Live Jazz: Kenny Burrell at Catalina Bar & Grill

By Tony Gieske

The rock plague years turned me against the electric guitar, although I still kept a warm nook in my heart for Charlie Christian and one other cat.

The latter, Kenny Burrell, did not chill my nook during his buffet of delights Thursday night at Catalina’s. That sound of his, so like a voice or a horn, pleased me greatly as usual. And so did his improvisatory skill, restrained, witty and matchlessly appropriate.

Kenny Burrell

Tonight he had a rival, saxophonist and flutist Tivon Pennicott from Atlanta, newly weaned and unstoppable. His tenor sound was almost as soft and freshly minted as Lester Young’s was in the 1930s. His harmonic paths, while innovative and darling enough, did not quite match up. At least not so far.

Tivon Pennicott

With guys like Roberto Miranda, Clayton Cameron and Tom Ranier backing you, one’s solo stack will seldom totter. Bassist Miranda, our L.A. neighbor, soloed brilliantly as did drummer and brushmaster Clayton Cameron, the Tony Bennett show-stopper. Pianist Ranier filled out the rich ration of swinging viands.

As always with Burrell, who teaches Ellington at UCLA, the night’s harvest was full of Ducal delights.

Pennicott’s freshly imagined version of “In a Sentimental Mood” was the most memorable, closely rivalled by Ranier’s “One Petal of a Rose” and a majestic account of a familiar  Ellington number by Burrell.  I was so taken by the way Ellington makes miracles from three or four perfectly ordinary notes that I forgot the name of the piece.

But here came another great cooker with an  unforgettable title, “Raincheck,” written by Ellington partner, Billy Strayhorn.  My heart lifted again. Tonight’s solos did not quite burn their way into the memory like the ones on the record, but you can’t really expect that, can you?

I liked the way they closed the set with “Now’s the Time,” a bebop classic whose familiarity does not age it a bit with these guys playing it. As a matter of fact, I liked everything they played and everybody who played it.

Photos by Tony Gieske.  Read and see more of Tony’s jazz essays and photos at his personal web site tonyspage.com.

Quotation of the Week: John Lennon (3)

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“For a long time I wasn’t listening to music, to the rock and roll stuff on the radio, because it would cause me to get sweaty — it would bring back memories I didn’t want to know about, or I would get that feeling that I’m not alive ’cause I’m not making it.  And if it was good, I hated it ’cause I wasn’t doing it.  And if it was bad, I was furious  ’cause I could’ve done it better…”

- John Lennon

To read more Quotations of the Week by John Lennon and others click here.

Live Classical Music: The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel at the Hollywood Bowl

By Don Heckman

There wasn’t any doubt about the source of the star power at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night.  The Los Angeles Philharmonic, as always, was generating a powerful glow.  So, too, did pianist Gabriela Montero in her relatively brief appearance.  And there’s no denying the irresistibility of a program of music by George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein.

Gustavo Dudamel

Granting all that, however, the clear focus of attention for the full house crowd was unquestionably the dynamic figure of Gustavo Dudamel.  And if there was any doubt his presence was the primary factor that had drawn 14,000 or so enthusiastic listeners to the Bowl on a week night, it was quickly driven away by the almost non-stop presence of Dudamel’s image on the venue’s huge video screens.  Aside from a few panoramic views of the Philharmonic with Dudamel in the center, the first memorable close up of one of the players didn’t occur until clarinetist Michelle Zukovsky played the opening glissando of the Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue.

Okay, nothing surprising about that.  Franz Liszt once said  “The principal task of a conductor is not to put himself in evidence but to disappear behind his functions as much as possible.”  But few have believed or followed that recommendation since Liszt’s departure in 1886.  The simple fact is that a conductor’s charismatic visual appeal draws a lot more audience attention than the subtleties between a superb or a pedestrian orchestral performance.

