Picks of the Week: Feb. 14 – 19

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

- Feb. 14. (Tues.)  Nedra Wheeler.  Bassist/vocalist Wheeler is a convincing performer as an instrumentalist and a singer. and she’ll no doubt be in rare form with the backing of  Lanny Hartley, piano, Clarence Webb, saxophone and Munyungo Jackson, drums.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.   (310) 474-9400.

Spanky Wilson

- Feb. 15. (Wed.)  Spanky Wilson. With a style that runs the gamut from soul, blues and funk to warmly communicative jazz, Wilson has always been one of a kind.  She makes a rare Los Angeles appearance, backed by pianist Dennis Hamm, saxophonist/flutist Louis Van Taylor and drummer Lyndon Rochelle.  Culvers Club for Jazz.  (310) 216-5861.

- Feb. 15. (Wed.)  The Assads.  Brothers Sergio and Odair, offspring of an extraordinary family of musicians, have been performing world class duo guitar music – of every style — since the late ‘70s.  Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.  (562) 916-8501.

- Feb. 15. (Wed.)  The John Proulx Duo.  Pianist/singer Proulx combines solidly swinging pianistic skills with a mellow voice and a rich understanding of musical storytelling.  The other half of the duo is the ever-dependable bassist Pat Senatore, whose far-reaching resume (from Stan Kenton and the Tijuana Brass to Freddy Hubbard, Joe Henderson and beyond) underscores his great creative versatility.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.  (310) 474-9400.

- Feb. 15. (Wed.)  The Phil Norman Tentet.  West Coast jazz of the fifties, with its cool and swinging sound, is vividly alive in the music of the Tentet, enhanced by a contemporary view that convincingly blends old and new.  Click HERE to read a recent iRoM review of the Norman Tentet.   Catalina Bar & Grill.   (323) 466-2210.

Itzhak Perlman

- Feb. 16. (Thurs.)  Itzhak Perlman.  16-time Grammy winner (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), Perlman’s virtuosic skills are still in full bloom.  Performing with pianist Rohan De Silva, a frequent partner, he will play Schubert, Brahms and Prokofief.  Royce Hall.  A UCLA Live concert.    (310) 825-2101.

- Feb. 16. (Thurs.)  The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.  “Baroque Conversations: The Art of Baroque Dance.”  The LACO’s Baroque Conversations programs are both entertaining and musically illuminating, never more so than in this engaging view of the Baroque era linkages between music (by the LACO players) and dance (by dancers Jill Chadroff and Linda Tomko).  Zipper Concert Hall. (212) 622-7001.

- Feb. 16. (Thurs.) Chucho Valdes and the Afro Cuban Messengers, Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Jazz Band with Terence Blanchard.  The great Cuban pianist Valdes teams up with Sanchez and Blanchard to dig into the roots of Latin jazz via a tribute to the legendary conguero Chano Pozo and the incomparable bebop trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.   Disney Hall.    (323) 850-2000.

- Feb. 17. (Fri.)  Jessy J.  Saxophonist/singer Jessy J. mixes the hot rhythms of her Mexican heritage with her cool but intense saxophone stylings.  Hopefully she’ll hit some of the irresistible highlights from her latest album, the appropriately titled Hot Sauce, Vitello’s.    (818) 769-0905.

Bob Sheppard

- Feb. 18. (Sat.)  The Lounge Art Ensemble.  It’s an amusing name for a band, but when it comes right down to basics, it’s saxophone jazz at its finest, with Bob Sheppard taking on the challenging task of performing with only bass and drums – capably handled by Darek Oles and Peter Erskine. Sonny Rollins did it beautifully.  So will Sheppard. Vitello’s.    (818) 769-0905.

- Feb. 18. (Sat.)  The Shoemake/Morgan Jazz Ensemble.  The “Famous Jazz Artist Series” – one of the primo jazz events of the Central Coast – begins a monthly run in Solvang.  Featured performers are Charlie and Sandi Shoemake, vibes and vocals, Lanny Morgan, alto saxophone, Joe Bagg, piano, Tony Dumas, bass and Steve Schaeffer, drums.  The Terrace Dinner Theatre. Solvang.    (805) 691-9137. 

San Francisco

- Feb. 16 & 17. (Thurs. & Fri.)  Leo Kottke.  He’s a guitarists’ guitarist, at the cutting edge of improvisatory acoustic guitar playing since the 70’s  Plagued by tendonitis in later years, he developed a new playing style to compensate, and he remains one of the definitive acoustic guitar masters.   Yoshi’s San Francisco.    (415) 655-5600.

- Feb. 17. (Fri.)  Enrico Rava Tribe and the John Abercrombie Trio. Italian trumpeter Rava leads an assemblage of talented young European improvisers.  And the current Abercrombie trio takes on the classic jazz organ trio sound, with B-3 star Gary Versace and drummer Adam Nussbaum.  The Herbst Theatre.  An SFJAZZ Spring Season event.    (866) 920-5299.

Portland, Oregon

Branford Marsalis

- Feb. 17 – 26. (Fri. – Sun.(26)).  The Portland Jazz Festival.  Rapidly becoming one of the counry’s most attractively programmed jazz festivals, Portland offers a banquet of musical delights.  This year’s line-up includes Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Roy Haynes, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Frisell, Charles McPherson, Charlie Hunter, Vijay Iyer, Enrico Rava and many more. The Portland Jazz Festival.    (503) 228-5299.  To read more about the Festival in a Q & A with Managing Director Don Lucoff click HERE.

Boston

- Feb. 16. (Thurs.)  Tim Berne. Alto saxophonist Berne has built an extensive career emphasizing the outer limites of jazz improvisation.  He celebrates the release of his new album, Snakeoil. Regatta Bar.    (617) 395-7757.

New York

Jay Clayton

- Feb. 14. (Tues.)  Jay Clayton.  With John di Martino, piano.  jazz vocal artists have been coming and going with great frequency in the last few years.  But Clayton, like Sheila Jordan, continues to be a standard of creativity that sets the pace.  One of the great originals, she should be heard at every opportunity.  Cornelia St. Café.   (212) 989-9319.

- Feb. 14 – 16. (Tues. – Thurs.  Sachel Vasandani.  Chicago-born singer Vasandani is gradually establishing himself as one of the significant voices in the relatively slim gathering of male jazz singers.  The Jazz Standard.     (212) 576-2232.

- Feb. 14 – 19.  Tues. – Sun.  David Sanborn.  The Blue Note.  One of the  most influential  alto saxophonists of the past few decades, Sanborn’s blues based, passionately vocalized sound is heard, to varying degrees, in many of the best new young saxophonists.   The Blue Note.   (212) 475-8592.

Paris

Steve Kuhn

- Feb 14. (Tues.)  Steve Kuhn.  Pianist Kuhn’s long, checkered career has journeyed through every aspect of jazz, from the envelope-stretching sixties to authoritative mainstream playing.  His innate lyricism was especially apparent during a long musical partnership with singer Sheila Jordan, and his solo playing reveals the true depths of his creative imagination.  New Morning.   01 45 23  51 41.S

London

- Feb.15 – 18.  (Wed. – Sat.)  Billy Cobham Band.  The drumming engine that propelled both the Miles Davis band and the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Cobham remains one of the definitive masters of rock and funk-driven fusion jazz.  Ronnie Scott’s.   020 7439 0747.

Itzhak Perlman photo by Akira Kinoshita.

Bob Sheppard photo by Tony Gieske.

