At the Scherr Theatre Sunday night, Bria Skonberg demonstrated why she is perfectly equipped to be the next spokeswoman for jazz to today’s generation. During her 100 minute set with her band of Nate Ketner/ts-cl, Mathis Picard/p-vib, Devin James Starks/b and Darrian Douglas/dr, Ms. Skonberg acted like a scene from A Christmas Carol, being a representative of jazz past, present and future, all in swing time.
Her trumpet skills are quite impressive, with a buoyant clarity on Armstrong-inspired themes such as “Swing That Music” while able to hard bop with a Horace Silver lining on her own soulful “Hip Check.” Switching to plunger mute, she growled out a bone chilling mood with Kenter’s clarinet on the self-penned “Down in the Deep.”
As for her vocals, she is both radiantly clear, yet also suavely relaxed as she was warm and cozy, changing dynamics without breaking stride on the bopping “Time To Go” with Kentner’s husky tenor. Her bluesy and bohemian sashaying of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” was an irresistible delight, as was her good natured jivey and good-natured tribute to making Mars and Venus relationships work during her shuffling vocal duet with the saxist on “Wear and Tear.”
But nothing showed her qualifications as today’s musical compass bearer more than her treatment of a pair of seemingly disparate tunes. Her version of “Trust in Me” from Disney’s Jungle Book had the audience spell bound as Skonberg’s misty voice floated through the murky piano and bass strings, trudgingly nudged along by Douglas, creating a film noir atmosphere akin to Hitchcock teaming with Billie Holiday. All that was missing was a cameo by Gloria Grahame!
Even more dramatic was the contrasted Latin table dance “Malaguena” with Ms. Skonberg delivering sensuous wordless voice teamed with the molten tenor sax, weaving an intoxicating formula as Picard’s modal moods and Douglas’ incessant beat put the rose between Skonberg’s teeth for the dramatic finale.
Closing with the campfire singalong of “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” Ms. Skonberg tapped into the voice of Ella and the horn of Satchmo to show that, yes, someone can make the traditional sound brand new.
Upcoming shows at the Civic Arts Plaza/Scherr Theatre include Carl Palmer/ELP Legacy 03/23 and The Doobie Brothers 04/06