Nonetheless, charismatic conductors have also produced memorable music.  And Dudamel appears to be on a track, for the past week, to demonstrate an ability to do precisely that, and to do so in a broad array of styles.  Despite an occasional detour.  On Sunday, he conducted a staged performance of Carmen.  Tuesday it was the music of Gershwin and Bernstein.  On Thursday he’ll turn to the music of Ravel, de Falla, Villa-Lobos and more Bernstein.

The Bernstein pieces – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Three Dance Episodes from On The Town – should have been right over the plate for Dudamel, given the frequency with which his conducting style is compared to Bernstein’s.  But both the style and the substance seemed more disparate than similar.  Dudamel’s buoyancy on the podium has its charm, but it seemed completely absent the inner fire that lit up Bernstein’s irresistible connection with his players.  The result was music that hit the right notes without always finding the heart of these passionate scores.

Gabriela Montero

The Gershwin works – Rhapsody in Blue, with pianist Gabriela Montero, and An American In Paris surfaced similarly.  Once again everything was in the right place, but Dudamel’s busy gyrations produced little more than efficient musical renderings.  Montero, who also demonstrated her remarkable improvisational abilities in a pair of solo encores, triggered some sparks in the Rhapsody.  But it was Gershwin’s artful orchestration, rich with 20^th century Impressionistic touches, that brought American in Paris to life.  That, despite the fact that here, as in the Bernstein pieces – especially West Side Story’s Mambo – Dudamel couldn’t quite seem to effectively synchronize the rhythmic lift that is so vital to the music of both composers.

The audience response, however, fully affirmed the magnitude of the stellar halo that encircles everything Dudamel does.  And there’s no doubt that he is an extraordinary talent.  His creative versatility, however, was stretched a bit thin for the Bernstein/Gershwin program.  Perhaps it’s time for the Hollywood Bowl’s video director to start keeping things in context by allocating more face time for the many other gifted artists in the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Picks of the Week: Aug. 3 – 8

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

Gustavo Dudamel

- Aug. 3. (Tues.)  The Los Angeles Philharmonic.  Gustavo Dudamel conducts a stunning program of Bernstein and Gershwin. Gabriela Montero solos in the Rhapsody In Blue.  The Hollywood Bowl.   (323) 850-2000.

- Aug. 3. (Tues.)  Wayne Bergeron’s Big Band.  Trumpeter Bergeron steps down from the trumpet section to lead own large jazz ensemble.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.   (310) 474-9400.  www.vibratogrilljazz.com.

- Aug. 4. (Wed.)  Denise Donatelli.  With a warm, embracing voice, a solid sense of swing and an intuitive gift for interpretation, Donatelli has all the right stuff for engaging jazz vocalizing. Charlie O’s.  (818) 994-3058.

Rickie Lee Jones

- Aug. 5. (Thurs.) Rickie Lee Jones. The quirky, singer-songwriter star of the ‘70s and ‘80s still knows how to put it all together.  She makes a rare Southland appearance.  Twilight Dance at the Santa Monica Pier. (310) 458-8900.

- Aug. 5. (Thurs.)  The Los Angeles Philharmonic.  Gustavo Dudamel adds another stirring Bowl appearance, conducting Ravel’s Bolero, Falla’s Three Cornered Hat, Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras and more.  Soprano Isabel Leonard is featured.  The Hollywood Bowl.   (323) 850-2000.

- Aug. 5. (Thurs.)  Elliott Cane Quintet. Trumpeter/optometrist Cane showcases his bebop chops in one of L.A.’s most amiable settings.  The Descanso Gardens.   (818) 949-4200

- Aug. 5. (Thurs.)  Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. The Grammy-nominated Playboys should bring the crowd to their feet with an irrepressible collection of Cajun dance rhythms.  The Skirball Center.  http://www.skirball.org (310) 440-4500.

- Aug. 5 – 7. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Kenny Burrell.  Master guitarist Burrell takes a break from his academic duties in the UCLA jazz program.  He’s backed by the solid ensemble of Tom Ranier, Roberto Miranda, Clayton Cameron and Tivon Pennicott.  Catalina Bar & Grill.  (323) 466-2210.  .

