PIcks of the Week: Nov. 9 – 15

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

- Nov. 9. (Mon.)  Judy Wexler. Wexler’s briskly swinging vocal style finds a perfect match with the trio of organist Joe Bagg, guitarist Bruce Forman and drummer Devin Kelly.  Charlie O’s.   (818) 989-3110.

Steve Gadd & Friends

- Nov. 10. (Tues.)  Reginald Robinson.  The MacArthur Genius award winning pianist  performs solo ragtime pieces to accompany silent film clips of animation by cartoon pioneers Walter Lantz, Otto Messmer and Earl Hurd. The Hammer Museum.

- Nov. 10 – 12. (Tues. – Thurs.)  Steve Gadd and Friends. After bringing the authentic flavor of jazz to a long list of pop artists, drummer Gadd does his own thing. With Joey DeFrancesco, Ronnie Cuber and Paul Bollenback.   Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210.  (Also at Yoshi’s SanFran Nov. 13 – 15.  See Below)

- Nov. 11. (Wed.)  The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.  Nicholas McGegan conducts this superb period orchestra, six soloists and the Philharmonia Chorale in a rare evening devoted completely to the music of Henry Purcell.  Disney Hall.  (323) 850-2000.

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  McCoy Tyner.  Versatile, ever-intriguing Tyner has been one of the most powerful piano innovators of the past five decades.  He performs with his trio and alto saxophonist Gary Bartz.  The large improvisational ensemble, Build an Ark, opens the show.  UCLA Live at Royce Hall. (310) 825-4401.

Janis Mann

- Nov.12. (Thurs.)  Janis Mann.  Although she’s been compared to such iconic singers as Sarah Vaughan, Mann bring’s her own unique qualities to the classic jazz vocal style. Crown Plaza Brasserie Jazz Lounge. (310) 642-7500.  m

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  Pete Christlieb Tall and Small Band w. vocalist comedian Tony Russell.  Saxophonist for all seasons Christlieb leads a snappy 10-piece band with his wife, trombonist Linda Small-Christlieb.  This is the first event in which comedy is added to Vitellos’ Red Carpet Jazz Series.  More on the way.   Upstairs at Vitellos.  (818) 769-0905.

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  Denise Donatelli. A singer with the sound, the rhythm and the interpretive imagination to bring a song to life – that’s Donatelli.   Charlie O’s.  (818) 989-3110.

- Nov. 12 – 15. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Dawn Upshaw with the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.. Upshaw sings Luciano Berio’s fascinating cycle of folk songs and Dudamel conducts Schubert’s Symphony #8 (Unfinished).  Disney Hall.   (323) 850-2000.

- Nov. 13. (Fri.)  “Loud and Rich. “  Loudon Wainwright and Richard Thompson. A pair of veteran songwriters, each with a witty, sometimes sardonic, way with a phrase, make a rare duo appearance.  UCLA Live at Royce Hall.  (310) 825-4401.

Frank Marocco

- Nove. 13. (Fri.)  Dr. Bobby Rodriguez. ” Latin Dance Party”.  Trumpeter and educator Rodriguez knows all the connections between the steaming rhythms of Latin jazz and Latin dance.  The Culver Club in the Radisson Hotel Los Angeles Westside.  (310) 649-1776.

- Nov. 14. (Sat.)  Frank Marocco Quartet. Marocco keeps affirming the role of the accordion in jazz and beyond with his rich, inventive musical imagination.  He’s backed by Pat Senatore, bass, Robert Hardt, piano and Ramon Banda, drums.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.

San Francisco

- Nov. 9. (Mon.)   Ian Anderson plays acoustic Jethro Tull. Anarchic flutist Anderson revisits his past.   The Warfield.

- Nov. 11.  (Wed.)  Leon Russell.  A rare club appearance by the great songwriter, pianist and character. Yoshi’s  San Francisco.   (415) 655-5600.

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  Ray Davies performing the Kinks Choral Collection. Forty years after, Davies is still producing memorable music.  The Warfield.

