Live Jazz: Hilary Kole at Catalina Bar & Grill

By Don Heckman

Singer Hilary Kole has attracted a considerable following in New York City via performances at places such as the Rainbow Room, the Oak Room, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.  She also co-created and originated the lead female roles in Off-Broadway hit musicals, “Our Sinatra” and “Singing Astaire.”

But when she arrived at Catalina Bar & Grill Tuesday night for her debut performance in Los Angeles, Kole was a relative unknown to most local jazz fans.  Even so, it was immediately apparent that there was a lot to like about Kole.

Start with her choice of songs.  Virtually her entire Tuesday night program was drawn from her new (and first) CD, “Haunted Heart.”  And it would be hard to imagine a more diverse collection of material – from. among others, Duke Ellington, Alec Wilder, Tom Waits, Dory Caymmi and the Bergmans, Oscar Brown, Jr., and more.  Add to that the musicality she brought to everything she touched – from her vocals to the arrangements she wrote – and her easygoing, engaging onstage manner.  Nor did it hurt that she is a strikingly attractive young woman.  Or that she chose the first rate back up ensemble of pianist Alan Broadbent, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Tom Warrington and drummer Kendall Kay.

Even so, Kole began her Tuesday set with a distinctly edgy quality to her voice.  Despite imaginative phrasing and illuminating story-telling, the occasional abrasiveness of her sound, especially in the higher notes, suggested the possibility of some opening night nervousness.

But when she reached the Caymmi/Bergman tune “Like A Lover,” everything seemed to change.  Instead of declaiming her notes, she communicated them with warmth and intimacy.  Completely involved in her rich expressiveness, she pulled her listeners into the experience with her.  Songs such as Wilder’s too-rarely heard “Blackberry Winter” and Irving Berlin’s touching “What’ll I Do?” emerged as definitive examples of the rich poetry in American song.

Other tunes – Oscar Brown, Jr.’s sardonically whimsical “The Snake” and Waits’ “Old Boyfriends” provided her with opportunities to display the versatility of her interpretive skills.  Her take on “How Am I To Know?” called up her ability to sell a song with the blend of musicality and sexiness that come so naturally to her.  And “Haunted Heart,” which she described as a “perfect song,” was delivered with a perfect understanding of its subtle combination of words and music.

Kole only has one more L.A. performance – again at Catalina Bar & Grill tonight.  After which, she will leave the Southland, no longer as a relative unknown to those of us out here on the Left Coast, but with a clear presence as one of the most gifted of the up and coming young jazz vocal artists.

Live Jazz: The Bob Mintzer Big Band at Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.

By Don Heckman

Full time big bands are in short supply these days.  True, the ghost bands, bearing the names of Swing Era leaders tour the arts centers of America.  And a few stable ensembles work to keep the instrumentation alive — some as institutional entities (the Jazz Orchestra of Lincoln Center, the Chicago Jazz Ensemble), some managing on their own (the Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Diva Jazz Orchestra)   More often, big jazz bands are ad hoc ensembles, based around a leader, a book of compositions (often arranged or composed by the leader) and an occasional gig.

But, hearing the performance by the Bob Mintzer Big Band Tuesday night at Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc., one couldn’t help but wish that the remarkable, large jazz ensemble instrumentation – the primary American musical collective of the 20^th century — could have a far more frequent presence in contemporary musical life.

Saxophonist Mintzer, perhaps most visible as a member of the Yellowjackets, is also a gifted composer arranger, whose charts are frequently played by collegiate and high school jazz ensembles around the country.  His Big Band, however – with its cadre of A-list L.A. players — is only a sometime thing, performing on the relatively rare occasions when a club such as Vibrato provides a forum.  And the setting for their performance was an impressive visual sight – with the sixteen members of the Band positioned on and off the stage, the four trumpeters on stools at the back of the platform, the four trombonists on chairs in front, and the five saxophonists seated on chairs placed on the floor in front of the stage.  Bass, drums and piano were clustered to the side of the full group.

What really mattered, of course, was the music.  Mintzer mostly chose original works, some inspired by personal history – “Original People” traced to a job he had at a Pequot Indian casino.  “New Rochelle” was a tribute to his home town.  He also offered his arrangements of Thad Jones’ ballad “Don’t Ever Leave” and the Billie Holiday classic “Easy Living,” which was done as a feature for Mintzer’s adventurous tenor saxophone.

