By the iRoM Staff With only a few short days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and with numerous clubs (especially in Europe) closed for the holiday week, we’ve decided to concentrate this week’s Picks on the celebratory musical pleasures of bringing in 2013. NEW YEAR’S EVE (DEC. 31) Los Angeles – Dec. 26 –… Read More Picks of the Week: Dec. 26 – 31.
By Mike Katz When Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” became a runaway hit, it was 1959 and I was in the third grade. By the time I started seriously listening to jazz, in the late sixties, Brubeck’s original quartet had broken up and the jazz scene was in a flux. Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis were… Read More An Appreciation: Remembering Dave Brubeck
By Don Heckman (Because of a software glitch there are no photos this week.) Los Angeles – Dec. 4 – 9. (Tues. – Sun.) Roy Hargrove Quintet. Versatile trumpeter Hargrove moves easily from big bands to small groups. This time out, he’s leading his fine young quintet. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210. – Dec.… Read More Picks of the Week: Dec. 4 – 9
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Feb. 7. (Tues.) Misha Piatigorsky and Sketchy Black Dog. Winner of the 2004 Thelonious Monk Composers’ Competition, Piatigorsky applies his adventurous composition and piano playing skills within the offbeat string quartet sounds of the Sketchy Black Dog. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. http://www.vibratogrilljazz.com (310) 474-9400. – Feb. 7. (Tues.) Guitar Night. … Read More Picks of the Week: Feb. 6 – 12
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Jan. 25. (Wed.) The Jazz and Blues Review. Featuring Courtney Lemmon, Gina Saputo and Dianne Wright. Backed by the George Kahn Quintet. They’ve been called “a journey through blues and jazz, from New York to Los Angeles, from the Andrews Sisters to the Pointer Sisters at the intersection of… Read More Picks of the Week: Jan. 24 – 29
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Dec. 27 – Jan 1. (Tues. through Sunday) Jane Monheit. The beautiful Monheit gets an early start, ramping up all week to the big Saturday night New Year’s celebration. And what better way to bring in 2012 than by hearing her velvet voice and gentle swing delivering “Auld Lang… Read More Picks of the Week: Dec. 27 – Jan. 1
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Oct. 26. (Wed.) Goran Bregovic Wedding and Funeral Orchestra. Sarajevo’s wildly eclectic bandleader Bregovic leads an orchestra that combines Roma gypsy music, a brass band, strings, a male choir, Bulgarian back-up singers and traces of rock into an inimitable evening of mind-bending music. Disney Hall. (323) 8502000. – Oct.… Read More Picks of the Week: Oct. 24 – 30
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Oct. 4. (Tues.) Patti Lupone. The versatile, two-time Tony Award winning artist presents “Gypsy in My Soul,” a set of songs illuminating her life on and off stage. Royce Hall. (310) 825-2101. – Oct. 5 & 6. (Wed. & Thurs.) Further (Phil Lesh and Bob Weir) The spirit of… Read More Picks of the Week: Oct. 4 – 9
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – June 6. (Mon.) Candi Sosa: Bolero Meets Jazz. Cuban born singer Sosa finds surprisingly compatible musical linkages between jazz and the lyrical Latin ballad style. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905. – June 7. (Tues.) Jennifer Leitham Trio. Bassist/singer Leitham celebrates the release of her DVD, The Real Me Live!, the chronicle… Read More Picks of the Week: June 6 – 12
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – May 18 (Wed.) Bill in Brazil. Grammy-winning pianist Bill Cunliffe, always unpredictable, displays his fascination with Brazilian music. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905. – May 18. (Wed.) John Proulx Trio. Pianist/singer Proulx mixes his crisp piano styings with the gentle vocals of his Chet Baker-inspired singing. Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.… Read More Picks of the Week: May 17 – 22
The International Review of Music 