I'm going to start with a confession (which may not come as a surprise to some of you): I really am a snob about singers, especially lady ones.
Well, I've just spent an entire day playing and replaying the new CD from Roseanna Vitro doing Randy Newman's music, and I've found one of my favorite (living) female singers!!
As you can tell, I'm really excited about this, and wanted to share! It's my Movable Feast, so I've booked her at the Musicians Institute, June 18.
There's a wonderful concert coming up in just a few weeks. Yes, it's for a great cause, but it also promises to be an amazing afternoon of excellent music.
If you like jazz, come hear what can very reasonably be called the best high school jazz band in the nation. The Santa Monica High School Jazz Band swept the top awards at the Berklee College of Music Jazz Festival, competing against 200 other bands and 3,000 other students at the largest high school jazz festival in the world.
They are awesome. As will you be if you support them and the tsunami victims of Japan by coming to see them on Saturday, June 4 at 3pm at the beautifully restored Barnum Hall.
Tickets are only $10, and are available online at jazz4japan.org or at Brown Paper Tickets.
The Samohi Jazz program has partnered with the Santa Monica Chapter of the American Red Cross, to raise money for the Japanese people that were devastated by the terrible chain of events that occurred recently in their country. Half of all proceeds from the concert will go toward the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief effort and the other half will go to support the Samohi Jazz program. There will also be a Silent Auction in the lobby and information shared by Red Cross officials about how Santa Monica residents can be ready in case of an unexpected event in our community.
The Samohi Jazz bands, under the direction of Tom Whaley and Mike Corrigan have had a spectacular year with arguably the biggest accomplishment in Samohi Jazz history, by winning the Berklee College of Music Jazz Festival in Boston last March. With 200 Bands and over 3000 students competing, the Samohi big band and combo both placed first in the biggest high school jazz festival in the world! In addition, three Samohi students were recognized for outstanding musicianship. Now you can see them LIVE! Please come out to show your support for these great musicians and support the good work of the American Red Cross.
The concert starts at 3pm and tickets for the event can be purchased online at Brown Paper tickets or at the door on the day of the event. The General Admission ticket prices are $10 for adults, $5 seniors and students. SMMUSD Middle school music students are free.
Hope you can be at Barnum Hall for this afternoon of fantastic music!
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT: Jazz4Japan.org
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Ruth Price has presented concerts at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood several times as part of her floating “Moveable Feast” series. Saturday night’s Jim Hall Quartet 80th Birthday Celebration appeared to be her best-attended event so far, with as many students present as her core demographic of older listeners. All were treated to a masterful display of instrumental virtuosity and group interaction.
Though a giant on his guitar, Hall is a thoughtful, quiet man.
His group — consisting of alto saxophonist Greg Osby, bassist Steve LaSpina and drummer Joey Baron — utilized a chamber aesthetic of quiet exchange, yet often challenged the limitations of that format. Bar lines were sometimes trampled by soloists, free-time excursions occurred, and Osby’s alto felt like it might bust out of the confined dynamic range of the group. Though his influence is pervasive and he’s been recognized as a major stylist for more than 50 years, Hall emerged a creator — still creatively searching and avoiding clichés.
- read more at Culture Monster
Photo: Jim Hall Credit: JimHall.com
There is a moment at the Musicians Institute Saturday night when all is stillness. Guitarist Jim Hall has just announced the next tune, “All The Things You Are.” The near capacity house is riveted as Hall plucks the first few chords, his left hand working up and down the frets like a painter dabbing oils on a canvas, the slightest touch altering mood and perception. The only sound other than the near acoustic resonance of Hall’s strumming is the whir of the fans above. The chords start from a near whisper, building into the recognizable Jerome Kern theme, then Hall is joined by his superb quartet, first bassist Steve Laspina countering Hall’s melody and then drummer Joey Baron artfully painting a rhythm on brushes. Finally Greg Osby steps in on alto sax, bobbing and weaving around the main theme, grabbing the audience’s attention and then retreating as Hall’s eloquent patter morphs back into the lead voice.
- read more at The International Review of Music
Hi, at last I can answer the question you have all been asking! We have received a $2 million seed grant from the Annenberg Foundation, as well as the Culver City Redevelopment Agency’s approval of an exclusive negotiation agreement to develop a prime downtown property (valued at more than $1 million), at 9814 Washington Blvd. It’s an ideal location just east of the Kirk Douglas Theatre, very close to where we were we were for 16 years.
