JAZZ REVIEW : Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie a Tour de Force in Inglewood

Eight trumpeters gathered at Inglewood’s Southland Cultural Center on Tuesday for a tribute to their role model--the late Dizzy Gillespie.

Produced by center director Barbara Morrison, with trumpeter-vocalist Clora Bryant as musical director, the evening began with the horns of Bryant, Al Aarons, Marcus Belgrave, Oscar Brashear, Jon Faddis, Chuck Findley and Clark Terry in a round robin on Gillespie’s “Tour de Force,” with everyone kicking in at optimum power.

As this long opener ended, an eighth trumpeter, the habitually late Freddie Hubbard, showed up. Mercilessly kidded by Faddis, he wasn’t given a chance to play until after intermission. Pianist Phil Wright, bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Sherman Ferguson made up the evening’s splendid rhythm team.

Bryant confined her role to a few solos, highlighted by “I Waited for You,” which she sang and played poignantly. An excerpt from her suite, “A Portrait of Dizzy,” though, was less effective.

Gillespie alumnus Lalo Schifrin was a surprise hit. Now director of the Glendale Symphony, Schifrin offered magnificent evidence that his jazz chops have not deserted him, as he played with Faddis on “Long Long Summer,” which he wrote during his years as pianist with the Gillespie combo.

Aarons and Findley played superbly. Faddis, when he wasn’t blowing the roof off, offered the evening’s only muted solo on Gillespie’s “Winter Samba.” Brashear was predictably perfect. Belgrave, also underrated locally, shared a standing ovation with Clark Terry on “Shaw Nuff,” a tune that virtually launched the be-bop era.

All in all, this was the best jazz concert of the year to date.