Healing Power of Music Goes to Work

Can jazz promote healing in the aftermath of last spring’s riots in Los Angeles?

A resounding “yes,” says reedman Ira Schulman, whose Baroque/Jazz Ensemble will play three free concerts this month in the Crenshaw, Watts and Willowbrook communities as part of the city’s “Arts Recovery Program.” This multicultural program, funded by numerous grants, is organized by the city’s Cultural Affairs Dept.

“Nonverbal expression, such as music . . . touches the hearts and souls of the young and old, English and non-English speaking, literate and preliterate peoples,” Schulman stated in his grant application. Schulman added that jazz demonstrates that people of diverse backgrounds can “work in a spirit of democratic cooperation with their colleagues.”

Schulman’s band, which features pianist Dwight Dickerson, bassist Larry Gales and drummer Mel Lee, performs Saturday at the Baldwin Hills Shopping Plaza, Crenshaw and Martin Luther King boulevards; Nov. 14 at the Martin Luther King Shopping Plaza, 103rd Street and Compton Boulevard; and Nov. 21 at the Kenneth Hahn Plaza, 118th Street and Wilmington. All concerts begin at noon.

More Healing Power: Big bands led by Buddy Collette, Bobby Rodriguez, Kim Richmond, Frankie Capp, Gerald Wilson, Bill Holman and others are taking part in a monthlong slate of performances at Los Angeles area high schools.

Though the program, co-funded by the city’s Cultural Affairs Dept. and Musicians Local 47, isn’t directly tied to the spring disturbance, one of the bandleaders said these performances are nonetheless having a positive effect in soothing tensions.

“We went into Dorsey High a couple of weeks ago,” said Collette, “and got a tremendous reception. Music and the arts are going to help heal this thing. We have to let kids know there are other forms of entertainment other than what they see in movies, on TV, or hear on the radio. And here we’re bringing it right to their home turf, and getting them involved. These kids walk away from a concert knowing that everything is going to be better.”

Upcoming performances include Tom Hanson’s band on Thursday1 at Jefferson High School; Holman at Garfield High School on Nov. 17; Capp’s at Venice High School and Chuck Flores’ ensemble at Van Nuys High School, both on Nov. 18.

In the Bins: Pianist-composer Toshiko Akiyoshi’s “Remembering Bud--Cleopatra’s Dream” is a tribute to the great Bud Powell, who once called Akiyoshi the “best female pianist in jazz.” The NYC-based artist delivers such timeless Powell works as “Oblivion,” “Tempus Fugit” and “Parisian Thoroughfare” with verve and elan.