His arranging style tended to juxtapose unison ensemble passage against each other – at times recalling the work of Bill Holman – while occasionally adding surprisingly dense harmonic passages and sudden, explosive, full band accents.  Substantial space was opened for soloists, with Mintzer, alto saxophonist Bob Sheppard, trumpeter John Daversa, pianist John Beasley and drummer Peter Erskine providing particularly impressive outings.

Playing with minimal rehearsal time, the Mintzer Band delivered a crisp, craftsman-like set of performances.  At its best, it was a convincing display of the full breadth of musical pleasures that can be produced by a first rate big jazz band.  Let’s hope they return to Vibrato soon.

Live Jazz: The McCoy Tyner Quartet at Royce Hall

By Michael Katz

McCoy Tyner, one of the last giants of the post-bop era, had the audience on its feet Thursday night in a stirring performance at Royce Hall, presented by UCLA Live.  Though not the dominating physical presence  he was before an illness several years ago,  Tyner, at 71, retains his driving, percussive approach to the piano, his left hand flying over the lower chords of the keyboard, his right still able to articulate delicate riffs. His quartet featured Gary Bartz on tenor and soprano sax, Gerald Cannon on bass and Eric Kamau Gravatt on drums.

Tyner opened with his composition “Fly With The Wind”, originally written for an ensemble with strings, but missing nothing with this rendition. He began with a flourish, presenting the opening line, yielding to Bartz on tenor for the first of many extended solos. Bartz, looking resplendent with his graying mane and a gold tie that matched his horn, has a clear, natural sound – one almost had to visually search for the mic cord to ascertain that he was being amplified at all.  Cannon, taking the baton next, displayed a resonant and robust style that stood up to Tyner’s still-thunderous piano.  The same could be said for Gravatt – his stick work was crisp, his solos enunciated with precise dynamics. The quartet as a whole seized attention from the start, grabbing the crowd by the lapels and not letting go.

Tyner spoke sparingly to the audience, introducing only the second number, Duke Ellington’s “In A Mellow Tone.”  Her took this bouncy Ellington standby and molded it to his own full-bodied style, churning out counter melodies while Bartz, playing soprano now on the small, curved version of the instrument, wended his way around the main theme.

Aside from his quartet work, Tyner has had a notable presence as both a big band leader and a pure soloist.  He demonstrated the latter when he took over the stage for a gorgeous version of  “I Should Care.” Starting with a lush, chordal presentation, he melted into the main theme, altering tones, visiting the upper registers of the instrument, filling the hall with its lyricism. Even if one was unaware of the title or lyrics, as I suspect much of the audience was, Tyner communicated the aching beauty of the song.

Throughout the length of the set — a full evening by Royce Hall standards, lasting until nearly 11 – the Tyner quartet played with a rollicking drive. Bartz was smoking on his riffs through two blues-based pieces, Cannon providing steady support on bass.  And the usual early departures missed a terrific finish, as Tyner recalled his groundbreaking work with John Coltrane’s 60’s quartets by striking the familiar opening of  “Moments Notice.”  Bartz, surging over the full force of the quartet, his tone fiery, drove the theme home, with closing solos by Cannon and Gravatt. The audience, clearly appreciative of the Coltrane inspiration, responded with a thunderous ovation.

The show opened with an hour long set by Build An Ark, a large choral and instrumental ensemble patterned after the Sun Ra Arkestra. Led by composer Carlos Nino and viola/violinist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, the group put on an engaging program of mostly original compositions, based on a theme of global peace and harmony, with various choral members and instrumental soloists shuttling on and off the stage. Vocalist Dwight Trible, whose firm, spiritual voice recalls Leon Thomas, helped anchor the choral pieces, and violinist John White and trombonist Phil Ranelin added expressive solos.

To read other reviews and posts by Michael Katz click here.

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.

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.

Live Jazz: Lee Ritenour at Catalina Bar & Grill

By Devon Wendell

Lee Ritenour kicked off a three-night stretch at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood Friday with a powerful set filled with jazz, rock, blues, and  funk for the guitar aficionado.  His performance was a celebration of his upcoming album Six String Theory album, dedicated to the guitar’s vital role in the genres of rock, blues, country and jazz.  The album features guests such as B.B. King, George Benson, John Scofield, and introduces The Six String Theory contest, in which guitar finalists in each category will be chosen to compete based on standout audition videos. The grand prize winner will be featured on a track on the album and win a full scholarship to The Berklee School of music.

