A few weeks ago we published a commentary from Brick Wahl regarding today’s jazz clubs, the musicians who perform in them, and the audiences who come (or don’t come) to hear them. Click HERE to read Brick’s entire post. In many respects, the commentary was directed at the musicians themselves. We’ve had many responses –… Read More Keeping It Real: A Minority(?) Opinion From Norton Wright
By Don Heckman Fine art painter and television producer aren’t exactly career terms that are often heard in the same sentence. Not even in the wildly multi-hyphenate world of Los Angeles. Add to that the description “life long jazz fan” and the combination becomes even more unlikely. But not completely. Because all those labels –… Read More Q & A: Norton Wright, Fine Art Painter, Television Producer and Lover of Jazz
By Don Heckman & Faith Frenz A new album by Broadway musical star, Susan Watson, has just been released to a myriad of praises from many of her most luminary peers. We are about to add our own with the unnecessary disclaimer that she is also our longtime friend of whom we are extremely proud.… Read More CD review: “The Music Never Ends” by Susan Watson
By Norton Wright Wondrous was on November 2nd to see and hear Stephan Oberhoff and his “Heartbeat Brazil” quintet DAZZLE at the Catalina Jazz Club. Large visual screens displayed gorgeous photographic sequences of Brazilian beaches, beautiful people, sunrises, and sunsets synced to Oberhoff’s bossa nova compositions. Vocals, and instrumentals were backed by spectacular woodwindist Robert… Read More “Heartbeat Brazil” CD Release at Catalina Bar & Grill in Los Angeles
By Don Heckman Monday night was a great night for jazz at Typhoon. As it often is in the open spaces of this warm and amiable club on the fringe of Santa Monica Airport. I’d often intended to show up for one of the room’s frequent Monday night big band programs but never quite got… Read More Live Jazz: The Paul McDonald Big Band, Les McCann, Lee Hartley and Jay Jackson at Typhoon
By Norton Wright Los Angeles, CA. Trying to review a performance of pianist Alan Broadbent is like trying to describe lightning in a bottle. Broadbent’s playing is electrifying, so charged with power, substance, and beauty that descriptions like “swinging,” “groovy,” “funky,” etc. are wholly inadequate. On Saturday night at the elegant and so well-suited Zipper… Read More Live Jazz: Alan Broadbent At Zipper Concert Hall, Los Angeles.
By Norton Wright Los Angeles, CA. It was SHOWTIME at Disney Hall on Saturday night as Gordon Goodwin’s 18-piece Big Phat Band performed like an inextinguishable stick of dynamite, exploding number after number in its featured hour-long set marking KJazz Radio’s third annual benefit concert. The recipient of the 2015 GRAMMY Award for “Best Large… Read More Live Jazz: Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band At Walt Disney Concert Hall
By Norton Wright Santa Monica, CA. One of the unique experiences on today’s jazz scene is “Big Band Night” at Typhoon Restaurant at Santa Monica Airport in Los Angeles. On Memorial Day evening listeners are ready to experience a veritable bacchanal as the band on stage is Paul McDonald’s big, powerhouse, 17-piece orchestra. The band… Read More Live Music: The Best Memorial Day Party Ever! Paul McDonald’s Big band at the Typhoon Jazz Restaurant.
By Norton Wright Los Angeles, CA. Over eleven hundred jazz buffs streamed into the Walt Disney Concert Hall last Saturday night for the first every KJAZZ Radio Summer Benefit Concert to hear three separate groups, each with its own unique style. There was something for every taste. Kicking off the evening was Harvey Mason’s powerhouse,… Read More Live Music: “Jazz At The Philharmonic.” The KJAZZ Radio Summer Benefit Concert At Walt Disney Concert Hall.
By Norton Wright Some final words about the KJazz benefit concert at Disney Hall providing much needed financial funding for KJazz Radio, the station which in various incarnations has been serving the southern California listenership for over 30 years. Here are ten, perhaps little known facts about the station provided by Station Manager, Stephanie Levine… Read More Radio: Further Thoughts About KJAZZ
The International Review of Music 