‘Twas two weeks before Christmas, and all through Vibrato
Forman and Senatore were serving it hot-o
Ah, just another day at Herb Alpert’s upscale jazz club. Bassist Pat Senatore, who toured with Herb Alpert before thousands of fans in the 60s, and after not only playing with everyone from Kenton to Sinatra, but had a hip club in his own right and in the 80s, now serves as manager and artistic director at his old bosses restaurant. So, who’s he got tonight, but USC instructor and guitarist Bruce Forman, who made his name with Richie Cole and presently leads a band called Cow Bop that serves Western Swing on a regular basis at Viva Cantina. Class is in session!
As a duo, Forman and Senatore gave a textbook lesson in style, technique, taste and swing as they mixed standards, bop, Ellingtonia and of course the blues in an hour’s set that served as an entire course of how to play jazz guitar. The deftly bouncing “Alone Together” had Forman strumming, picking and bending his strings with the aplomb of a Dutch painter choosing his brush strokes, while his intro to a bluesy “Doxy” sauntered down the sidestreets with a worldwise strut. With subtle fills and draping, Forman daintily danced around a Latinized take of “Embraceable You,” while Senatore supplied an irresistible brazilian lilt. On a richly hued take of “Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear From Me,” Forman’s ectomorphic fingers spread across the guitar neck as if he were Rob Machado walking his longboard, while the closing “The Masquerade is Over” mixed swiftly swinging chords with dreamy harmonies. If this hour set was an SC class, I’m auditing it!!!