- Aug. 6. (Fri.)  Henry Franklin.  Bassist Franklin, affectionately known as The Skipper, recalls some of the superb sounds he made with the likes of Hugh Masekela, the Three Sounds and Freddie Hubbard.  LACMA.  (323) 857-6000.

- Aug. 6 – 8. (Fri – sun.) Rent. The Tony-winning, Pulitzer Prize-winning, long-run Broadway hit is this Summer’s choice for the Bowl’s annual fully staged musical. The Hollywood Bowl.   (323) 850-2000.

- Aug. 7. (Sat.)  The Mike Melvoin Trio.  Melvoin has done so many things so well for so many years — compose, conduct, produce, arrange — that his finely honed skills as a jazz pianist don’t always receive the accolades they deserve.  He’s at his best when he works, as he does here,  in a virtually symbiotic musical partnership with bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Ralph Penland.  Keyboard Concepts L.A. 3:30 – 5 p.m.  Reservation required.  (323) 651-3060.

Ringo Starr

Aug. 7. (Sat.)  Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band.  There’s usually a Beatles vibe when Ringo’s around.  But for this appearance, celebrating his latest album, Y Not, he shifts gears with a stellar ensemble that includes Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer, Gary Wright, Greg Bissonette and others. The Greek Theatre.   (323) 665-3125.

- Aug. 7. (Sat.)  Mitch Forman Trio.  Versatile keyboardist Forman displays his impressive musical wares in the intimacy of a trio setting.   Vitello’s.   (818) 769-0905.

- Aug. 8. (Sun.) The Music of Scott LaFaro.  A musical and literary tribute to the late great bassists.  Alan Pasqua, Pat Senatore and Joe La Barbera perform.  And LaFaro’s sister, Helene LaFaro-Fernandez will be present to sign her book, Jade Visions: The Music and Life of Scott Lafaro.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.   (310) 474-9400.  .

- Aug. 8. (Sun.) The Four Freshmen and the George Kahn Trio. The current edition of the jazz vocal and instrumental quartet display their lush harmonies in a fund raiser for the California Jazz Foundation. Catalina Bar & Grill.  (323) 466-2210.  .

- Aug. 8. (Sun.)  Johnny Polanco y Su Conjunto Amistad.  Multi-instrumentalist Polanco cranks up his Latin jazz rhythms in the laid-back setting of KJAZ’s Sunday Champagne Brunch.  The inimitable Bubba Jackson is the host.  The Twist Restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel & Spa.

- Aug. 8. (Sun.)  Los Angeles Jewish Symphony.  Cinema Judaica.  The LAJS, conducted by Noreen Green performs the film music of such Jewish composers as Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, Steven Schwartz and others.  The Ford Amphitheatre.   (323) 461-3673.

San Diego

Aug. 6. (Fri.)  Joyce Cooling.  Smooth jazz guitarist and vocalist Cooling brings style, substance and swing to everything she does.  Anthology San Diego.   (619) 595-0300.

San Francisco

- Aug. 3 – 4.  (Tues. & Wed.)  Alfredo Rodriguez. Young Cuban expatriate pianist Rodriguez has everything he needs to surface as a major talent for years to come. Yoshi’s San Francisco.   (415) 655-5600.

New York

- Aug. 3 – 7. (Tues. – Sat.)  The Heath Brothers.  Saxophonist Jimmy and drummer Tootie keep the proud Heath family jazz banner flying.  Birdland.  (212) 581-3080.

Greg Osby

- Aug. 3 – 8 (Tues. – Sun.)  Greg Osby Quintet.  Alto saxophonist Osby stretches the boundaries of contemporary improvisation with the dynamic backing of guitarist Nir Felder, pianist Marc Copland, bassist Joseph Lepore and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington.  Village Vanguard.   (212) 255-4037.