Live Jazz: Kenny Burrell 80 Years Young at Royce Hall

By Don Heckman

It was all about Kenny Burrell Saturday night at UCLA’s Royce Hall.  Burrell the guitarist, Burrell the founder of the University’s jazz studies program, Burrell the teacher, Burrell the all around good guy.  More than three months after the actual date – July 31 – the UCLA Live event celebrated his 80^th birthday with a gathering of musical participants from both inside and outside of Westwood.

Kenny Burrell

And with good reason.  Burrell’s far-reaching career reaches from high visibility as a major jazz artist to a vital role in the creation of U.C.L.A.’s Jazz Studies program – an influential pathfinder in the expanding world of jazz education.

The program resembled, in several respects, the Royce Hall 2006 salute to Burrell on his 75^th birthday. Like the earlier tribute, Saturday’s program blended appearances by major artists with performances from a variety of student ensembles.  And, also like the 2006 show – it ran at marathon length, largely causing the otherwise engaging program to come to a grinding halt when yet another of his many present and past associates made his way to the microphone to offer praise for Burrell.

The speech-making aside, it was the music itself that offered the best tribute to Burrell, as an artist and as an educator.  An opening set by the Jazz Heritage All-Stars – an aggregation of familiar Southland jazz luminaries – offered a view of the solid, straight-ahead sort of jazz that Burrell was instrumental in helping to create.  And when B.B. King and his band arrived on stage and the blues took over, the exchanges between King and Burrell were classic displays of the blues roots of the jazz art.

D.D. Bridgewater, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King and Kenny Burrell

At that point, what was shaping up to be the high point of the show went up another level with the surprise arrival of Stevie Wonder on stage.  And the all-star glow brightened even more when Dee Dee Bridgewater – scheduled to appear later – dashed out to share the fun in a jam session format with Burrell, King and Wonder.  It was a remarkable musical moment – one for the memory books.

Lalo Schifrin also performed with a trio, offering a longish view of his busily rhapsodic jazz perspectives. And Michelle Weir led the Tribute Vocal Ensemble – as she did in the 2006 show – in a performance of music based on Burrell compositions.

Other highlights included the introduction of the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited, a stellar ensemble of prime Southland players described by Burrell as an important new musical entity with a continuing role in the growing U.C.L.A. jazz program.  The program wrapped with a performance by the UCLA Philharmonia of composer Paul Chihara’s Pax Humana, a tribute to Burrell, and the combined Philharmonia and L.A. Jazz Orchestra Unlimited rendering of Suite For Peace, a collaborative work featuring segments by Burrell, John Clayton, Charley Harrison and others.

It was, in other words, a night that successfully celebrated the continuing creativity of Kenny Burrell – as artist and educator — with the sort of wide ranging, imaginative musical views that have characterized his own work over the years.

Photos by Reed Hutchinson courtesy of UCLA Live.

Picks of the Week Nov. 8 – 13

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

- Nov. 8. (Tues.) Rick Braun Sings.  Trumpeter Rick Braun, a high visibility instrumentalist in the smooth jazz arena, displays his engaging vocal skills on his latest album, the appropriately titled Rick Braun Sings With Strings. Vitello’s.      (818) 769-0905.

-  Nov. 9. (Wed.)  Phil Norman Tentet CD release party.  The Norman Tentet’s 21^st century take on the West Coast sounds of the ‘50s is enhanced in the new album – Encore – by a set of arrangements from some of the world’s finest jazz arrangers.  Catalina Bar & Grill.   (323) 466-2210.

Phil Upchurch

- Nov. 9. (Wed.)  Phil Upchurch and Grace Kelly.  Veteran blues artist Upchurch joins his solid skills with the rapidly growing talent of young alto saxophonist Kelly.  They’re joined by Ernest Tibbs on bass.  The Coffee Gallery.    (626) 798-6236.

- Nov. 9. (Wed.)  Marc Cohn.  Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Cohn features selections from his new album, Listening Booth 1970 in which he finds vibrant life in that storied year via his transformations of songs by Cat Stevens, John Lennon, Van Morrison, Smokey Robinson and others.  The Irvine Barclay.    (949) 854-4607.

- Nov. 10. (Thurs.) Patrick Berrogian’s Hot Club Combo.  French guitarist Berrogian recalls the gypsy swing of Django Reinhardt with the hard driving support of Combo from the Hot Club of San Diego.  Vibrato Jazz Grill…etc.  (310) 474-9400.

CHita Rivera

- Nov. 10 – 13. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Chita Rivera: My Broadway.  The title is right on target.  Who knows Broadway better than Rivera, whose credits reach from West Side Story to Kiss of the Spiderwoman and beyond.  Segerstrom Center for the Arts.      (714) 556-2787.

- Nov. 11. (Fri.)  Evelyn Glennie and Maya Beiser.  The gifted Scottish percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and cello goddess Beiser perform individual sets defining their extraordinary talents before coming together for a climactic world premiere of Stuttered Chant, composed for them by David Lang.  Royce Hall. UCLA Live.   (310) 825-2101.

- Nov. 11 & 12. (Fri. & Sat.) Strunz & Farah.  Performing together since 1980, the duo guitar team of Jorge Strunz and Ardeshir Farah create incomparable musical banquets overflowing with sounds and rhythms reaching from jazz and flamenco to the Middle East, spiced with their own musically rich imaginations.  Click HERE to read iRoM’s most recent review of Strunz & Farah.  Catalina Bar & Grill.   (323) 466-2210.

The Labeque Sisters

- Nov. 11 & 12. (Fri. & Sat.)  Bychkov and the Labeques.  The musically vivacious Labeque sisters – Katia and Marielle — s are joined by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Semyon Bychkov at Disney Hall in a performance of Ravel’s Rhapsodie Espagnole, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances and the world premiere of Swiss composer Richard Dubugnon’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Double Orchestra.  Disney Hall.   (323) 850-2000.

- Nov. 12. (Sat.) Denise Donatelli.  Grammy nominated jazz vocalist Donatelli performs material from her radio-favorite album When Lights Are Low  as well as the standards she sings with such musical authenticity.  Vitello’s.    (818) 769-0905.

- Nov. 12. (Sat.)  Three Guitars.  Frank Potenza, Bruce Forman and Pat Kelley. Guitar togetherness doesn’t get much better than this blending of three of the instrument’s most gifted masters.  Boulevard Music, Culver City.  Info: (310) 398-2583.

Kenny Burrell

- Nov. 12. (Sat.)  Kenny Burrell.  “80 Years Young.” He may be turning 80, but guitarist Burrell continues a full schedule reaching from his work with the UCLA’s jazz studies program to his continuing live performances.  Celebrants include B.B. King, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Lalo Schifrin, as well as the UCLA Philharmonia, the UCLA Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz Heritage All-Stars.  The program features new compositions by Dr. Roger Bourland, Dr. Paul Chihara, John Clayton, James Newton, Burrell and others.  Royce Hall.  UCLA Live.  (310) 825-2101.

Mark Miller and Betty Bryant

- Nov. 13. (Sun.)  Betty Bryant and Mark Miller.  Singer/pianist Bryant’s entertaining style embraces pleasures of jazz reaching back to the ‘50s.  She celebrates her birthday by joining with singer Miller in a performance of songs from their new duo album, Together.  Matinee.  Catalina Bar & Grill.   (323) 466-2210.

San Francisco

- Nov. 8 (Tues.)  New West Guitar Group.  The talented young guitar virtuosos of the NWGG, equally adept at acoustic and electric styles, celebrate the recent release of their latest CD, Round Trip Ticket.   Yoshi’s Oakland.   (510) 238-9200.