Backed by a trio of some of the finest players in jazz and r&b — keyboardist John Beasley: bassist Melvin Davis and drummer Will Kennedy – Ritenour opened the set with “Boss City” from his 1993 Wes Montgomery tribute album Wes Bound. Starting the tune with Montgomery’s trademark guitar octaves, he combined jazz phrasing with straight ahead blues licks.  Using the bright, reverberated tone that he is known best for, phrasing with incredible dynamics, Ritenour alternated from hard and loud to sweet and low, incorporating volume and wah-wah effects with a clean tone.  The funky pulse-like synchronicity between Davis and Kennedy sustained the rhythm in a tight groove, with Beasley adding some Larry Young styled, simulated B-3 organ effects on his electric keyboard.

Next, the band took the pace down with the Oliver Nelson classic, “Stolen Moments,” with Ritenour playing some slow, melodic blues leads, his lines displaying his more delicate and economical sensibilities.  Davis and Kennedy, meanwhile, kept the gut-bucket, shuffle rhythm feeling intact, their subtle, propulsive groove bringing to mind Jimmy Smith’s smoky, after hours soul.

On Antonio Carlos Jobim’s familiar tune “Stone Flower,” Ritenour and company ventured into a more psychedelic, Miles Davis -fusion sound rather than the traditional Brazilian style of the original.  Ritenour’s boundless energy, effortlessly alternating between lead and rhythm, increased the energy and volume level, driving Davis and Kennedy to reach out and explore heights.  Beasley brought the band back down with a wonderfully sensitive yet eerie solo. The tune, in sum, was a fine display of focused improvisation without overindulgence.

On “Wes Bound,” Ritenour’s solo leaped from jazz to blues to rock, at one point using a slide with a distorted tone to create an odd, yet imaginative, pedal steel sound.  He then shifted gears, quickly dropping the slide and playing lightning fast arpeggios and lead runs. Beasley again countered with a trippy, utterly original  organ solo.

Ritenour switched to nylon string acoustic guitar for “Waters Edge,” starting off unaccompanied, playing with a flamenco feel and Segovia-like chordal movement.  The band joined in at precisely the right moment with Davis playing an amazing solo on his 7-string electric bass, mimicking Ritenour’s guitar phrasing and tone, while humorously singing along with each note.  It was one of the standout moments of the set.

Ritenour then spoke of his first meeting with the recently deceased Les Paul as he picked up one of the late master’s signature guitars, launching into “Smoke ‘n’ Mirrors” — an up-tempo number with a late ‘60’s blues rock ambiance and  a dash of ‘80’s jazz fusion.  The result was Ritenour’s most impressive solo of the evening, as he aggressively attacked the guitar with dizzying speed and staccato picking, fearlessly venturing out of pure jazz and into all  the genres of music that will be the focus of his Six String Theory project.  Joined by the other players, he led the way in a romp through a tight, yet high spirited free form jam, with the band never losing sight of the song’s motif.

Though the set was short, with the band fully warmed up and hitting a peak only as it came to a close, Ritenour and his dedicated trio kicked off what will surely be an exciting weekend at Catalina’s with a sense of musical diversity, fun, and virtuosity. They finish their three performance run tonight.

Live Jazz: Kelly Mittleman at Catalina Bar & Grill

By Don Heckman

Kelly Mittleman isn’t a name that rings a lot of bells – at least not yet.  But her performance at Catalina Bar & Grill Tuesday suggested that we’ll be hearing a lot more from this intriguing artist – both as a performer and as a songwriter.

Her program – for an appearance that represented her West Coast debut — included a mixture of material from her new album, A New Reason, along with a healthy sampling of items from the Great American Songbook.  To Mittleman’s credit, her songs didn’t feel at all out of place in the company of classics by Gershwin, Johnny Mandel and others.  Three of them – “Cake” (which was a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition), “Shoprite” and “Lucky” were especially appealing combinations of wit, lyricism and musicality.  Transcending limitations of style, they surfaced as songs with inherent, story telling qualities that could be adapted to performances by almost any singer, in any genre.

It’s always intriguing to hear a songwriter perform her own works, of course, but Mittleman’s interpretations of standards were also well-done, for the most part delivered with upbeat, r & b tinged verve.  At times, the renderings became somewhat overblown, especially when she verged too close to an extrovertive, blue-eyed soul style.  In the exceptions — Mandel’s “The Shadow of Your Smile,” for example – she revealed a different, more intimate and ultimately more engaging, aspect of her performing persona.

Mittleman, who was ably backed by pianist Andy Ezrin, bassist David Finck, drummer Chris Parker, guitarist Bill Bickford and percussionist Richie Gajate Garcia, has an eclectic resume.   A former journalist and correspondent for CBS and NPR, she was a finalist in the Today Show Superstar Contest, and her songs will be heard in the new film, Hollywood & Wine. Mittleman clearly also has the potential – with her dynamic manner and svelte, blonde good looks – to emerge as an impressive performing artist as well.  Stay tuned for future developments.