- Aug. 3 – 8. (Tues. – Sun.) Ron Carter Trio.  Combine bassist Carter with the piano work of Mulgrew Miller and the guitar of Russell Malone and you can expect (and receive) world class jazz results.  The Blue Note.  (212) 475-8592.

Rhode Island

Aug. 6 – 8 (Fri. – Sat.)  The Newport Jazz Festival.  Actually, the current, sponsored title is the CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival. But whatever the title, George Wein’s remarkable summer weekend of jazz has been both the model and the leader of jazz festival events since its inception in the ’50s.  And this weekend once again is filled with superlatives.  Among the highlights: On Friday — Jamie Cullum and Grace Kelly.  On Saturday — the Chick Corea Freedom Band, Ahmad Jamal, the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Anat Cohan, Darcy James Argue, the Newport All Stars, Trio Da Paz, Rez Abbasi, Fly, JD Allen.  On Sunday – Herbie Hancock, Chris Botti, Wynton Marsalis, Amina Figerova, John Faddis, Dave Douglas, Ben Allison, Jason Moran, David Binney, Gretchen Parlato.  And much, much more.  The CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival.  (401) 848-5055.

Live Jazz: Ron Stout at Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.

By Tony Gieske

Ron Stout gave up his usual seat in a big band trumpet section to lead a little combo Saturday night at Vibrato, where his affably poetic improvisation during a program of choice ballads was a privilege to hear.

All big band devotees probably know Stout by sight, with his can’t-miss-him beard, plus his brawny brassman’s body and his brassman’s brawny sound.

Tina Raymond

It’s a musicianly and authoritative sound that leads or underpins the brasses in groups led by such familiar jazzmen and women as Bill Holman, Buddy Childers, Jack Sheldon, Bob Florence, Phil Norman, Maynard Ferguson, Maria Schneider, Bill Berry, Clayton-Hamilton, Capp-Pierce, Woody Herman, Les Brown and some say J.P. Sousa.

Of course, these leaders give him a few measures of solo space from time to time. But the way he plays when he has the whole room to himself is a totally ’nother story.

Theo Saunders

He got me with the very first tune, “Someday You’ll Be Sorry,” a wistful, grandmotherly number by Louis Armstrong that’s as pretty as a dusty antique hair-ribbon.

Stout, the veteran of a thousand echoing ballrooms, puts the sound right on  your shoulder, neither too loud nor too soft, confiding his impromptu harmonic anecdotes without a hint of hyperbole. The blithe and deadpan way he followed the path suggested by the harmony was a delight. It did not require any whipped cream or toasted almonds.

Stout’s three-person rhythm section — Theo Saunders, piano, Pat Senatore, bass, and Tina Raymond, drums — knew exactly how to support the leader. All they had to do, really, was to imagine what Sweets Edison would want.

Pat Senatore

And that’s what they did. They helped draw delicate flavors from three or four more moderately touching ballads, and got things swinging with a couple of uncomplicated jump tunes, one from a Basie perspective and another from Ellington’s.

Senatore, the same guy who runs the joint, found himself with plenty of solo space, which he filled with wit and jollity. Did Stout woo him with some extra spotlight time? Nah.  Pianist Saunders and drummer Raymond got pretty much the same ration. They, too, rationed out admirably adept musings.

Photos by Tony Gieske.  Read and see more of Tony’s jazz essays and photos at his personal web site tonyspage.com.

Live Jazz: Mon David at the Culver Club in the Hotel Radisson

A New Male Jazz Singer on the Scene

By Roger Crane

To a jazz writer and jazz fan, there is little that is more satisfying than discovering new worthy talent.  And when that new talent is a male jazz singer, it is time to shout “hallelujah” from the rooftops. In recent years, there have been many singers who can stand before a band and sing in a style resembling jazz. These singers are often jazz influenced and can swing. Michael Buble comes to mind, but Mon David (pronounced dah-VEED) is the real deal, an uncompromising, straight-ahead, no adjectives needed jazz vocalist.

