By Don Heckman Los Angeles has long been a center for world class jazz, dating back to the early 20th century. And Mark Winkler’s sparkling new album, The Company I keep, affirms that West Coast jazz, in all its splendid forms, is alive and well. It’s no surprise that singer/songwriter Winkler has produced another classic… Read More “The Company I Keep”: a new CD release by Mark Winkler
By Don Heckman Wednesday August 19 at Catalina Bar & Grill Sally Kellerman She may be best known for her high visibility role as “Hot Lips Houlihan” in the film M*A*S*H. But Sally Kellerman has been a gifted singer since she was a teen-ager. And in her post-acting career, Sally has displayed the qualities of… Read More HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEKEND IN LOS ANGELES
By Don Heckman “A Tribute” was the nominal title of the event that took place Sunday afternoon at Catalina Bar & Grill. But it was actually much more than that. Some called it a Love Feast, celebrating the accomplishments of Myrna Daniels and her L.A.,Jazz Scene Newspaper. Others referred, repeatedly, to the coming together of… Read More Here, There & Everywhere: A Tribute to Myrna Daniels at Catalina Bar & Grill
For Last Minute Shoppers Only (We Need All the Help We Can Get) By Brian Arsenault Peggy Duquesnel All I Ask For Christmas (CD Baby) There’s a real neat Christmas music album that for whatever reason I didn’t get around to reviewing. Peggy Duquesnel’s All I Ask For Christmas is the complete package. You get… Read More Brian Arsenault’s Short Takes: CDs and DVDs from Peggy Duquesnel, Roy Orbison, Julie Cain and Favorites from 2013
Of What Amazes and What Might Have Been By Brian Arsenault Cheryl Bentyne & Mark Winkler West Coast Cool (Summit Records) The only thing that disappoints me about West Coast Cool is that I’ll never hear it for the first time again. Jump in any place. One of them will be singing great. Or both… Read More Record Rack: Cheryl Bentyne & Mark Winkler, Ry Cooder
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Sept. 10 (Tues.) Rachmaninoff and Gershwin. “Romantic Favorites.” The Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya with piano soloist Daniil Trifonov, performs a program of richly colorful, early 20th century music. Hollywood Bowl. (323) 850-2000. – Sept. 11. (Wed.) George Benson Inspiration Tour. A Tribute To Nat “King” Cole.… Read More Picks of the Week: Sept. 10 – 15
By Don Heckman Singers Mark Winkler and Dolores Scozzesi were the headliners at Vitello’s Friday night. And that was good news, since both are among L.A.’s most appealing jazz-oriented singers. But the evening promised even more with a sub-headline announcing that they would be singing songs by “Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman: The Great… Read More Live Music: Mark Winkler and Dolores Scozzesi at Vitello’s
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – June 5. (Wed.) Barbara Morrison. Despite her difficult medical problems, the courageous, musically versatile Ms. Morrison continues to make her ever-appealing singing available to Los Angeles audiences. Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400. She also performs at Steamers in Fullerton on June 7 & 8 (Fri. & Sat.).… Read More Picks of the Week: June 5 – 9
By Don Heckman Studio City CA. Jackie Ryan’s appearance at Vitello’s Monday night was one of the most musically gripping performances of recent memory. Listening to her two extended sets of songs before an enthusiastic, packed house crowd, I found myself wishing that the entire evening had been videotaped. Why? In part for the pleasure… Read More Live Jazz: Jackie Ryan at Vitello’s
By Don Heckman Hollywood, CA. The line waiting to get in to Catalina Bar & Grill at 7:30 Thursday night stretched all the way back to the jazz venue’s nearby garage. And it was moving slowly. But there was no sign of anyone leaving. Not for this performance. Not with a stellar assemblage of talented… Read More Live Jazz: A Tribute to Bill Henderson at Catalina Bar & Grill
The International Review of Music 