntington Beach

Wednesday 4/4 (plus more dates)
ROY HARGROVE Quartet
Catalina Bar & Grill, Hollywood

Friday 4/6
8:00 - 11:30 PM -- CD Release Party featuring Clay Jenkins on trumpet and Joe LaBarbera on drums
Pasadena Jazz Institute, 260 East Colorado Blvd., Suite 206, Pasadena
(626) 398-3344

Sunday, 4/8
Bill Cunliffe Trio 7:30 PM
Spazio, Sherman Oaks

Thursday 4/12
Emil Richards Quartet 7:30 PM
Spazio, Sherman Oaks

Friday, 4/13
John Beasley on piano in the John Heard Trio 8:00PM
Charlie O’s, Van Nuys

Tuesday 4/17
Med Flory Quartet 8:00 PM
Charlie O's, Van Nuys

Thursday 4/19
Tribute to Chet Baker: Chuck Berghofer Quartet 8:00 PM
Charlie O's, Van Nuys

Sunday, 4/22
Lorca Hart Trio 8:00 PM
Charlie O's, Van Nuys

Saturday 4/28
Kathleen Grace Band 8:00 PM
Rosalie & Alva Performance Gallery, San Pedro

Listeners' Series Concept Overhaul - "Pam's Page 6"

2007-04-01T07:00:00.001-07:00

Recently I had a major jazz epiphany. I was talking to a friend of mine about how sad it is for me to go out to jazz clubs and not see a lot of folks, and especially young people, and how I was discouraged last year when a listeners' series show I put together fell apart. And you know what he told me? He said that the best way I can support the music is to go out there and enjoy it – whether I go alone or take a million people. He let me sit with that and ruminate on it, and eventually I had an "Aha moment" (as Oprah would say). I decided that I am just going to go out and hear the music, invite people to come along whenever they like, and share my passion with them whether they join me or not by posting tidbits of my experience.

So without further ado, I present, "Pam’s Page 6": blurbs on some recent jazz experiences to allow you a glimpse into my world. Note that because I'm not particularly gossipy, my "Page 6" is misnamed a little to keep people reading. But stay tuned - you never know when a fun gossipy tidbit might turn up!

Stalker Report - Pasadena Jazz Institute
On Friday and Saturday, March 16 and 17 the Jeff Hamilton Trio played at the Pasadena Jazz Institute in, um, Pasadena. I am a huge fan and went to all 4 sets, prompting my sister Kesha has to call me and my friends "Hammies" and suggesting the trio obtain a restraining order. Truthfully, I kind of like the name "Pammy the Hammy" because it reminds me of "Minnie the Moocher" or "Freddie the Freeloader" or any of a variety of great jazz tunes. Composers out there, please take note: I think it would be the coolest thing EVER to have a jazz song named after me. "Pammy the Hammy" needs to be an upbeat, wailing tune that makes people want to dance around and / or order cocktails. So far though, the only song that I can claim is Toto's "Pamela" which a) isn't jazz and b) was recorded long after they jumped the shark. Alas.

But I digress. I was really excited that so many people checked out the JH3 show at Pasadena Jazz Institute, and the performances met rave reviews by my friends, who have great taste and can be hard to please (in a good way, of course). Among the attendees were Allan Spring, Emily Hands (whom Kesha insists is as big a Hammy as I am), Kim Howell, Amy Rhodes, Holly Bower, Jennifer Miele, Holly Tempo (it was a very Holly-filled weekend), Flip Manne, Tony Inzalaco, Vicki Von Eps and a host of other folks. The space is worth checking out and the crowd ranged from jazz heads to Pasadena revelers, but all told I'd give the weekend an A+. Favorite tunes of the weekend: "A Felicidade", "Yesterdays", "I've Never Been In Love Before", and "Daahoud" to name only a few.... Jeff, Tamir and Christoph always put on a must-see show so next time they're listed, don't miss it!

When Russia Meets Los Angeles
Sometimes you have the most fun when you least expect it, where you least expect it. On Thursday, March 22 at the recommendation of Kristin Korb, jazz musician / aficionado / educator I checked out Thursday night jazz at Russia Restaurant. I went with Karen Guest, a co-worker and friend, and we had so much fun that I'm sure we'll be back. The featured performer was Kathleen Grace, who is young, hip, has great taste in shoes, and sang the standards beautifully plus at least one original tune. Here are some of the salient points:

Including my friend Karen and myself, there were 2 people in the audience for most of the show.
The room décor included disco balls (plural), Christmas lights (both the multi-colored and white icicle variety), a series of deflated balloons (including mylar ones reading "It's a Boy!" and "Happy Birthday!") and a vase of dead roses.
We brought a bottle of wine to enjoy with our dinner, and the water came to our table to outline what he called "the rules": corkage is 33% of the wine list price. In case you're wondering, that's only one rule but why get caught up in semantics? Interestingly, there was never a wine list that we saw, and I'm pretty certain that 33% of $0 is, well, $0, which I think is what we were charged.
The food was actually very tasty, but I think I had a small heart attack during the show given the high mayonnaise / sour cream content.
The show was a lot of fun! Kathleen Grace is a talented vocalist and the stage loves her. The band played as if the room were full of people, which in a way it was, since the walls were done in murals featuring scenes from St. Petersburg. This went very nicely with the disco balls and Christmas lights.
I left the evening with a Kathleen Grace CD, the label from our wine which I will certainly buy again (2004 Two Hands Harry & Edward's Garden Langhorne Creek), and a commitment to checking out jazz shows in quirky spots in LA.

A Tramp House Primer

2007-03-29T05:30:00.000-07:00

I just sent about 100 change of address cards bearing the headline: "Introducing Tramp House, the Sequel", and after dropping the last one in the mailbox it dawned on me... "Um, people might not know what the 'Tramp House' concept is!" I felt sad, because the Tramp House is a very wonderful concept, which I will share with you here. And fear not if you've never heard of it before. I made it up.

I moved to a roomy Spanish-style apartment in Glendale about 8 years ago, and was very happy there. It was close to work, quiet, a walking neighborhood, dog-friendly and hip. While I was there, my sister Kim decided to go to graduate school to pursue her MBA. This was a major lifestyle change for her and I thought it would make sense for her to move in with me to cut down on her expenses. Kim was appalled.

"First of all," Kim articulated, "we are twenty-something women" (allow me some literary license here), "who should live ALONE. But secondly, and more importantly, I would feel like a hobo!" She was clearly not in love with the idea. Nonplussed, I responded, "Well, deary, as twenty-something women" (continue to allow said license) "we could share clothes, expenses, and quirky wine collections. But secondly, and more importantly, you wouldn't be a hobo. You would be a tramp. And that is a very important distinction!"

Wikipedia tells us that a hobo is essentially an individual who hops the freight trains looking for work. A tramp might also ride the rails, but gets by on cunning and fast talking instead of, well, working. But that's not the important part. It's all about visuals. A hobo might look like this:

But a tramp? In my mind, tramps look like this:

At the end of the night, these sassy tramps pack their makeup in an Hermes scarf, tie the scarf to a stick, throw the stick over a shoulder and make their way to the next town. That's what I'm talkin' about.

So that is how my former residence was christened "The Tramp House." And the two years that Kim resided there were two of the most fun years either of us ever had, filled with all kinds of fun, great wine tasting, lots of late-night jazz dance sessions in the living room, and Kim's eventual MBA. She's now pursuing her Ph.D. and while she is doing that solo, the Tramp Mat is always out hence the christening of "Tramp House, the Sequel."

Kim and I even worked up a talk show bit staged in the old Tramp House, with "The Lady Is a Tramp" as the theme song. Ella Fitzgerald's rendition of "Tramp" is my very favorite, but in an ultimate show of irony, it's not really what I'm about. I'm never too hungry for dinner at eight. I do love the theatre, but have had to slip in a bit tardy more than once. I love crap games, dishing dirt, California (which I find to be neither cold nor damp), and I dislike the wind in my hair. Nonetheless, it's a Tramp's life for me, always!

(lyrics courtesy of Frank Sinatra)

The Lady is a Tramp

She gets too hungry, for dinner at eight
She loves the theater, but doesn’t come late
She’d never bother, with people she’d hate
That’s why the lady is a tramp

Doesn’t like crap games, with barons and earls
Won’t go to Harlem, in ermine and pearls
Won’t dish the dirt, with the rest of those girls
That’s why the lady is a tramp

She loves the free, fresh wind in her hair
Life without care
She’s broke, but it’s ok
She hates California, it’s cold and it’s damp
That’s why the lady is a tramp

Doesn’t like dice games, with sharpies and frauds
Won’t go to Harlem, in Lincolns or Fords
Won’t dish the dirt, with the rest of those broads
That’s why the lady is a tramp

Some Non-Jazz Tidbits

2007-02-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

True confession time: how many reality show fans are out there? I admit it - I spend a significant portion of my relatively insignificant TV watching time on the genre, and although there's no "American Jazz Idol" yet, there are 2 shows I want to point out.

#1 - Tuesday, March 6 on the CW network: The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll. I am so not kidding folks - I'm going to tune in religiously because John Beasley is the musical director for this show! John's a phenomenal local musician with a resume as long as my arm and talent out the wazoo. Now, while the stalwart jazzers may poo-pooh the notion, I think it's fabulous for a jazz musician to get exposure to such a young demographic and demonstrate musical versatility. And it gives us jazz fans an excuse to watch fun reality TV while supporting our local musicans.

#2 - Wednesday, March 7, also on the CW network: America's Next Top Model. Please don't judge me but I love this show. I am indifferent (leaning toward mild dislike) toward Tyra Banks, but I actually kind of like seeing models cry. (I'm not completely mean; I like the pretty pictures too.) Anyhow, on March 7 (date to be confirmed) my hairdresser Neeko is going to be a guest judge on the show - and his salon will be the setting for massive makeovers of the contestants. This particular episode is always a season favorite for me as at least one model historically cries.

Be sure to set your TiVo and check out these shows!!!

Ides of March? You Don't Scare Me!!

2007-02-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your forgiveness for the butchered Shakespeare references! I promise to stop now. I think.

I have some very exciting jazzevents to share with you coming up in March! My February jazz adventures were on the slim side but most notable was the Newport Beach Jazz Party, in part because of the fabulous music (highlights included The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra featuring John Pizzarelli, and a tribute to Ray Brown with Benny Green, John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton), but primarily because I had a jazz buddy!!! My sister Kim joined me for the weekend and we had a phenomenal time. You should totally ask her what she thought about a jazz-centric weekend as not necessarily a jazz fan.... In fact, maybe she'll even comment to this post and tell you!!

