JAZZ REVIEW : A Poignant Celebration of Varga’s Life

The Southland jazz community, saddened by the sudden death last Wednesday of promoter-singer Diane Varga, gathered Monday evening at the Bahai center in Los Angeles, both to mourn her passing and celebrate her life and accomplishments.

Many of those who took part were fellow Bahais. The evening began with a tape of Varga herself, singing a Bahai prayer with her close friend Buddy Childers on trumpet. Later, Childers performed live, on fluegelhorn, his own composition “My Diane,” with a poignant vocal by Frank Sinatra Jr.

The first portion of the evening stayed on a solemn note, with a cappella prayers and eulogies, Geraldine Jones singing “Until It’s Time for You to Go” and George Graham intoning “A Trumpeter’s Prayer.” Jack Sheldon played trumpet and sang effectively on “I Never Knew.”

After intermission, Gerald Wilson and his orchestra took over, elevating the evening to a consistently high level of spirited creativity. Wilson’s compositions and arrangements, whether written last year or 40 years ago, have the indelible stamp of his personality. He is also one of the most gifted conductors on the scene, his arms virtually dancing their way through the charts.

Wilson paraded an impressive series of soloists: Thurman Green on trombone, Danny House on alto saxophone and agile pianist Brian O’Rourke, replaced on the final tune by one of Wilson’s distinguished alumni, Milcho Leviev

Other acts, eager to pay their respects to Varga, had been scheduled, but the show was running late and it was apparently decided that nobody could follow Gerald Wilson.