Music Center Trumpets New Jazz Series

Sandra Kimberling is the first to admit that the Los Angeles Music Center has been slow to integrate jazz into its mostly classical music.

“As soon as I saw the press release for the programs at Lincoln Center (in January), I realized (jazz) is something that we had been neglecting,” said Kimberling, president of the Music Center Operating Company, which manages the facility housing the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre.

“It reminded us of how much we wanted to do it and haven’t,” she said. “Even though we had been remiss, that doesn’t mean (jazz) wasn’t in the back of our mind.”

The problem was always lack of space, Kimberling said. The Pavilion is booked for 416 performances a year, she said, with the time reserved for the MCOC resident companies--primarily the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Joffrey Ballet and the Los Angeles Music Center Opera.

“And it isn’t just finding a one-day period; you have to allow for rehearsal time,” she said.

During the summer, the MCOC usually offers musicals at the Pavilion, but when negotiations to present a national touring company of “Bye Bye Birdie” fell through, the July-August window opened up, and, Kimberling said, her first thought was a jazz series.

In late May, Kimberling selected Michael O’Daniel, former personal manager of pianist Dave Brubeck, to produce the series. O’Daniel and reedman Buddy Collette, who acted as his musical adviser, quickly put together a program for three concerts.

Although the lineups mostly feature Los Angeles-based artists, O’Daniel stressed that they are not simply local musicians.

“These are star musicians who happen to live in Los Angeles. They are known, and perform, internationally,” he said. “We wanted to celebrate that we have such an outstanding pool of world-class musicians in this city.”

The first concert, on Friday, will feature Gerald Wilson’s Orchestra of the ‘90s; the CalArts Jazz Ensemble, directed by James Newton, and Les McCann and his Magic Band. Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham’s Sweet Baby Blues Band; the Woody Herman Orchestra, directed by Frank Tiberi, and Collette’s sextet will be on tap July 26, and South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, Teddy Edwards’ octet and the L.A. Jazz Choir will perform Aug. 2. Ernie Andrews will emcee all three concerts.

“We went for musical balance to try and cover a variety of styles and instruments--try to present something that’s tasty and representative of the whole of jazz as opposed to narrowing the focus,” O’Daniel said.

All seats are $17.50; a series ticket costs $45. So far, advance sales are slow, O’Daniel said, but he hopes radio ads starting next week will bring a boost.

Whatever the financial outcome, Kimberling said, she’s committed to extending the programs beyond this summer. “We will definitely continue this next year and make it an ongoing offering,” she said.