By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
– Feb. 1. (Tues.) Jules Day. The rising young jazz singer performs an evening of new, original music from her latest CD, Day Dreams. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210.
– Feb. 2. (Wed.) Teka and Aaron Serfaty. “Brazilian Jazz.” Guitarist/singer Teka and percussionist Serfaty team up with pianist Otmar Ruiz and bassist Dave Robaire to illuminate the amiable connections between jazz and Brazilian music. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Feb. 3. (Thurs.) Tom Peterson/Alan Ferber Quartet. Saxophonist Peterson and trombonist Ferber, veterans of the recordinging studios with sounds and styles all their own, take center stage with the sterling backing of pianist Tom Ranier, drummer Kevin Kanner and bassist Pat Senatore. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.
– Feb. 3. (Thurs.) Sally Kellerman. The one and only Hot Lips returns to the musical stage. What new mysteries will be revealed? Only long, tall Sally knows. But you can bet they’ll be entertaining. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– Feb. 3. (Thurs.) Ron Eschete Trio. One of the rare jazz masters of the 7-string guitar, Eschete displays his remarkable skills in the company of bassist Todd Johnson and drummer Kendall Kay. Steamers (714) 871-8800.
– Feb. 3. (Thurs.) Paul Kreibich’s “Salute To Gene Harris” Drummer Kreibich, a veteran musical companion of the great pianist, in an evening of engaging, briskly swinging Harris reminiscences. With pianist Bradley Young, guitarist Frank Potenza and bassist Luther Hughes. LAX Jazz Club at the Crown Plaza LAX. (310) 258-1333.
– Feb. 3 – 5. (Thurs. – Sat.) George Herms: “The Artist’s Life.” The Bobby Bradford Mo’tet, the Theo Saunders Group and the voice of Diana Briscoll come together for the world premiere of a free-jazz opera by one of the founders of the California school of assemblage sculpture. Plan to experience a spontaneous extravaganza of sights and sounds. REDCAT. (310) 237-2800.
– Feb. 3 – 6. (Thurs. – Sun.) Kenny Garrett Quintet. Grammy award-winning alto saxophonist Garrett has a resume reaching from Duke Ellington to Miles Davis. This time out, he offers his envelope-stretching sounds at the front of his own quintet. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210.
– Feb. 4. (Fri.) The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. The E.H.E. has been celebrating the confluence of African roots and American jazz from a Chicago perspective for more than three decades. The group’s current installment features percussionist and founder Kahil El’Zabar, trumpeter Corey Wilkes and saxophonist Ernest Khabeer Dawkins. They perform for a Jazz Bakery Movable Feast at the Musicians Institute Concert Hall. (310) 271-9039.
– Feb. 5. (Sat..) Randy Weston. The sounds that issue from Weston’s piano playing find the essential common ground between African music and jazz by way of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Weston himself. A Friends of Jazz concert at Fowler Museum, UCLA. (310) 206-3269.
– Feb. 5. (Sat.) Shawn Colvin and Loudon Wainwright III. A pair of veteran singer/songwriters, each with a fascinating history, tell their irresistible musical tales of whimsy and woe. CSUN Performing Arts. (818) 677-8800.
– Feb. 5. (Sat.) Michael Feinstein. The multiple platinum selling, five-time Grammy nominate singer/pianist/pop historian performs selections from his 2008 album, The Sinatra Project. Disney Hall. (323) 850-2000.
– Feb. 5. (Sat.) Christian Howes Quartet. “There’s nobody better than this guy,” said the iconic guitarist Les Paul, while praising jazz violinist Howes’ impressive blend of classical technique with a soaring improvisational imagination. He’s backed by the equally fine support of Donald Vega, piano, Lyman Medeiros, bass, Bob Leatherbarrow, drums. Christian Howes performs at Pierre’s Fine Pianos. (310) 473-0600.
– Feb. 5. (Sat.) Billy Childs Chamber Jazz Ensemble with the Sonus String Quartet. Grammy nominee Childs assembles the full company of his current jazz perspective, linking his atmospheric piano and sterling jazz ensemble with the rich timbres of the Sonus string players. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
San Francisco
– Feb. 2 – 5. (Wed. – Sat.) The Tony Williams Lifetime Tribute Band. Jack Bruce, bass and vocals, Vernon Reid, guitar, John Medeski, keyboards/organ and Cindy Blackman, drums get together once again to revive the extraordinary fusion sounds of the Lifetime. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
– Feb. 3 & 4. (Thurs. & Fri.) Shawn Colvin. Two decades after she arrived on the scene from South Dakota, Grammy-winning, platinum-selling songer-songwriter Colvin still has gripping musical stories to tell. Yoshi’s San Francisco. (415) 655-5600.
New York
– Feb. 1. (Tues.) Jean-Michel Pilc, Francois Moutin and Ari Hoenig. A trio of international players – Pilc and Moutin from France, Hoenig from Philadelphia – demonstrate the irresistible global reach of jazz. 55 Bar. (212) 929-9883.
– Feb. 1 – 5. (Tues. – Sat.) Saxophone Summit: Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman and Ravi Coltrane. “Summit” is the right word to describe this assemblage of world class tenor and soprano saxophonists. Don’t miss this one. Birdland. (212) 581-3080
– Feb 1 – 6. (Tues. – Sun.) Aaron Goldberg Quartet. Pianist Goldberg’s superb quartet – Mark Turner, saxophone, Reuben Rogers, bass and Eric Harland, drums display live versions of selections from his latest album, Home.Village Vanguard (212) 255-4037.
– Feb. 3 – 6. (Thurs. – Sun.) George Coleman Quintet. Still going strong at 75, tenor saxophonist Coleman works out his muscular tenor saxophone sounds in the company of Larry Goldings, Hammond B-3, Peter Bernstein, guitar, George Coleman, Jr., drums and Daniel Sadownick, bass. The Jazz Standard. (212) 576-2232.
Sally Kellerman, Billy Childs and Randy Weston photos by Tony Gieske.
The International Review of Music 