On her maiden voyage concert to promote her latest exotic album, Lagos Music Salon, Somi bridged the gap between American jazz and African sounds with a thrilling set at the Blue Whale Tuesday night. Teamed up with Liberty Elleman/g, Ben…
Category: Concert Reviews
Yes@The Greek 08.24.14
KEY QUESTION ON THE OBSERVATION OF THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION: 1) Which music band’s name sounds more inviting to go hear and enjoy? a) Millennial groups called “Massive Attack” and “Airborne Toxic Event” Or b) A Baby Boomer Band…
Jazz Bakery’s Moveable Feast Presents: Tom Harrell’s Colors of a Dream Band
Is there really a more accomplished trumpeter than Tom Harrell? How about composer? HOW ABOUT BAND LEADER? This 3 in one package guy filled the Zipper Hall with his supple band of longtime associates Wayne Escoffrey/ts and Johnathan Blake/dr as…
Al Jarreau@The Grammy Museum 08.19.14
Celebrating 74 ½ years on earth and 50 of them in the “ministry of music,” multi Grammy winner Al Jarreau spent an evening at the Grammy Museum discussing his latest album My Old Friend and it’s inspiration, the musical and…
Chick Corea & The Vigil @Catalina’s 08.12.14
When you take in a show by the inquisitive creativity and continuous musical exploration of an artist like 73 year old Chick Corea , you can’t help but wonder if he’s discovered either the fountain of youth or the wisdom…
Bobby Rush@Hollywood Park Casino 08.09.14
At 82 and change, Bobby Rush is one of the last great Chicago Blues singers around, and (believe it or not) because of living a clean life of no booze or drugs (are you SURE he’s a blues musician?!?) he’s…
Billy Joe Shaver@The Grammy Museum 08.07.14
Well, if the highest compliment you can say of a jazz soloist is that “he told a story,” then honky tonking singer songwriter Billy Joe Shaver is up there with Lester Young. Performing and answering questions in regards to his…
Ron Carter Trio@Catalina’s 07-24-14
The lost art of combining lyricism with improvisation and swing was on display like the a Renoir painting for all to appreciate when Ron Carter and his team of Donald Vega/p and Russell Malone/g gave the packed Hollywood club a…
Boz Scaggs/Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin/Eliane Elias@ The Hollywood Bowl 07.16.14
One of my best friends (who is a businessman) always says, “Everything is sales.” Once you think about it, he’s right; dating, raising kids, going to church and even playing music involve a degree of salesmanship. Wednesday on a perfect…
Tootie Heath’s Tempo Trio @ The Blue Whale 07.12.14
So, what do you get when you mix a 79 year old hard bop drumming pioneer like Tootie Heath with Ethan Iverson of the popular trio The Bad Plus? Well, along with bassist Ben Street, you get a cooking recent…