Put on your seatbelts because there is a TON of great jazz coming up in March.

BUT WAIT!!

Are you fond of jazz vocals? If so, here are 2 shows still in February you may want to see...

Tuesday, February 27: The Dwight Trible Ensemble, featuring John Beasley at The Jazz Bakery, Los Angeles. John Beasley is a brilliant composer and pianist with a rich jazz history. Check him out!

Wednesday, February 28: Vicki Von Eps Trio at Cavallino Ristorante and Jazz Bar, Huntington Beach. I got the heads-up about this show from Tony Inzalaco, who I've heard several times and who happens to be Vicki's husband (and drummer!). Pay them a visit if you're in the area on Wednesday!

And now, the March stuff...

As usual, there is a LOT of great music happening in March, and as I am only going to scratch the surface I'd love for folks to comment to this blog with additional shows they'd like to share. I'm moving in a couple of weeks and because of that won't have much time to check out shows, but once I get settled it's ON! In the meantime, here is a handful of "don't miss" shows. I will do my level best to make all of these so if you are interested in going, you know the drill! (Or perhaps you don't - call or email me. You could've figured that out on your own though.)

Wednesday - Sunday, March 7-11: Russell Malone at The Jazz Bakery. Do you like jazz guitar? Then you'll love Russell Malone. He plays with phenomenal sensitivity and beautiful phrasing and is a character to boot. I'm going to try to make it out to one of the weeknight shows and hope to see you there!

Thursday, March 8: Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band at Charlie O's. You know me. I'm always making an effort to hear this band - they're money in the "straight ahead" bank every time!

Friday-Saturday, March 16-17: Jeff Hamilton Trio at Pasadena Jazz Institute. This happens to be my favorite trio playing right now in a rare Southern California concert. This promises to be less, um, complicated than the Spazio Back Room debacle of nearly a year ago, plus this venue needs support. Those of you who have heard this trio before know that this is a must see. I'd love to get a lot of folks out to experience this so be sure to come if you can!

Sunday, March 18: The California Jazz Foundation is sponsoring "Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon" at the Musicians' Union in Hollywood. This is a great opportunity to hear fabulous jazz, hang out with the Jazz Society folks who will be there en masse, and support a great cause. I'll be selling raffle tickets and I know you won't want to miss that.

Wednesday, March 21: Tony Inzalaco Quintet at Charlie O's. Here's another of my personal "must see" performers; all original tunes in the bop tradition. Lots of fun every time!!

Saturday, March 24: Graham Dechter Trio at Native Cafe. Speaking of jazz guitarists with sensitivity and phrasing skill, you've GOT to hear this guy. I'm sure he gets tired of people saying how young he is (I think he's 12) but I'm constantly befuddled by the amount of maturity in his playing. Gotta check him out.

Wednesday, March 28: Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band at Spazio. As I said before, these are the straight ahead masters. Don't miss them.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST....

The Los Angeles Jazz Society is actively seeking members to support our jazz programs. Many of you have already become members, and I'm urging those who haven't to consider coming on board! It's a small financial commitment (as low as $15 annually for musicians) and that's IT! For your membership dues, you'll receive a quarterly newsletter, notification of Jazz Society sponsored and endorsed shows, and discounts at local jazz (and even a few non-jazz) establishments. Your membership funds important programs that keep jazz alive in Los Angeles schools. Please consider signing up today!!

The Lady Is A Tramp - At Least For A Few More Weeks...

2007-01-29T21:00:00.002-08:00

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears! Both of them! It's been ages since I've updated you all on jazz goings on, and there is a LOT of jazz happening.... Check out my February blog for the latest and greatest.

ELLA FITZGERALD'S BIRTHDAY!
Ella would have been 90 years old this April and the tributes have already started, including the title of THIS entry. Check out my "I Heart Ella" entry for a sneak peek at Verve's tribute project, plus my own personal tribute to the First Lady of Song and my all-time favorite vocalist.

PAM'S QUICK AND DIRTY LIFE UPDATE!
A quick explanation as to my jazz absence... I'll summarize since I tend to be wordy:

September, 2006 - I left my job of 10 years to start a home-based business targeting clients in the jazz community. Scaryfuncrazyrisky.

October - December, 2006 - Said business took off and was tons of fun, profitable, and exciting, yet oddly devoid of jazz satisfaction from a work perspective. All work and no jazz makes Pam a dull girl.

December, 2006 - A string of coincidences led me back to my former employer in a role that provided lots of new challenges in a familiar environment. Scaryfuncrazyrisky again.

January, 2007 - Back at Capital full-time! Training in the new role for several weeks and the brain is too full to take in much live jazz - but my CDs are getting a workout on the 2.5 hour daily commute to West LA.

March, 2007 - I'm moving! After six years, I'm leaving my Glendale digs (affectionately known as "The Tramp House" - thanks, Ella!) and heading southwest near Park La Brea. My jazz radius will shift to include more frequent visits to spots like Catalina's, The Jazz Bakery, The Vic and Vibrato.

Later in 2007....

Be on the lookout, folks. I'm in cahoots with a new friend and we are cooking up some exciting jazz and art-related experiences that you won't want to miss. More to come...

I Heart Ella. swoon

2007-01-29T21:00:00.001-08:00

Ella Fitzerald would have been 90 years old this April and if I could buy her a present, I would get her a brown and yellow basket, because every time I sing "A Tisket, A Tasket" in the shower, I want nothing more than to get that basket back to her. You should listen to her sing it. You'd want to give her one too.

I love Ella for a lot of reasons, some of which are outlined in the following snippet that I wrote last year. A lot of people love her, and some of the biggest names in jazz and pop are planning to honor her in a tribute album coming out this summer. Check out this fabulous sneak peek from Verve's website; the link's video footage features folks like Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, and even Chaka Kahn and k.d. lang.

And here is my own little tribute to my very favorite vocalist. Enjoy, and join me in celebrating Ella Fitzgerald all year long!

You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
Artist: Ella Fitzgerald
Album: Ella at Juan-Les-Pins, Verve Records, 1964

Cole Porter rocks. I love his songwriting. And I have the gift of exaggeration, so if I said he wrote like a THOUSAND songs you’d be wise not to take me at face value. But guess what? He did. I haven’t heard them all, and in fact I would wager that some of them are pretty crappy because a thousand songs is a LOT. But some of them are just too marvelous for words (incidentally, that one’s not his). “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” is one of those too marvelous songs, despite the poor grammar.

The song has been sung by zillions of people, from Frank Sinatra to Dinah Shore to Nina Simone, but in my opinion it has never been done better than by Ella Fitzgerald. There is some bias here because I love Ella so much. Ella’s voice is pure and precise, passionate yet drama free – much like Ella herself. In a time when the music scene was teeming with chaos and overindulgence, the First Lady of Song stood out as being singularly non-tragic.

Back to the song. The lyrics are pretty simple (making it easy for good ol’ Porter to write a thousand songs):

You’d be so nice to come home to
You’d be so nice by the fire
While the breeze on high sings a lullaby
You’d be all that I could desire
Under stars chilled by the winter
Under an August moon burning above
You’d be so nice, you’d be paradise
To come home to and love

Depending on how these simple lyrics are sung, however, they can be interpreted in different ways. When Dinah or Frank sings them, the you’ds come across as coulds – a derivative of CAN. You can be so nice to come home to – you can be all that I could desire – you can be paradise – the possibility exists, but let’s be real. How likely is it that you will actually be all of that? You are able to, but I don’t think you really will, and that makes me sad, so the song is melancholy. Not to be confused with Duke Ellington’s "Melancholia," which is sad through and through, up and down, inside out.

But I digress. Back to “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To.” Now when Ella Fitzgerald sings it, the you'ds become woulds – a derivative of WILL. It’s not just possible, it’s inevitable. You will be so nice to come home to – you will be paradise – you will be all that I could desire – I’m just not at home right now. I’m out listening to some hot jazz with my girlfriends. We’re drinking Manhattans and having a lovely time. We even danced the lindy hop and I had to lead since I’m the tallest one of us girls in my high heels. But I will come home afterwards. And you will be there, by the fire, because you said you would be. And you are nice to come home to and love. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. And no matter how sad it sounds when other singers cover it, when Ella sings it, this song is hopeful and triumphant.

Incidentally, I don’t believe that Ella’s version of this song can be fully appreciated unless you dance to it in your living room. In pajamas and high heels. Late at night. After hearing bad music somewhere else. Just ask my sister Kim, who has performed this ritual with me many times. Doing so will ensure that when you finally do go to bed, you’ll wake up certain that there’s hope – people will do what they say they’ll do, and they will be what you need them to be if you just let go and do your own thing. It is nothing short of jubilant.

February - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Really!

2007-01-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

People like the holiday season. And folks dig springtime. As for me though, I personally think February is the most wonderful time of the year. Why, you might ask? (I know, you didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway.) First, the Superbowl now happens in February! YEE HAW!! But let's say you want to have a great time all month long, not just on Sunday the 4th. Well guess what? It's Black History Month - a great opportunity to check out lots of museum exhibits, special TV shows, film screenings and - live jazz! In fact, the Los Angeles Jazz Society is super busy this month, heading out to local schools and providing valuable jazz education to the next generation.

Here are some of the shows I'm planning to check out, although there are many, many more. You know the drill - post a message, send me an email or give me a jingle if you see a show you'd like to attend and wouldn't mind my company. Also - feel free to comment with announcements of shows I haven't listed. Enjoy - and hope to see you out there supporting the music!

Thursday, February 1: JIM DEJULIO QUARTET With Special Guest Bill Watrous 6:00 - 10:00 PM Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport Hotel, Los Angeles. I've heard these musicians before (although not together) and have enjoyed them. True confession time: I'm a Thomas Dolby fan and Bill Watrous actually played on at least one of his albums (Aliens Ate My Buick, for you 80's fans out there).

Saturday, February 4: DAVE AMEELE SEXTET 7:30 PM Café 322, Sierra Madre. Get your pre-Superbowl jazz jones filled and help Dave celebrate his birthday! This is a cute little place that has potential as a jazz venue, and Dave's sextet makes you feel like you're listening to a big band. Enjoy!

Sunday, February 11: ALAN BROADBENT TRIO 7:30 PM Spazio, Sherman Oaks. I've been meaning to catch him play for years and haven't managed to do it. I'm crossing my fingers that this might be the time, especially since I have a billion recordings with him. OK, I exaggerated a little. Millions.

Tuesday, February 13: KEN PEPLOWSKI QUARTET 6:00 - 10:00 PM Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport Hotel, Los Angeles. Ken's a local legend on the reeds and always worth seeing. I heard him in a duo jam session in October with Jeff Hamilton using only a snare drum and a pair of brushes and was mesmerized.

