Group Aims to Lure Out-of-Town Artists

It’s sad but true. Often, many out-of-town jazz artists of not-quite-star-status don’t work Southern California for two reasons: They either aren’t strong enough draws to play a six-night stand at a club like Catalina Bar & Grill, or are too expensive for such rooms as the Jazz Bakery to hire them for more than a night or two.

Jim Vaughn, the man who books the talent at Maxwell’s in Huntington Beach, says he’s found a way around such roadblocks. He’s banded together with bookers for three other Southern California jazz clubs and started an alliance to bring out-of-town artists to the Southland.

The first co-presentation for the alliance--which is made up of Ruth Price at the Jazz Bakery, Holly Hoffman at the Horton Grand Hotel in San Diego and Terry Briggs of the Sea Cove in Santa Barbara--will be reedman Ken Peplowski and guitarist Howard Alden. The New York City-based pair will appear Dec. 4-5 at the Bakery, Dec. 10 at Maxwell’s and Dec. 11-12 at the Horton Grand.

“I’m really excited,” said Vaughn, who has expanded his ocean-side room’s policy to include such major artists as pianists Roger Kellaway and Cedar Walton, and singer Anita O’Day, all appearing in November. “It’s beneficial for both the clubs and the artists.”

Distance between the establishments, and similar seating capacity--between 80-to-100--were key factors in choosing the members of the alliance, Vaughn said. “We didn’t want to be in competition with each other,” he added.

Each club negotiates its own price with the artist or manager, Vaughn said. Though nothing has been finalized, the four rooms-- the Sea Cove was not in the alliance when the first deal was done--are seeking to present guitarist Steve Khan, and singers Jackie Cain and Roy Kral, and Denise Perrier in early 1993.

Similar, but Different: On first listen, alto saxophonist David Sanborn’s recent “Upfront” release sounds very much like such early career efforts as “Straight From the Heart” or “Hideaway.”

Yes and no, says Sanborn, who appears tonightat the Universal Amphitheatre.

“This album draws from the music I have long favored--R&B; and funk music in the spirit of James Brown,” said Sanborn, whose group features organist Rickey Peterson, guitarist Dean Brown, drummer Sonny Emory and percussionist Don Alias. “That music gives the album a raw feel.”

But, like his previous jazz-based album, “Another Hand,” Sanborn’s latest project was recorded live in the studio, and wasn’t extensively overdubbed, as past albums have been. “This music reflects more accurately how I sound in person,” said Sanborn. “And I feel I’ve reintroduced a creative element in the recording process” by avoiding overdubs. “We rehearsed, then recorded in a week. Not like the other albums, which took up to six months. I got tired of spending time in the studio.”

In the Bins: Dwight Dickerson’s “Dwight’s Rights” finds the impressive keyboardist digging into three evergreens, “You Don’t Know What Love Is” among them, and spotlights saxman Red Holloway and drummer Tootie Heath on a couple of rollicking blues numbers.