By Don Heckman
Los Angeles
– July 26. (Tues.) Justo Almario Quartet. Saxophonist/flutist Almario is one of the Southland’s great jazz treasures, a player who moves convincingly across every jazz arena. Vibrato. (310) 474-9400.
– July 27. (Wed.) Gladys Knight and James Ingram. The one and only Grammy-winning Empress of Soul shares the stage with the smooth sounds of balladeer Ingram. Hollywood Bowl. (323) 850-2040.
– July 28. (Thurs.) David Angel’s Saxtet. Angel continues his quest to showcase the jazz saxophone in all its glories. Charlie O’s. (818) 994-3058.
– July 28. (Thurs.) Red Baraat. The band that has convincingly married the Punjabi bhangra percussion rhythms with spunky New Orleans brass makes its West Coast premiere appearance. The Skirball Cultural Center. Free. Seating on first come basis. (310) 440-4500.
– July 28 – July 30. (Thurs. – Sun.) Ann Hampton Callaway. Blessed with one of the jazz vocal world’s most gorgeous, emotionally pliant voices, Callaway is also a convincing pianist and a masterful musical storyteller. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210.
– July 29. (Fri.) Los Lonely Boys and Los Lobos. One of the major pop music breakthroughs of the past decade, the Grammy winning, platinum producing Lonely Boys share the stage with the older, more established, but no less compelling Los Lobos. The Greek Theatre. (323) 665-5857.
– July 29. (Fri.) John Proulx, Kristin Korb and Dave Tull. Trio’s like this don’t come along very often. Pianist Proulx, bassist Korb and drummer Tull are all first rate instrumentalists But each of them is also an appealing jazz vocalist. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– July 29 & 30. (Fri. & Sat.) Michael Feinstein and the Singing Stars of Television. Pianist/singer Feinstein, who matches his musical adroitness with a dedication to the glories of American song, performs with Wayne Brady, Florence Henderson, Cheyenne Jackson and Dick Van Dyke. Hollywood Bowl. (323) 850-2040.
– July 30. (Sat.) Trouble in Tahiti. The too-rarely seen Leonard Bernstein one-act opera receives a rare and unusual performance in a night club setting. Jessica Marney and Phil Meyer star. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905.
– July 30. (Sat.) Shoghaken Ensemble and Tigran. An evening overflowing with the colorful, far-reaching melodies and rhythms of Armenia. Grand Performances.
(213) 687-2159.
– July 30. (Sat.) Chuck Manning Quartet. Versatile tenor saxophonist Manning brings an inventive point of view to his bop-influenced, straight ahead style. His stellar backing includes Jay Daversa, trumpet, Pat Senatore, bass and Jimmy Branley, drums. At 6:30 and 10:30, the Otmaro Ruiz duo. Vibrato. (310) 474-9400.
– July 30. (Sat.) Peter Frampton. One of the icons of classic rock, Frampton was a co-founder of the group Humble Pie when he was only eighteen. Still a star, this time out he performs his multi-platinum album Frampton Comes Alive! in its entirety. Greek Theatre. (323) 665-5857.
– July 30 & 31. (Sat. & Sun.) The Central Avenue Jazz Festival. The 16th annual festival, always a showcase for the Southland’s finest, takes place in one of the founding places of Los Angeles jazz. This year’s line up includes: on Saturday: Pete Escovedo, Kamasi Washington, the Pan Afrikan People’s Arkestra, Karen A. Clark Project, Ashley Siris, Dorian Holley, The LAUSD All-City High School Jazz Band. On Sunday: The Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Katia Moraes and Sambaguru, Deacon Jones with Ray Goren, Ernie Andrews, Jazz America tribute to Buddy Collette. The Central Avenue Jazz Festival takes place on Central Ave. between 42nd and 43rd streets. Free. (213) 473-2309.
San Francisco
– July 27. (Wed.) New West Guitar Group. A trio of gifted young guitarists – John Storie, Perry Smith and Jeff Stein, the New West players have thoroughly authenticated their ability to move freely and imaginatively across jazz, rock, folk and beyond. Freight & Salvage. http://www.thefreight.org (510) 644-2020.
– July 29. (Fri.) Lavay Smith’s Crazy in Love with Patsy Cline. The one and only sultry siren finds entertaining common ground between jazz, blues and country. Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse. (510) 644-2020.
– July 31 – 31. (Sat. & Sun.) The Fab Four. Tribute bands seem to be proliferating in every direction. But none do a more entertaining job of it than the Fab Four’s ear and eye catching versions of the Beatrles. Yoshi’s San Francisco. (415) 655-5600.
New York
– July 26 – 30. (Tues. – Sat.) Leny Andrade. “From Rio With Love.” The title is great, but it doesn’t say it all. Andrade, in fact, has for years been one of Brazil’s most proficient jazz vocal artists, combining her deep understanding of Brazilian rhythms with an equally inventive jazz style. Birdland. (212) 581-3080.
– July 26 – 31. (Tues. – Sun.) Fourplay. Guitarist Chuck Loeb joined founding Fourplay members Bob James, keyboards, Nathan East, bass and Harvey Mason, drums in 2010. The result has been a further musical enhancement of a group that has always had the ability to find the creative heart of whatever style they elect to play. The Blue Note. (212) 475-8592.
– July 26 – 31. (Tues. – Sun.) Claudia Acuna. In a jazz world overflowing with talented female vocal artists, Acuna continues to soar freely at the highest levels of the art. Chilean born, she mastered the basics quickly, but what makes her special is the way she has shaped her version of those basics into her own mesmerizing musical story telling. (212) 258-9800. Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola.
Paris
– July 29. (Fri.) Ravi Coltrane Quartet. Tenor and soprano saxophonist Coltrane has successfully accomplished the difficult task of creating his own convincing musical identity, expanding inventively from year to year, inspired but undistracted by the greatness of his father. New Morning. 01 45 23 51 41.
Justo Amario photo by Tony Gieske.
The International Review of Music 