Wednesday, February 14: LARRY KOONSE 6:30 PM Vibrato, Los Angeles. I normally wouldn't venture out in public on "Black Wednesday" under any circumstances, but for Larry Koonse I might brave the couples on display. He's just that good.

Friday - Sunday, February 16-18: NEWPORT BEACH JAZZ PARTY, Irvine Marriott. I went to this event last year and it revolutionized the way I listen to jazz. Amazing performances, great environment, and a hotel full of jazz fans. A great cross section of all of the great straight-ahead artists playing today. Not to be missed...

Friday, February 23: DON MENZA, Charlie O’s Bar and Grill, 8PM, Van Nuys. John Beasley is on piano for this show and is an amazing musician and fascinating human being. Check out his new My Space page: www.myspace.com/johnbeasleymusic - cool, huh?

Sunday, February 25: BILL CUNLIFFE TRIO 7:30 PM Spazio, Sherman Oaks. It's always a treat to hear Bill play, especially since he splits his time between Los Angeles and Philadelphia (he's an instructor at Temple). Lots of fun and great music to boot!

Again, this is just the tip of the jazz iceberg, so if you hear of any shows, post them here. See you out there in the jazz clubs!!

December might be half over, but the jazz is just ramping up!

2006-12-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends! I'll stop issuing excuses about my lack of contact and instead regale you with tales of irresistible jazz in the days to come. Although my jazz forays have been few and far between in recent weeks, I have seen some AMAZING shows lately, including Tamir Hendelman's Atelier show and the Los Angeles Jazz Society's December brunch featuring holiday music by some of LA's finest (Joe LaBarbera, Dave Koonse, Tom Ranier, Tom Warrington and Clay Jenkins). Instead of satiating my jazz jones, the flames have been fanned.

But enough about the past. Let's talk about the future. Here's what's coming up, and you won't want to miss any of it! I'll be attending as many of these as I can, so if you want company you know what to do! (If you don't know what to do, you should e-mail or call me. Duh.)

Friday, December 8: Chuck Redd Quintet at Steamers, Fullerton. You know I'm not crazy about driving to Orange County in Friday night traffic, so I wouldn't do it unless I knew the jazz would be a slam dunk. My sister Kim can attest to the irrestible pull of the vibraphone, and Chuck's got great style and swing.

Wednesday, December 13: Tony Inzalaco Quintet at Westin LAX, Los Angeles. I'm a big fan of Tony's after having heard him play several times at Charlie O's. He's a drummer / bandleader who delivers great original music with gusto. It's a no-brainer for me to show up for this gig!

Sunday, December 17: Gilbert Castellanos Quintet at Radisson LAX, Los Angeles. Gilbert's headlining a new jazz champagne brunch at the Radisson, and if I'm willing to trek out to the airport from the east side 2 times in 5 days this MUST be good stuff. I'm a huge trumpet fan and Gilbert is a high energy player. Trumpet and Champagne? I couldn't ask for more.

Tuesday, December 19: George Kahn Quintet at Catalina Jazz Club, Hollywood. George is performing at a special fundraiser benefiting P.A.T.H. (People Assisting The Homeless) and the evening promises to be fun and festive! Contact me for more details and a flyer - but know that this is a great opportunity to shift resources to the needy during the holiday season AND treat yourself to wonderful live music.

Wednesday, December 20: Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band at Spazio, Sherman Oaks. The holiday season wouldn't be complete without Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band. I love hearing this group play the standards with effortless conviction. This is quintessential straight ahead jazz. Don't miss it!

Now, I am certain there are various and sundry other shows happening around town and I've probably just missed them. Do me a favor and if you know of any other "must see" shows, please post a comment to this blog so more folks can check it out. In the meantime, happy holidays to all of you and hope to see you out there enjoying and supporting this fabulous music!

November Jazz: What Was, and What Is

2006-11-12T17:44:00.000-08:00

Well, friends - we're a third into November and it's hard to believe that the holidays are upon us. Everywhere we turn, there's something to do, see, eat, drink, listen to and enjoy. Because my update is late I've missed a few shows but I'm going to tell you about them anyway, plus let you know about some things that you MUST check out going forward....

What We Missed:
Graham Dechter Trio a couple of nights ago in Calabasas. I met Graham at the LA Jazz Society Annual Tribute Concert in October after having heard this 20-year-old guitarist play with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on at least one other occasion. I had the opportunity to hang out with him on the Jazz Cruise a couple of weeks ago and had tons of fun getting to know this talented character. Keep an ear to the ground for this one, folks.

Bill Cunliffe with John Chiodini at Giannelli Square last night. I had theater tickets and wasn't able to make this gig, but I've been dying to check out the space and Bill Cunliffe is always a slam dunk when it comes to swingin' piano standards as well as engaging original music. Don't miss him next time!

What's Coming Up:
Tuesday, November 14: Kristin Korb is the featured guest at the standing Tuesday night "Tasty Gig" at Catalina's. She sings, plays the bass, and dazzles the crowd with her upbeat interpretations and engaging stage presence. You'll love her. Go check her out!

Saturday and Sunday, November 18 & 19: The Upstairs Studio Presents "A TAP TRIBUTE TO JAZZ" at The Miles Playhouse in Santa Monica. This event is a fundraiser for the LA Jazz Society plus features Flip Manne, our fearless leader, dear friend and former Rockette. All I can manage to say is "WOO HOO!!!". Click here for more details.

Sunday, November 19: Tamir Hendelman solo at LA Atelier. Apparently this garden setting is phenomenal and of course Tamir's one of my favorite musicians ever. It promises to be a great show with classically-influenced jazz (among other things - Tamir promises "surprises") so you won't be sorry if you get out there!

Sunday, December 3: I know it's still November, but SAVE THE DATE for the LA Jazz Society's Holiday Brunch! It features a Jazz Christmas Celebration bythe Jazz Compass Stable (Clay Jenkins, trumpet; Dave Koonse, guitar; Tom Ranier, piano; Tom Warrington, bass; Joe LaBarbera, drums plus special guests) and promises to be a lovely afternoon. Be there or be L7!!

That's just the tip of the iceberg; as always, feel free to email me with show suggestions or if you're looking for a jazz buddy!!

It's Not My Breath After All: Listeners' Series, Vol. VII

2006-10-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

I have a very active fantasy life. It's part of the reason I enjoy jazz so much; when I listen to some modern interpretations of classic tunes all I have to do is close my eyes and let my imagination transport me to another time and place, where I'm sitting in a smoky club wearing a fabulous dress, a cute little hat and white gloves. Every once in awhile someone nudges me to remind me that it's 2006 and I really have on jeans and a tank top and I have an odd, goofy grin on my face.

My imagination got the best of me preparing for the most recent Listeners' Series show, the Dave Ameele Sextet at Cafe 322 in Sierra Madre on Thursday, September 21. Until just before the show, I was afraid that no one would join me and my Listeners' Series would become defunct. I imagined myself writing the recap entitled "It's My Breath, Isn't It?" and displaying a photo of me, sitting alone at a table for 4. It was going to be witty and sad at the same time.

But guess what? The fates are not only not that unkind, they are very supportive of jazz. This Listeners' Series had the best turnout of any, save for the Tramp House series (which doesn't really count since there was no live music there). Seven of us made it out to support Dave's ensemble, which consisted of an all-star lineup of local musicians: Dave Ameele (drums / bandleader) - Kye Palmer (trumpet) - Bruce Babad (alto sax) - Rob Lockart (tenor sax) - Larry Koonse (guitar) - Ken Wild (bass). They featured a combination of standards and original tunes arranged and/or written by Dave. My personal fave was their version of "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" which alternately reminds me of Ahmad Jamal and When Harry Met Sally. I told you, I have a vivid imagination....

L-R: Brian Farrah, Daivd Reinhold, Lee Ann Fishback & Mike Fishback

L-R: Flip Manne, Pam Howell & Allan Spring

My heartfelt thanks to all of you who made it out last month. The verdict is in and everyone was thrilled with the show and had good stuff to say about the venue too. I'll keep my eye on the Cafe 322 calendar and as always extend an open invitation to anyone who'd like to join me!

P.S. In other jazz updates, recently I was lucky enough to join Flip Manne and some other LA Jazz Society Board members and volunteers at a jazz house party hosted by Gillis and Giselle, jazz fans extraordinare, for a Bill Henderson show. This photo was too cute not to share.

Bill Henderson & Flip Manne

October Shows: Holy Mackerel!

2006-10-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, just when I thought Los Angeles' jazz scene couldn't top itself, the October calendars have come out. I am going to cry myself to sleep every night because I'm not around for most of these shows, but I just had to point them out for you all. I only checked a few venue calendars and had to stop, so if you know of other shows that might be of broader interest please comment and point them out. Also, if you'd like to go to a show and want company, please call, email or comment here and I will do my level best to join you. Enjoy!

Friday, October 6: Bill Cunliffe Trio at Spazio, Sherman Oaks. Love Bill's style and having heard him with Edwin and Matt before I can say it's worth making the trip. Be sure to stick around for the later sets; the music heats up the later the evening gets.

Friday and Saturday, October 6-7: Jeff Hamilton Trio at Steamers, Fullerton. You all know this is my favorite group playing right now. Fantastic arrangements and intensely inviting execution. Although I have Steamers issues I would normally try to make it down for this gig. Definitely worth seeing.

Wednesday, October 11: **LISTENERS' SERIES MARATHON** Confirmed Bachelor at Tangier Restaurant, Los Feliz AND Joe LaBarbera Quintet at Charlie O's, Van Nuys. Check this out, kids. We'll go to support Fred Almanza, a former co-worker of mine as he performs with his jazz band (I hear complete with vibes). That show will end around 9:00, at which time we'll head to Van Nuys to catch the latter part of Joe LaBarbera's show (with an all-star lineup including Bob Sheppard and Alan Pasqua - wow). **CONTACT ME** if you'd like to join for one or both events!!

Thursday, October 12: Another night worth a marathon: Scott Whitfield Quintet at Charlie O's, Van Nuys AND Chuck Berghofer & the Midnight Jazz Band at Spazio, Sherman Oaks. Scott Whitfield is an amazing trombone player who has great vocal skills as well - and is being joined by Kristin Korb, one of my favorite local bassists who also is a swingin' singer. And you all know that The Midnight Jazz Band is an absolute must see from my perspective....

Wednesday, October 18: Tony Inzalaco Quintet CD Release Party at Charlie O's, Van Nuys. I was fortunate enough to get a preview copy of this disc and can I just say - HELLO!!! Great live performance of original tunes with driving bebop drumming. I'm heartbroken that I can't make this event but hope you jazz fans will get out there to support.