- Nov. 13. – 15. (Fri. – Sun.)  Steve Gadd and Friends.  W.. Joey DeFrancesco, Ronnie Cuber and Paul Bollenback.  Yoshi’s  San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600.

New York

- Nov. 9 – 12. (Mon. – Thurs.  Gal Costa and Romero Lubambo.  An irresistible combination: Costa’s dark-toned, intimate lyricism and Lubambo’s remarkably intuitive guitar backing.  The Blue Note.   (212) 475-8592.

Jim Hall

- Nov. 10 – 14. (Tues. – Sat.)  Jim Hall Quartet.  Veteran guitarist Hall, always eager to test his wares in a contemporary setting, performs with Greg Osby, alto sax, Steve Laspina, bass and Joey Baron, drums. Birdland.   (212) 581-3080.

- Nov. 11. (Wed.)  Kat Edmonson.  A stand-out in the crowded field of young female jazz vocalists, Edmonson has an ear caressing sound and an easygoing sense of rhythmic swing.  The Jazz Standard.   (212) 447-7733.

- Nov. 13 & 14. (Fri. & Sat.)  The Mike Melvoin Trio.   The veteran pianist is backed by the world class rhythm team of bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Goodwin.  Mike promises that they “will play music for your blood, your heart and your spirit.”  Kitano.  (212) 885-7119.

 

Live Music: Laurence Juber at McCabe’s

By Devon Wendell

It was a night of guitar virtuosity and refreshing originality Friday, when six string acoustic guitar master Laurence Juber dazzled his fans with a solo set at Mcabe’s in Santa Monica.  Juber is best known for his stint as lead guitarist for Paul McCartney’s Wings and his dedication to his very unique finger picking guitar style.

He opened a far-reaching, eclectic set with an acoustic guitar piece entitled “Catch!,” which brought to mind the great country “folk” blues guitar masters Mississippi John Hurt and Mance Lipscomb.  Juber effortlessly combined rhythm, walking bass lines, and lead guitar parts with confidence and dexterity, tapping the fingerboard, and incorporating open string harmonics.  The pace and chord structuring of this composition also had fragments of jazz and ragtime reminiscent of Django Reinhardt’s finest playing.

Next was “Baby, I’m Amazed,” a nod to Juber’s comrade and former employer.  In it, he proved to be a one man band, simultaneously playing McCartney’s vocal parts, as well as the original tune’s orchestration with a unique sense of harmonic movement.  Juber’s love for McCartney and the Fab Four was also evident in a brilliant but poignant take on “Strawberry Fields Forever.“  The song had a powerful fusing of folk, classical, country and blues as Juber tapped the frets of the guitar with his right hand, thumping the low notes with his thumb, slowly bending a string and using a vocal-like vibrato and fast hammer- ons.

His next piece, “Cobalt Blulre,” conjured up the ghost of Skip James, with slick finger picking and a stark yet beautiful melody. “Wooden Horses” had a Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed country twang to it.  In the only down side, Juber’s seemingly endless imagination, though flawless in its technique, at times felt a little too automatic and rehearsed on this number and lacked the daringness and power of some of the other tunes.  But he was a great showman, playing with one hand, and aggressively banging away at the body of the guitar with the other to create odd counter-rhythms.

In one of the true highlights of the evening, “Stormy Weather” was done as a flamenco-tinged ballad, in which Juber managed to sound like three guitarists, all perfectly playing in sync with each other, with a metronome like rhythm alternating between razor sharp runs and high note arpeggios.  “Highway 1” had a sinister flamenco feel – Andres Segovia hitting a California Freeway with a vanful of blues masters — with Juber’s sense of fusion and dynamics leading the way.

The most unusual number of the evening, however, was a hilarious, folky version of the Beatles classic “I Saw Her Standing There.”   Juber captured the vocal harmonies perfectly with each carefully placed chord and nuance. And the tune’s blues aspects were never abandoned, even as Juber explored new musical realms through this fascinating blast from the past.  The equally playful tribute to the Sherman Brother’s Mary Poppins chestnut, “A Spoonful Of Sugar,” was flat out funny, with wonderfully odd musical choices and chord structuring.

