Valle Wraps Up New Album Despite an Interrupted Start

San Diego jazz guitarist Jaime Valle is on the verge of releasing his first solo album.

Valle, 40, who moved to Southern California from his native Acapulco in 1971, recorded 18 original songs last summer, enlisting the help of some well-known musical friends: percussionist Alex Acuna, saxophonist Ernie Watts, flutist Dave Valentin , Tower of Power drummer Dave Garibaldi.

Valle began the project at the prompting of an independent talent scout with ties to A&M; Records, even using A&M;’s studios. Though Valle had no contract, he was led to believe A&M; would release the album.

But when the scout severed connections with A&M; and stopped communicating with Valle, the guitarist had to cut miles of red tape before he got his master tapes back.

Now, he wants to sign a distribution deal. If not, he plans to release the album himself.

Valle, despite growing up in Mexico, has a musical heritage that is mostly American, with a touch of Brazil.

“I’ve been most influenced by horn players and pianists; Miles, Coltrane, Monk.” Valle said. Among guitar players, he names Wes Montgomery and B.B. King as seminal forces in his career.

“My roots were in blues, then I started going into jazz in the late 1960s. Now, I’ve been playing heavily with Brazil influences; (Antonio Carlos) Jobim, Joao Gilberto.

“The music I do is not necessarily authentic Latin. It’s like a Santana of the ‘90s. For example, I’ll play a Cole Porter or Jerome Kern tune with a Latin approach.”

You may not be able to hear Valle’s album for a while, but you can catch him live in local clubs. Through March, he is playing Thursday and Saturday nights from 9 to midnight at the Embassy Suites Hotel downtown, and he has signed on for Saturday nights through April, backed by Bill Harris on vibes, Chris Conner on bass and George McMillan on drums.

Valle also plays at 6 p.m. Monday and 7 p.m. Wednesday at the B St. Cafe & Bistro downtown.

If you haven’t heard Valle’s jazz, you have still probably heard some of his guitar work. He makes a good portion of his living playing commercial sessions. He supplied the bluesy guitar licks for some Levi’s 501 TV commercials, and has also played on local commercials, including spots for Sea World and Mossy Nissan.

Valle spent his childhood in Acapulco and became seriously interested in music during the early 1960s, when his family lived in Tijuana and Valle played in bands at some of the strip joints. He studied classical music at the Mexico City Conservatory of Music, “the kind of place where you get ejected if they hear you playing dissonance.” The classical training shows up today; Valle plays both an electric jazz guitar and a nylon-stringed acoustic.

While searching for a distribution deal for the album he has in the can, Valle is busy recording another with San Diegans Alan Eicher on keyboards, Ronnie Stewart on drums and Dwight Stone on bass.

Chang’s, the Chinese restaurant in the new Costa Verde Shopping Center on Genesee Drive in the Golden Triangle, is the area’s newest jazz spot.

Brazilian pianist Alfredo Cardim opened as a solo act in November. He added bassist Hank Dobbs and drummer Barry Farrar three weeks ago, and the trio will work Friday and Saturday nights from 8 to midnight, indefinitely.

Cardim grew up in Rio de Janeiro and came to the United States in 1972 to attend the Berklee School of Music. He remained in Boston for several years, moved to New York for seven, back to Brazil for five, then to Coronado two years ago. He originally came to town to play at the Coronado hotel.

These days, his live sets consist of “lots of Jobim, Gershwin, Cole Porter, jazz standards and lots of Brazilian tunes.”

Cardim especially admires the work of the late, great lyrical pianist Bill Evans, along with Jobim.

Cardim has played on five albums, including one with trumpeter Claudio Rodicci, a onetime associate of Dizzy Gillespie.

He will be interviewed on KSDS-FM (88.3) this afternoon at 1 p.m. on the “World Beat” program.

San Diego singer Jackie Bonaparte, who has the potential to become the new Anita Baker, has signed a recording contract with the fledgling Opulence label in El Cajon. Bonaparte said her debut album, which she will begin recording this month, will be R&B; oriented, aimed initially at radio stations that reach primarily black audiences. But she hopes to follow in the footsteps of singers like Baker and Whitney Houston, whose music eventually crossed over from black R&B; radio to contemporary jazz stations. Bonaparte’s album will be distributed by Capitol Records.

RIFFS: In what could be good news for some local jazz players, the B St. Cafe in downtown San Diego will have new owners April 1. The club had alienated at least a few local players with late, sometimes rubber paychecks. New owners Don Raymond and Bob Singer vow to improve the club’s relations with musicians. . . .

Based on the success of jazz shows featuring Gato Barbieri in November and Poncho Sanchez in January, the Hotel Centenario in Tijuana continues the jazz in its 300-seat Q Faces bar with keyboardist Chick Corea and his Akoustic Band Wednesday night at 8. The hotel caters primarily to upper-class natives. Tickets are $40. . . .

Saxophonist Peter Christlieb plays Sunday nightfrom 8 to midnight, continuing the U.S. Grant Hotel’s “Sunday Celebrity Series,” backed by local band Common Ground. . . .

San Diego pianist Mike Wofford duos with bassist Bob Magnusson at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Horton Grand Hotel downtown. This weekend at the hotel, flutist Holly Hofmann reunites with her mentor, reedman Buddy Collette, Friday and Saturday nights, backed by Wofford and Magnusson. Music starts at 8:30. . . .

The music of Duke Ellington comes to life in the hands of The Mellotones Sunday evening from 5 to 6:30 in Chamberlain Hall at National University’s Mission Valley campus. . . .

At All That Jazz in Rancho Bernardo: Friday night, clarinetist Bobby Gordon; Saturday night, vocalist Elliot Lawrence. Music starts at 8. . . .

Singer/guitarist Jonathan Butler plays the Bacchanal Friday night at 9:30. . . .

The Ruse performance collaborative’s Tuesday night jazz series at the Marquis Public Theatre features Mungus Tuesday at 8, playing new music by Eric Griswold and Rich Huntley.