By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
– May 18 (Wed.) Bill in Brazil. Grammy-winning pianist Bill Cunliffe, always unpredictable, displays his fascination with Brazilian music. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– May 18. (Wed.) John Proulx Trio. Pianist/singer Proulx mixes his crisp piano styings with the gentle vocals of his Chet Baker-inspired singing. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.
– May 18. (Wed.) Jane Harvey. Vocalist Harvey brings a lot of music business history to her performances. She replaced Peggy Lee with the Benny Goodman Band and followed Doris Day with the Les Brown Band. She’ll know doubt touch on that part of her career, as well as her jazz versions of Sondheim, all of it delivered in her convincing interpretations. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210.
– May 19. (Thurs.) Terry Trotter and Chuck Berghofer. Pianist Trotter and bassist Berghofer, a pair of the Southland’s finest veteran players, get down to essential jazz basics. Charlie O’s. (818) 994-3058.
– May 20. (Fri.) Johnny Mandel Big Band. Composer/arranger/songwriter Mandel is a master craftsman of big band writing. Here’s a chance to hear his work up close and personal. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– May 20. (Fri.) Herb Alpert and Lani Hall. The music world power duo are on the road again, blending Hall’s rich, emotional songs with Alpert’s laid back trumpet. Add a few tunes from the Tijuana Brass book to spice up the evening. Segerstrom Center for the Arts. (714) 556-2787.
– May 20 – 22. (Fri. – Sun.) Lee Ritenour. Captain Fingers, as he was once called, plays a rare club date showcasing his unique blend of guitar-driven, foot-tapping jazz. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210. .
– May 21. (Sat.) An Evening with Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin. A pair of the Broadway musical theatre’s brightest stars get together for an evening of irresistible song. The Valley Performing Arts Center. (818) 677-8800.
– May 21. (Sat.) A Tribute to Clifford Brown. The Luckman Jazz Orchestra. Brown’s far too brief life nonetheless left behind a memorable catalog of music. It’s explored here in the passionate big band sounds of the LJO. Luckman Fine Arts Complex. (323) 343-6600.
– May 22. (Sun.) Katia Moraes and Sambaguru. There will be Brazilian music in all its many shapes, forms and rhythms when the charismatic Moraes and her energetic Sambaguru players take the stage. WorldFest at Woodley Park, Lake Balboa (310) 477-7887.
– May 22. (Sun.) Los Angeles Master Chorale. Performs the best of the Duke Ellington sacred concerts. Ellington’s sacred works, composed near the end of his life, represent significant entries in his vast catalog of music. They’re no performed often, and rarely by an ensemble with the quality of the LAMC. So don’t miss this one. Disney Hall. (323) 850-2040.
– May 22. (Sun.) The Colin Vallon Piano Trio. Rruga, the debut ECM recording from this intriguing Swiss group, with Vallon, piano, Patrice Moret, bass and Samuel Rohrer, drums, reveals a musically airy, rhythmically subtle, emotionally layered approach to the piano jazz trio. A Jazz Bakery Movable Feast program at Keyboard Concepts. (310) 271-9039.
San Francisco
– May 18. (Wed.) Eliza Gilkyson. It’s been over 40 years since folk singer/guitarist Gilkyson released her first album. And she’s still bringing life to every song she touches. Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse. (510) 644-2020.
– May 20 – 22. (Fri. – Sun.) Four Generations of Miles. A celebration of what would have been Miles’ 85th birthday (May 26, actually) with a set of players who performed with him over many decades: guitarist Mike Stern, alto saxophonist Sonny Fortune, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Jimmy Cobb. Yoshi’s Oakland. (510) 238-9200.
Chicago
– May 19 – 22. (Thurs. – Sun.) Benny Green Trio. Pianist Green showcases his bop-driven, hard swinging wares in the company of Kenny Washington, drums and Peter Washington, bass. Jazz Showcase. (312) 360-0234.
New York
May 17 – 22. (Tues. – Sun.) Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. And an all-star band it is, including, among others, Jimmy Heath, Eric Alexander, Antonio Hart, Roy Hargrove, Claudio Roditi, Cyrus Chestnut, Lewis Nash and singer Roberta Gambarini. The Blue Note. (212) 475-8592.
– May 19 – 22. (Thurs. – Sun.) Miles Davis: From Birth of the Cool to Bitches Brew. Another Davis 85th birthday celebration, this time surveying the length and breadth of his music. Featuring With Jeremy Pelt, George Cables, Lonny Plaxico, Eddie Henderson. Iridium Jazz. (212) 582-2121.
– May 22. (Sun.) Jane Ira Bloom Trio. Soprano saxophonist Bloom displays her far-ranging improvisational skills, ranging from acoustic settings to electronic tape loops. Cornelia St. Café. (212) 989-9319/
London
– May 19. (Thurs.) Lullaby of Birdland: Remembering George Shearing. Pianist James Pearson and the Ronnie Scott All Stars celebrate the memory of fellow Brit Shearing with a program of pieces reaching from the early trios to the classic guitar/vibes and rhythm sound. Ronnie Scott’s. 020 7439 0747.
Paris
– May 21. (Sat.) Robert Glasper. Pianist Glasper presents one of his “Experiment in Jazz” performances, finding common ground in territories reaching from hip-hop and rap to Thelonious Monk. New Morning. 01 45 23 51 41.
Bill Cunliffe photo by Tony Gieske.
Lani Hall photo by Bonnie Perkinson.
The International Review of Music 