Next up was the title track to Juber’s 1998 recording Mosaic, which felt a lot like Jimmy Page’s mystical acoustic explorations with Led Zeppelin, with bluesy runs and fast vibrato in an open tuning.  His “Guitar Noir” was a minor key lament that lived up to its title with a smoky atmosphere, suggesting images of Bogey as Philip Marlow — or Lauren Bacall blowing a kiss into the foggy night.  Juber’s high note pentatonic scales and throaty bass note phrasing created a wide range of dynamics and tonal possibilities.

The rock’n’rollish piece “Stolen Moments” closed the set.  Juber snapped the strings with his knuckles beating on the guitar with ferocity. Using a G minor tuning, he played a furry of piano-like chords, while layering rich harmonic textures and always returning to the established theme of the piece.

Summing up, Laurence Juber demonstrated to the attentive audience at Mcabe’s a playing style in which his guitar was a virtual extension of his body and his whimsical personality.  The result was an immensely entertaining, musically diverse performance filled with soul, fun, and virtuosic precision.

To read more posts by Devon Wendell click here.

Quotation of the Week: Thomas Jefferson

It may seem as though this week’s Quotation is off topic.  But the people in music are as impacted by the actions of banks and credit institutions as anyone else.   If those actions were a danger in Jefferson’s time — as they obviously were — they’re an even greater danger at a time when instantaneous media and inadequate government supervision combine to generate so many more ways to “deprive the people of all property.”

DH

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“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

Thomas Jefferson

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To read more Quotations of the Week click here.

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Picks of the Week: Nov. 2 – 8.

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

- Nov. 2. (Mon.) Gianni Russo. Russo, who played the role of Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather, hosts an entertaining evening featuring his vocal versions of songs from the Italian crooner era, as well as a collection of his Il Padrino Wines. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.

- Nov. 4. (Wed.) Gaea Schell. Pianist/singer Schell likes to think of herself as a pianist first, and there’s no denying her solid jazz skills. But there’s something to be said, as well, for her intimate, understated vocal stylings. She performs in a duo with bassist Zach Matthews. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.

- Nov. 4. (Wed.) Amanda McBroom. She may be best known for “The Rose,” but McBroom’s singing and songwriting talents reach far beyond the success of a single song. On this night, she concentrates on selections from her latest album, Chanson, singing the songs of Jacques Brel. Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210.

- NOv. 5. (Thurs.) Milton Nascimento. One of the great icons of Brazilian popular music, Nascimento doesn’t perform often in the Southland. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear a living legend, still at the top of his form, in action. The Conga Room. (212) 749-0162.  Nascimento also appears at the San Francisco Jazz Festival on Saturday (see below).

- Nov. 5. (Thurs.) Sara Tavares. Portuguese singer Tavares is well connected to her Cape Verdean heritage, but her interests also reach out to the stirring music of Portugal, Brazil, Angola and beyond. The Skirball Cultural Center. (310) 440-4500.  Tavares also appears at the San Francisco Jazz Festival on Friday (see below).

- Nov. 5. (Thurs.) Michael Session. Alto saxophonist Session is one of the Southland’s most dynamic players, making every one of his solos into a wildly exciting improvisational journey. Crown Plaza Brasserie Jazz Lounge. (310) 642-7500.

- Nov. 5. (Thurs.) Jackie Ryan. There’s a good reason why Ryan’s latest album, Doozy, was at the top of the radio airplay charts for six straight weeks. And that’s because everything she sings is the product of an ear-caressing combination of skill, imagination and a marvelous sound.  Ryan performs at Largo at the Coronet Theatre in a Jazz Bakery  “Moveable Feast. (310) 271-9039.

- Nov. 6. (Fri.) Kim Richmond Ensemble. Alto saxophonist and versatile composer/arranger Richmond leads the first rate ensembles of John Daversa, trumpet, Joey Sellers, trombone, Mehesh Balisooriya, piano and Jamey Tate, drums. Vitellos Restaurant. (818) 769-0905.

