By Don Heckman Summer has arrived, with all its distractions, and many of the music venues — in the U.S., Europe and beyond — are either closed or booking with reduced schedules. But there’s still good music to be heard. Los Angeles – June 25. (Wed.) Annie Trousseau. Multi-lingual singer Trousseau is described in her… Read More Picks of the Week: June 24 – 29
By Don Heckman Studio City, CA. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. An evening of well prepared Italian food, fine wine and even finer music at Vitello’s is a great way to experience world class jazz. And this past weekend offered a superb opportunity to all that and more. On Friday night… Read More Here, There & Everywhere: A Weekend at Vitello’s
By Brian Arsenault I really don’t feel comfortable calling a column like this “The Best of 2012.” It’s not that I’m not opinionated enough to do so, it’s that integrity would require me to have listened to a whole lot more during the year. Wouldn’t one have to hear just about everything to do an… Read More Short Takes: Of My Favorites in Twenty-Twelve
Rickie Lee Jones The Devil You Know (Concord) By Brian Arsenault If Tim Hardin were still alive, he’d say that someone finally had wrung out all the pain in “Reason to Believe” and not made pop trivia a la Rod Stewart. (The devil knows, Rod, and he remembers.) It seems to me that Rickie Lee… Read More CD Review: Rickie Lee Jones’ “The Devil You Know”
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Sept. 25. (Tues.) John Pisano’s Guitar Night. It’s an all-star congregation, with John Pisano celebrating the 15th anniversary of his always-entertaining Guitar Nights. Expect to see and hear a stage full of the Southland’s finest 6-stringers. Lucy’s 51. (818) 763-5200. – Sept. 27. (Thurs.) The Los Angeles Philharmonic. … Read More Picks of the Week: Sept. 25 – 30
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Nov. 8. (Tues.) Rick Braun Sings. Trumpeter Rick Braun, a high visibility instrumentalist in the smooth jazz arena, displays his engaging vocal skills on his latest album, the appropriately titled Rick Braun Sings With Strings. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905. – Nov. 9. (Wed.) Phil Norman Tentet CD release party. The… Read More Picks of the Week Nov. 8 – 13
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – May 24. (Tues.) A Tribute to Gene Harris. This is as close as live music gets to the irresistible sounds of the late Gene Harris’ Quartet. Pianist Bradley Young takes the lead role, backed by a trio of alumni from the original Harris ensemble – Luther Hughes, bass,… Read More Picks of the Week: May 24 – 29
By Michael Katz For all those residents of the beach communities looking for an antidote to the seemingly endless shroud of fog that has enveloped the coastline this summer, Rickie Lee Jones couldn’t have been more welcome. The Duchess of Coolsville warmed up an adoring audience gathered at the Santa Monica Pier Thursday night for… Read More Live Pop: Rickie Lee Jones at the Santa Monica Pier
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Aug. 3. (Tues.) The Los Angeles Philharmonic. Gustavo Dudamel conducts a stunning program of Bernstein and Gershwin. Gabriela Montero solos in the Rhapsody In Blue. The Hollywood Bowl. (323) 850-2000. – Aug. 3. (Tues.) Wayne Bergeron’s Big Band. Trumpeter Bergeron steps down from the trumpet section to lead own… Read More Picks of the Week: Aug. 3 – 8
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Feb. 16. (Tues.) Rickie Lee Jones. Her latest album, Balm in Gilead, affirmed that Jones is still a vital and imaginative singer and songwriter. She’ll be performing selections from that CD as well as material from her long, productive career. Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Blvd., L.A. (323) 660-6639. –… Read More Picks of the Week: Feb. 16 – 21
The International Review of Music 