It will take time and all-out effort to build our new home. The goal is to open in 2012. Meanwhile… please continue to support our “Movable Feast” presentations and we will keep you updated as the adventure unfolds!
Exciting isn't it?
Ruth Price
For more details click on the links below.
January 24, 2011 Jazz Bakery Plans Downtown Move
The much beloved Jazz Bakery is making plans to build a new home in Culver City, pleasing jazz lovers who miss the local favorite and city officials with the prospect of a new cultural mecca downtown.
January 20, 2011 Variety “Jazz Bakery relocates to Culver City”
January 13, 2011 The Los Angeles Times Culture Monster
January 13, 2011 89.3 KPCC: Non-profit jazz venue finds a new long-term home (audio)
December 22, 2010
Dear Ruth,
I thank you for your amazing contribution to the jazz community of L.A. these past years. The Dozens of Shows I've been to at the Jazz Bakery have literally been some of the most memorable, enjoyable evenings of my life.
You have brought people to L.A. that are music history, allowing us to sit just a few feet away- in about as perfect a jazz setting as a performer could ask for. There is nothing like a performance of live music- and I'm afraid that if you hadn't been there doing what you do- we would have missed out on so much.
I realize you need money, not thanks...I wish I could do more- I enclose a check.... I suspect that it won't make a dent.... I know what it costs to build a proper venue. I wish you the best- and know that you'll never know how many lives you've touched over the years by your vision of live jazz performance, and your ability to make it happen.
Happy Holidays,
Alan Ascher
Two-time Grammy award winner, Brazilian singer, guitarist and songwriter, Dori Caymmi called recently to update us on what he has been up to since his Jazz Bakery Movable Feast performance at the Grammy Museum Theater in 2009. Following the release of his CD, "Inner World," Dori toured the United States and Europe and then visited Brazil.
Recently Dori traveled to his mother's home state of Minas Gerais, who honored him by awarding him The "Comenda Tiradentes" medal. This honor is given to those that have significantly contributed to the culture of the state. Dori had written a song that became very popular about Minas Gerais.
Dori is planning a new album with all new songs that he wrote with his lyricist, Paulo Cesar Pinheiro, to commemorate their 40 years of partnership.
Quebra-Mar, Listen to more by Dori Caymmi
For a review of the "Jazz Bakery Movable Feast Presents the Fellowship Band w/ Brian Blade on Nov 12, 2010," plus excerpts of an interview about the Jazz Bakery, check out this link to Hollywood Drums.com:
The Jazz Bakery lives on !
Although the days of the Jazz Bakery in Culver City ended some time ago, Ruth Price continues to find new venues for the 'Jazz Bakery Movable Feast'.
Last night, Saturday October 16th, the venue was a delightful, (newly constructed?), performance space in "Boston Court" - an Arts complex in Pasadena.
The intimate 60-seat room was ideally suited to the intimacy of the duo's music, which constantly reflects two-minds-thinking-as-one, while developing new takes on everything from Bach to Bird and beyond. Gary explained how they try, most weeks, to get together in Putter's home studio to try new tunes for their repertoire and develop new twists on earlier choices.
The couple's music had its first major public airing at a Mark Masters American Jazz Institute event at Claremont College about four years ago and Mark was in the audience last night to hear it again. It is also available on CD as 'Perfect Circularity' (AJI CD).
The duo achieves variety by varying tempos and genres - with Clare Fischer's 'Pensativa' offering an excursion into Bossa-Nova, Ellington recollections ('Blue Hodge'), a jazz take on a Fugue and other rhythmic variants. Gary recalled playing Jimmy Rowles "Peacocks" on alto flute in the composer's home and did so again, while Putter told of Charlie Parker's West Coast connection at Camarillo before exploring that tune alongside Gary's alto.
We had uptempo alto sax, pensive tenor sax, two flute options and Putter's bass playing, which, for me, always seems to have every note carefully selected.
Listening to the music I thought how Putter's brother Carson Smith was part of that early West Coast scene with Mulligan and here we are listening to newly-minted West Coast music, more than 50 years later ....
Gordon Sapsed