Sunday, October 22: Los Angeles Jazz Society Annual Tribute Dinner and Concert, Los Angeles Marriott, Downtown LA. This event honors some of the most significant local jazz musicians and supporters, raises funds for education programs, and boasts a phenomenal music lineup. Please contact me if you'd like additional details - the more, the merrier!

Monday, October 23: John Beasley Trio, Charlie O's, Van Nuys. I heard John play at The Vic and really loved the venue and totally got into the performance. I'm not sure what's on deck this time, but it might make sense to expect brilliant musicianship and compelling original music. I'll be there if I can!

Wednesday, October 25: Dick Hafer Quartet at Spazio, Sherman Oaks. Veteran tenor player with the legendary Jake Hanna on drums. This will probably be my last local jazz foray before the jazz cruise so hope to see some folks out there!

That's all for now. As always, feel free to contact me or post additional shows and commentary!

September Shows: Fasten Your Seat Belts!

2006-09-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

We're already well into September but I wanted to flag some shows for you all. I'm going to try to hit these shows myself so if you are interested in company just shoot me an email and we can hang out! And - if you know of a show that you'd like to tell the world about, please comment and the entire world (or the 17 people who read this blog) will have the inside scoop!

Wednesday, September 13: John Beasley Jazz Circle, 8:00 - 11:00 PM, The Vic, Santa Monica. This MUST be a good show if I'm going to drive to the West Side on a school night! Please join me for an evening of fabulous piano-led jazz.

Thursday, September 14: Chuck Berghofer and The Midnight Jazz Band, 7:30 PM, Spazio, Sherman Oaks. Look in the dictionary under "classic straight ahead jazz" and this band will be one of the first entries. Love hearing them whenever I can and hope to make this show.

Friday, September 15: Carl Saunders, Scott Whitfield, John Hammond Trio, 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM,
Back Room at Henri's Restaurant, Canoga Park. After having the last Listeners' Series show here I am anxious to go again - and am strangely intrigued by the fact that I only go out here when trombone players are on the bill...

Sunday, September 17, 2006: Tom Warrington Trio, 2:00 - 5:00 PM, GIANNELLI SQUARE of Northridge, 818-772-1722. I stumbled upon this show at www.lajazz.com and when I saw the lineup (Tom Warrington - Bass, Larry Koonse - Guitar, Joe LaBarbera - Drums) I had a "zowie" moment. I've never been to this venue but am very tempted to give it a whirl. Admission or Cover Charge: $25.00 per person includes refreshments.

LISTENERS' SERIES VOL. VII: Thursday, September 21: Dave Ameele at Cafe 322, Sierra Madre. I heard Dave's group at Cafe 322 a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoyed the music (in particular the arrangements) but would've loved to have seen more folks out there. Haul it out there east-siders and you won't be disappointed. EMAIL ME TO SIGN UP!! We can meet for dinner ahead of time at this reasonably-priced Italian joint.

Friday, September 22, 2006 – Saturday, September 23, 2006:The Mort Weiss/Joey Defrancesco Quartet with Ramon Banda and Ron Eschete, 8:00 PM, Steamers Jazz Club and Café, Fullerton. Don't laugh, but I am starting to LOVE LOVE LOVE the Hammond B3. And when the organ gets played with a clarinet great like Mort Weiss plus LA stalwarts like Ramon Banda and Ron Eschete, I get tempted to drive all the way to the OC to hear them.

Saturday, September 23, 2006: Brasil Brazil, 8:30 PM, La Ve Lee, Studio City. Although I haven't seen them myself, I have it on good authority (thank you, Richard Davis!) that this band makes for a great, chill evening of Latin jazz.

Thursday, September 28, 2006: Cross / Hart Jazz Experience, Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport Hotel, LAX. I've been meaning to check these guys out and in an effort to expand my jazz horizons a bit I will try to hear them again....

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And a couple of October shows to pencil in - not to be missed:

Jeff Hamilton Trio at Steamers, Fullerton - October 6-7, 2006: Consistently on my "must see" list and undoubtedly worth a trip beyond the Orange Curtain.

Confirmed Bachelor at Tangier, Los Feliz - October 11, 2006: Save the date for this October Listeners' Series show!!

Los Angeles Jazz Society Annual Tribute Concert and Dinner - October 22, 2006: FABULOUS fundraiser and opportunity to hear and honor some of Los Angeles' finest and most significant jazz musicians. Contact me for more info!

Hot Summer Shows - I Snooze, You Lose

2006-09-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

The past several weeks have been filled with delicious jazz, and due to my nutso schedule I've been remiss in updating you all so that you could join me. In order to catch up I'll give you some quick and dirty highlights and lowlights. Those of you who are familiar with and not too fond of my typical wordiness will no doubt rejoice in my newfound brevity. Don't get used to it though; I've been using my Franklin Covey Compass System religiously and now have time for everything in life. Or, close to it anyway...

August 24: Roy McCurdy Trio at Spazio, Studio City.

HIGHLIGHT: The ever-elusive Larry Fuller, scheduled to play, dazzled us with his keyboard skills. Despite the fact that I forgot to have him pose for a photo, we had a long enough conversation that I can now finish the "Dear Larry Fuller" chapter in my book.

LOWLIGHT: You know, ever since the whole back room incident in May it pains me to go to shows at Spazio, even though Derek the bartender is a joy.

August 29: Jeff Hamilton, Houston Person and Atsuko Hashimoto at Crowne Plaza, LAX

HIGHLIGHT: I do not exaggerate when I say this is one of the finest performances I have ever seen in life. Granted, I was in a particularly good mood because Dad and Esther were in town and joined me, but Atsuko Hashimoto's Hammond B3 organ skills were unlike anything I've ever heard. Esther said it best: "She is a soul brother reincarnated!". I'll keep you all posted when the album comes out!!

LOWLIGHT: I can't even think of one, so I'll list another highlight: Dad made friends with everyone in the room, including Barbara Morrison, who will be in Atlanta soon so their paths will cross again.

L-R: Esther, Pam and Curtis Howell

September 2-3: West Coast Jazz Party

HIGHLIGHT: I met some amazing performers, including Dena DeRose, a phenomenally talented pianist / vocalist, and David Ashkenazy, a local drummer who got the seal of approval from none other than Flip Manne. Additionally, I got a chance to brush the dust off of some my old swing dance moves thanks to Houston Person's swinging saxophone, and spent a leisurely Sunday afternoon on a jazz cruise with the LA Jazz Society folks! Musical high point though was Tamir Hendelman's solo on "Too Close For Comfort." I think the stage is still on fire.

LOWLIGHT: As much as I love live jazz, I felt a little isolated since the event isn't particularly popular with my contemporaries. I'm still planning to go to the next big jazz party in February though!

September 6: James Brown at The Hollywood Bowl

HIGHLIGHT: Mr. Brown still has the moves and Louie Bellson was a featured drummer for many of the tunes. It was clearly a legendary evening.

LOWLIGHT: Probably just my own personal bias, but the fact that James Brown had a jazz album in 1969 seemed like a weak link to the finale of the jazz series at the Bowl.

September 7: Chuck Berghofer & Midnight Jazz Band at Charlie O's, Valley Glen

HIGHLIGHT: This band is always top notch, and given the new stage setup at Charlie O's they really did shine. This show simply underscored my "must see" opinion of this group. Plus, the fact that I got to hang out one-on-one with Flip was the icing on the cake.

LOWLIGHT: Low energy on my part meant I couldn't stick around for the midnight set, and given the band's name you know it was smokin'.

September 9: Ravi Coltrane at The Vault 350, Long Beach

HIGHLIGHT: This was a surprisingly beautiful venue for a dance club, and this son of a legend did not disappoint. Very fluid, contemporary horn lines backed up by an outstanding rhythm section - the drummer was particularly solid and shame on me, I didn't get his name.... *pout*

LOWLIGHT: The tunes were long so we only got to hear 4 of them for the $20 / 2 drink min. set. Worth it though.

What A Difference A Month Makes: Listeners' Series, Vol. VI

2006-09-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am consumed with shame. As a self-proclaimed jazz missionary I have totally dropped the ball and been out of touch. The upside is that those who feel inundated by my ceaseless jazz rants have had a break. The downside is that I may shortchange you on details now, but going forward I renew my vow to drown you in local jazz tidbits.

The August Listeners' Series was held at The Back Room at Henri's on August 19, the day before my birthday. The featuared band was Bill Watrous on trombone backed by the John Hammond Trio. Canoga Park is a haul for just about everyone I know, and given that past series participation has ranged from 3 to 8 folks, I didn't expect a huge turnout.

Imagine my surprise (and delight, and glee) to have 23 folks show up for the August series! Thank goodness I had ordered 3 dozen cupcakes from Sprinkles for the occasion (note: the red velvet cupcakes were a crowd favorite once Richard Davis honed his sales schtick). We settled in for 3 sets of standards, including a beautifully-done "The Way You Look Tonight". Sigh.

So - in spite of the lack of content in this review, please know that you all have set a standard for participation and I am very much looking forward to the next series event being a standing-room-only shindig! My heartfelt thanks to all of you who took the time to come out and help me celebrate, as well as to everyone who extended such thoughtful birthday greetings in absentia. And - the LA Jazz Society got some new members that night as well - HOORAY!

Jazz Junkie - I Need An Intervention...

2006-08-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

It's been 21 days since I've posted a blog entry. Fortunately it takes 22 days to form a habit so I'm in under the wire. Speaking of habits, I am entirely besotted with jazz these days. Due to the huge life transition I'm making (switching careers after ten years - eep!) I haven't had much of a chance to do anything except watch the world spin while I blink in disbelief - but I've still managed to catch some great jazz and I will share it with you...

As always, having trouble with the photo posting so use your imaginacion. Additionally, I am battling exhaustion right now so this is probably riddled with errors. Rather than glossing over them, please point them out so I can correct them for posterity and then lambast you publicly for being control-freakish. C'mon. It'll be fun.

Thursday, August 10 and Friday, August 11: A Bill Cunliffe Extravaganza

My sister Kesha came to town from the Bay Area for a conference and indulged me in some live music. In terms of background, Kesha and I are the Jan Bradys of the family (read: middle children) and although we're 5 years apart in age we have had tremendous musicial influences on one another. I recall sharing a wall when we lived together and wondering how many times she could listen to Jeff Buckley's "Grace" album while she no doubt did the same about my overdoing Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales". Nonetheless, we shared (and still do) a love for music, especially of the live variety, so we had to check some out while she was here.

