Still Stuffed? Here’s a Feast for the Ears : Jazz: Some 300 musicians, including vocalist Micki Rhyne and guitarist Ron Eschete, plan to dish out some hearty fare at Bash ’94 in Costa Mesa.
Looking for a way to burn those excess holiday calories? The Orange County Musicians’ Bash ’94 at the Red Lion Hotel in Costa Mesa on Sunday will provide plenty of opportunity for exercise. With music scattered over five different venues inside the hotel, as well as dancing in the big-band and Dixieland rooms, you could run yourself crazy trying to see it all.
With some 300 musicians scheduled to take part over 10 hours, Bash ’94 takes on marathon proportions. But we suggest you forget about sprinting from performance to performance and, instead, pick your favorites from the Bash program and spend some time with them. Or just wander, stopping here and there when something catches your ear. With the variety being offered at this year’s fest, there’s much to grab your attention.
The scope of this annual event reflects on the status of live music in Orange County and gives the listening public a chance to see performers who may not have been as visible as they might be. While the number of venues presenting live music continues to fluctuate, it’s encouraging to see that the ranks of performers, as mirrored by their participation in the Bash, are still large, dedicated and eager to play.
The Bash, sponsored by the Orange County Musicians’ Club, an offshoot of Local 7 of the American Federation of Musicians, also gives insight into the quality of the singers and instrumentalists in Southern California. Few areas of the country are as blessed with as much top-notch talent, and nothing demonstrates this better as when they come together at the Bash.
Take, for example, vocalist Micki Rhyne, who just wrapped up another stint at Merv Griffin’s Atlantic City hotel, or guitarist Ron Eschete, who travels the world with pianist Gene Harris’ quartet and has just released a solo album on a major jazz label. That kind of talent is the rule, not the exception, at this year’s Bash.
The annual event--a fund-raiser for the club’s financial assistance and scholarship programs--provides a chance to catch up with the hometown musicians and find out how their careers are going. We talked to three Orange County performers who’ll figure prominently on Sunday to find out “What’s up?”
The message on Tom Kubis’ phone machine reveals both his musical ear and his sense of humor: “Leave a message at the sound of the A-sharp, slightly flat, beep.”
It’s a safe bet that when calling the arranger, composer, saxophonist, bandleader and educator, he won’t be home. Kubis, who brings his big band to the Red Lion to support the Bash ‘94’s grand marshal, Steve Allen, has one of the busiest and most diverse careers in the business.
His band has been backing comedian-songwriter Allen for the last few years, making appearances with the television legend at Sherman Oaks’ Moonlight Tango club and at L.A.’s El Rey Theatre. The ensemble does the same for trumpeter-vocalist Jack Sheldon, who makes frequent Southland appearances.
Occasionally, the Kubis band plays a date on its own. The group is due to record a new album in January and has one in the can with Sheldon (“I’m particularly proud to have been a part of it,” says Kubis). Without the band, Kubis tentatively is scheduled to travel with Allen to Sweden sometime next year to record with a big band there.
Add to this the fact that Kubis is a full-time instructor at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, where he teaches synthesizer, commercial music and leads the school orchestra, and his work as composer-arranger (his titles are played by high school, college and professional bands around the world), and you’ve got yourself one busy guy.
Did we mention he still finds time to make appearances with his Dixieland-influenced ensemble Swing Savant?
“Welcome to the music business,” Kubis said when asked why he pursues so many different avenues. “If you don’t have your fingers in everything, you can’t make house payments.”
His relationship with Allen may be his most visible.
“Steve’s written some 5,000 tunes in his life, some 30 a week. He’s an absolute gentleman and a joy to work with; fun, funny. And his tunes are great. They cover all the bases: Latin, jazz, different forms of rock ‘n’ roll.”
Kubis also does his share of writing, joking that he probably has as many arrangements under his name as Allen has compositions.
“I’ve got books of big-band arrangements, little band and combo arrangements, everything you can think of,” Kubis said.
“The major portion of my life is centered around the school now,” he said, “but writing is my existence. I enjoy doing that more than anything in the world.”
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Vocalist Karen Gallinger gave one of the most upbeat performances at last year’s Bash. Working with keyboardist Jack Reidling’s trio, she heated up the jazz room with a good-time version of “Makin’ Whoopee,” then took a turn toward the sultry with a bossa-nova paced version of “In Summer.”
That versatility has been captured on her new CD, “Karen Gallinger Live at the Jazz Bakery” on Seabreeze records.
“We didn’t really go in expecting to make a record,” said Gallinger of the date, “but after we heard it, everyone agreed it should be a release.”
Even more amazing was that she hadn’t previously worked with part of her supporting cast: drummer Joe LaBarbera and bassist Ton Warrington.
“It was just one of those days when everything came together,” she said of the disc, which includes straight-ahead jazz, swing, Latin and more contemporary tunes.
Gallinger, who works frequently in area clubs (her album release party will be at Lunaria in West L.A. on Friday), said she’s already looking forward to doing another disc.
“I’d like to do something more contemporary, more along the lines of the Crusaders’ type music. Those are my roots; R&B;, funk and pop. But I’ll do straight ahead when I work with Jack (Reidling on Sunday). I enjoy singing in different styles.”