- Nov. 12.  Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur and Suzy Thompson. Folk revival heroes of the ‘60s, Kweskin and Muldaur, along with the Jug Band, brought the spirit of Americana to the world of rock music.  Thompson’s dynamic singing and spirited fiddling add solid roots touches to the mix.  Freight & Salvage.    (510) 644-2020.

- Nov. 13. (Sun.)  “Melody Monsters.”  Dave Grisman and Frank Vignola Duo. It’s a uniquely appealing combination – Grisman’s sweetly lyrical mandolin and Vignola’s dependable jazz guitar.  Don’t miss this one.  Yoshi’s Oakland.  (510) 238-9200.

Seattle

Rickie Lee Jones

- Nov. 6 & 9. (Tues. & Wed.)  Rickie Lee Jones.  Singer and songwriter of styles beyond definition Jones – approaching 60 – may not have the visibility she once did, but she nevertheless continues to be one of pop music’s most intriguing performers.  Jazz Alley.    (206) 441-9729.

New York

Maureen McGovern

- Nov. 8 – 12. (Tues. – Sat.)  Maureen McGovern. Her soaring vocals have been delighting audiences with her imaginative views of the American Songbook over four decades.  Now she’s offering tunes from a new CD – dangling conversations  – featuring music by more recent additions to the Songbook – Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Webb among them.  Birdland.  (212) 581-3080.

- Nov. 8 – 13. (Tues. – Sun.)  Chick Corea continues his epic, month long run at the Blue Note.  This week, he’ll be in the company of Bobby McFerrin (Tues. – Thurs.) and Gary Burton with the Harlem String Quartet. (Fri. – Sun.)  The Blue Note.    (212) 475-8592.

- Nov. 11. (Fri.)  “The 50^th Anniversary of West Side Story: The Movie.”  Yes, it’s been half a century since the magnificent Bernstein/Sondheim hit musical of the ‘50s made its way into a classic film musical.  Celebrating that extraordinary production, the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra and Justin DiCioccio will feature arrangements crafted by Dave Grusin, Michael Abene and Don Sebesky, as well as the Buddy Rich West Side Story Suite by Bill Reddie and a pair of Johnny Richards arrangements for Stan Kenton’s West Side Story album.  Borden Auditorium at the Manhattan School of Music.   (917) 493-4428.

Tierney Sutton

- Nov. 13. (Sun.)  Turtle Island Quartet and Tierney Sutton.   They’re a seemingly unlikely combination, but both the TIQ and Sutton have a sparkling history of musical adventurousness.  And when they get together – as they do here – to perform the music of John Coltrane, expect creative fireworks.  Iridium.  (212) 582-2121.

London

- Nov. 9 – 12 (Wed. – Sat.)  Brubecks Play Brubeck.  Darius, Chris and Dan Brubeck plus special guest.  The musical genealogy is a potent element in this aggregation of Dave Brubeck’s sons.  Each is an accomplished, envelope-stretching player in his own right.  Together, they recall some of their old man’s finest efforts.  (I wonder who the special guest will be.)  Ronnie Scott’s.   020 7439 0747.

Photos of  Kenny Burrell, Rickie Lee Jones and Tierney Sutton by Tony Gieske.

Picks of the Week: Aug. 15 – 21

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

Herbie Hancock

- Aug. 17. (Wed.)  Joni’s Jazz. With Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling,Wayne Shorter, Tom Scott, Cassandra Wilson, etc. Hancock’s fascination with Joni Mitchell’s music resulted in the 2008 Grammy winning Album of the Year, River.  Here he goes again, with a stellar line up to illuminate Mitchell’s compelling songs.  Hollywood Bowl.   (323) 850-2000.

- Aug. 17. (Wed.)  The Go-Go’s.  Thirty years after Beauty and the Beast, the Go Go’s return, proving in bright, living color that their ‘80s successes were more than just a passing California fancy.  The Greek Theatre.  ts  (323) 665-5857.

- Aug. 18. (Thurs.) Jeff Colella/Pat Senatore/Kendall Kay Trio. Three veteran players — who spend most of their time as sidemen, making other leaders sound great – join together to display their impressive individual and collective skills. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.   (310) 474-9400.

- Aug. 18. (Thurs.)  Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited.  He’s called the “Lion of Zimbabwe” with good reason.  Mapfumo’s remarkable voice and his hook-oriented songs transcend boundaries, resulting in a truly global musical expression.  The Skirball Center.  (31) 440-4500.

Barbara Morrison

- Aug. 18. (Thurs.)  Friends of Barbara.  Dana Bronson presents a benefit concert in support of the great jazz/blues vocalist Barbara Morrison, who is experiencing serious health problems.Call the club for the line-up of performers.   Catalina Bar & Grill.  (323) 466-2210.

- Aug. 18 & 19. (Thurs. & Fri.)  Death Cab For Cutie. They may have initially been best known for their cutting edge videos, but DCFC also provide that a good band can actually break through as an indy, even before being signed by a major label.  The Greek Theatre.    (323) 665-5857.

- Aug. 19. (Fri.)  Anthony Wilson Quintet.  Guitarist Wilson has worked a lot with Diana Krall.  But he’s even more impressive, with his own group, playing his own break-out compositions.  Vitello’s.    (818) 769-0905.

Wilson Phillips

- Aug. 19. (Fri.)  Wilson Phillips. They’ve been together only intermittently since they burst on the scene in 1990 with a parade of hit songs.  But now the offspring of Brian Wilson and John and Michelle Phillips are getting together again, displaying their impressive, inherited musical skills.  Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.  (562) 916-8501.

- Aug. 20. (Sat.)  Rique Pantoja & Friends.  With friends like Abraham Laboriel, Ernie Watts, Alex Acuna and Mitchell Long on stage with him, Pantoja will no offer an evening of definitive Latin jazz with a distinctly Brazilian slant.  Vitello’s.    (818) 769-0905.

San Francisco

- Aug. 16 & 17. (Tues. & Wed.)  Sophie Milman.  Russian-born, Canadian singer Milman made an impressive debut in 2004 with her first album.  Expect to hear some selections from her upcoming new release, In the Moonlight.  Yoshi’s San Francisco.     (415) 655-5600.

Seattle

- Aug. 18 – 21. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Spyro Gyra. Before there was smooth jazz, there was Spyro Gyra.  The band’s 25 albums, reaching back to the ‘70s, defined the blend of r&b, flunk and instrumental pop that has come to be known as the smooth jazz genre.  Jazz Alley.    (206) 441-9729.

New York

Steve Kuhn

- Aug. 16 – 20. (Tues. – Sat.)  The Masters Quartet: Steve Kuhn, Dave Liebman, Steve Swallow and Billy Drummond. One couldn’t find a more appropriate label for this quartet of extraordinary veteran players.  To make it even better, they’ve performed together often in the past in many musical settings, so expect musical magic.  Birdland.    (212) 581-3080.

- Aug. 16 – 21. (Tues. – Sun.) “Tribute To Ray Brown.”  Christian McBride and Dee Dee Bridgewater.  Bassist McBride and singer Bridgewater honor Brown’s extraordinary skills as a bassist and as an astute accompanist to some of the great jazz vocalists. The Blue Note.    (212) 475-8592.

- Aug. 16 – 21. (Tues. – Sun.)  “The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz.”  With Trio Da Paz, Joe Locke, Harry Allen and Maucha Adnet.  It’s an unusual assemblage – the Brazilian authenticity of Trio Da Paz and singer Maucha Adnet with the straight ahead jazz chops of Locke and Allen.  Should make for an intriguing musical evening.  Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola.    (212) 258-9800.