Live Jazz: Roberta Gambarini at the Culver Room

By Michael Katz

Roberta Gambarini steps up to the stage, dark hair flowing over a tan blouse offset by black pants, and launches into the first few bars of “Stardust,” a cappella. You think this might segue into a full trio version, but it doesn’t. Instead, you are jolted into attention, wondering if you have ever really listened to the lyrics before, hanging onto every word, until “the memory of love’s refrain” lingers in the air and fades out like a wraith.

Having thus left the audience spellbound before we’ve heard a backup note, Gambarini proceeded into a swinging set of mostly standards at the Culver Room in the Culver City Radisson Saturday night, backed by an outstanding trio of Eric Gunnison on piano, LA stalwart Chuck Berghofer on bass and Willie Jones III on drums. Gambarini, whose new CD, So In Love, was just released,  has the full arsenal of talents for a vocalist, and her enjoyment of up tempo readings was evident in “Day In, Day Out,” augmented by some fine brushwork by Jones.

Pianist Gunnison, whose previous work with vocalists included most notably Carmen McRae, was a sensitive accompanist, both in a sultry version of Cole Porter’s “Get Out Of Town” and the upbeat “Devil May Care.” In the latter, Gambarini gave the first taste of her scatting ability, shown off several times during the set. She has a vocal range that can leap octaves almost effortlessly, the way a sax player would by touching the octave key; she uses that technique sparingly, but with great effect.

But Ms. Gambarini’s greatest strength is as a story teller. When she sang “Poor Butterfly,” the Tin Pan Alley tune inspired by Puccini’s opera, Madama Butterfly, she again had the audience rapt, as if they’d never heard the story before (not in English, anyway). Similarly, in the bluesy ballad “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” she connected personally to the listener.  A native of Torino, Italy, she has just a hint of Italian in her vocal style (more noticeable in her conversational patter) which added a richness to the interpretations. She did sing one song beautifully in Italian, the faux-bossa standard “Estate” – composed originally in Italian and adapted by João Gilberto — including a vocalese simulation of a muted trumpet solo.

Gambarini concluded the first set with a raucous version of  “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” which had the audience clapping along and featured Gunnison and Jones in  rousing solos.  Berghofer,  always a pleasure to hear, contributed a funky bass solo to “Center Piece” and, in the brief intro to the second set, gave us a quick medley of his “hits”–  the bass lines to “These Boots Were Made For Walking” and the theme from the Barney Miller TV series..

The only difficulty of the evening was the competing noise from a Quinceaãera party that was going on in the ballroom upstairs. The filtered residue of a thundering mariachi band is not exactly the ideal companion to a jazz vocalist, but Ms. Gambarini was a real trouper, and those who stayed for the second set were treated to a terrific performance that included Cole Porter’s “Easy To Love,” a spirited version of “That Old Black Magic” and a sly, upbeat, “Everything Happens To Me.”

As is often the case, the second set had a more intimate feel to it, the room less populated and the performers more acclimated to each other. The highlight was another sultry reading, this one of “Lady Be Good,” again demonstrating Gambarini’s  vocal range and featuring a fine Berghofer solo.  Having heard her before in larger venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and the Monterey Jazz Festival, it was a pleasure to see Roberta Gambarini in smaller surroundings.  Hopefully LA audiences will get to see her again, for a longer run, in the near future.

Live Jazz: The La Vida Music Festival with Louie Cruz Beltran, Pete Escovedo, Hubert Laws, Chris Bennett, Robert Kyle, Chalo Eduardo, Mariachi Ellas Son and others at the Ford Amphitheatre

By Devon Wendell

In honor of Hispanic heritage month amd RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner cities), the first annual La Vida Music Festival, held at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre Sunday, was a fun filled evening, celebrating the rich heritage of Latin and Brazilian jazz with an eclectic blend of new and legendary artists.  Hosting the show was comic Mike Marino, along with KJazz DJ and Music Director, Jose Rizo.

Kicking off the first act of of festivities, the all-female Mariachi Ellas Son, seemed well versed in the roots of mariachi music, despite their overtly modern appearance.  Though the band only performed one number, each of the group members made her presence known, especially the graceful and soulful violin stylings of Rocio Marron.

