By Don Heckman Los Angeles – April 29. (Tues.) Nouveau Stride. Lorraine Feather and Stephanie Trick. Singer/songwriter Feather and stride pianist Trick combine their considerable talents for an evening inspired by the music of Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and Dick Hyman. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400. – April 29. (Tues.) Chamber Music Society: All… Read More More Picks of the Week: April 30 – May 4
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – April 17. (Wed.) Corky Hale and special guest Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge perform selections from the Billie Holiday songbook. Pianist/harpist Hale, who accompanied Holiday in the ‘50s, is well qualified for the job. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210. April 17. (Wed.) Julian Coryell. The son of fine… Read More Picks of the Week: April 17 – 21
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Oct. 17. (Wed.) Judy Carmichael Trio. Pianist/singer and all around dynamic entertainer Carmichael can bring a room to life with her powerful stride piano and deeply interpretive vocals. Click HERE to read a review of Carmichael in her last L.A. appearance. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905. – Oct. 17. (Wed.) The… Read More Picks of the Week: Oct. 16 – 21
BY DON HECKMAN Call it an odd couple. Or maybe an odd quintet would be more accurate — an odd quintet consisting of fine musicians who, at first glance, would seem to make an unusual combination. Yet there they were Friday night, Upstairs at Vitello’s, playing for a crowd that seemed to be enjoying every… Read More Live Jazz: Les McCann, Lee Hartley and the Eric Reed Trio Upstairs at Vitello’s
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Sept. 27. (Tuesday) Opening Night Gala at Disney Hall. The new season kicks off with a performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, performed by the stellar combination of Herbie Hancock, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Also on the program, An American in Paris and the… Read More Picks of the Week: Sept. 26 – Oct. 2
By Tony Gieske You wouldn’t figure that an event honoring the late Billy Higgins would have drawn a full house to Catalina’s on a Sunday night. We here in musician-creamy Los Angeles understand that Higgins — always smiling! — was the go-to guy if you wanted to record with a cat who was there mainly… Read More Live Jazz: KPFK 90.7’s First Annual Hero Award Tribute to Billy Higgins at Catalina Bar & Grill
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Mar. 1. (Tues.) Alan Bergman. It’s always fun to hear a songwriter perform his own songs. But it’s even better when the songwriter is also a singer with a richly nuanced interpretative style. In Bergman, you get all that and more. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400. http://www.vibratogrilljazz.com – Mar.… Read More Picks of the Week: Mar. 1 – 6
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Feb. 15. (Tues.) Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The JLCO under Marsalis has firmly established itself as the definitive jazz repertory big band, performing programs that keep the spirit of large ensemble jazz – from Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson to the present – alive and… Read More Picks of the Week: Feb. 15 – 20
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Dec. 8. (Tues.) Neil Sedaka. Hitmaker Sedaka showcases his memorable catalog of songs in a performance replacing a date cancelled in late October. Disney Hall. (323) 850-2000. – Dec. 8. (Wed.) Carol Welsman Canadian-born Welsman has the rare ability to surround the supple timbres of her voice with an… Read More Picks of the Week: Dec. 7 – 12
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Sept. 29. (Wed.) Strunz & Farah. The dynamic guitar duo display their fast-fingered magic. Click HERE to read an iRoM review of a recent S&F appearance. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400. – Sept. 29 – Aug. 3 (Wed. – Sun.) McCoy Tyner Quartet. The ever-exploratory Tyner, leads a group… Read More Picks of the Week: Sept. 28 – Oct. 3
The International Review of Music 