Bakery’s Move: More Space, Alternatives

When the Jazz Bakery opens the doors at its new location on Wednesday, it will offer Los Angeles jazz listeners the rare mix of a nightclub and a concert hall, where major name performers will eventually be on tap six nights a week.

The new Bakery--replete with a spiffy lobby that houses a food concession, ticket window and gift area--is located at 3233 Helms Ave., Culver City, in a contemporary space that’s part of the old Helms bakery building. Crisply designed by the Santa Monica-based architects Oakes and Associates, the new room is decidedly a step up from its predecessor.

The performance space is wider, and deeper, and will comfortably seat 192 people--contrasted with 125 at the old Bakery. “One of the main improvements is the sight lines,” says Ruth Price, the Bakery’s director. Indeed, in the new space, no walls obscure the stage, unlike the current location, a half block east.

Another plus is the new room’s large stage. “We can now easily accommodate a big band,” says Price.

Price plans to book artists six nights a week and will eventually try to book the same artist for a six-night stand.

“I wanted to wait until I was really in the new space before I started the six-night bookings,” says Price. So far, the only extended booking is pianist McCoy Tyner, who appears Sept. 13-18. Other notables heading for the Bakery include saxophonist Joe Lovano on Sept. 8, and Art Farmer and Illinois Jacquet (dates for these two performers have not been finalized).

The new Bakery will be christened Wednesday by a quintet led by vibist Terry Gibbs and clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, who’ll play through Aug. 20. Then it’s singer Sandra Booker on Aug. 23; bassist John Leitham’s trio on Aug. 24; “Four Women Only” with Holly Hofmann, Cecilia Coleman, Nedra Wheeler and Janette Wrate on Aug. 25, and Alan Broadbent’s trio on Aug. 26-27. Shows will begin at 8 p.m. on weekdays, 8:30 p.m. on weekends.

Admission is still in the $15-$20 range, though Price will no longer offer free refreshments. Instead, the new Bakery will have a small, independently operated concession area where sandwiches, salads, cappuccinos, wines by the glass and soft drinks will be served. Free security parking is outside on Helms Avenue and inside (entrance off Washington Boulevard).

The Bakery closes out at its old location this weekend. Tonight and Saturday, NYC-based pianist-singer Barbara Carroll appears, and on Sunday, Judy Wolman hosts “Sing, Sing, Sing” at 3:30 p.m. and singers Bruce Brown and Cathy Gelbart appear at 7:30 p.m. No closing festivities are planned. Information: (310) 271-9039.

Cookin’ at the Bakery: Terry Gibbs, a jazz notable since the late ‘40s when he played with Woody Herman, remains a true-blue be-bopper. And so is his partner, Buddy DeFranco. “We’re both Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie freaks,” says the ebullient Gibbs. “Those are our people, our idols. Their melodic lines were so beautiful.”

DeFranco, one of the first to emulate Parker on the clarinet, and Gibbs have been leading a quintet since 1980. The vibist feels they’re ideal partners because they force each other to grow. “I think more harmonically because that’s the way he plays, and he thinks more like a ‘time player’ because that’s who I am,” says Gibbs.

Though lately the pair has been playing tributes to Benny Goodman, the program at the Bakery will be pure mainstream jazz with a bop bent.

“We’ll play originals, standards like ‘Love for Sale,’ then maybe Monk’s ‘52nd Street Theme,’ and some ballads,” says Gibbs, who brings along Tom Ranier (piano), Andy Simpkins (bass) and his son, Gerry Gibbs (drums). “ ‘What’s New’ is my favorite ballad, and I’ve played it so many times that I’ve written several new melodies on the same chord changes. That way I think of the new tune when I’m soloing and it stays fresh.”