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Up until last December, bassist Luther Hughes was the most visible jazz musician in Orange County. Before his tenure as leader of the house band at Vinnie’s Ristorante in Costa Mesa ended then, he could be heard backing guests on weekends at the Italian eatery and, before that, at Vinnie’s now-defunct Laguna Niguel location and, before that, El Matador in Huntington Beach.
“I really miss those days,” said Hughes, who’ll appear at the Bash with guitarist Frank Potenza. “It was nice to be able to call the guys you want to play with and make your own tailor-made environment. I’ve always got my eye open for another venue, but only half an eye now because I’m so busy practicing Aikido three to five times a week.”
Other things occupy Hughes’ time as well. As a member of Gene Harris’ quartet, he travels the globe with upcoming stops in Seattle, Hawaii and Japan scheduled in the next few months. Weekends he can be found with keyboardist Ronell Bright at Maple Drive Restaurant in Beverly Hills, and he recently played Croce’s in San Diego with saxophonist Hollis Gentry and keyboardist Mark Massey, both onetime regulars at Vinnie’s and El Matador.
Hughes’ experience booking clubs was put to use in organizing Bash ’94. Asked to make recommendations of whom to see at the event, Hughes begins to gush.
“There’s the Dale Spaulding blues band with Bill Steck, the piano player. Bill’s an old friend--we used to play at Hungry Joe’s with (vibraphonist) Dave Pike. And there’s Ron Eschete (guitarist and band mate in the Gene Harris quartet). I always recommend Ron above all others. And Glen Garrett’s (Brazilian) band is not to be missed. We had the whole 20-piece lineup at El Matador once, and they took the room off.”
He also mentions singer Rhyne (he’ll play bass for her), Tubop with trombonist Andy Martin, pianist Massimino, singer Gallinger, drummer Matt Johnson, pianist Reidling. It’s hard to get him to stop.
As for his own appearance with old friend Potenza, Hughes said, “We’ll do some of Frank’s tunes, some of my tunes, we’ll play a tune Jim Hall wrote and performed with Bill Evans. Mark Massey will play acoustic piano, but it will still be a contemporary group. You don’t have to play electric to be contemporary.”
* The Orange County Musicians’ Bash ‘94, will be held Sunday at the Red Lion Hotel, 3050 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. Noon to 10 p.m. $17 in advance from the Orange County Musicians’ Assn., 2050 S. Main St., Santa Ana; $19 at the door. Children under 12 free. (714) 546-8166.
Who’s Playing This Bash Big Band Room
Noon: Los Alamitos High School Jazz Band, with Wayne Bergeron
1 p.m.: Bernie Farr Orchestra, with Bill Cassi
2 p.m.: Al Latour’s Big Band Command
3 p.m.: John Henderson Big Band
4 p.m.: Norm Major Big Band
5 p.m.: Tracy Wells Big Band
6:15 p.m.: Tom Kubis Big Band, with Steve Allen
7:45 p.m.: Frank Amoss Big Band, with Roberta Linn
9 p.m.: Carl Scroggins Swing Band Club Max Dixieland Room
Noon: Cotton Pickers
1 p.m.: Jazz Generation
2 p.m.: Golden State Dixie Ramblers
3 p.m.: Dixie Rhythm Ramblers
4 p.m.: Hyperion Outfall Serenaders
5 p.m.: Basin Street Stompers
6 p.m.: Seaport Seven
7 p.m.: Riverboat Ramblers
8 p.m.: 20th Century Jazz Band
9 p.m.: The Dixie Six Lobby Lounge
11 a.m.: Jim Parmeter & His Swing Sextet
Noon: The Johnny V Band
1 p.m.: Slide Effects
2 p.m.: The Sounds Of Swing
3 p.m.: Tom Bevan’s Electric Air
4 p.m.: Guitarist Tom Long
5 p.m.: Joe Nappa and the All Stars
6 p.m.: Ray Templin’s Chicagoans
7 p.m.: Mike Labrador and Friends
8 p.m.: Trinidad and Tobago Showboat Steel Orchestra
9 p.m.: Walter Lakota and the Latin All Stars Jazz Room
Noon: Tubop
1:15 p.m.: Micki Rhyne and trio
2:30 p.m.: Dale Spaulding Blues Band
3:45 p.m.: Ron Eschete Trio
5 p.m.: Jack Reidling Trio, with Karen Gallinger
6:15 p.m.: Frank Potenza and Luther Hughes, with the Contemporary Jazz All Stars
8 p.m.: Glen Garrett’s Feijoado Completa Brazilian Big Band, with Katia Moraes Classical and Chamber Music Room
Noon: Huntington Beach School for the Performing Arts
1 p.m.: Corette Ensemble
2 p.m.: Norm Major Brass Quintet
3 p.m.: Leo Potts and Jack Reidling
4 p.m.: Artisan Brass Quintet
5 p.m.: Virginia Mitchell and John Barcellona
6 p.m.: International Strings
7 p.m.: Roselle Trio
8 p.m.: Sources (Fullerton College Music Faculty)
9 p.m.: Riviera Brass