Robert Kyle Brazilian Band

Next up, tenor saxophonist Robert Kyle and his Brazilian Band.  Kyle chose material from his latest album, Bossalicious.  Kyle’s warm tone, a Coleman Hawkins-esque vibrato, combined with the exceptional guitar work by Roberto Montero, made for an interesting blend of smooth jazz and Brazilian bossa bova.  Percussionist Cristiano Novelli and bassist Hussain Jiffry added tasteful and dynamic rhythms that complimented Kyle’s fusion perfectly.  On the Coltrane piece “Nature Boy,” Kyle’s tone and phrasing invoked that of the original recording, especially via the chemistry with Novelli, whose Elvin Jones like percussion pushed the tenorist to stretch out further.  Kyle’s rendition of “Orfeo Negro” (“Black Orpheus”) was the most powerful performance of his brief set.  Switching to flute, he began the piece a capella, with the band joining in – at precisely the right moment — with a slow and seductive Oliver Nelson-meets-Jobim ambiance. Throughout the set, Montero’s acoustic guitar work roved through blues, jazz, and Brazilian influences in a refreshingly original manner, sometimes almost upstaging the fine work of the Kyle band.

Chris Bennett

Although the performance of Grammy-nominated singer Chris Bennett was steeped in Latin roots and backed by the powerful rhythm team of pianist Frank Zotolli, bassist Kenny Gray and percussionist Oliver Brown, she seemed at times to be trying a little hard, while lacking some of the  authenticity of the other artists on the roster.  Despite that, Bennett’s strongest performance came via her interesting take on Consuela Valazquez’s classic “Besame Mucho.”  She ended her set with Jorge Ben’s “Mas Que Nada,” suggesting the flair of the hit versions by Sergio Mendes and Al Jarreau, despite some slap bass playing from Kenny Gray that seemed forced and mismatched with the rest of the rhythm section.

Chalo Eduardo

Percussionist virtuoso Chalo Eduardo began the second half of the program with an all percussion bossa niova piece.   Eduardo delivered a powerful and fascinating performance, masterfully playing the cuika, the pandeiro and the tambourine with boundless energy and enthusiasm.  Joined by Jorge Bermudez and Munyungo Jackson on congas, Michael Duffy on drums, and Hector Torres on percussion Eduardo and his gang incorporated whistles, polyrhythmic grooves, and exciting stage hi-jinks (including juggling the tambourine and playing it with his knees)  which made this the finest performance of the evening up to that point.

Louie Cruz Beltran

The show’s headliner, Louie Cruz Beltran, was joined by an all-star big band that also featured the great Hubert Laws on flute and Beltran’s mentor and comrade, the legendary Pete Escovedo on timbales.  Beltran’s showed warmth and a delightful sense of humor, attacking his timbales with soulful precision on “Samba Lady” from his 2006 album It’s My Time.  His mastery of his percussion was awe inspiring, overflowing with the sense of joy that this music is all about.  Add to that his warm, relaxed, always convincing vocals.

The horn section locked into the rhythm with powerfully punctuated salsa hooks, and Hubert Laws’s masterful flute stylings affirmed his capacity to enhance any genre of music with his sweet, fast and precise solos.  Among the other soloists, Mike Daigeau’s frenetic trombone work also stood out as he swapped fiery solos with Laws and trumpeter Mike McGuffey.

Pete Escovedo

Pete Escovedo was given a justifiably warm welcome when le humorously tossing Beltran’s drum sticks into the audience. Wearing dark shades, he hammered furiously, with a more aggressive style than Beltran, proving that at 74, he hasn’t lost a beat as the pair launched into Ray Barretto’s “La Curia,” aided by the stellar precious work of  Chalo Eduardo.  Together, they created muti-layered rhythms and true originality, clearly having fun and loosening up with each number.

“Timbalero” also had Beltran and Escovedo going head to head, with Laws accenting the backing vocals of Mark Miller and Bonnie Bowden.   Escovedo also spoke with pride and nostalgia of the father of Latin jazz, Tito Puente, introducing the master’s composition “Ran, Kan Kan.”  Watching Escovedo, Laws and Beltran working side by side was both a pleasure and a striking change of pace from the much more relaxed opening set, and the occasionally over the top humor of Marino. 

For the grand finale, Escovedo took center stage, and — in memory of his brother Coke — performed their hit “Whatca Gonna Do.” As the conga line moved in front of the stage, each soloist let loose, with exceptional work by the brass section, as the party roared to a thunderous conclusion.  Appropriately, the energy level was at its highest peak in this unforgettable evening of Latin swing, jazz and soul, solidly affirming that the La Vida Music Festival has arrived with a big bang.

To read other reviews and commentary by Devon Wendell click here.