- Nov. 6. (Fri.) Lanny Morgan Every performance by the veteran alto saxophonist provides a vivid reminder that bebop still lives, when it is played by a master jazz improviser such as Morgan. He’s backed by the bassist John Heard, drummer Roy McCurdy and pianist Andy Langham. Charlie O’s. (818) 989-3110.

- Nov. 6. (Fri.) Laurence Juber. Grammy-winning, former member of Paul McCartney’s Wings, Juber is a guitarists’ guitarist, universally admired for both the skill and the creativity of his finger style playing.  McCabe’s (310) 828-4497.

- Nov. 6 & 7.  (Fri. & Sat.)   Esperanza Spalding. Bassist/singer Spalding is one of the rapidly rising new young jazz stars. You’ll know why after you hear her first number. OCPAC. Samueli Theatre. (714) 556-2787.   Spalding also appears at the San Francisco Jazz Festival on Thursday (see below).

- Nov. 6 & 7. (Fri. & Sat.) Jack Jones Sings the lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman. The son of Allen Jones, a movie musical star, Jones works hard, and successfully, at keeping alive the tradition of big-voiced male balladeers. Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210

- Nov. 6 – 8. (Fri. – Sun.) “Ramayana: An Indian Epic” The classic Indian epic, one of the world’s great legendary dramas is performed via Balinese music and dance by Gamelan Burat Wanti. REDCAT. (213)237-2800.

- Nov. 7. (Sat.) Patti Austin. If there’s a style that Austin can’t sing, it’s hard to imagine what it could be. But what really matters is that, beyond eclectic versatility, she brings wide open inventiveness to every song she touches. CSUN Performing Arts Center (818) 677-5768.

- Nov. 8. (Sun.) Betty Bryant. The always-entertaining, veteran singer/pianist celebrates her 80^th birthday with a CD release party and a jazz brunch. 11 a.m. Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210

San Francisco

- Nov. 3. (Tues.) Claudia Acuna. She has one of the jazz vocal world’s finest voices, but what really makes Acuna special is the rich, expressive way she uses her natural abilities. Yoshi’s San Francisco. (415) 655-5600.

- Nov. 5, 6, 7 & 8.  (Thurs, Fri. ,Sat. & Sun.)  The San Francisco Jazz Festival — SFJAZZ.   Thurs: Esperanza Spalding at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre.  Fri: Sara Tavares at the Herbst Theatre.  Sat: Milton Nascimento at Nob Hill Masonic Center.  Sun: Ornette Coleman at Davies Symphony Hall.   SFJAZZ. (415) 398-5655.

- Nov. 6 – 8. (Fri. – Sun.) Jean Luc-Ponty. Cutting edge violinist Ponty has taken his instrument into adventurous new areas of expression. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.

New York

- Nov. 3 – 8 (Tues. – Sun.) Lou Donaldson Quartet. Veteran alto saxophonist Donaldson doesn’t receive the credit he deserves as one of the best of the post-Charlie Parker altoists. Village Vanguard. (212) 255-4037.

- Nov. 3 – 9. (Tues. – Sun.) Django Reinhardt Festival celebrates its 10^th anniversary with a stellar line-up of talent, all inspired by Reinhardt, the gypsy jazz master. Tchavalo & Samson Schmitt, Brian Torff, Andreas Oberg, Ludovic Beier, Aurore Voilqué, Ted Gottsegan. Birdland. (212) 581-3080.

- Nov. 6 – 8. (Fri. – Sun.) Vijay Iyer Trio. American born, from Indian parents, Iyer brings an extraordinary range of musical perspectives to his always compelling piano playing. Jazz Standard. (212) 447-7733.

Live Jazz: William Galison at the Whitefire Theatre

by Devon Wendell

It was an evening of pure, traditional jazz delivered with sensitivity and originality by harmonica wiz William Galison and his quintet on Thursday night at the Whitefire Theater in Sherman Oaks.  Backing Galison in the L.A. Modern Jazz Series concert were pianist Otmaro Ruiz, clarinetist John Tegmeyer, bassist Greg Swiller and drummer Dan Schnelle.