London

- Aug. 16 – 20. (Tues. – Sat.)  The Wynton Marsalis Quintet. The chances to hear the Marsalis Quintet in a club setting are rare – in London and elsewhere.  Tickets may be hard to come by, but it’s worth doing whatever you can to experience Wynton in an intimate performance arena. Ronnie Scott’s.    020 7439 0747.

Herbie Hancock photo by Tony Gieske. 

PIcks of the Week: Aug. 9 – 14

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

George Cables

- Aug. 9. (Tues.)  George Cables Trio. Pianist Cables doesn’t make a lot of L.A. club appearances, so don’t miss this opportunity to hear the veteran artist in action.  He’ll be backed by Pat Senatore and Joe LaBarbera.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.   (310) 474-9400.

- Aug. 9. (Tues.)  Jennifer Leitham.  It’s a birthday celebration for bassist/singer Leitham who’ll be aided in her far-reaching skills by the solid backing of Andy Langham, piano and Randy Drake, drums.  Charlie O’s. (818) 994-3058.  www.charlieos.com

- Aug. 10. (Wed.)  Blues Night.  The title of this stellar evening is almost an understatement.  With Robert Cray. Keb’ Mo’ and Mavis Staples on hand, it’ll be the blues in all its extraordinary manifestations.  Hollywood Bowl.  (323) 850-2000.

- Aug. 11. (Thurs.)  Nuriya.  The Skirball Center continues its high energy, Thursday night free concerts with an appearance by Mexican-born vocalist Nuriya, whose singing encompasses the sounds of her native land, as well as the Jewish, Middle Eastern traditions of her heritage.  She’ll be backed by a high energy ten piece ensemble.  Skirball Center.    (310) 440-4500.

- Augs. 11. (Thurs.)  Aaron Novik.  Bass clarinetist Novik’s chamber ensemble crosses freely from jazz and pop to Jewish and Eastern European traditional musics.  The Hammer Museum.    Also at the Press Restaurant in Claremont on Friday.

Dee Dee Bridgewater

- Aug. 11. (Thurs.)  Dee Dee Bridgewater.  Dynamic singer actress Bridgewater is a Tony and Grammy award winner.  But even those honors don’t fully encompass the creative and musical excitement that is present every time she steps in front of an audience.  The Grammy Museum.  (213) 765-6800.

- Aug. 11. (Thurs.)  Claudio Roditi. Brazilian trumpeter Roditi has been blending elements from his Brazilian roots with an impressive grasp of straight ahead jazz for three decades.  LAX Jazz Club Crowne Plaza Hotel.    (310) 642-7500.

- Aug. 12. (Fri.)  Christian Jacob Trio. The all-star jazz trio pianist Jacob, bassist Kevin Axt and drummer Ray Brinker have been performing in impressive synchronicity with singer Karrin Allyson.  Here, they show off their stuff in a pure piano jazz trio setting.  Vitello’s.    (818) 769-0905.

- Aug. 12 (Fri.)  Tizer.  Versatile keyboardist Lao Tizer leads his unique band, Tizer, in a groove-driven, eclectic blend of jam based fusion and contemporary jazz.  Violinist Karen Briggs is also on hand, and a few “special guests” may show up, as well.  The Baked Potato.    (818) 980-1615.

- Aug. 13. (Sat.)  World Classic Rockers.  The title pretty much says it all.  It’ll be an evening featuring players from such high visibility rock bands as Steppenwolf, Santana, Boston, Journey, TOTO and Lynard Skynard.  Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.   (562) 916-8501.

- Aug. 13. (Sat.)  Dolores Scozzesi.  Jazz vocalist Scozzesi brings rich musicality, dramatic illumination and an eclectic overview to everything she sings.  Vitello’s.   (818) 769-0905.

- Aug. 13 & 14. (Sat. & Sun.)  The Gipsy Kings.  There’s nothing quite like the music of the flamenco-driven, gypsy-styled music of the Gipsy Kings, for decades one of world music’s most engaging ensembles.  The Greek Theatre.   (323) 665-5857.

Dave Koz

- Aug. 14. (Sun.)  Smooth Summer Jazz. Featuring Dave Koz, Bobby Caldwell, Sheila E., Larry Graham, Spyro Gyra. Phil Perry.  The Bowl’s annual tribute to smooth jazz and instrumental pop, with some of the genres’ highest visibility performers bringing the evening to life.   Hollywood Bowl.  (323) 850-2000.

- Aug. 14. (Sun.)  The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, conducted by Noreen Green.  “Exaltation! Biblical Stories Through Music.”  The LAJS presents a colorful evening of music — from classical, film and musical theatre sources — celebrating music inspired by the Bible.  Special guests include Grammy nominee singer Amick Byram and 15 year old violinist Stephen Waarts.  Selections include works by Andrew Lloyd Weber, Steven Schwartz, Jerry Bock, Alan Menken and Shuki Levy.  The Ford Amphitheatre.  (323) 461-3673.

San Francisco

- Aug. 9. (Tues.)  Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  How Bad Can You Get:100 Years of Cab Calloway. The Voodoo Daddys recall Cab Calloway and the hard-driving, swing-based, dance jazz of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Yoshi’s San Francisco. 
http://www.yoshis.com/sanfrancisco/jazzclub/artist/show/1972
   (415) 655-5600.  

- Aug. 11. (Thurs.)  Martin Taylor.  A guitarist’s guitarist, admired by his contemporary artists, Taylor is arguably one of the finest solo guitarists you’ll ever hear.  The Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse.    (510) 644-2020.

- Aug. 14. (Sun.)  Buffy Sainte-Marie.  She’s been a compelling performer for decades, and Saint-Marie’s charisma – musically and dramatically – is still as powerful as ever.  Yoshi’s Oakland.    (510) 238-9200.

Seattle

Karrin Allyson

Aug. 11 – 14. (Wed. – Sun.)  Karrin Allyson.  Jazz singer Allyson, one of the jazz vocal art’s most musically credible performers, celebrates the release of her latest CD,  ‘Round Midnight,   Jazz Alley.   (206) 441-9729.

New York

- Aug. 9 – 10. (Tues. – Sat.)  Kurt Rosenwinkel with OJM (the Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos).  The ever versatile guitarist Rosenwinkel, always in search of musical challenges, performs with an intriguing musical ensemble from Portugal.Birdland.  Birdland.    (212) 581-3080.

- Aug. 9 – 14. (Tues. – Sun.)  Jane Monheit. Blessed with one of the most gorgeous sounding voices in jazz, Monheit supplements her rich timbres with solid musicality and lively sense of swing.  Her special guest will be the remarkably eclectic violinist Mark O’Connor.  The Blue Note.    (212) 475-8592.

Cedar Walton

- Aug. 9 – 14. (Tues. – Sun.)  The Cedar Walton Quintet. Pianist Walton has assembled a convincingly creative ensemble, featuring the impressive artistry of trombonist (and conch shell player) Steve Turre, alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, bassist David Williams and drummer Willie Jones III.  Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola.    (212) 258-9800.

Washington D.C.

-Aug. 12 – 14. (Wed. – Sun.)  Jerry Gonzalez and Ft. Apache.  They’ve been generating high voltage performances, spiced with Latin jazz rhythms, for three decades.  This time out, the groove will no doubt be even more pyrotechnic with the presence of Cuban drummer Dafnis Prieto.  Blues Alley.    (202) 337-4141.

London

- Aug 11. (Thurs.)  Gwilym Simcock Trio. His name may not be familiar (or even pronounceable) to most American jazz fans, but Simcock is one of the finest recent arrivals on the global jazz stage.  Ronnie Scott’s.    020 7439 0747.

Dave Koz photo by Greg Allen.

