Celebrating the Christmas and Chanukah season with the release of his timely album Holiday Soiree’, local mainstreamer George Kahn brought his swinging Jazz & Blues Review to The Grape and got the room into the festive spirit that would have made St. Nicholas jealous.
The bopping pianist brought together his all stars of Robert Kyle/ts-ss-fl, Kris Bergh/tp, Grant Geissman/g, Chris Colangelo/b and MB Gordy/dr to get the night rolling with a fingers-napping “Roger Killowatt” that had Kyle’s beefy tenor, Berg’s bright brass and Geissman’s lithe lines flying in sync like Santa’s reindeer.
Up on the stage, dressed snazzily like bridesmaids at an Irish wedding were the vocal team of Courtney Lemmon and Crystal Starr who mixed wondrous harmonies as rich arias through a mix of Christmas-themed pieces, both traditional and new. Kahn’s own “Boogie Woogie Xmas Party” had the ladies dashing through the 8 beats with a stocking stuffer of smiles and sass, while the two got cozy by the fire over Gordy’s and Colangelo’s soulful pulse on “Jingle Bells”. Lemmon then squeezed out a bluesy of a song dedicated to Mrs. Santa Claus on a hoot of “Home For Xmas Day” while Starr sparkled with Kyle’s flute on a glistening “On This Xmas Eve”.
Kahn then brought in a bit of Christmas Borscht Belt atmosphere, as the shiksas spun like a dreidel on the catchy and kitschy “Chanukah In Santa Monica” before Kahn in trio format mixed Vince Guaraldi and the Catskills on charming shtetl rocker of “A Chaim Brown Christmas”
The climax of the evening was Starr sparkling over Bethlehem on a gorgeous aria of “O Holy Night” that shined so brightly I think I saw three Magi come walking into the club. After that, what else was needed except for the ladies to get into a church mood on a rousing read of Aretha Franklin’s “Sprit In The Dark, and then for Kahn to tap into to his inner electric Miles mood and create a funk factor beat Starr pounded the pulpit on stomping gospel closer of “Rock Steady”
Having just come from cleaning up my at own church after a Lady’s Christmas Tea, I was dead tired when walking into the club and waiting for the gig to start. After this 90 minute, I was energized and felt fresher than an evergreen! Who needs spiked egg nog to get going with this band around! When’s the Valentine’s Day album coming out?!?
Upcoming shows at The Grape Ventura include Tyler Blanton12/12, Barrelhouse Wailer 12/13, Don Randi & Quest 12/14, Gregg Karukas 12/19 and Lao Tizer 12/20