Opening the set with the Charlie Parker classic “Billy’s Bounce,” Galison and Tegmeyer immediately established an original sense of harmony between the chromatic harmonica and clarinet. Instead of trying to mimic Bird and Miles’s original recording, Galison proved that less is more, choosing to play well thought out and tasteful phrasing with soul and a true knowledge of his instrument, without falling back on fast scales or abandoning the over all theme of the piece. Tegmeyer’s playing, though sweet, was more frenetic, which created true dynamics between the pair.  Here and elsewhere, Ruiz’s piano work tended to start soft and tender and slowly build in intensity, prompting the very pure rhythm team of Swiller and Schnelle to give it their all, very much the way McCoy Tyner would push Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones to climactic heights which John Coltrane could explore.

On Galison’s composition, “New Samba,” the band laid down a hard-bop samba motif, with Galison and Tegmeyer interweaving in and out of each other’s lines perfectly, without stepping on each other’s phrasing.  As Galison said to the audience, “Clarinet and harmonica are like family, or like peanut butter and jelly.”

Though almost every jazz artist has covered “Body and Soul,” Galison’s rendition was one of the most mournful and bluesiest versions I’ve ever heard, playing high note bends on the harmonica and making the instrument cry and plead with very few notes. It was, without a doubt, a highlight of the set.  His slow vibrato, in fact, was closer to that of tenor sax balladeer Ben Webster than that of his mentor and chromatic harmonica master, Toots Thielemans.  Tegmeyer’s solo, though confident and skillful, could hardly match Galison’s emotional outpouring on this standard.

“Just Friends” will always be associated with Bird’s incredible reading of this classic ballad on the Charlie Parker with Strings album.  Galison’s cover was closer to the version by Coleman Hawkins and Sonny Rollins on the album Sonny Meets Hawk. Again, Galison chose not to mimic Bird’s laser like runs and instead rode slowly and soulfully behind the bass, drums and piano. His ability to slur notes and expand upon the song’s well known melody was astonishing.

On “Whitefire Blues” (Galison’s on- the-spot ode to the show’s tiny theater  venue), he switched from chromatic to diatonic harmonica, delving straight into a pure and slow Chicago blues shuffle, paying tribute to blues harp masters Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and Junior Wells, with squawks, wails, moans, and sharp bends.  Ruiz’s playing was in the authentic vein of Chicago blues piano veterans Eddie Boyd and Otis Spann, instead of sounding like a jazz player trying to oversimplify the blues.  Swiller’s bass walked with purpose and groove, and Schelle held down a solid foundation for Galison and Tegmeyer.  It was obvious on this number that Galison has a pure understanding of the blues, which is also the foundation of his jazz soloing.   This was true alley music from the Windy City even though Tegmeyer’s playing sometimes seemed out of place – a reminder that Howlin’ Wolf and the others never seemed to include a clarinet in their musical mix.

Johnny Mandel’s composition “Emily,” made popular by Henry Mancini, closed the set, with Galison and company choosing to emphasize the romantic ambiance of the original theme. Tegmeyer’s clarinet shined on this number, playing fast yet graceful runs to match Galison’s voice-like lines.  The band remained strictly within the jazz mainstream, convincingly calling back to a different era.

Galison’s enthusiasm and joy for the music – whether pure jazz or the blues — was present in each number,  Although he spoke with warmth about his former teacher and mentor Toots Thielemans, it was obvious, in this refreshingly intimate and memorable jazz performance,  that Galison has found his own style.  Unlike the countless other chromatic players have hung on to Thielemans’ every note for the past several decades, Galison is a true original.

To read other posts by Devon Wendell, click here.

Live Jazz: Lew Soloff at Charlie O’s

By Don Heckman

Trumpeter Lew Soloff is the very model of a veteran jazz artist — fluent, articulate and imaginative in almost any musical setting. His resume, far too long to list, reaches from Blood, Sweat & Tears to Gil Evans.

But what Soloff brought Thursday to the first of two appearances at Charlie O’s had another quality – a quality not always present in the performances of veteran jazz artists. And that quality was a desire to communicate, to apply his many skills to a selection of music that would accomplish the dual task of entertaining his listeners while allowing him the opportunity to explore his ever-active improvisational curiosity.