Picks of the Week: July 19 – 24

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

July 20. (Wed.)  John Daversa Big Band.  Trumpeter Daversa’s adventurous, often unpredictable charts make his big band appearances into engaging musical events.  Catalina Bar & Grill.  (323) 466-2210.

- June 21. (Thurs.)  Bruce Forman Quartet.  Guitarist/educator/novelist Forman is one of the jazz world’s true multi-hyphenates.  Here he is, with his guitar, getting down to basics.Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.   (310) 474-9400.

- June 21. (Thurs.)  Kate Reid with the John Heard Trio.  Singer/pianist Dr. Kate Reid, head of the jazz program at Cypress College also has a resume with gigs reaching from John Hendricks and Mark Murphy to Bobby McFerrin and Tito Puente. Charlie O’s.   (818) 994-3058.

Maria de Barros

- June 21. (Thurs.)  Maria de Barros. The musically eclectic de Barros reveals Cape Verdean influences in her Cesaria Evora-influenced style.  But she also brings elements of Latin and international pop to performances rich with dynamic musical energy. Skirball Center.    (310) 440-4500.

- July 22. (Fri.) Phil Upchurch and Sonya Maddox Upchurch.  The Upchurch couple get together for some guitar and voice displays from Phil Upchurch’s new catalog of songs.  Vitello’s.    (818) 769-0905.

- July 22. (Fri.)  Peter Cetera.  He’s probably best known for the hits he was instrumental in creating for the rock group Chicago.  But singer/songwriter Cetera’s had a busy career since then, with Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy nominations.  Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.   (562) 916-8501.

- July 22. (Fri.)  Gina Saputo.  She still doesn’t have the visibility her impressive talents deserve, but Saputo continues to make a case for herself as one of the vocal standouts of her still youthful generation.  Steamers.    (714) 871-8000.

- July 22 & 23. (Fri. & Sat.)  Dolly Parton. The Queen of Country and one of the inconic musical artists of the past few decades, makes an appearance in the only Southern California venue large enough for her celebrity stature.  Hollywood Bowl.   (323) 850-2000.

- July 22 – 24. (Fri. – Sun.)  Kenny Burrell Quintet. Veteran guitarist and all around musical influence Burrell takes a break from this teaching chores at U.C.L.A. to celebrate his 80^th birthday.  Catalina Bar & Grill.  (323) 466-2210.

Don McLean

- July 23. (Sat.) Don McLean.  Writer of some of American song’s most memorable hits – “American Pie,” “Vincent,” “And I Love You So” among them – McLean makes one of his too rare Southland appearances. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.  (562) 916-8501.

- July 24. (Sun.) Global Soul.  With Rickey Minor, Stevie Wonder, Rocky Dawuni, Sharon Jones, Janelle Monae and others..  Overlook the fact that its booked as one of the Bowl’s World Music events, and just sit back and enjoy the international reach of American soul music.  Hollywood Bowl.    (323) 850-2000.

San Francisco

July 23 & 24. (Sat. & Sun.)  Dee Dee Bridgewater.  With her lush, dark sound, her irresistible on-stage energy,  and her adventurous interpretations, a night with Dee Dee is always a night to remember. Yoshi’s San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600.

New York

July 19 – 23. (Tues. – Sat.)  Louis Hayes Quintet.  “Cannonball Adderley Legacy”  Drummer Hayes, a veteran of six years with the Adderley quintet, offers some authentic musical memories of Adderley’s unique music, with alto saxophonist Vincent Herring playing a key role. Birdland.    (212) 581-3080.

Tierney Sutton

- July 19 – 24. (Tues. – Sun.)  The Tierney Sutton Band.  Sutton’s extraordinary musicality resonates through every thing she sings, enhanced by her equally engaging ability to tell a story.  She performs with Christian Jacob, piano, Kevin Axt, bass and Ralph Humphrey, drums.  Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola.    (212) 258-9800.

July 19 – 24.  (Tues. – Sun.)  Fred Hersch Trio.  Pianist Hersch, fully returned to action after some severe medical problems, continues to affirm his compelling vision of the jazz piano art.  With John Hebert, bass and Eric McPherson, drums.  Village Vanguard.    (212) 255-4037.

Boston

- July 23. (Sat.)  Gregory Porter.  Grammy-nominated Porter’s lush sound and far-reaching style are bringing vitality to the still small coterie of male jazz vocal artists.  Regatta Bar.   (617) 395-7757.

Washington D.C.

- July 21 – 24. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Cyrus Chestnut Trio.  Versatile pianist Chestnut has a far ranging catalog of material to offer on any given gig – from spirituals and Elvis Presley tunes to straight ahead bebop.  Expect to be well entertained.  Blues Alley.   (202) 337-4141.

London

James Carter

- July 21 & 22. (Thurs. & Fri.)  The James Carter Organ Trio.  Saxophonist Carter’s ability to generate super heated improvisational energies is the perfect stimulus for the jazz organ trio format.  He performs with Gerard Gibbs, B-3 organ and Leonard King, drums.  Ronnie Scott’s.    020 7439 0747.

Paris

- July 21. (Thurs.)  David Krakauer and Klezmer Madness. Clarinetist Krakauer continues on his quest to blend traditional klezmer music with everything from pop and jazz to soul, funk and beyond.   New Morning.    01 45 23 51 41.

Tierney Sutton photo by Tony Gieske.

Picks of the Week: June 1 – 6

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

- June 1. (Tues.) Guitar Night. John Pisano, Barry Zweig. John Belzaguy.  A pair of veteran guitarists – each with an overflowing resume of memorable appearances – have a typical Guitar Night jam with the solid backing of bassist Belzaguy.   Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.

Lisa Hilton

- June 1. (Tues.) Lisa Hilton.  Described as a “lioness of jazz” by JazzReview magazine, Hilton is about to release her 12^th U.S. recording, Nuance. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.  On Saturday, June 5, Hilton will also give an onstage interview and performance for visually-impaired students from Junior Blind America at the Grammy Museum.  The appearance is part of her continuing efforts to bring music to the visually impaired in Los Angeles, Boston and New York.

- June 2. (Wed.)  Austin Peralta/Javier Santiago Project.  Pianist Peralta had two CDs released in Japan by the age of 16.  Approaching his 20^th birthday, the talented young player – the son of legendary skateboarder and film director Stacy Peralta – shows off his wares amid the simmering rhythms of the Javier Santiago Project.  Catalina Bar & Grill.   (323) 466-2210.

- June 2 & 3. (Wed. & Thurs.)  Partch: Even Wild Horses.  Harry Partch was such an original musical thinker that he re-imagined the concept of musical pitch intervals, then created an array of instruments designed to play those intervals.  John Schneider continues his superb survey of Partch’s extraordinary music with Even Wild Horses–Dance Music for an Absent Drama and Cloud Chambe. Also on the program: Lou Harrison‘s Canticle #3, the West Coast debut of Anne LeBaron‘s Southern Ephemera, and Madeline Tourtelot‘s MiRotate the Body in All Its Planes.  REDCAT.  (213) 237-2800.

Mike Lang

- June 4. (Fri.) Mike Lang Trio.  PianistLang’s far-ranging career reaches from backing Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald to performing on more than 2,000 film scores.  But here’s a rare opportunity to experience his own music, up close and personal. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210.

- June 4. (Fri.)  Calabria Foti.  Blessed with a rich, multi-hued voice, Foti enhances it with impressive musicality and an engaging sense of phrasing.  The Back Room At Henri’s.   (818) 346-5582.

