Live Jazz: Seven String guitarist Howard Alden performs in a Siskiyou Music Project at the Pascal Winery

By Don Heckman Talent, Oregon. Last Sunday night, New York’s great seven string guitarist Howard Alden gave a stunning display of the too rarely heard instrument’s expressive jazz potential in a performance at the Paschal Winery. The first half of the performance, produced by the Siskiyou Music Project, began with a far ranging program of… Read More Live Jazz: Seven String guitarist Howard Alden performs in a Siskiyou Music Project at the Pascal Winery

August 16, 2016August 16, 2016 iromLeave a comment

LOS ANGELES MUSIC HIGHLIGHT of the WEEK: Wednesday July 20

JAZZ AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL: ”YES WE CAN CAN” AN ALLEN TOUSSAINT SALUTE By Don Heckman a NIGHT AT THE Hollywood bowl is always a night to remember. And never more than during the musically exciting performances at the steart of a new season. Like this one, the kick off of the 2016 Jazz Season,… Read More LOS ANGELES MUSIC HIGHLIGHT of the WEEK: Wednesday July 20

July 18, 2016July 19, 2016 iromLeave a comment

MUSICAL PICKS OF THE WEEK (JUNE 20 – 26) IN LOS ANGELES

By Don Heckman June 20 (Mon)… Seth MacFarlane with the Joel McNeely Band. MacFarlne’s singing is a convincing echo of the Sinatra, Martin, Rat Pack big band era. In his spare time, the versatile MacFarlane also has a convincing career as the producer of such major animation series as Family Guy, American Father and much… Read More MUSICAL PICKS OF THE WEEK (JUNE 20 – 26) IN LOS ANGELES

June 19, 2016 iromLeave a comment

CD Review: Herb Alpert’s “Come Fly With Me”

By Don Heckman Renaissance Man is a label that’s been associated with Herb Alpert’s diverse career for years. And with good reason. How better to accurately describe Alpert’s mastery of skills reaching from the deep, often dark, complexities of the music business to his imaginative accomplishments as trumpeter, song writer, composer, band leader, producer, philanthropist… Read More CD Review: Herb Alpert’s “Come Fly With Me”

June 6, 2016 iromLeave a comment

Throw Back Thursday: Remembering Sheila Jordan

By Don Heckman Fifty three years ago this month, Sheila Jordan’s first album, Portrait of Sheila, was released on Blue Note Records. In the same month, I wrote a story/conversation about Sheila and her new album for Down Beat magazine. We’ve been good friends ever since, often encountering each other in different parts of the… Read More Throw Back Thursday: Remembering Sheila Jordan

May 5, 2016 iromLeave a comment

Notes From the Left Coast: The Dave Damiani Big band and Catalina Bar & Grill

By Don Heckman The right musical group, the right venue and the right book got together early last week at Catalina Bar and Grill. And the results were superlative. The group, Dave Damiani and his No Vacancy Orchestra, celebrating the Frank Sinatra 100th birthday, offered one of their high quality displays of hard swinging big… Read More Notes From the Left Coast: The Dave Damiani Big band and Catalina Bar & Grill

March 1, 2016March 1, 2016 iromLeave a comment

Notes From the Left Coast: Nancy Dussault at The Gardenia

By Don Heckman The Gardenia, Tom Rolla’s cozy Hollywood cabaret club can always be counted on to provide a captivating evening of music. And Nancy Dussault’s performance Friday night did all that and a lot more. The versatile, Tony Award-nominated Dussault’s far-ranging musical theatre career reaches from The Sound of Music and Do Re Mi… Read More Notes From the Left Coast: Nancy Dussault at The Gardenia

February 20, 2016 iromLeave a comment

Live Jazz: Susan Anton and the Pat Senatore Trio.. at Vibrato Grill, Jazz…etc

By Don Heckman The music one expects to hear in the elegant night club at the top of Beverly Glen is up front and apparent in its lyrical name: Vibrato Grill, Jazz…etc. Add the fact that the club has other significant jazz linkages. For one, it’s owned by the veteran jazz trumpeter, band leader (Tijuana… Read More Live Jazz: Susan Anton and the Pat Senatore Trio.. at Vibrato Grill, Jazz…etc

January 29, 2016 iromLeave a comment

Live Song: Sally Kellerman @ Catalina Bar & Grill

By Don Heckman There aren’t a lot of performers for whom I would take on a major weather front to hear. But that’s exactly what Faith and I did last Thursday, when we drove down from Oregon, past Mount Shasta, through a wind-swept snow storm. To be sure, we were also heading south to spend… Read More Live Song: Sally Kellerman @ Catalina Bar & Grill

January 10, 2016 iromLeave a comment

Picks of the Long Weekend in Los Angeles – Jan. 7 – 10

By Don Heckman The first weekends of 2016 are upon us. And a glance at the music filling the Southland’s music arenas — from clubs to concert halls — is a reminder of the far-reaching pleasures available to Angelenos’ music fans. We’ve mostly been away from the Los Angeles area for the past year, spending… Read More Picks of the Long Weekend in Los Angeles – Jan. 7 – 10

January 5, 2016 iromLeave a comment

The International Review of Music

Tag: Don Heckman