Working with the solid musical companionship of Jerry Vivino, tenor and soprano saxophones and flute, Larry Goldings, piano, Mike Merritt, bass and James Wormworth, drums, Soloff shared the music, as well as its making, with his receptive audience. Charlie O’s is one of the Southland’s coziest, most amiable places to hear music, and never more so than when Soloff was cracking jokes – describing J.S. Bach as a pretty good composer – restarting a tune when it didn’t move in the right direction, and dedicating numbers to a few of the many musicians in the audience.

The range of his playing was impressive. On “There Is No Greater Love,” he deconstructed the tune, alternating pointillistic fragments with held notes – sometimes very long held notes — gradually bringing it all back together. Bach’s “Air on the G String” was done — hesitantly at first, then more convincingly – with Merrit’s bass. And Soloff’s own “Istanbul” displayed its Middle Eastern qualities with Vivino on flute and Soloff on piccolo trumpet.

Part of the evening was also given over to tributes to other trumpet players. First: a jaunty New Orleans-style tune with Soloff’s atmospheric rendering of Louis Armstrong, and Vivino doing an equally engaging version of Sydney Bechet’s soprano saxophone style. Next, a pair of pieces closely associated with Miles Davis, with Soloff playing Harmon-muted trumpet on “Seven Steps to Heaven” and opening the horn for a lyrical “My Funny Valentine.”

Despite some rough spots here and there, there was no questioning the inventiveness of the playing, or the sheer musicality of the set. Veteran that he is, Soloff brought his life long love of music to every note, from the first to the…last.

Lew Soloff also performs Saturday night with the John Heard Trio at Charlie O’s.

Quotation of the Week: Thelonious Monk

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“I say, play your own way. Don’t play what the public wants. You play what you want and let the public pick up on what you’re doing — even if it does take them fifteen, twenty years.”

- Thelonious Monk.

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To read other Quotations of the Week click here.

Live Jazz: Isfar Sarabski at Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.

By Don Heckman

Isfar Sarabski.  Remember the name.  No, it doesn’t flow as freely across the lips as, say, Herbie Hancock or Keith Jarrett.  But you’re going to be hearing it, nonetheless.

Only nineteen years old, Sarabski is a jazz pianist from Baku, Azerbaijan.  And his first U.S. appearance, Monday night before an invited audience at Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc., revealed a talent with impressive potential.  Performing first as a soloist, later with bassist Pat Senatore and drummer Erik Klass, his playing ranged freely from hard swing to pensive lyricism, while incorporating some of the intriguing rhythms and melodic phrases of his native land into his music..

Like other pianists who come from cultures in which a solid classical foundation is an essential element in their training, Sarabski clearly had the skill to execute anything that occurred to his adventurous improvisational mind.  Romping through bebop tunes, his mastery of the genre’s classic vocabulary was thorough.  Slower tunes were enhanced by fine-tuned harmonic originality that brought new shades of color to every line.  And, on a whimsical rendering of Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man,” he displayed a willingness to build a solo in a way that reached out to his listeners.

Sarabski, who won the piano competition at the 43^rd Montreux International Jazz Festival, cites Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau, Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson as inspirations, and characteristics of all those iconic figures occasionally surfaced in his playing.  More interesting, however, was the influence of a lesser known – in this country – artist, Azerbaijan’s legendary jazz pianist, Vagif Mustaphazadeh.  And it was the subtle presence of the same sort of mugam-like modes, sweeping arpeggios  and off-center rhythms favored by Mustaphazadeh, especially in Sarbski’s slower numbers, that added such a unique quality to his music.

There were times when Sarabski – like many young players – poured too much content into his solos, moving quickly from one idea to another, without allowing them to evolve and develop.  And his fast-fingered technique also tended to be used as a showcase rather than as a support for his striking inventiveness.

But those are qualities that will undoubtedly be modified as Sarabski matures, and has the opportunity to hone his skills with players who can challenge him to produce his finest work.  Even so, he is, at the moment, evolving into a pianist with the ability, the imagination and the desire to add a potentially new and fascinating perspective to the 21^st century jazz world.