We caught Bill Cunliffe and Imaginacion - a Latin Jazz septet at Vibrato in Bel Air. We were graciously joined by Ben Wakefield and Heather Giler, two of my (soon to be former) co-workers and youthful music fans. Incidentally, they had a Bruce Willis sighting at the Starbucks in the same strip mall if any of you are star-stalker. Anyhoo - the space was gorgeous and the joint has a lot of things going for it as a jazz venue (especially the stage smack in the center of the room) but was a little noisy for my taste. As for the performance - my goodness. We get spoiled here in SoCal. At the risk of leaving folks out, I am continually amazed that for NO COVER you can hear Bill Cunliffe joined by folks like Bob Sheppard, Ramon Banda and Scott Whitfield, who make all kinds of tough stuff look and sound oh so easy. My (and Kesha's) personal favorite - a very rich cover of "Pure Imagination" from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Not having enough Bill Cunliffe for one week, Kesha and I grabbed Brian Farrah by the scruff of the neck and went the following evening to hear Bill's trio at Spazio. This time Bill was supported by some up and coming musicians - bassist Edwin Livingston and drummer Matt Slocum - young guys who can really play. The music was soft but smokin' - hard to describe but they definitely got a groove going. It was a great couple of days and I was sad to send Kesha back to Oakland on a flight where she wasn't allowed to take her lip gloss.

Sunday, August 13: Annual Reggae Show at the Hollywood Bowl

So it's not a jazz show but it's definitely worth a nod.... My sister Kim (Marcia Brady) grabs some girlfriends every year to go to the reggae show at the Hollywood Bowl. This year she brought me along, as well as her friends Nicole, Amy and Kym to groove to the strains of Bob Marley's music at a sold out show. Highlight: Ozomatli. They were all over the map - reggae-esque but I'd say quintessential world music. Lowlight: Although they were both phenomenal, I couldn't tell the difference between Ziggy Marley and Stephen Marley. Shame on me.

Monday, August 14: Bob Sheppard Trio at The Oyster House Saloon, Studio City

I had the good fortune of meeting Bob Sheppard at the Imaginacion show on Thursday night, and he mentioned a trio gig that he had at The Oyster House Saloon, a place I'd never heard of until then. I had the Los Angeles Jazz Society Board meeting earlier that night but Bob mentioned that his show was at 10:00 p.m., giving me enough time to go home, make a fabulous dinner of microwave popcorn, and head out again.

What can I say about The Oyster House? It was like Cheers meets Gilligan's Island or something. Everyone there knew each other and I would have felt like an outsider were it not for the bartender from Spazio, who happened to be hanging out there on his night off since he's a Bob Sheppard fan himself. I'll save the good parts of the story for the book, but in a nutshell the set I caught was fantastic, Coltrane-esque music and I'll certainly be going back there (but probably not alone).

Tuesday, August 15: Joon Lee at Catalina Jazz Club

Although all I really wanted to do was collapse in bed, the next night I took a power nap then met my friends Christy Luna and Ted Kane at Catalina Jazz Club to hear Joon Lee, an up and coming jazz vocalist. The show was recommended by Tamir Hendelman, a friend of Joon Lee, frequent blog topic and one of my favorite musicians so I totally had to check it out.

Now, Tuesday nights in Los Angeles are not typically prime jazz evenings, and this show was part of the Young Artists Series so there were no ticket pre-sales or anything, just a $5 cover and 2 drink minimum. I expected to be one of about 20 patrons and then come home to pout about how poorly supported jazz is in LA. Imagine my surprise and delight to find that the place was PACKED. Seriously. Packed. Our waiter, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, said he got an emergency call from the manager telling him to haul it over there to help with the crowd.

As for Mr. Lee - he was a highly entertaining vocalist, which is a huge statement coming from me, the anti-vocalist. I especially enjoyed his interpretation of "Bye Bye Blackbird" and the short set he performed with a Brazilian guitarist whose name escapes me. Tamir, thanks for the heads up and I haven't forgotten that I still owe you five bucks.

That's all I can manage for now. I owe you all an update on Listeners' Series Vol. VI and will be sure to post it soon. Until then - thanks for supporting the music!!

Jazz is my Favorite Teacher: Listeners' Series Vol. V

2006-08-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Everytime I dig into jazz I learn something new - about music, musicians or even about my friends and myself. Listeners' Series Vol. V started out as one show, then morphed into two shows with the goal of comparing bandleaders, and ended up being two and a half shows so different they can't even really be compared. In typical jazz fashion, the end result was not what I expected, but wonderful nonetheless. Please indulge me while I share what jazz has taught me over the past couple of days...

(Note: I am having trouble posting photos here but you can find some on my website.)

Night the first: Tony Inzalaco Quintet at Charlie O's
On Monday, July 31, Tanya Finks, Jennifer Miele, David Reinhold and I converged upon Charlie O's in the temperate San Fernando Valley to hear the Tony Inzalaco Quintet. Tony is a great drummer and bandleader in the bebop style and I was excited to get a chance to hear him again and share his music with my friends.

Personnel
Tony Inzalaco – Drums, Bandleader
Theo Saunders – Piano
Chris Colangelo – Bass
Nolan Shaheed – Trumpet
Benn Clatworthy – Tenor Sax

Lessons Learned at Charlie O's

All of the players in the sextet are bandleaders in their own right - which suggests that they are very controlled players. No steamrolling or showboating - just great jazz.
Jennifer Miele is already running 9 miles in her training group for the AIDS marathon.
The tune "Quadruple Bypass" is structured to the chord changes of "I Got Rhythm". Those who joined the Jazz Tasting at the Tramp House would've gotten a kick out of that.
Tony chews Juicy Fruit or Big Red when he plays. Furiously. And it works for him.
When Tanya Finks laughs, the rest of the world wants to laugh too, regardless of why she's laughing.
If you sit at the piano bar at Charlie O's, it's really loud. Sitting at the "regular" bar is a better way to go.
Dave Ameele is a funny guy. A local drummer who went to check out Tony's band, he remarked, "This is the kind of music that makes you think these guys are gonna pack up their gear in a station wagon after the show and drive to Cleveland." Note to non-jazz fans out there - that's high praise.
Tony Inzalaco's drumming is quintessential bebop - driving, punctuating, harmonic, amazing.
As much as I love to hear fresh interpretations of standard jazz tunes, I am shifting toward enjoying original music tremendously - Tony wrote all of the songs they played at the show and they were fantastic!

Night the second, Part I: Tamir Hendelman Trio
The next night, Tuesday, August 1, David Reinhold, Jenny Stentz and I found ourselves at Hollywood and Highland. My intention was to compare Tony Inzalaco's quintet with the Jeff Hamilton Trio, since they are both led by drummers, but a last minute subsitution meant that we were going to hear the Tamir Hendelman Trio instead (piano-led). I've joked in the past about taking bribes to feature artists but as I work on this series it becomes obvious that the musicians maybe don't want to pay to have us show up at a gig, snap photos, and give our unadulterated opinion on their performance. So - I gave Tamir $5 to let us feature him again.

Personnel
Tamir Hendelman – Piano, Bandleader
Christoph Luty – Bass
Dean Koba - Drums

Lessons Learned at Hollywood & Highland

Depending upon how far away from the stage you are, you cannot hear yourself think, much less hear the band. So if you go to Hollywood and Highland, try not to think.
I don't think I've ever seen Tamir without a tie until now.
David Reinhold and Jenny Stentz are two of the most politically and culturally informed young people I've ever met - I feel smart listening to them talk.
Dean Koba is a delicate yet authoritative drummer who could quite possibly be the happiest person on the face of the earth. He never stopped smiling once all night. And not in a scary way.
Either I'm following Dave Ameele around or he's following me, because this evening made 2 nights in a row that our paths crossed.
Christoph Luty's arco bass style is incredible - strong and precise yet warm and inviting.
My arch nemesis (insert scary minor chord here) will always be at these Hollywood and Highland shows.
Men wearing Bermuda shorts, socks and sandals gravitate toward me.
Tamir did an outstanding job leading the trio and keeping the crowd engaged. Oh, and he played his heart out on the piano - high energy with appropriate sensitivity. Great stuff.

Night the second, Part II: John Pisano's Guitar Night

9:00 p.m. rolled around and after snapping a couple of photos with the band and catching up, I was still not feeling like my jazz jones had been satisfied. Dave Ameele mentioned that he was heading out to Spazio for Guitar Night, and since my energy gas tank still had a couple of gallons left, I hopped in the car and drove over there. I was able to hear a few tunes at Guitar Night plus catch up for a few with Dave and Bill Selditz, the LA Jazz Society Treasurer.

Personnel
Doug MacDonald – Guitar
John Pisano – Guitar, Bandleader
Harvey Newmark – Bass
Jack LeCompte – Drums

Lessons Learned at Guitar Night

Jack LeCompte was introduced to me as "the only drummer in LA you haven't met yet." Now that I've met them all, I suppose I should start meeting all of the pianists.
Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz is yummy - nice oak (but not too much).
I totally love jazz guitar. Had no idea.
Flip Manne met her husband Shelly when she was a 19-year-old dancer. Just thinking about that makes me smile until my face hurts.
When 11:30 p.m. rolls around on a weeknight, I get massively tired and have to go home.

So there you have it - the most recent jazz series and the resulting life lessons. Thanks for letting me share with you, and please join me on a future foray!

August Shows: So Much Jazz, So Little Time

2006-07-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

August is one of those months that I'd tend to hate because there aren't any bank holidays, but I can't hate it because I was born in it. And in addition to my birthday (which incidentally I share with John Clayton) there are about a billion great shows happening in Los Angeles. I'll pick and choose among these shows, but if you find something you'd like to check out and you don't mind company, let me know! Apologies in advance for any errors or omissions...

Tuesday, August 1, 2006: Jeff Hamilton Trio at Hollywood and Highland, Hollywood. Although Jeff and Tamir are convinced I'm stalking them, I think the jury is still out for Christoph, so it's probably still safe for me to go out and support my favorite local trio.

Wednesday, August 2, 2006: Cross Hart with Zane Musa, Charlie O's, Valley Glen. I haven't checked them out yet but they're on my short list.

Wednesday, August 2, 2006: Shelly Berg Trio, Catalina's, Hollywood. Still meaning to go out and hear Shelly again after a mesmerizing performance earlier this year.

Thursday, August 3, 2006: Chuck Berghofer & The Midnight Jazz Band, Charlie O's, Valley Glen. One of my favorite acts to see. If I'm still standing after 2+ nights of jazz I'll be there.

