Compton Club’s Opening Is Delayed Again; Free Bill Holman Concert at LACMA

Today’s scheduled opening of the Indigo Jazz Club, situated in the soon-to-open Compton Lazben Hotel, has been postponed for the second time.

“We had a partial solution to our financial situation and thought things were OK, so we announced the opening date,” said Jona Liebrecht, president of the Lazben Corp., which will manage the club and the hotel. “But we were a little premature.”

The complex is now expected to open in about a month. It had originally been scheduled to open early this year.

A joint venture between the city and a private corporation, Tucon Development, the complex was characterized as a “somewhat difficult venture” by Liebrecht. “There have been some some difficulties and some misunderstandings, but they are being reconciled,” he said. “There are no conflicting interests now, everybody wants us to open soon, so I’m very optimistic. We should open by mid-September but I won’t announce another opening date until all finances are in place.”

Liebrecht declined to offer further details.

“It’s been a construction delay, mostly painting, installation of rugs and wallpaper, basically decorations,” said Ozzie Cadena, who is in charge of entertainment for the 160-seat Indigo club, as well as the 700-seat Count Basie Ballroom.

Of the musicians scheduled for this week--who included saxophonist Clifford Jordan, trumpeter Harry (Sweets) Edison and the Woody Herman Orchestra, led by Frank Tiberi--Cadena said: “I canceled them, without remuneration. I’ll try to get them dates here later on. Sweets, since he lives nearby, knows he’ll get plenty of work when we open.”

Cadena was able to set up an engagement for the Herman band, which was to play the Basie ballroom Monday and Tuesday. The ensemble will appear at 7 and 10 p.m. Monday at the Hermosa Beach Civic Center, in an event sponsored by local merchants. Information: (213) 379-3312.

HOLMAN’S MUSEUM GIG: Bill Holman, a Grammy winner in the instrumental arrangement category in 1987 (for “Take the ‘A’ Train,” as recorded by Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Show Orchestra), is a busy guy. Between playing and writing arrangements here and in Europe, it’s a wonder he has time for his free concert Sunday, 2 p.m. at the Times Mirror Court of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Holman, who gained renown writing arrangements for Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Buddy Rich, is happy Severinsen continues to commission work from him. “I can write pretty much as I want to,” said the 62-year-old composer-arranger-saxophonist, whose latest release is “The Bill Holman Band” (JVC). “His is the one of the few bands left that are buying arrangements.”

Holman said he has recently completed a version of “Royal Garden Blues” for Severinsen, and is about to tackle “Be My Love.”

Back in the late ‘50s, when Herman was one of his clients, Holman chided the bandleader for playing one of his arrangements too fast. “ ‘We usually tell arrangers who don’t like the tempos to start their own band,’ Woody told me,” said Holman, and eventually, he did.

That band has been extant since 1975 and though it performs irregularly, Holman leads his players through rehearsals once a week at the Musicians’ Union on Vine Street in Hollywood.

“You can get away from feeling you’re a musician in this town unless you’re active, so since that’s the only live activity I partake in (except for occasional appearances with fellow tenorman Bill Perkins), I enjoy these rehearsals,” he said. “Plus it helps us sound good, and be ready for a gig at instant notice.”

Holman’s musical menu has for several years included trips to Europe, most often to Cologne, where he appeared in April with the West German Radio Network Orchestra. Phil Woods was an added guest star. “I wrote some charts featuring Phil, including one long original called ‘Springfield Nights,’ ” said Holman. “We recorded these for the radio’s library and also did a concert.” Holman said he may go to Britain in October but will definitely travel to Denmark in December, where a local big band has asked him to bring some charts--and his horn. “While I’m there, I may do a few clinics, maybe even a couple of club dates,” Holman said.

The museum is at 5905 Wilshire Blvd. Information: (213) 857-6000.