It’s quite amazing: I’m not the biggest fan of left of center jazz that stays outside more than in. I’m more of a Getz than Coltrane kind of guy. But I’ve got to tell you, I always have a great time at the annual Angel City Jazz Festivals, which tend towards the experimental more than the tried and true. I think it’s because if you were to listen to this kind of music on a recording, it just would not capture the enthusiasm and joy of life that emanates from the stage. It is the type of jazz that truly exemplifies “you had to be there.” The full day’s program included music from masters from the past, present and future, making it an evening that the crowd won’t soon forget.
The first show had renowned drummer Peter Erskine (of Weather Report fame) lead a trio with bassist and nephew Damian Erskine and pianist Vardan Ovsepian, a guy who’s been making a name for himself with his own trio and chamber jazz orchestra. The set consisted of mostly originals divided by the leader and pianist, with the latter’s “Dark Matters,” “Dreaming Paris” and “Every Tomorrow” being filled with intriguing shadows and eastern European harmonies. The trio showed impressive empathy and interaction of Erskine’s “Joy Luck Club,” making this trio something to keep an eye on.
Mark Dresser’s Quintet came up next, made up of the bassist leading a team of Marty Ehrlich/as-cl, Michael Dessen/tb, Denman Maroney/hyperpiano (just what that is, no one explained-hey! It’s an experimental festival!) and Michael Sarin/dr. The set opened with a free form klezmerish piece called “Telemotions” and a brooding “Digestivo” which included some wonderously buttery trombone work by Dessen. Some slippery lines weaved back and forth on “Yassima” before guest and LA legend Bobby Bradford ambled on stage to excite the crowd with some patented sounds that came out of his cornet. A tribute to his famous partnership with John Carter, “BBJC” mixed New Orleanish front line horns with freewheeling rhythms. Quite exciting stuff!
Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire’s been a bit of a new sensation, and he showed the theatre why he wowed the crowd at Newport just a few weeks ago. Just to give an example of how forward thinking this young man with a horn is, the first three songs from his set with Walter Smith/ts, Sam harris/p, Harish Raghavan/b and Justin Brown/d were all untitled pieces that were to be on “the next album or two, whenever that is.” The first was a driving free form piece that displayed some earthy trumpet tone, while the second was a gentle and warm embracing ballad that featured lonely and long tones from the front line. Some fiery post bop included herky jerky rhythms before Akinmusire brought the theatre to a hushed silence on his elegiac duet with Harris on “Regret (No More)” . His trumpet sighed, cried and gasped during this highly moving piece while the following “Jaya” returned the scene with macho hard bop and some splashing solo work by Harris.
Closing the evening was the return from almost 30 years of exile of iconic tenor saxist Archie Shepp. He made his fame during the halcyon days of avant garde jazz with the likes of Coltrane and Sanders, and was the poster child for the Impulse! label. Dapperly dressed, he fronted a team of vets such as Avery Sharpe/bs, Tom Mclung/p and Steve McCraven and with his saxophone went through the history of jazz from field hollers to Ben Webster to John Coltrane. The opening “Hope True” featured hard bop at it’s best, with Shepp taking the hip groove from the inside until it fought its way out. The sound from his tenor was like a caged lion fighting to get set free on this exciting piece. Ambrose joined the stage for a thrilling roller coaster ride on “Ujawa,” but the true highlight of the evening was when the king of the free form jazz brought the audience to its feet with not only a version of Ellington’s “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” that was so hip you’d need a chiropractor to put it back in place, but he then sang a few choruses of it with a moaning voice that would make Ernie Andrews green with envy. Who knew that this cat was a lounge lizard?!? One of the definite joys and surprises of the year, and you can thank your blessed Angels for it.
Check out the rest of their upcoming shows at www.jazzbakery.org