On the last leg of a cross country tour to promote his latest album, Decade, trumpeter Danny Jonokuchi returns home to La La Land with his group of locals, but unlike his album, and his last nights gig in “the valley”, he stripped down his big band to a hard swinging and nimble septet, which allowed for the same middleweight punch, but for more room for tasty soloing. The tradeoff was well worth it.
With a team of “Valley Boys” including Alex Budman/ts, Sam Hirsh/p, Alex Frank/b, Graham Dechter/g and Kevin van den Elzen, Jonokuchi showed the full house that he was in the mood for bopping, opening up with a swinging take of “Lady Bird” that freatured clean tones from the leader, some Lester Young-lithe ideas from Budman and nimble finger work from Dechter. Jonokuchi then took the mic and showed his vocal charms, crooning like Dean Martin (but without the glass) on a festive “You’re Driving Me Crazy” that had Hirsh hitting a full fisted stride.
Up to the stage jumped vocalist Christian Wiggs, who’s not only the band’s road manager, but the impresario of the upcoming “Jazz Tonight” on PBS. Wiggs had a tone and delivery akin to Kurt Elling, but with more of a James Moody flexibility, even going into “Moody’s Mood For Love” while improvising on an elegiac take of “All The Way”. He was classy and clear around Budman during “On A Clear Day”, peppy around the slick bebopping horn lines of “On Green Dolphin Street” and went bel canto with Jonokuchi for a rhythmic take of “Stablemates”.
The evening ended with Wiggs jumping into his Formula One car, with the band racing in triple time on a race to the finish line on “Tea For Two” with the horns and Dechter going back and forth like a ping pong tournament, complete with back and top spins. WHEW!
If you think the only worthwhile talent comes from the Big Apple, Jonokuchi and company reminded everyone here that it’s the West that rhymes with “Best”.
Upcoming gigs at The Grape Ventura include Barrelhouse Wailers 10/11, Groove Legacy w/ Tom Scott 10/12, Maria Muldaur 10/19, Vardan Ovsepian 10/25, Doug Webb 10/26 and Simon Phillips 10/30