Loss of Ambassador Facility a Setback

If Ambassador Auditorium continues with its plans to close in May, as was announced last week, Southern California will lose one of its primary outposts for world-class jazz performances.

Over the years, jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Dizzy Gillespie have performed at the 1,275-seat hall, which is owned by the Worldwide Church of God. Since 1992, Ambassador has been home to the Pasadena Jazz Festival, a two-day summer bash that was well on its way to becoming one of the area’s leading jazz events.

But Ambassador was not just a home to the big-name players. Its Gold Medal series highlighted up-and-comers such as singer Rebecca Parris and pianist Eric Reed (who appears Feb. 27) in low-cost concerts, and the jazz festival gave new artists such as Black/Note an opportunity to be heard in an outstanding venue.

Ambassador is a wonderful place to hear jazz, affording listeners a venue that blends physical intimacy with stunning acoustics that make for truly standout performances. For example, those who witnessed Joe Henderson’s stunning climax to the 1994 festival will never forget George Mraz’s amazing and moving bass solos, where every note was heard as clearly as if the musician were playing directly in front of the listener.

Musicians invariably responded to the hall.

“It has an ambience that you don’t get anywhere else in this town,” said singer Mel Torme, who last appeared at Ambassador on Jan. 12 and had played the hall each of the last 10 years. “It was especially appealing to a singer because it wasn’t too big, and that brought the audience in close and you could make eye contact.”

“The sound was beautiful,” said Terry Gibbs, who played Ambassador three times, most recently on Jan. 19 with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. “I could hear everybody, and when you hear each other, you can play well. Even with a big band there, I’ve never felt so comfortable.”

The church has been providing 50%--about $2.5 million--of Ambassador’s budget, and a reduction in church income, as well as escalating expenses, have forced the hall’s closure, the owners say. Still, there is some hope that Ambassador may stay open, said David Hulme, Ambassador’s director of performing arts and producer of the jazz festival.

“I’m not entirely pessimistic,” Hulme said Tuesday. “There is a positive movement to try to effect a comeback via local philanthropy, and obviously a restructuring of our management approach will be a part of that. All of this is contingent on retaining the auditorium for this purpose. The foundation is not adverse to finding a way for continuing to offer performing arts if we can generate the income stream to support it.” He indicated that approximately $2.5 million is needed to stage a 100-event, 1995-96 program at Ambassador.

Hulme said that the jazz programs were a source of revenue, not a drain. “They do quite well, and I have no major complaints. In my examination of the various series at Ambassador, I never felt that jazz was something we should cut back or limit. We had carved out a niche (as a presenter) and there was support from throughout Southern California, not just Pasadena. Also, (radio station) KLON was wonderful, and I can’t thank the air staff enough for their help in building our audience base.”

Should Ambassador close, it may be available for rent by other promoters. “It certainly is an intriguing possibility,” said Hulme, “and the issue is will I have the staff to do that. But for the foreseeable future, there are no such plans.”

In any event, there seems to be little chance of a fourth Pasadena Jazz Festival this August. “Even if something turns around, it would be a bit optimistic to pull together a festival at (this) late date,” said Hulme.

Officials at other venues voice concern about Ambassador’s demise. “It was such a prominent part of the performing arts landscape in Southern California,” said Michael Blachly, director of the UCLA Center for the Performing Arts. Asked if UCLA might try to add some jazz concerts to its schedule to make up for those that would have been held at Ambassador, Blachly said, “If we can find a way that we can satisfy the jazz audience by increasing our programs and realistically meet our financial obligations, we would be willing to consider doing that.”

At Ambassador, in addition to pianist Reed on Feb. 27, other upcoming jazz dates include Gene Harris’ quartet and big band on Feb. 11 and vibist Milt Jackson’s quartet, plus singer Ernestine Anderson, on Feb. 25.

Information: (818) 304-6161.

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Datebook: Charlie Haden’s Quartet West is one Southern California band that has earned both critical acclaim and public acceptance. The group, which appears Sunday, 7 p.m., in a free concert at the Wadsworth Theater on the VA grounds in Brentwood, spotlights Ernie Watts (tenor sax), Alan Broadbent (piano) and Larance Marable (drums). Haden’s performances, drawn from such recent albums as “Haunted Heart,” mix spirited numbers with those that have a more romantic flavor. Information: (310) 794-8961. . . . Singer Ernie Andrews, a man with a stunning voice who is equally captivating on blues, ballads and upbeat numbers, is on tap at the Jazz Bakery tonight at 8. He replaces Bill Henderson, who was previously scheduled. Information: (310) 271-9039.