Los Angeles Jazz Scene - Jazz Around Town
                         September 2011
JAZZ AROUND TOWN

WARNING SIGNS

       After 13 years, the Orange County Classic Jazz Festival is no more. Citing falling ticket sales and rising
transportation costs, the plug has been pulled on this highly enjoyable August event. I had attended the last five
editions and always noted that I was generally the only representative of the jazz press. I also never seemed to see
any familiar faces in the audience. Despite the fact that this festival brought in artists who generally never appear
in Southern California and the event was very well run, it was not supported by the Los Angeles jazz community.
Many in the audience were regular attendees of other trad jazz festivals from around the country but they are
aging and not being replaced.
      It is probably no coincidence that this year's jazz series at the Hollywood Bowl includes such non jazz performers
as Hugh Masekela, Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, and the Brothers Johnson, or that few new jazz clubs have opened
during the past couple of years. The jazz audience does exist, acquires recordings and reads this paper, but too few
are going out and supporting the music. Where are the 18,000 people that attend the Playboy Jazz Festival?
Imagine if 20% of them went out to a jazz club once a week!
      The Sweet & Hot Music Festival is taking place Labor Day weekend at the LAX Marriott. It is reasonably priced
and the lineup is full of all-stars from several genres of jazz. For more information contact www.sweethot.org. Do not
take its existence for granted for, like the Orange County Classic Jazz Festival, it could disappear one of these years
due to the apathy of the L.A. jazz audience.

THE ORANGE COUNTY CLASSIC JAZZ FESTIVAL

       The final version of the Orange County Classic Jazz Festival, held at the Hilton in Costa Mesa, was once again
put on by John Dieball, Connie Baker and Larry Baker. 16 different groups were featured over a three-day period at
five venues at the Hilton Hotel in Costa Mesa.
      The first sound I heard at the trad festival was a flute, Anne Barnhart, playing with her husband pianist Jeff
Barnhart as part of Ivory & Gold. Actually this was an expanded group which, in addition to drummer Danny
Coots, included the Midiri Brothers (clarinetist Joe and Paul on vibes). The intriguing sounds were jazz chamber
music (particularly when Joe played his haunting bass clarinet) and such songs as “What Is This Thing Called
Love,” “Ghost Of A Chance” and “Jitterbug Waltz” benefited from this group's treatments. They should record
together.
      The festival featured three of the world's greatest stride pianists: Louis Mazetier, Neville Dickie and Jeff
Barnhart. Mazetier was most often heard with Paris Washboard, arguably the premiere band of the weekend.
Comprised of trombonist-leader Daniel Barda, clarinetist Alain Marquest, Stephane Seva on washboard and the
pianist, the group always swung hard, featuring exciting ensembles and colorful solos. Barda has his own forceful
yet versatile musical personality. Marquest, while influenced by Sidney Bechet, also has his own approach, and
Seva never lets the band's momentum slow down. But it is Louis Mazetier's inventive stride piano that really propels
and inspires the group. The quartet's many recordings (quite a few for Stomp Off) are very rewarding but to see
them alive is a particularly memorable experience.
      Over the weekend there were three special sets featuring the trio of great pianists in duets. The one I caught
featured Mazetier and Barnhart. They always bring out the best in each other with Mazetier's phenomenal playing
inspiring Barnhart while the latter's wit also uplifts their encounters. Their performances of such songs as Fats
Waller's “Hold My Hand,” a version of “12th Street Rag” that went through seven keys, “High Society” and
“Running Wild” were explosive while their individual showcases (which in Barnhart's case was an Ellington medley
of “Solitude,” “Drop Me Off In Harlem” and “Cotton Club Stomp #2”) were outstanding.
      Neville Dickie was mostly heard during the festival playing solo piano although there were a few sets on which
he was joined by drummer Danny Coots. Equally skilled at stride, swing and boogie-woogie, Dickie (who has a huge
repertoire) always puts on a swinging and witty show, and the addition of Coots is a strong asset. Jeff Barnhart, in
addition to his work with Ivory & Gold, led the humorous and always enthusiastic Titan Hot Seven which had
outstanding clarinet playing from Jim Buchmann and a powerful cornetist in Flip Oakes.
      The Midiri Brothers are always a joy to see. Joe Midiri, whether on his virtuosic clarinet, his jump alto, or
taking a surprise vocal that sounds exactly like Louis Armstrong (few people look less like Satch than Midiri),
deserves to be much better known, as does his twin brother Paul Midiri. Always full of energy, Paul not only plays
heated vibes a la Lionel Hampton but can be heard occasionally on drums and trombone. The rapid clarinet and
vibes unisons on “Jubilee Stomp” and the six clarinet choruses on “C'est Magnifique” were among the highpoints.
      The Original Wildcat Jass Band, a group with strong potential, is led by banjoist Rob Wright and features
trumpeter Jason Carder, Kelland Thomas on soprano and the veteran Ray Templin on drums and piano. They
performed excellent obscurities, fresh versions of standards and one of the fastest versions of “That's A Plenty” ever
heard. The High Sierra Jazz Band, led by the fine clarinetist Pieter Mejers, in their new edition feature two strong
trumpet talents in Bryan Shaw and Marc Caparione. Its rhythm section tends to be a bit stodgy but chances are
that this group is at a transition point. A version of “Potato Head Blues” found all of the horn players (including
trombonist Howard Miyata) switching to trumpets and cornets to play a harmonized version of Louis Armstrong's
famous solo and their rendition of Jelly Roll Morton's “Kansas City Stomps” was quite hot. Wally's Warehouse Waifs
featured clean ensembles and excellent solos from reedman Jim Snyder (best on clarinet) and trumpeter Dave
Tatow, whose lead was warm on “Pete Kelly's Blues.” The St. Louis Stompers displays plenty of spirit, a fine soloist in
trumpeter Steve Lilley and the forceful sousaphone of David Zink. Pianist Tom Hook's Black Dogs, a cult favorite,
played bluesy dixieland with wit. The Titanic Jazz Band revived music from the repertoire of Turk Murphy and Lu
Watters. 1920s dance music was provided by the Crazy Rhythm Hot Society Orchestra while the Mike Henebry
Orchestra delighted dancers with their renditions of swing standards. The veteran Night Blooming Jazzmen
performed their brand of “ragged but right” dixieland. Guitarist Jerry Krahn from the Titan Hot Seven performed
subtle cool jazz in a quartet with two guitars, bass and drums. Another departure was provided by Tom Rigney &
Flambeau. Their brand of danceable “New Orleans gypsy cajun music” emphasized Rigney's light appealing vocals
and fluent violin on such songs as “Moonlight On The Bayou,” “The Prisoner's Song,” “Rigoli's Blues,” and even
“Shake, Rattle and Roll.”
      It was fun while it lasted.

