Vocalist Amber Whitlock Shows Considerable Range

One of the more promising local jazz vocalists is Amber Whitlock, who is capable of glossy, Anita Baker-like pop jazz and straight-ahead renditions of the great standards.

Whitlock’s voice is a powerful instrument with an ample range well under control. On pop-oriented numbers, she slides gracefully through high notes with delicate vibrato, while being capable of gutsy, mid- and low-range improvising on straight-ahead tunes.

Through August, Whitlock, 33, will sing Sunday evenings from 8 to midnight at Humphrey’s on Shelter Island with the Cutting Edge, a band featuring husband, Rob, on keyboards, Duncan Moore on drums, Kevin Hennessy on bass, John Rekevics on sax and, this month only, onetime Rickie Lee Jones guitarist Wayne Johnson. Whitlock also will make a guest appearance Sunday afternoon from 4 to 7 at the Inn L’Auberge in Del Mar with San Diego straight-ahead jazz band Common Ground, featuring saxophonist Steve Feierabend.

Until a few months ago, Whitlock and the band, who have yet to land a recording deal, attempted to focus their abilities in a singular direction.

“We tried to really channel ourselves and label what we do, but it just doesn’t work for us,” Whitlock said. “But I’ve seen artists now, such as Diane Reeves, who do pop jazz albums, then turn around and do a straight-ahead album. We may have to contain the styles to different albums, but I don’t think we need to desert any of our loves.”

Whitlock was born in Rapid City, S.D., but grew up in many cities. She spent each of her four high school years--during which she sang folk music and appeared in musical comedies--in a different city, graduating in Virginia.

While attending community college in Florida, Whitlock performed in local clubs and with the college big band, honing her vocal skills by listening to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Phyllis Hyman, Angela Bofill, Barbra Streisand and Nancy Wilson. Among newer songstresses, she admires Baker and Reeves.

At Humphrey’s, Whitlock sings a variety of jazz, popular and contemporary jazz tunes, plus a growing number of the Whitlocks’ original compositions. The groups plan to cut a demo tape soon, with an eye on a recording contract.

Growing up in Geneva, Switzerland, saxophonist George Robert and his five brothers, who had their own jazz band, idolized the legends of American jazz. Since last fall, Robert, 30, has had a chance to perform with one of his heroes: trumpeter Clark Terry. Robert’s quartet, plus Terry, plays Elario’s Wednesday through Friday.

Robert and his group first hooked up with the veteran trumpeter for a European tour in honor of Terry’s 70th birthday last year. Terry found the chemistry much to his liking, and a CD was released (only in Europe) earlier this year. A new CD will be recorded later this month, and Robert hopes it will find U.S. distribution.

Terry exerts a powerful influence on the music.

“We do a few of my originals, but the rest are Clark’s compositions, or his arrangements of standards,” Robert said. “His arrangements are very special and different. Even though songs are familiar, they are done in new ways that make them very exciting.”

This is Robert’s first time playing San Diego.

As usual, straight-ahead jazz continues its poor attendance record at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay. A scheduled Sept. 12 show featuring pianist Dave Brubeck was canceled Friday because of mediocre ticket sales. Singer Mel Torme drew 1,400 to his two July 14 shows at the 1,200-seat venue--another disappointment, according to promoter Kenny Weissberg. And saxophonist Branford Marsalis’ Aug. 25 show is selling slowly, but well enough to proceed, Weissberg said.

“I try to infiltrate my schedule with a couple of straight-ahead jazz acts every year, but other than Brubeck a couple of years ago, I have never made a profit on them,” Weissberg said.

With the summer season at Humphrey’s more than half over, there have been several predictable smash hits and at least one surprise. Guitarist Ottmar Liebert, who calls his style ‘nouveau flamenco,” emerged as this year’s sleeper, selling out his June 7 show well in advance. Only last year, a disappointing crowd turned out to hear Liebert on a bill with guitarist Michael Hedges. Among the biggest pop jazz successes this year so far: saxophonist David Sanborn, who drew 4,000 to his four shows on two nights in May; guitarist George Benson, who attracted 3,800 to four shows in June; Spyro Gyra, which lured 2,000 to two June 14 shows, and pianist David Benoit, who nearly sold out two shows last month. Last but not least is Hiroshima, which sold out two June 21 shows in advance and was subsequently invited back for a two-show engagement Sept. 25.

Will light jazz play to the equestrian set? The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club hopes so, and is in the midst of an experimental seven-part Wednesday night series to find out. About 200 fans showed up when Fattburger opened the series July 31 in the 1,600-seat Pacific Pavilion, the new venue in the infield of the race track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The audience was twice as large last Wednesday for Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham and the Sweet Baby Blues Band. The series continues Wednesday night with Hollis Gentry’s Neon. Music lasts from 7 to 9 (after the horse races) and is free with the $2.50 admission to the races.

RIFFS: Guitar whiz Lee Ritenour plays two shows at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay at 7 and 9 Friday night. . . .

San Diego sax phenom Charles McPherson plays the Jazz Note in Pacific Beach Thursday through Sunday nights . . . .

San Diego jazz singer Elliot Lawrence will perform at 8 p.m. at Jazz by the Way in Rancho Bernardo Friday and Saturday.

CRITIC’S CHOICE: DIANE SCHUUR AT HUMPHREY’S

This is the prime of Diane Schuur’s life. Flush with confidence after Grammys in 1986 and 1987, and after slimming down by more than 100 pounds, she is singing better than ever. Schuur is equally at home with traditional jazz, as on her 1987 collaboration with the Count Basie Orchestra, and with the glossy, contemporary sound of her newest album, “Pure Schuur,” released earlier this year. Sunday night at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, Schuur shares a bill with the Yellowjackets, with shows at 6 and 8:30.