There will be one more opportunity to hear Sarabski later this week in his first public appearnce in the U.S.  He performs with bassist Greg Swiller and drummer Erik Klass on Friday,  October 30 at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre.  Tickets are available from http:www.bgttix.com.  (213) 485-4581.

Picks of the Week: Oct. 26 – Nov. 1

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

Oct. 26. (Mon.)  Charito.  Japanese singer Charito performs convincingly in areas reaching from jazz to r&b and soul music.  She also appears at Yoshi’s Oakland on Oct. 27 (see below).   Catalina Bar & Grill  (323) 466-2210.

Oct. 27. (Tues.)    John Pisano’s  Guitar Night is always one of the Southland’s most enjoyable jazz events.  And this week it’s even better, with Pisano swapping riffs with the veteran guiratist Gene Bertoncini.(who’s played with everyone from Benny Goodman to Wayne Shorter).  Spazio. (818) 728-8400.

- Oct. 28. (Wed.)  Sony Holland.  One of the most interesting members of northern California’s prolific crop of first rate jazz singers, Holland has now moved to Los Angeles.  Here’s the first local opportunity to see and hear this adventurous new addition to the Southland’s own gallery of world class jazz performers.   Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210.

- Oct. 29. (Thurs.)  The Diva Den.  With Kristen Korb, Kathleen Grace and Inga Swearingen. Divas they may be, but Korb, Grace and Swearingen are far more focused on the impressive musicality of their singing than their status as young prima donnas.   Vitellos Restaurant.  (818) 769-0905.

- Oct. 29. (Thurs.)  Lew Soloff Quintet Veteran trumpeter Soloff, once a stalwart with Blood, Sweat & Tears, has also been a first call player for every imaginable musical style.  THis time out, catch Lewie doing his own thing.    Charlie O’s.   (818) 989-3110.

- Oct. 29. (Thurs.)  William Galison  Quintet.  Harmonica virtuoso Galison – who’s worked with Sting, Barbra Streisand and Jaco Pastorious, among others, makes a rare Southland appearance.  Toots Thielemans calls him “The most original and individual of the new generation of harmonica players.”  The L.A. Modern Jazz Series at the Whitefire Theatre, Sherman Oaks.   323.251.0748.

- Oct. 29 – Nov. 1. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Eldar. He’s been an adventurous pianist since he was fourteen.  Now a more mature player, he’s finding a way to balance his enviable virtuosity with  Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210.

- Oct. 30. (Fri.)  Inga Swearingen.  In addition to her participation in the Diva Den (see above), Swearingen is a compellingly original singer in her own right.  A frequent guest on A Prairie Home Companion, she brings diverse musicality – from jazz to Swedish folk songs – to everything she sings. In this performance, she celebrates the songs of Johnny Mercer.  LACMA (323) 857-6000.

- Oct. 30. (Fri.)  Bill Cunliffe.  “The Blues & the Abstract Truth, Take 2.” Pianist/composer Cunliffe, always exploring intriguing creative areas, does his own interpretation of the Oliver Nelson classic.   The Culver Club in the Radisson Hotel Los Angeles Westside. (310) 649-1776.  .

- Oct. 30 (Fri.)  Dengue Fever.  Lead singer Chhom Nimo provides offbeat element in Dengue Fever’s Cambodian power rock sound.  The Broad Stage.

- Oct. 30 & 31. (Fri. & Sat.)  Sandra Booker.  Her New Orleans roots are the fundamental source of Booker’s singing, which also blossoms into straight ahead jazz, r&b, soul, Brazilian and beyond.  No wonder she has a resume that reaches from Wynton Marsalis to Billy Higgins.  Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill.  (323) 466-9917.

- Nov. 1. (Sun.)  First Annual Asian-American Jazz Festival. Any doubts about either the quality or the quantity of jazz taking place in Asia will be completely dispelled by this all-star line of talent.  Among the headliners:  Hiromi. Charmaine Clamor. Prelude. Mon David. Gary Fukushima.   Japanese America National Museum Forum.  Asian-American Jazz Festival (617) 281-7285.