- June 4. (Fri.)  Sal Marquez with the Pat Senatore Trio.  One of the Southland’s premiere trumpeters, Marguez has found a unique pathway for himself, somewhere between the lyricism of Miles Davis and the fire of Freddie Hubbard.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.

- June 4. (Fri.)  Bern.  Drummer Bernie Dresel leads his gang of funk and groove driven instrumenalists and singers through the music of Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, Prince, the Beatles and beyond.  Vitello’s. m (818) 769-0905.

- June 4 & 5. (Fri. & Sat. )  Sara Gazarek.  Still on the rise, Gazarek has all the qualities that make a prime jazz artist.  She’s won a Down Beat Student Music Award, and hit the top 10 in Billboard jazz charts with her first album.  But she’s still not receiving the full attention that her finely honed talents deserve.  The Café Metropol.

Rita Moreno

- June 5. (Sat.) Rita Moreno.  She completely inhabited the role of Maria in the film version of West Side Story, winning an Academy Award for her work.  And that was only one of the accomplishments in a career that has also produced an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony, as well.  Moreno doesn’t do club dates often, so don’t miss this rare opportunity to see a legendary entertainer in action.  Catalina Bar & Grill.   (323) 466-2210.

- June 5. (Sat.) Rickey Woodard with the John Heard Trio.  L.A.’s had more than its share of impressive saxophonists over the years.  And Woodard belongs in the very top echelon of that extraordinary group.  Always a pleasure to hear, he’s at his best performing with bassist Heard and his group in the cozy setting of Charlie O’s.    (818) 994-3058.

- June 5. (Sat.)  Grant Geissman.  Busy, versatile guitarist Geissman celebrates Cool Man Cool, the latest in his long string of entertaining recordings.  Vitello’s.  (818) 769-0905.

- June 5. (Sat.)  Gary Lucas solo acoustic. The Grammy-nominated veteran of Captain Beefheart has been described by Rolling Stone as “one of the best and most original guitarists in America.”  And that’s a reasonable description for a musician who’s played with both Leonard Bernstein and Lou Reed (among others).  McCabes. (310) 828-4497.

- June 6. (Sun.)  Graham Dechter and the Adam Schroeder Quartet.  Dechter’s guitar and Schroeder’s baritone sax make for one of the more unique timbral sounds in jazz.  Add to that the sturdy swing capabilities of both players, and expect an evening of high energy.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc.   (310) 474-9400.

- June 6. (Sun.)  Element Band.  This entertaining, eclectic ensemble is a living definition of the phrase “World Music.”  Performing in Armenian, French, Greek, Spanish, English, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, Bulgarian and Farsi, they offer a little something for almost every ethnic or musical taste.  Guest star Italian singer Giovanna Gattuso adds her own elegant touch to the proceedings.  The Ford Amphitheatre. (323) 461-3673

Highlight……………………………………………………………

- June 6. (Sun.)  “Playboy Jazz in Warner Park.” The build-up to the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl on June 12 & 13 continues with another free Playboy community event.  Although the Warner concerts only began a couple of years ago, they’ve already become one of the early Summer’s most popular jazz events.  And the price is right.  This year’s program features four time Grammy nominated singer Oleta Adams, keyboardist Lao Tizer, master jazz trumpeter Sal Marquez, and the Calabasas High School Jazz Band (one of the 15 finalists in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington Competition.  Playboy Jazz in Warner Park.   (310) 450-1173.

San Francisco

- June 1 & 2. (Tues. & Wed.)  Jane Monheit. Always one of the most gorgeous voices in jazz, Monheit is also an original jazz stylist, approaching everything she sings with a unique combination of rhythmic swing and lyrical imagination. Yoshi’s Oakland.   (510) 238-9200.

- June 1 & 2. (Tues. & Wed.)  Pat Martino.  Guitarist Martino has essentially had to learn to play the guitar twice, as the result of a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1980.  But he’s done it superbly, firmly establishing his position as one of jazz’s finest veteran artists.  Yoshi’s San Francisco.   (415) 655-5600.

John Handy

- June 3. (Thurs.)  John Handy. Forty-five years after his remarkable performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival made him a highly visible jazz figure, Handy – who has also had a long career as an educator – continues to be a an eminently listenable alto saxophonist.  Yoshi’s Oakland.   (510) 238-9200.

- June 4 – 6. (Fri. – Sun)  Dave Holland Quintet.  Bassist Holland’s interests have taken him in all directions – in recent years with a big band as well as a little big band.  This time, he’s back to basics, with a quintet that includes the all-star line-up of saxophonist Chris Potter, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibist Steve Nelson, and drummer Nate Smith. Yoshi’s Oakland.(510) 238-9200.

- June 4 – 6. (Fri. – Sun.) Dr. John & the Lower 911. One of the music world’s true originals, Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) has been one of the irrepressible symbols of New Orleans for decades.  And he’s still going strong, winning a Grammy last year for “City That Care Forgot.” Yoshi’s San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600.

New York

- June 1 – 5. (Tues. – Sat.)  Stacey Kent.  Wisely focusing her career upon international audiences, Kent has achieved visibility reaching beyond that of many of her contemporaries.  Her latest album, Raconte-Moi, sung in French underscores her global outreach.  Birdland.   581-3080.

- June 3 – 6. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Jacky Terrasson Trio. French/American pianist Terrasson – well-regarded since he won the 1993 Thelonious Monk Piano Competition – celebrates the release of his latest album, Push. Jazz Standard.  (212) 576-2232.

Dee Dee Bridgewater

- June 3 – 6. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Dee Dee Bridgewater. Her recordings are always a pleasure to hear, and the latest — Eleanor Fagan: To Billie With Love From Dee Dee Bridgewater – is an extraordinary Billie Holiday tribute.  But Bridgewater in person is even more unique, more dynamic.  This is one to place on your “Don’t Miss” list.  The Blue Note. (212) 475-8592.

Washington, D.C.

- June 1 – 13.  D.C. Jazz Festival. It was originally titled the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival.  But whatever the name, this is one of the early Summer’s most impressive assemblages of all-star talent.  Among the major names:  Claudio Roditi, Roberta Flack, Eddie Palmieri, Kenny Barron, Paquito D’Rivera, Regina Carter, Roberta Gambarini, Roy Hargrove, and more.  The D.C. Jazz Festival.

Live Jazz; Dee Dee Bridgewater and Al Jarreau at Disney Concert Hall

By Don Heckman

The combination of Al Jarreau and Dee Dee Bridgewater, performing at Disney Hall Sunday night on the same stage was an inspired booking.  One could make a good case for the event as a rare display of brilliant jazz singing at the highest level.  The only missing element, in fact, was the failure to allow time for at least a single spontaneous musical pairing by these two extraordinary artists.

Bridgewater’s set was based on material from her new CD, Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee, a tribute to Billie Holiday.  Both the CD and the performance differed dramatically from Bridgewater’s theatrical production of the late ‘80s, Lady Day, based on Holiday’s autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues.  Rather than position the tribute in the atmosphere and the setting of the originals, Bridgewater chose the path of bringing her own unique artistry to the Holiday classics, enhanced by the supportive arrangements of pianist Edsel Gomez.

Her opening numbers, “Lady Sings the Blues” and “Lover Man” immediately announced her intentions.  Alternating intimate, soft-spoken lines with segments of high energy intensity, Bridgewater stamped the songs with a personal imprimatur, as Holiday had done decades earlier.  “Don’t Explain,” less outgoing, found a darker expressiveness, enhanced by the background flute work of Craig Handy.  On “A Foggy Day,” she displayed her impressive scat singing abilities, delivered with the sort of authenticity that too often eludes vocalists who attempt this deceptively challenging art.