Sunday, August 6, 2006: Barbara Morrison and the Arthur Blythe Ensemble at Catalina Bar & Grill, Hollywood. This is a fundraising event for the LA Jazz Society's Thurman Green Scholarship and a great chance to hear a jazz legend and hang out with the Jazz Society!

Sunday, August 6, 2006: Harold Mabern Trio at the UCLA Jazz Salon Series, Westwood. Harold Mabern is a legendary pianist playing with Los Angeles legends John Clayton and Roy McCurdy. Love the concept of talking with the experts about jazz...

Wednesday, August 9, 2006: Chuck Berghofer & The Midnight Jazz Band at Spazio, Studio City. Two performances in the same month (8/3 at Charlie O's)? Luck be a lady.

Friday, August 11, 2006: Bill Cunliffe Trio at Spazio, Studio City. Bill's a superb pianist and engaging performer with a bio as long as my arm. I'll see if I can get my sister Kesha to come out for this one!

Saturday, August 12, 2006: Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band at La Ve Lee Jazz Club, Studio City. Poncho is trying out some new tunes that will be on an upcoming album - hard to sit still!

Thursday, August 17, 2006: Kristin Korb Trio at Crowne Plaza LAX, Los Angeles. This singer / bassist sings and swings - let's get out there and support the young women in jazz!

Saturday, August 19, 2006: ***SAVE THE DATE!!*** Show to be confirmed, but would love to get a group to come out to help me celebrate my birthday! I'll bribe you with cupcakes and champagne...

Thursday, August 24, 2006: Roy McCurdy Trio at Spazio, Studio City. I've heard Roy's trio many times now and enjoy the bop feel. Larry Fuller is scheduled to be on piano. I'll believe it when I see it.

Thursday, August 24, 2006: Med Flory at Charlie O's, Valley Glen. Med Flory was the focus of my very first Listeners' Series and it would be great fun to hear him again!

Thursday-Sunday, August 24-27, 2006: ELDAR Trio at Catalina Jazz Club, Hollywood. I've only heard him on the radio and www.pandora.com, but was completley mesmerized by this 19- or 20-year old prodigy. Will definitely have to catch one of the shows.

Sunday, August 27, 2006: John Daversa Group at The Baked Potato, Studio City. I heard John on trumpet at Joe LaBarbera's show in July (see my "Thanks for Dinner, Joe LaBarbera" post) and made a mental note to check him out again. Cool red trumpet too.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006: Jeff Hamilton, Atsuko Hashimoto and Houston Person: "International Power Trio" at Crowne Plaza LAX, Los Angeles. When was the last time you heard a trio led by a drummer featuring a tenor sax player and a Hammond B3 organist? I suspect there won't be many future opportunities so be sure not to miss it!

Thanks for Dinner, Joe LaBarbera!

2006-07-27T23:30:00.000-07:00

JAZZ AS THERAPY
I've been exhausted lately. It's been a busy week, but that's not it. It's just HOT. Hot hotty hot. Between global warming and Armageddon I'm thinking I've got about 9 more days before Earth melts. PLUS it's been longer than I can recall since I've heard live jazz in a small venue. So needless to say I have been super cranky.

Enter Brian Farrah, good friend and calming influence who suggested we go catch a jazz show tonight. I checked out good old www.lajazz.com and lo, and behold, Joe LaBarbera's Quintet was playing at Charlie O's. BINGO. I love hearing Joe play and Charlie O's is about as uptight as my living room, so my pessimism got dialed down a notch. Still feeling somewhat cranky, I threw on some jeans, flip flops and a tank top, skipped the makeup, and headed out, whining on the drive up the 101 about how I looked like death warmed over.

Brian and I arrived early at Charlie O's, and not wanting to sit at the bar drumming my fingers while the band set up, Brian and I sat in the car (aka convection oven) and chatted for a bit. We were making casual small talk when all of a sudden, in my rear view mirror, I caught a glimpse of a man walking in the back door of Charlie O's. Although I only got a quick look, the guy looked uncannily like Larry Fuller, a jazz pianist who has eluded me many times now. EUREKA. I couldn't believe it. I could finally finish that chapter of my book entitled: "Dear Larry Fuller: Please Lift the Restraining Order."

BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME
Alas. T'was not meant to be. When we finally went inside, it turned out to have been a doppelganger, sent to Charlie O's specifically to taunt me. However, the fates were still on my side because Bill Cunliffe was the featured pianist that night, and I happen to love hearing him play as well. Rounding out the quintet were Tom Warrington on bass, John Daversa on trumpet, and a player whose name sounded uncannily like "Ocean Jewel" on tenor and soprano saxophone. If anyone stumbles across this and knows who that reed guy really is, please let me know - he was quite good and I'd love to find out more.

Sitting in my usual seat sipping my usual cocktail, my crankiness started to subside as the band began their set with On Green Dolphin Street. They moved into Sixth Sense, a LaBarbera original composition with an intricate rhythmic structure that didn't isolate us non-musicians in the audience. It was a great piece of music and I was sad when it ended. After that was Evidence, a Thelonious Monk tune. I'll stop listing the set here because I had an epiphany during this number: Joe LaBarbera's quintet is EDGY. By that I mean in my brain, when I "see" the music being played, instead of being all curvy and smooth it's got corners and angles instead. And no, I didn't have mushrooms in my dinner. It's just kind of how I hear jazz. I realized during Evidence that this quintet definitely is multi-dimensional. All of these solid, very talented musicians created a musical texture that made us want to get wrapped up in it, but the edges kept us from getting too comfortable and zoning out.

PEOPLE ARE STRANGE (PRESENT COMPANY INCLUDED)
I have no idea if that made any sense or not, so it's a great place to interject that there was an "interesting" (crazy?) patron at the club who made me laugh. And I felt bad for laughing because maybe there was something, you know, wrong with him. I'll call him Buster. Here's was his deal:

Buster walked into the club in the middle of a song and started talking super loudly to the bartender, Matt. Matt would answer him courteously, but quietly and briefly and he still didn't get it.
As John Daversa soloed at one point, Buster gave a loud and lengthy commentary to no one in particular about "how that young cat on the trumpet is OK, but he's no Carl Sanders." Um, it's Colonel Sanders, my friend. Carl Saunders is a trumpet player.
Buster ordered a daiquiri. A strawberry daiquiri, as Brian pointed out. Said order forced Matt the bartender to fire up the blender during Soul Eyes (which, as you might assume, is a sweet ballad not well-accented by the whirring of kitchen appliances).

THANKS FOR DINNER, JOE LABARBERA!

Despite Buster's comic relief, after hearing a set and a half I realized that I had been STARVING for live jazz and I felt as if I had a wonderful meal. It wasn't like dining at Bastide, with trendy patrons and fancy, rich fare, but rather like Bistro K, with no frills in the dining room but a menu filled with beautifully prepared cuisine with something on the menu for every taste. Exhausted, I had to call it a night, but not after getting to hear one of Bill Cunliffe's original pieces, Sweet Andy, a tribute to the late, great Andy Simpkins. Sigh.

I'm volunteering at the Central Avenue Jazz Festival this weekend so I'm sure I'll have something to say about the ladies in jazz featured there. As always, don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to come along on one of these jazz journeys! Never a dull moment....

Links to last night's music....
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Joe_LaBarbera.html
www.billcunliffe.com
www.tomwarrington.com
www.johndaversa.com
www.charlieos.com

Ladies' Night: An Unofficial Listeners' Series Event

2006-07-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

L-R: Kim Howell, Pam Howell, Flip Manne & Takayo Fischer

One of the things I love so much about championing the Los Angeles jazz scene is that at this point I'm making up my own rules as I go along. While initially I thought I'd reserve this blog for my listeners' series, I had a fun experience that merited sharing in the annals of cyberspace. Tonight I went to the Hollywood Bowl with Kim Howell, Flip Manne and Takayo Fischer. We heard John Pizzarelli, an excellent guitarist and bandleader hosting a couple of sets featuring The Great American Songbook.

Kim Howell is my sister / fellow Tramp (read: the lady is a ___) / partner in crime. Because she lives in Thousand Oaks, she has often expressed her disdain over not being able to join a weeknight series. However, Bowl logistics are actually pretty easy for her so she was able to play on a school night. Ergo, the primary reason that this is being posted is so that she will finally have an official place in my jazz rants.

I met Flip Manne several months ago at a jazz club. Flip is the wife of the late big band drummer, bandleader and pioneer Shelly Manne, and when I was introduced to her by one of today's greats, Jeff Hamilton, I was starstruck. Starstricken. Whatever. See, I'm flustered again already. Anyway, she admittedly "picked me up" at the club and we've been friends and jazz cohorts ever since. As President of the Los Angeles Jazz Society you'll find her in local clubs championing the perpetuation of jazz so keep an eye out. She'll probably try to "pick you up" as well, considering she showed up in the seats tonight with the phone number of a woman from her Park & Ride bus.

Takayo Fischer is an actress and friend of Flip's; they met in a dance class years ago and have been friends ever since. Takayo regaled us with tales of parties they had when they first met while plying us with the most deliciously decadent cheese you can imagine (she made a stop at the Beverly Hills Cheese Shop on her way over). Incidentally, the cheese paired fabulously with the Cabernet Franc that Kim brought and Flip's home grown tomatoes. In a nutshell, all three of these ladies have so much spark, intelligence and verve that I can't wait until the next time we hang out.

The show itself was quite good. On the heels of a new album (released just this past Tuesday), John Pizzarelli was an engaging host of two sets of music featuring four jazz vocalists: Annie Ross, Bill Henderson, Tierney Sutton and Kurt Elling. Sidebar: Those who know me know that my personal jazz taste tends toward instrumentals, so if I don't sound enthusiastic about the vocalists it's only because I typically focus more on the instruments.

Anyhoo, Annie Ross (of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, if you remember the vocalese group from a few decades back) was a treat to see and hear. Coincidentally, Flip told me that she was the honored vocalist at the LA Jazz Society Tribute Concert a few years back, and Tierney Sutton, who also performed, is among this year's honorees. Bill Henderson still has his chops and showed off on a couple of tunes made famous by Old Blue Eyes, and Kurt Elling sang / scatted a bossa nova version of Nature Boy that was, simply put, hot. The band got to show off a little during that piece and I loved it.

Speaking of the band, Pizzarelli's album is backed by the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra so it was no surprise that tonight's big band was comprised of many of those bandmembers, including Bijon Watson on trumpet, George Bohannon on trombone, and Keith Fiddmont & Gary Foster on reeds. Larry Fuller was a surprise on the piano, simply because every time I plan to hear him perform locally someone else is subbing for him. HUMPH. Makes stalking extremely difficult. The next time I see him I'll have to give him a piece of my mind. Which is sad, because a) frankly I don't have much to spare and b) he doesn't actually know me anyway.

