Adam Wolff to Display Keyboard Style on Show

Transplanted New York pianist Adam Wolff, who moved to San Diego last February, steps out for his first date as a front man at 8 o’clock tonight for KSDS-FM’s “Jazz Live” concert in the San Diego City College Theater.

In New York, Wolff’s mentors included pianists Barry Harris and frequent Dizzy Gillespie collaborator Mike Longo, and Wolff names four legendary pianists as primary influences. He said he has learned something different from each one.

Wolff admires Thelonious Monk’s rhythmic approach, Ahmad Jamal’s mix of classical and jazz influences, Oscar Peterson’s infectious swing and Erroll Garner’s self-taught genius. “He played as naturally as falling off a log,” Wolff explained.

Tonight, accompanied by five top San Diego players, Wolff will play two sets of original music he has written during the past five years.

Wolff, who graduated from Long Island University with a BFA in music in June, admits that San Diego is light years behind New York when it comes to jazz, especially for this admitted straight-ahead jazz devotee.

“Let’s just say that I appreciate any chance that I get to play it,” said Wolff, who has been sitting in around town with a variety of bands. Yet, in one way, a low-key scene is what Wolff was after.

“New York was very full of stress and uncertainty. I’m 34 right now, and stability and security are what I’m working for,” said Wolff, who spends his days repairing commercial air-conditioning equipment. “To be able to play around town with good musicians on nice pianos for appreciative audiences is a goal I consider very satisfying.”

Wolff’s band tonight will include bassist Dave Marr, drummer Bob Weller, saxophonists Larry De La Cruz and Chuck Phillips and trumpeter Mitch Manker. “Jazz Live” concerts are simulcast on KSDS-FM (88.3).

San Diego-born keyboard player Bill Cantos returns from Los Angeles, where his career is on the rise, to play the Jazz Note in Pacific Beach this Thursday through Sunday nights.

Cantos will appear with another former San Diegan, singer Kevyn Lettau, whose solo career was launched this year with the release of her self-titled debut recording.

For Cantos, who studied music at San Diego State University and began his professional career here during the early 1980s, the renewed association with Lettau marks an arrival at a place he has had his sights on for some time.

“For years, I used to look at Peter (Sprague) and Kevyn and think, ‘Maybe some day I’ll be working with these people,’ ” Cantos said. “They were the cream of the crop as far as young people coming up in town.”

Cantos, who had played with Lettau in San Diego during the mid-1980s, joined Lettau’s band early this year. He is writing new music for Lettau’s next album, to be recorded in February.

An admirer of keyboard masters ranging from Wynton Kelly and Red Garland to Bill Evans and Chick Corea, Cantos also hopes to make a recording of his own next year.

Since earning a masters degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1986, Cantos has steadily built his career, especially since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego in 1988.

Current projects include writing new material with former Yellowjackets drummer Ricky Lawson and Jay Graydon, who writes for and produces singer Al Jarreau. Cantos also played on a new recording by pianist Kenny Kirkland, due for release next year.

Meanwhile, the new album by Braziljazz, the trio including Lettau, Shapiro and Del Mar guitarist Sprague came out last month after a delay of months while Nova Records, Lettau’s label, let her debut recording peak.

The slick production and more elaborate instrumentation of “Kevyn Lettau” stripped some raw emotion from the music, but the new Braziljazz offering puts Lettau’s ever-improving voice against spare percussion and guitar from Shapiro and Sprague.

“New Meaning,” with lyrics by Lettau and music by Sprague, is a sentimental, driving ballad broken neatly in two by a searing electric guitar solo from the usually acoustic Sprague. “Fruta Madera” is a warm, tropical gust straight from Rio, with vocals in Portuguese.

Lettau’s voice soars easily from a warm mid-range to gently wavering highs. The solo break she scats in unison with Sprague on “Honeysuckle Rose” is dynamite.

The band lineup for this week’s shows at the Jazz Note includes Lettau, Cantos and Shapiro, plus James East on bass and Tony Guerrero and trumpet and fluegelhorn. Shows are at 8 and 10 on Friday and Saturday; 7 and 9 on Thursday and Sunday.

RIFFS: San Diego State University’s Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Bill Yeager, performs tonight at 8 at the East County Performing Arts Center, not last Tuesday, as reported here last week. . .

The high-powered Latin band Sol e Mar appears Saturdays from 8 to midnight at the U.S. Grant Hotel downtown. . .

Top San Diego vocalist Coral Thuet makes one of her rare club appearances this Saturday night with Jaime Valle’s Latin Jazz Band, from 9:30 to 1:30, at the B Street California Grill & Jazz Bar downtown.