THE LATEST FROM THE FRESH SOUND LABEL

       Among the latest reissues from the Spanish Fresh Sound label, all of which are released as attractive
compilations by producer Jordi Pujol, are six CDs by artists and groups that deserve to be better known. Big Miller
was a superior blues and swing singer in the tradition of Big Joe Turner, Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams but with
his own sound and openness to folk music. He spent much of his later years living in Canada. Did You Ever Heart
The Blues + Revelations And The Blues (FSR 622) from 1959-60 bring back two of his finest albums. The first record
has blues written by Langston Hughes while most of the second set consists of Miller's own bluish originals. With
accompaniment by such giants as altoist Phil Woods, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland and tenor-saxophonist Zoot Sims
on the Hughes project and either Ben Webster or Plas Johnson on tenor for the second, this is Big Miller's definitive
release.
      Irene Kral gained fame late in her life when she recorded three classic ballad albums with pianist Alan
Broadbent; no one has ever topped her version of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most.” The Band And I +
Steveireneo (FSR 626) consists of two albums from early in her career (1958-59). Kral is joined by the Herb
Pomeroy big band (with arrangements by Al Cohn and Ernie Wilkins) for the first set while the second has her
interpreting Steve Allen songs with the help of the Al Cohn orchestra. Throughout these projects, Irene Kral sounds
both youthful and joyful, very much in her early prime.
      Duke Pearson was significant as an arranger, composer and producer. Profile & Tender Feelin's (FSR 638) puts
the spotlight on his piano playing on a pair of fairly obscure 1959 trio albums with bassist Gene Taylor and
drummer Lex Humphries. Throughout, Pearson shows that he was a top hard bop pianist influenced by Bud Powell
but already at this early stage displaying his own musical personality.
      The great guitarist Al Viola had a busy career, whether playing with the Page Cavanaugh Trio, Frank Sinatra
or in the studios. He did not lead that many albums, making Guitars (FSR 633) from 1959 a real treat. For the two
albums (Guitars and Guitars Vol. 2), Viola is heard on solo, rhythm and bass guitars, usually overdubbing three
parts. His treatments of the standards are concise (all but one of the 24 performances are under three minutes),
melodic and tasteful, with the emphasis on his beautiful tones and subtle creativity.
      Jimmy Raney's In Three Attitudes (FSR 625) reissues that album plus Jimmy Raney Features Bob Brookmeyer,
both from 1956. Raney, one of the most influential guitarists of the 1950s, is heard playing inventive cool jazz in
quartets and quintets which co-star either valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn on tenor or pianist Hall
Overton. The laidback music is full of quiet discoveries.
      While each of these first five Fresh Sound releases reissues two former Lps on a single CD, The Mastersounds Play
(FSR 621) is a double-CD with three albums worth of material: Play Horace Silver, Ballads & Blues and In Concert.
Dating from 1959-60, these sets feature vibraphonist Buddy Montgomery and electric bassist Monk Montgomery
(Wes' brothers) in a popular quartet with pianist Richie Crabtree and drummer Benny Barth. While having the
same instrumentation as the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Mastersounds were bluesier and often swung harder. They
are heard at their best throughout this rewarding two-fer which, as with the other Fresh Sound releases, are
available (along with hundreds of other very interesting releases) at www.freshsoundrecords.com.