In summary, the evening was great and while I haven't been that into the jazz lineups at the Bowl for a couple of years now, hearing Pizzarelli was a highlight. In addition to being a great guitarist and bandleader, he's engaging and can sing too. Check him out next chance you get, and be sure to get in touch with me if you want a buddy for live jazz!

What's Scarier Than A Look Inside Pam's Brain?: Listeners' Series, Vol. IV

2006-07-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been spending a good deal of mental energy listening to, writing about or remembering jazz. If I had to guess, I would say probably at least half a percent of my brain power on a given day in the past couple of years has been dedicated in some way to jazz. It's said that we human beings only use something like 3% of our brains, so a little number crunching means that my jazz compulsion leaves roughly 83% of my available brain function to do other things. It sounds like a lot until I consider that I need to use this 83% to feed and clothe myself, produce work so that I can earn money to buy fancy shoes, plus ruminate on the state of the world, why Dave Chappelle flipped out, and if Suri Tomcat really does exist. Among other things.

Then it hit me - I could free up some of my limited brain space by SHARING the jazz stuff that swirls around in there with others. This thought led to the evolution of my Listeners' Series IV: Jazz Tasting at the Tramp House. On Tuesday, July 11, 2006 a bevy of friends converged upon my living room in Glendale for some wine, tapas and jazz discussion. I emptied out about half of the 0.5% that was taking up valuable brain space and now can use the newly vacated area for some other useful endeavor, like figuring out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop and multiplying percentages of percentages for this summary.

Enough of that. Seven folks were coming over for the Listeners' Series, and I was a bit nervous because I had no idea what to expect. Would these folks actually like the music I had on hand? Would they be bored and change the subject to Lindsay Lohan? Would they point and snicker because I had a 'bat in the cave'? Pushing these questions aside, I prepared some materials ahead of time (just post a comment if you'd like me to send you a copy), opened a couple of bottles of wine (snoozers) and tried to figure out how to keep the prosciutto attached to the melon since I forgot to buy toothpicks (glue is not a good choice).

The evening was a great success. The participants were all interested, engaged and additive. We talked about what jazz is, how jazz songs are structured, what to listen for, and how to approach listening to jazz at home or out in da club. Check out the Series Review page on my website for photos - www.pamelahowell.com to put faces with the following names:

Pam Howell - Ringleader and evening DJ, spinning Miles, Trane, Ella, The Duke and even a little Erykah Badu.

David Reinhold - Former trombone player and sophisticated listener sporting a jazzy five o'clock shadow.

Allan Spring - Crossword expert (I think he cheats though) who now plans to teach his cats how to play the jazz spoons.

Cassy Nehring (+ baby to be) - Classical / rock pianist who may even introduce the group to Ethiopian jazz. I bet she means it too, since we learned to belly dance at her last baby shower...

Cam Frierson - Television producer and brainiac who drew analogies between jazz, Justin Timberlake and the Japanese flag. They made sense too. Really.

Holly Tempo - Artist and educator with some interesting observations on how the metamorphosis of a jazz tune resembles the creation of an art piece. We all impressed ourselves by how smart we sounded.

Susan and Art Young - These two folks have more music crammed into their 3% usuable brains than the cities of Tupelo, Mississippi and Paris, Texas combined. Art even suggested we play some free jazz (leading to Cam's analogy...) AND they have a dog named Ella. Zowie.

So that's a quick and dirty summary. The concensus when the motley crew broke up for the night is that we should definitely do it again. Next time, I'll be sure to provide more interesting wine and proscuitto/melon thingies that hold together better...

Of All My Vices, Jazz Is My Favorite: Listeners' Series, Vol. III

2006-06-27T23:30:00.000-07:00

I have no idea really who all is reading this (if anyone), and it seems kind of foolish to air my dirty laundry on the Internet (especially since both of my parents have made remarks implying that they have peeked at this site). Nonetheless, confession is good for the soul, and although unconditional love is usually the purview of parents alone, I’m laying it all out there.

So here it is. I have a few vices. And I’ve been fortunate thus far, because my tendency to overindulge in my vices tends to be offset by the practicalities of life. For example, my affinity for single malt Scotch is mitigated by an unwillingness to suffer from a post-Scotch headache. Fancy shoes? Wear them too long and blisters and a backache ensue. Pride prevents me from admitting to my Brady Bunch rerun fixation, and common financial sense means that as much as I would love to gamble all the time, I must partake in moderation.

Jazz gorging, however, has had no downside so far. It’s not hard to find free or inexpensive shows, no one seems to be pushing the hooch at jazz clubs, and it feeds my soul like nothing else. So when I saw an opportunity to nurture at least one other vice while enjoying fine jazz, I couldn’t resist.

The third installment of my Jazz Listeners’ Series took place on Tuesday night, June 25 at Hollywood Park Casino. Gambling, Scotch AND jazz?!?!? What more could a girl ask for? The Tamir Hendelman Trio was the featured act, and as I am a huge fan it was a no-brainer.

Three seems to be the magic number for these series, so I was joined by the ever-stalwart Emily Hands and Christy Luna, jazz fan extraordinaire with energy that would put a two-year-old to shame. I put on my new very favorite strappy sandals and decided to go early to get my gamble on. Emily hadn’t gambled in ages so was willing to join me to try our luck at ye olde games of chance. As I had never been to Hollywood Park Casino, I wasn’t sure what to expect; however, my experiences with Las Vegas casinos have been many and varied so I thought I’d be fine.

Imagine my surprise when we walked in the door. It was not crowded at all. AT ALL. I sniffed, expecting to smell the unmistakable aroma of generic cigarette smoke. All I smelled was desperation. I looked at Emily. She looked at me. We walked toward the gambling area and noticed that approximately 10% of the tables were actually in use. Now, those 4 tables were crowded – but the rest of the casino floor was a vast wasteland.

**SIDEBAR**
Why Hollywood Park Casino sucks compared to Vegas
** There were no scantily clad cocktail waitresses hawking “free” drinks
** The tourists in Hawaiian shirts were missing
** None of the locals were carting around oxygen tanks since there was no smoking permitted
** The bottles of booze at the bar had fancy measurers guaranteeing that not a drop more than one ounce made it in each mixed drink.

Why Vegas sucks compared to Hollywood Park Casino
** Hollywood Park Casino had a Pink’s hot dog cart. Pink’s. For real.
** I don’t think I spent $20 and I got to hear a live jazz show, stuffed my face, had two drinks and parked at the valet. And I wasn’t a high roller.
** Although it was 100 degrees outside when we arrived, when we left it was a breezy 70 degrees.
** While the smell of cigarette smoke does lend a certain je ne sais quoi to casino ambience, the lack of it meant that I didn’t have to take 4 showers when I got home.

But I digress. I’m all over the place here. Let me give you a recap of the show itself. Tamir Hendelman is the pianist for the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra as well as for the Jeff Hamilton Trio, and between those huge commitments manages to find time to do session work and lead his own trio. This was my second time hearing his trio perform and as before they did not disappoint. Backed by Carlitos del Puerto on bass and Dean Koba on drums, the trio made the crowd happy with a mix of standards and original tunes.

Emily, Christy and I settled into our seats in the lounge, amid dimmed TV screens since there was no satellite racing. It was really weird. James Janisse, former DJ from KKJZ, was the MC and it was nice to hear his voice again (even though he kept referring to Tamir and crew as “cats,” which is kind of cool the first couple of times but after awhile I started singing “Memories” in my head). The place was full with a good proportion of jazz fans despite the whooping of the occasional jackpot winner in the background.

The first set consisted of 7 tunes, including originals “Babushka” (precious), “Israeli Waltz” (gorgeous) and “Bennissimo” (groovalicious). The standard “The More I See You” had a super cool bass intro with what I could swear were some strains of “Nature Boy” before launching into an up-tempo swingfest, and Tamir’s melancholy take on “Singin’ in the Rain” was just sweet enough not to make me cry.

At the set break I thought it would be great to get the series’ participants’ takes on the show so far. I told them that for posterity I’d like to get their impressions.

Pam (to Christy): “What did you think of that first set?”
Christy: “It rawks. R-A-W-K-S.”
Pam: “Great.”
Christy: “And swings.”
Pam: “Cool.” (turns to Emily) “Emily, what do you think?”
Emily: (looking a bit put on the spot) “Oh s%^&!”

So we ordered a round of drinks and spent a whopping $8.75 (total), snapped a photo with Mr. Hendelman himself and got ready for the second set. When I asked him what he had in store, he responded “I have no idea.” I love jazz. Seriously.

Now, those who know my jazz proclivities know that I do play favorites, especially when it comes to the classics. Favorite old-school vocalist: Ella Fitzgerald. Favorite old-school composers: George & Ira Gershwin. Favorite old-school big band leader: Duke Ellington. Imagine my glee when the second set began with an Ellington medley! Yee haw. We were treated to the ever-fabulous “Caravan” (worrrrrrrrrrldly), “In A Sentimental Mood” (swoooooony) and “Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear From Me” (bluuuuuuuuuesy). And there was an encore. Are you sitting down? "Someone To Watch Over Me" (dreeeeeeeeeemy). Sigh.

The balance of the second set also included some high-energy bebop, an original ballad, and some Thelonious Monk, and even though there was a pretty raucous crowd enjoying themselves in the lounge, the rest of the audience seemed really into it. One of the things I appreciate about Tamir as a bandleader is that the sidemen were featured frequently. Dean and Carlitos did a fabulous job not only as “backup musicians” but as significant soloists and contributors in their own right. As for Tamir, watching him play the piano with the passion and enthusiasm that he conveys makes me want to take up lessons again. (All of you piano teachers who just died a little at the thought, don’t worry – I won’t actually do it.)

Bottom line – the show was fabulous, and in addition to being great performers the band had another thing in common: they all looked like there was no place they would rather have been that night. Regardless of whether or not that was true, the crowd certainly appreciated it. And even though I didn’t get my gamble on, I will make a point to check out the venue – and the trio – again!

Improvisation Redux: Listeners' Series, Vol. II

2006-06-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

As I get invested in this listeners’ series concept, the theme of improvisation in jazz resounds more and more. The second Jazz Listeners’ Series was held on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 and the best laid plans again eluded me – and once again, the result was definitely more interesting, thought-provoking and perhaps even more entertaining than my original plan.

This summer, Hollywood and Highland is hosting a Tuesday night wine and jazz series. It’s a large open-air courtyard in a shopping and theater complex, and one would think it wouldn’t be conducive to jazz. Because I was considering it for a series event, I thought I’d check it out ahead of time, so a week prior Josette Jaramillo graciously agreed to join me for an evening of jazz and socializing.

