Los Angeles’ Happy House Quintet Wins Hennessy Jazz Search

Happy House, the Los Angeles-based jazz quintet led by drummer Ray Brinker, has won the sixth annual Hennessy Cognac Jazz Search.

The group will appear as the opening act on the June 17 program of the 1990 Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. The band also includes Ralf Alessi (trumpet), John Schroeder (saxes), David Ake (keyboards) and Kevin Axt (bass).

The band was selected from three other national semi-finalists at a play-off Monday at the Palace in Hollywood. The contest, which was judged by Doc Severinsen, Peter Erskine, Lalo Schifrin, Harold Childs and Ben Sidran, was videotaped and will be aired nationally on Sidran’s “New Visions” program on the VH-1 cable channel June 10.

MORE PLAYBOY WINNERS: In another competition, the Northern Arizona University Jazz Ensemble has been chosen as the winner of the Western States Jazz Festival and will open up the June 16 slate of the Playboy Fest. The band will also appear with the Hemet Junior High and High School bands and the Fullerton College jazz ensemble at a free concert on Monday at noon at Fiesta Del Artes, corner of Pier and Hermosa Avenues, Hermosa Beach.

BOUNCING BACK: Award-winning clarinetist John Carter, who underwent surgery May 1 to remove a non-malignant tumor from his chest wall, is recuperating at home and on the mend. “I feel stronger every day,” he said. Carter said he had not been feeling all that well since last winter and finally went to see his physician, thinking he had the flu, or perhaps pneumonia. “My doctor said that the tumor had apparently been there a long time, and since I was in excellent physical condition--I’m a fitness enthusiast--my body adapted to the shape of the tumor so that it didn’t really bother me.”

Carter has started playing again, but for only short periods of time. “My doctor feels it’s therapeutic, kind of helping to strengthen my lungs,” he said.

SOUND WEEKEND IDEAS: Richard Elliot, Keiko Matsui, Al Williams Jazz Society and the Jeff Lorber-Brian Bromberg-Vinnie Colaiuta trio highlight Sunday’s fourth annual UCLA Jazz Festival, held on the campus’ North Athletic Field from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. It’s free, as is saxman Brandon Fields’ date at the Long Beach Amphitheatre (1st Street and the Promenade, Long Beach), Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Also on Saturday, at 8:30 p.m., saxophonists Teddy Edwards and Sharon Hirata and pianist Mike Lang will be among those playing a benefit for Jazz Central, an organization which educates school children about jazz, at the Musicians Union (817 N. Vine St., Hollywood).

NEA GRANTEES: Three Angelenos have received National Endowment for the Arts grants. Trumpeter Clora Bryant received $13,700 to support costs of a concert to showcase her talents as bandleader, instrumentalist and vocalist. Alto saxophonist Danny House, a former Count Basie-ite, received $9,300 to make a video demonstration tape of his quintet. Trumpeter Mike Price, who has played with the orchestras of Toshiko Akiyoshi and Buddy Rich, received $7,500 to support composition of a series of new works for septet and big band.

For information on NEA grants, call (202) 682-5400.