The elegantly graceful, stunningly gorgeous Bridgewater prowled the stage on virtually every number, reaching out to the sometimes neglected listeners in the rear stage area, joking with her listeners, clearly enjoying her complete immersion in the music.  Charging through an exuberant scat exchange with drummer Greg Hutchinson, she coyly flirted with bassist Ira Coleman during a bass and voice version of the early Holiday tune, “My Mother-in-Law’s Son.” and finished he program with a mesmerizing reading of “Strange Fruit.”

In most of the numbers, Handy – on tenor and soprano saxophones – was a close partner, deeply involved in the same sort of musical marriage that often took place between Holiday and Lester Young.  But the only problems in this otherwise superlative set arose when his intensity – exaggerated by the overamplification of his horns and his tendency to play in the same pitch range inhabited by Bridgewater – tended to narrow the emotional range of the interpretations.

Jarreau, as he sometimes does, took a while to warm up to his surroundings.  His performing style is, by nature, gregarious, and he spent the first few numbers finding his way musically, chatting with the audience, seeking a comfort zone in what is basically a theatre in the round setting.

By the time he got to James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain,” he’d found his groove, displaying his ineffable ability to personalize familiar material.  He followed with a string of equally irresistible interpretations: a buoyant version of the jazz classic, “Better Than Anything”; his characteristically upbeat – and musically challenging – romp through Paul Desmond’s “Take Five”; a deeply touching, story-telling reading of Lennon & McCartney’s “She’s Leaving Home”; and a jazz bossa nova-tinged “Agua de Beber.”

His climactic number – “Roof Garden” – was Jarreau at his hard grooving best.  Taking a simple, repetitive line, underscoring it with a pounding back-beat, enlivening it with his crisp, articulate scat singing, he – and his solid band – brought more meat and potatoes swing to Disney Hall than the venue has experienced in a long time.

At seventy (as of March 12), Jarreau is still at the top of his game – maybe even more than that, given the blend of maturity and musical insight that he brings to every thing he sings.  And the same can be said for Bridgewater, who turns sixty in May.  Together, their performances offered incomparable testimony to the timelessness of music, and to the persistence of its life force in artists who fully embrace its possibilities.

Picks of the Week: Mar. 15 – 21

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

Keith Jarrett

- Mar. 15. (Mon.) Keith Jarrett Solo.  Jarrett’s solo performances — revelatory journeys through his ever imaginative musical mind — don’t take place very often.  So don’t miss this rare opportunity.  Disney Hall. (323) 850-2000

- Mar. 16. (Tues.)  John Pisano’s Guitar Night.  Every Guitar Night is a winner, and this one’s a highlight, featuring 7-string master Ron Eschete with the solid backing of bassist Chris Conner.  Vitello’s.  (818) 769-0905.

- Mar. 17.  (Wed.)  The Anonymous 4.  “A Medieval Ladymass.” The Grammy-winning quartet perform the richly atmospheric polyphony and chant of the 13th and 14th centuries.Disney Hall.

- Mar. 18. (Thurs.)  Stephen Stills.  Going strong at sixty-five, Stills has a deep catalog of music — from Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash to his own solo outings — from which to choose.  As well, no doubt, as his still vibrant new songs.  The Music Box at the Fonda.  (323) 464-0808.

- Mar. 18. (Thurs.) Ashley Maher.  Singer/songwriter/dancer Maher celebrates the release of her new album, Amina, with a concert and party.  Her songs and her singing find creative ground between jazz, African music and pop via simmering rhythms, arching melodies and lyrics reminiscent of the intimacy of Joni Mitchell.  She’s backed by pianist Otmaro Ruiz, drummer Walter Rodriguez, saxophonist Katisse Buckingham, guitarist Marcelo Caseras, bassist Dante Pascuzzo and percussionist Magatte Sow.  The Talking Stick in Venice.   (310) 450-6052.

- Mar. 18. (Thurs.)  Julie Newsome.  Vocalist Newsome brings jazz to the far west suburbs, backed by Karen Hammack, keyboard, Chris Colangelo, bass, Jack Le Compte, drums.   Famous Sports Bar,  Thousand Oaks.  (805) 497-4669.

- Mar. 18 – 21.  (Thurs. – Sun.)  Rachelle Ferrell.  With octaves of range and a voice as pliable as warm taffy, Ferrell’s vocal excursions across the boundaries of pop and rock are fascinating to hear.   Catalina Bar & Grills.  (323) 466-2210.

Chris Bennett

- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Chris Bennett‘s versatile, genre-leaping style conjurs up musical magic with her “Girl Talk” Band. Featuring Sarah Underwood, saxophone, Sacha DuPont, piano, Jennifer York, bass and Suzanne Morissette, drums.  Jazz at the Radisson.  (310) 649-1776.

- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Bern.  Drummer Bernie Dresel’s played with just about everyone.  But he seems to have most fun when he’s propulsively driving his own eclectic, three-singers, four-horns band, Bern.
Spazio.  (818) 728-8400.

- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Don Rader with the John Heard Trio.  Veteran trumpeter Rader’s resume embraces gigs with Woody Herman, Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson, Ella Fitzgerald and dozens of others.  Here, he’s out in front, doing it his own way.  Charlie O’s.  (818) 994-3058.

- Mar. 19. (Fri.)  Donovan. The folk/rock/pop troubadour performs with his daughter, Astrella Celeste in a benefit concert for the David Lynch Foundation.  Also on the program: Jack Maness (Sublime), Z (The Like), The Global Sound Lodge, Amrita Sen, Danny Saber and others.  Mathew St. Patrick (of Six Feet Under) hosts.   El Rey.   (323) 936-5657

- Mar. 20. (Sat.) Jeff Elliot All-Stars.  Trumpeter Elliot has assembled a group fully deserving the “All-Star” label, featuring pianist Les McCann and percussionist Airto Moreira.  Spazio.  (818) 728-8400.

- Mar. 20. (Sat.)  Gilberto Gil.  “The String Concert.” The great Brazilian singer/songwriter/guitarist appears with a sterling ensemble featuring his son, guitarist Bem Gil and the gifted cellist Jaques Morelenbaum. Brazilian Nites at Royce Hall.  Tickets from Ticketmaster.

Al Jarreau

- Mar. 21. (Sun.) Al Jarreau and Dee Dee Bridgewater.   A pairing to remember: two singers who blend irresistibly entertaining vocal styles with authentic jazz chops.   Disney Hall.  (323) 850-2000.

- Mar. 21. (Sun.) Willie Jones III.  With Donald Vega, Gilbert Castellanos & Hamilton Price.  Drummer Jones steps to the front of the stage to lead an impressive ensemble of Southland talent,  performing in an amiable, Hollywood hills setting.  A-Frame Jazz.  (310) 659-9169

- Mar. 21. (Sun.) Josh Nelson & Pat Senatore.  The generation-crossing duo of pianist Nelson and bassist Senatore always has something musically fascinating to say.  Their appearances are relatively rare, so don’t miss this one.   Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.

Sacramento

Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh

- Mar. 16. (Tues.)  Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh CD Release Concert.    The Music of Maria Schneider.  Dollison and Marsh have accomplished the remarkable task of creating vocal renderings of Schneider’s mesmerizing instrumental music.  With Sacramento State Vocal Jazz. Music Recital Hall, Capistrano Hall, Sacramento State Campus.   Click here for more information (916) 278-5155.

San Francisco

- Mar. 16 & 17. (Wed. & Thurs.)  Gil Scott-Heron and Friends.   Before there was rap and hip hop, there was Scott-Heron’s spontaneous poetry.  And few of his successors have come close to the depth and the innate musicality of his work.  Yoshi’s San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600.