David, a Filipino, has been in the States for three years. He was doing well in his home country but observed that “It was a major move, starting all over again in the USA, but it was important to do. America is a bigger playground – one that I wanted to explore and learn from.”

David has performed at the Jazz Bakery and other venues. I caught him Friday night at the Radisson Hotel Culver Club where he worked with a stellar trio comprised of pianist Theo Saunders.  Dominic Thiroux at the bass and Abe Lagrimas behind the drumset. These four were in lockstep throughout the evening.

Repertoire seems to be one of David’s many strengths. His selections stretched from Legrand and Jobim to Carmichael and Sting, even including a version of Wayne Shorter’s “Footsteps” into which he added a few Filipino asides. Some of his material came from the Bill Evans canon, including “Waltz for Debby,” a song that Evans wrote, and also songs — such as Leonard Bernstein’s “Some Other Time” — that Evans brought into the jazz lexicon.

David is a masterful jazz singer who improvises rhythmic dances with his voice, weaves new melodic lines and sweeps through the harmonic changes with the assurance of a horn player. But unlike a horn player, along with his musical daring David never forgets that he has text to deal with and he honors the lyrics. Thankfully. unlike some newer jazz singers, David did not feel a need to scat on every song. Too many scatters are high on pyrotechnics and short on poetry. But David exhibits taste and his occasional scatting is un-histrionic and true as an oboe. A good example was his rendition of the warhorse “There Is No Greater Love” which he sang with only Thiroux’s bass accompaniment. David, at all times, employed scatting as an additional channel of communication, not an opportunity for show-off  “look at me” vocalizing.  No need for a reconnaissance mission to discover Isham Jones’ beloved melody.

But it was not a night of wall-to-wall up tempo tunes and scatting. Like Mark Murphy, whose singing his work at times resembles, David can swing you into bad health and then, turn around and  break your heart with a ballad. In fact, contrary to what they teach in that fictional course “Singing in the Clubs 101,” David had the courage to begin both sets with ballads, opening the night with a slow, mesmerizing interpretation of “My One and Only Love.” It takes both talent and charisma to shut up a hotel lounge crowd, but quiet them he did. Speaking of ballads, I have not heard a more satisfying version of the complex Strayhorn gem, “Lush Life.” It is a difficult song to sing well, but David brought the sadness and loneliness of this unique song to life. He maneuvered the mine fields of Strayhorn’s lyrics very well and made the listener a believer in his “jazz and cocktails” saga. Strayhorn would surely have embraced this rendition of his masterpiece.

Mention should also be made of David’s stage presence. The art of performing is separate from the art of making music. We all know jazz singers who sing “to the walls” and cabaret singers who grin while singing “Cry Me a River.” Therefore, it is so nice when performance, taste and talent all reside in the same person. David is warm, self-effacing and provided just the right amount of patter. The man is genuine and demonstrates the joy needed to make an audience happy. Jazz is experience — heart and intent are not enough. Watching and listening to Mon David, you are aware that this man has, as the saying goes, been there and done it with grace.

Pop singers present a song, whereas the true jazz singer creates one. There can be no doubt that Mon David is a jazz singer. Each of his songs was steeped in bravura, wrapped in ideas and presented with a bold sense of adventure. That is jazz, folks. As writer Whitney Balliett famously said, “Jazz is the sound of surprise” and David was surprising us – and delighting us – all evening.

So, whenever you begin to despair about the dearth of really fine male jazz vocalists, seek out Mon David. His latest album is Coming True, on the FreeHam Records label.  And when you seek a really good jazz supper club, go to the Radisson Hotel Culver Club on a Friday night and say thanks to Merle Kreibich for helping to keep live jazz vibrant.

For  recordings and more details check Mon David’s website:  http://www.mondavid.com/

To read more of Roger Crane’s reviews and articles check out his personal website, The Song Scout.