We started our due diligence event with a gourmet food court dinner, then made our way down to the courtyard for wine and music. Joey DeFrancesco was the featured performer, and if you’ve never heard jazz played on a Hammond B-3 organ you MUST do it. Seriously. It was really a lot of fun. We did observe that the Joey D. crowd is definitely different from the traditional jazz club crowd – he has a cult following including a guy who drove from the South Bay in rush hour traffic just to hear him, as well as a couple who danced all night (mostly out of synch, but it didn’t matter because they were having so much fun). My arch nemesis, who shall remain nameless, was also there that evening, flitting from table to table entertaining her people. It’s fun to have a nemesis. It really is. (Insert scary minor chord here.)

After the show, Josette and I were feeling pretty jazzed and decided to hit another performance. We drove to the valley and got to Charlie O’s in time to catch Tony Inzalaco’s quintet. I’ve mentioned the show briefly on the “Recent Shows” page but I definitely plan to catch these cats again. It was so much fun to hear original music in the straight-ahead genre with musicians who were clearly enjoying playing the tunes. Between sets, Tony was kind enough to pose for a photo.

L-R: Pam Howell, Tony Inzalaco and Josette Jaramillo at Charlie O’s

Ah, but I digress. I’m actually here to talk about the series, and the second series event was fantastic. In typical LA fashion, we had a bevy of last-minute cancellations that made wait-listing moot, so our series was a party of three: Emily Hands, Matthew Horner and myself. Emily is a dear friend and co-worker whose love of art, music and life in general make her a joy to be around. Colonel Matthew Horner, another dear friend visiting from New York for a few days, makes his living representing opera professionals and was delighted to be a part of the listeners’ series.

L-R: Matthew Horner, Pam Howell and Emily Hands at Hollywood and Highland

I was very excited about hearing Chuck Berghofer and the Midnight Jazz Band, and knew that we’d be in for a real treat. We got to Hollywood and Highland in enough time to enjoy a glass of wine before the show began, and as we watched the band set up I immediately noticed that something was awry. Once again, the old bait and switch: while the bandleader was still Chuck Berghofer, and the pianist was still Tom Ranier, Gary Foster was not there with his saxophone, and Joe LaBarbera was not on drums. Instead, Pete Christlieb played tenor sax, and Kendall Kay was on drums. It’s becoming clearer and clearer to me that LA jazz listeners must be prepared for improvised sets.

Our party made our way down to the courtyard to sample wine and cheese and I caught another glimpse of my arch-nemesis (insert scary minor chord here). Again, she was making the rounds and everyone seemed to be oblivious to the palpable discord between the two of us (including her, as she is unaware that we are enemies). I pointed her out to Emily and Matthew, who very diplomatically acknowledged her pure evil but encouraged me to get over it, then we settled in to enjoy the show.

One of the things I like about the Midnight Jazz Band is that because the bandleader is a bassist, the tunes tend to be rhythmically driven – and when you add that to melody players who are solid musicians, the music has this tight, clean (but not sterile) sound that makes it easy to tap your fingers without losing track of what’s going on. I would apologize to any musicians who may have read this far for being pedestrian, but this is a listeners’ series, not a players’ series. However, if you have any clues or suggestions as to how we might better interpret the music, please do share them. Unless you are my arch-nemesis (insert scary minor chord here), in which case we must talk through third-party mediators only.

It was great to enjoy the show with Emily and Matthew, who are both knowledgeable musicians in different genres. We chatted easily between songs but when the music started up we were all entranced. The setting at Hollywood & Highland doesn’t have the feel of an intimate, cozy jazz club yet their warmth and love of music transformed us to a different place. One observation that Emily made was that there seemed to be quite a few young people there who were “into” the music – and that observation gave me hope for the future of jazz.

Between sets, I had the opportunity to speak with Chuck about the change in personnel for the show. We shared the observation that replacing Gary Foster with Pete Christlieb and Joe LaBarbera with Kendall Kay gave the band a different sound – it was softer and smoother. It’s not better or worse, necessarily, just different. And it will continue to amaze me that jazz musicians can stand in for one another on short notice and it sounds like they’ve been practicing together for years. It blows me away. I was able to grab Chuck and Tom Ranier for a photo for posterity before the second set began, and I must have telepathically informed them of my love of the tune “Cottontail” because they played it just for me. Aw, c’mon, a girl can dream, can’t she?

L-R: Pam Howell, Tom Ranier and Chuck Berghofer at Hollywood and Highland

A Lesson in Improvisation: Listeners' Series, Vol. I

2006-05-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

As a Leo there are moments when I get a teeny tiny bit out of sorts if I am not in COMPLETE control of things. I like to have a plan. And I like it when things go according to MY plan. It’s a wonder that I have any friends at all; moreover, since jazz is based on improvisation, the fact that I love jazz is an irony that is not lost on me.

Tuesday night, May 30, 2006 marked my first bi-weekly Jazz Listeners’ Series. The original plan was for our party of four to meet at Mandaloun, a new jazz club in my neighborhood, to hear the Joe LaBarbera quintet. I scoped out the place about ten days prior to hear Monty Alexander’s trio. It was a fabulous show, and a beautiful venue, and I left that evening more excited than ever to kick off the listeners’ series at my new very favorite jazz club.

A few days before the series show I called Mandaloun to make our reservation. As I dialed the number, I was giddy with anticipation. I knew which table to request. I knew what I was going to order for dinner. I knew that this show was going to set a standard for future series. I could envision throngs of people clogging the streets, clamoring to come out and hear even a few bars of some great jazz. Lost in my reverie I almost didn’t notice the hostess shouting “Hello?? Hello??!?” in my ear. Oopsie. “Oh yes,” said I, in my most high-falutin’ voice ever, “I’d like to make a reservation for the Joe LaBarbera quintet show on May 30.” With no regard whatsoever for the jazz dynasty that I had created in my head 30 seconds ago, she unceremoniously said, “We’re not doing jazz anymore.” Click. That was it. I was so stunned I didn’t even bother to call back and ask why. In hindsight I’m glad I didn’t, because my fear is that the answer was lack of audience, and that thought breaks my crusty old rock-hard heart.

At that point, however, I was in a quandary. I had to dazzle and impress my friends with an authentic straight-ahead jazz experience and I had no Plan B. My control freak Leo alter ego threatened to rear her ugly head, but the spirit of jazz got hold of me. I had to improvise. So I thought – if I had no calendar and no phone and no idea what bands were playing, where would I go for jazz on a whim? The answer came to me in an instant: Charlie O’s.

Charlie O’s is a dive jazz club in Van Nuys. It has no frills, no bells, no whistles, no cover charge – but the audience is often populated by jazz musicians and the place feels more like a jam session than a jazz concert. It occasionally boasts big name jazz acts but a typical night at Charlie O’s is at its worst decent music in an intimate setting.

Enter Inga Czech and Kimiko Miyazawa, the charter participants in the jazz series (our fourth participant and the waitlisted folks were unable to join). Knowing these ladies, I was certain we’d have a good time regardless of who we heard or where we heard them. In fact, improvisation is what brought us all together to begin with. I met Kimiko a couple of years ago at a jazz club – fancy that. I was with a group of about six people and Kimiko had come alone. She saw what a good time we were having and on a lark asked my sister Kim if she could join us. Years later we’re still hanging out at jazz clubs together. As for Inga, we met in the mall one New Year’s Eve. She was with her friend Marla, whom I’d met a couple of weeks prior on a cruise but due to our good friends Bombay Sapphire and Mr. Belvedere it took us about 20 minutes to figure out how we knew each other. Inga’s foot was broken and she was having a tough time finding fancy shoes for a party. I offered to lend her a pair of bejeweled flip flops and we’ve been friends ever since.

L-R: ¾ of Pam Howell, Kimiko Miyazawa and Inga Czech at Charlie O’s

The calendar for Tuesday night at Charlie O’s featured the Med Flory Quartet, which allegedly consisted of Med Flory on sax, Tom Ranier on piano, Dave Carpenter on bass, and Frank Capp on drums. I say “allegedly” because in line with the theme of this missive, the real lineup was improvised. Now, I’ve seen all of the musicians listed on the calendar out at gigs and would recognize them on sight. Needless to say, I was a little confused when the musicians took the stage, because what I expected based on the calendar was not happening. But let me stop talking about it. Let me SHOW you…

Clearly, not only is the music itself all about improvisation, but on occasion the components of a band can be improvised. Arguably you have to be in the mood for it, but the lack of structure that night was a lot of fun, especially since the choice of venue was improvised anyway. There appeared to be no set list, so Med Flory would ask the audience for requests, then turn them all down and come up with a tune he wanted to play. He had a banter going on with Marty Harris on piano that had us in stitches all night. And at nearly 80 years old with a zillion TV and movie credits under his belt, it’s no surprise he could entertain us whether he was playing the sax or not.

The gig started with the four-piece band playing jazz standards that were of the “tip of your tongue” variety. Carl Saunders arrived a couple of songs into the first set. Rather than being called to join the band onstage, Carl walked in the back door while the band was playing a tune, his gig bag on his shoulder, and marched up to the bar. He ordered a drink and unpacked his trumpet while the band was playing. Once he got his cranberry juice, he walked up to the bandstand and played a solo, right in that same song, as if the most natural thing in the world is to walk into a jazz club and start playing with the band, unannounced.

Kimiko, Inga and I sat at the bar, situated halfway into the audience. The place was about half full, and the people seemed for the most part to be there to hear the music and not to socialize. It’s less library-like than some shows I’ve seen, but made me ponder the concept of “jazz atmosphere.” I’m still trying to reconcile it. We felt free to applaud and cheer after solos and visibly enjoyed the music, but we got the occasional dirty look from other patrons when we were “too enthusiastic.” Lately I’ve felt restrained at shows – like I don’t want to make any noise at all. But being with Inga and Kimiko, who were enjoying the music with an abandon that the musicians obviously appreciated and fed off of – I realized that such enthusiasm will help perpetuate the local jazz culture. I’m finished sitting on my hands – thanks, ladies!

We had a lovely night, stayed for two sets and managed to be on the road before 11:00 p.m. – not bad for a school night. Before we headed out, Med Flory and Roy McCurdy obliged us with a photo taken by Matt, the bartender. Med obviously enjoyed posing with the ladies and instead of saying “cheese” proclaimed, “I’m with the good stuff!” Gotta love that.

L-R: Pam Howell, Med Flory, Inga Czech, Kimiko Miyazawa and Roy McCurdy