San Francisco

- Oct. 27. (Tues.)  Charito.  Japanese jazz singer makes her second California appearance in two nights (see above).  She performs in collaboration with the San Francisco American Jazz Festival.  Yoshi’s Oakland (510) 236-9200.

- Oct. 29. (Thurs.)  Mads Tollings Quartet. Violinist Tollings, a two-time Grammy Award winner takes some time off from his work with the Turtle Island Quartet to front his own group.    Yoshi’s San Francisco.   (415) 655-5600.

Nov. 1. (Sun.)  Pamela Rose. Adventurous singer Rose presents “Wild Women of Song: Great Gal Composers of the Jazz Era.”  It’s a multi-media production with music, narrative and visuals.  Yoshi’s San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600

New York

- Oct. 27 – 31. (Tues. – Sat.)  Pat Martino Organ Quartet.  Guitarist Martino, always an exciting player on his own, leads an especially fiery band, with Eric Alexander, sax, Jeff “Tain” Watts, drums, Tony Monaco, organ.  Birdland.   (212) 581-3080.

- Oct. 27 – Nov. 1. (Tues. – Sun.)  Ron Carter Trio with Mulgrew Miller and Russell Malone.  A stellar trio if there ever was one, with Carter’s magnificently creative bass playing leading the way.  Opening act is the trio of drummer Francesca Mela. The Blue Note.    (212) 475-8592.

Click here to check out Mike Katz’s iRoM review of the Carter trio during their recent  Los Angeles appearance.

Live Music: Gal Costa and Oscar Castro-Neves at Royce Hall

By Don Heckman

Bossa nova has never needed anything more than a guitar and voice to deliver its message.  And the performance by Gal Costa and Oscar Castro-Neves Saturday night in a UCLA Live concert at Royce Hall affirmed just how musically convincing that minimal combination can be.

Costa has been a star of Brazilian music since the Tropicalismo movement of the ‘60s, and Castro-Neves wrote his first hit song, “ Chora Tua Tristeza,” in the mid-fifties when he was sixteen.  Individually and in combination, their work reflects the music of Brazil’s past half century.

Costa made it clear at the beginning of the evening, however, that – although her recent recordings embrace many other genres – the duo would concentrate upon bossa nova for this particular concert  And, for an American audience (liberally sprinkled with Southland Brazilians), it was an excellent decision.  Initially flowing from the compositions of Antonio Carlos Jobim and the guitar playing and singing of Joao Gilberto, bossa nova has been, for the past half century, one of the world’s most popular and far reaching international forms of music.

Castro-Neves also mentioned, at one point, that he viewed the program as an evening of intimate music, as though it was being presented in a parlor to a group of friends.  And, despite the size of Royce Hall, that’s pretty much how the evening felt from this listener’s perspective, as well.  Most of the tunes were delivered in a similar fashion.  Castro-Neves played an introduction, either establishing a simmering bossa nova rhythm or laying out some lush arpeggios, and Costa began so sing.  Looking elegant in a beautiful gown — her youthful manner and demeanor transforming her sixty-three years into nothing more than a number – she sang with the warm timbre and expressive interpretations that have characterized her work since the beginning.

The duo surveyed most of the classic bossa nova numbers – “Corcovado,” “Desafinado,” “Triste,” “Insensatez,” “A Felicidade” and “”Garota de Ipanema” among them.  On many, the Brazilians in the audience sang along with Costa, a common practice in Brazil, underscoring the intimacy of the program.  The only English language song (other than a verse in “Garota de Ipanema” – “The Girl From Ipanema”) was “As Time Goes By,” sung by Costa with the same sort of convincing, story-telling qualities she brought to the other songs.  And, with “Aquarela do Brasil,” her singing and Castro-Neves stirring guitar rhythms provided an echo of the samba foundations of bossa nova.

On several numbers – including a lush rendering of “Dindi” – Castro-Neves moved to the piano.  On others, he used his guitar to trigger string pad samples, adding an atmospheric, orchestral sound behind his guitar.

Ultimately, however, it was the songs, and  the rich artistry that Costa and Castro-Neves brought to them, that mattered in these memorable interpretations of some of the 20^th century’s most compelling music.