- Mar. 17. (Wed.)  Rrazz Room Second Anniversary and Benefit for Haiti.  A long line up of stellar performers give their all for a worthwhile cause.  Including  Lucie Arnaz, Sarah Dash, Marilou Henner, Thelma Houston, Miki Howard, Stefanie Powers. Linda Purl, Paula West, Wesla Whitfield and more.  Rrazz Room.  (415) 394-1189.

Pete Escovedo

- Mar. 18 – 20. (Thurs. – Sat.)  Pete Escovedo and his Orchestra.  The Latin jazz percussionist and bandleader has been defining the music for decades.   On this lively outing he features his sons, Juan and Peter Michael Escovedo. Rrazz Room.   (415) 394-1189

- Mar. 19. (Fri.) Altan.  The Irish supergroup’s performances provide convincing evidence of the rich, emotional timelessness of traditional Celtic music.    Zellerbach Auditorium at U.C. Berkeley.  (510) 642-9988

New York

Mar. 16 – 21. (Tues. – Sun.)  Paul Motian, Jason Moran and Greg Osby.  Decades of musical experience, much of it on the cutting edge, come together in this fascinating musical encounter.  Village Vanguard.   (212) 255-4037.

Roy Haynes

- Mar. 17 – 21. (Wed. – Sun.)  Roy Haynes 85^th Birthday Celebration.  W. Kenny Garrett & Bill Cosby (17), Roy Hargrove & Christian McBride (3/18), Chick Corea (3/19 & 3/20) TBA (3/21). A great week of music, celebrating the continuing vitality (musically and otherwise) of the man who seems to know the secret to the Fountain of Youth.   The Blue Note.   (212) 475-8592.

- Mar. 18 – 21. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Russell Malone Quartet. Malone’s eclectic skills have played a significant role in building a number of musical careers other than his own.  But he’s a major talent in his own right.   He performs here with pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Tassili Bond and drummer Johnathan Blake.   Jazz Standard.  (212) 576-2232.

- Mar. 20.  (Sat.)  Daughters of Cybele. Dancer/musician Alessandra Belloni leads a “Celebration of  Women’s History Month and the Spring Equinox” St. James Chapel.  Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  (212) 316-7540.

Detroit

Mar. 19 – 21. (Fri. – Sun.)  Seventh Annual Detroit Django Reinhardt Festival.  With the Hot Club of Detroit adding their musical tribute to the Reinhardt centennial year   Special guests: guitarist Howard Roberts and clarinetist/saxophonist Anat Cohen.  Hot Club of Detroit.

Live Jazz: The 7th Panama Jazz Festival

By Fernando Gonzalez

Panama City, Panama. The 7^th Panama Jazz Festival, celebrated in Panama City January 11-16, concluded Saturday with a free, outdoor concert at Plaza Catedral, in front of the historic cathedral in Old Panama City. What started only a few years ago as a Quixotic adventure by Panamanian pianist, Grammy winner and educator Danilo Pérez has become one of the most significant events in jazz, and music education,  in Latin America.

But as good as the music was throughout the week, it was only part of the story. The festival features the participation of educational institutions such as the New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, Fundazione Siena Jazz from Siena, Italy, and the Golandsky Piano Institute at Princeton University. And the educational activities — directed by saxophonist Patricia Zárate, Perez’s wife — included educational programs, clinics and workshops ranging from Panamanian Folklore to yoga, a children’s program and technology. Also, during this festival it was announced the launching of Berklee College of Music’s Global Jazz Institute, a new, interdisciplinary initiative.

Danilo Perez

“The festival was a labor of love, not just for me but for many people, Carmen Aleman, Robin Tomchin, Javier Carrizo, many people,” said Pérez in an interview Saturday. “But also many people would come and tell me ‘Jazz? In Panama? Salsa maybe, but jazz? Really?’ And in our first year I put up most of the money and frankly, I almost lost everything. We barely made it. But in the second year we got one sponsor, Samsung, and that helped; and the third year we got another, Toyota, and then the administrations in Panama joined in and helped out — and here we are.”

“I know now, for some people it looks like this just happened, that it started yesterday. But it didn´t happen that way,” continues Perez, who notes he started educational activities 25 years ago.  “Many people have helped. This has become a movement.¨

This year’s edition was attended by an estimated 22,000 people (again, a reminder:  for jazz, in Panama).

Ellis Marsalis

The event is now the main promotional and educational program of the Danilo Pérez Foundation, an organization created in 2005 to promote social change through education in music.

The festival´s headliners this year included pianist Ellis Marsalis’s trio, saxophonists Joe Lovano and Carlos Garnett, singer Lizz Wright, bassist John Patitucci, guitarist Tom Patitucci, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and percussionist Jamey Haddad, alongside the ubiquitous, ever present Perez on piano.

Following a festival tradition of paying tribute to a Panamanian jazz figure, this year’s event was dedicated to Panamanian pianist Sonny White (neé Ellerton Oswald) who in the mid-1930s worked with Sidney Bechet, Teddy Hill, and Billie Holiday, among others. Notably, White was the pianist for Holiday on “Strange Fruit.”

Musically, the festival offered some extraordinary moments, beginning on Thursday with Marsalis’ soberly elegant performance leading a trio also featuring Jesse Boyd on bass and Jason Marsalis, drums, as well as the stunning set by Lovano, Perez, Patitucci, Carrington and Haddad.  Friday’s program followed with a moving (and effective) appearance by Garnett,  a Panamanian player perhaps best known in the US for his work with Miles Davis, and  a quietly powerful performance by Wright — made  even more remarkable by the fact that she was supposed to be on her way to Costa Rica for a vacation.

Lizz Wright

But a last minute cancellation due to illness by singer Dee Dee Bridgewater and a personal plea from Pérez, brought Wright to Panama. She turned out to be an inspired choice. Performing nearly without rehearsal with an ad hoc (albeit deluxe) backup band, Wright offered a set of standards and originals with uncommon aplomb and grace.  She has a dark, rich voice with deceptive range, and her dramatic, opening number, “I Loves You Porgy,” sung a cappella, silenced the cavernous Teatro Anayansi and the raucous Panamanian audience. It also set the tone. There were several high points in the set,  but the called-on-the-spot duet with Pérez on “Embraceable You” was a reminder of the nature and power of jazz — not just improvisation and swing and soul but also smarts, adventure and risk-taking.

But if the music was impressive, the loudest noise was the buzz of educational activities, not only because of the teachers at hand (Lovano, the Patitucci brothers, and Haddad offered hands on workshops throughout the week) but the level of participation.

“New England Conservatory came first. Berklee [College of Music] started coming in 2006, and both soon realized that something was happening, ” says Perez who is a Berklee and NEC alumnus, has taught at both schools, and is now the artistic director of Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute. “They realized we have grown organizationally but also in concerts and clinics and workshops. When they first came we had 4 concerts now we have 15. We have 80 clinics, panels, workshops. And they have seen these kids grow up before their eyes. Their level has gone up. The first year we auditioned for scholarships nobody qualified. We gave one scholarship and it went to Melisa Saldaña from Chile. Now …”

This time, an estimated 830 students attended the educational program, eight scholarships were given out to Berklee (seven to Panamanian students, one to a Costa Rican pianist)  and six to the Golandsky Piano Institute at Princeton, N.J..

This will have an impact long after the music has faded.  A reminder that at the Panama Jazz Festival, what happens onstage is only part of the story.

Lizz Wright and Ellis Marsalis photos courtesy of Toddi J. Norum:
http://toddinorum.zenfolio.com