Sidran Gives ‘Lesson’ About Hebrew Music

Ben Sidran, the award-winning pianist-composer-author who wrote the score to the highly regarded documentary “Hoop Dreams,” knew there had been countless versions of Christian spiritual pieces by jazz musicians. But not much was available on Hebrew music.

”. . . No one had approached Hebrew liturgical music, which is, in a way, like Jewish gospel music,” Sidran says. “It serves the Jewish community the same way that gospel serves the black community.”

So Sidran, who appears Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the Simon Weisenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance in West Los Angeles, produced “Life’s a Lesson” (GoJazz Records), a collection of Hebrew pieces, some of which go back 2,000 years. These numbers are performed by several notable jazz players, all of whom have Jewish heritage: trumpeter Randy Brecker, saxophonists Joshua Redman and Lee Konitz and vibist Mike Mainieri. And although the critically acclaimed album was released last year by mail order only, it is now available in stores such as Tower and Wherehouse records and Borders Books.

For the recording, Sidran stressed to his colleagues that while he wanted inspired performances, he was not seeking heavy improvisation. “I said to the players, ‘This isn’t be-bop. We aren’t here to prove how hip we are,’ ” he said in a phone conversation from his home in Madison, Wis. “Instead, I wanted to capture the spirit of this ancient music in a way that can be appreciated by mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who are not jazz fans.”

At the Museum of Tolerance, Sidran will appear with singer Lynette Margulies in offering selections from “Life’s a Lesson.” The event is a benefit for the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Jewish Studies. Sidran is a Wisconsin alumnus.

Information: (310) 553-8403.

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Back on the Bus: Renowned orchestra leader Gerald Wilson and the USC Studio Jazz Band, solid pianist Hal Galper’s trio with woodwind artist Gary Foster, drum whiz Sherman Ferguson’s quartet and fine guitarist Doug MacDonald’s nine-piece Brass Jazz Ensemble headline the KLON 1995 Spring Jazz Club Caravan. This is the radio station’s fifth caravan, and last December’s event drew close to 2,000 fans, says KLON organizer Ken Poston.

The caravan takes place Thursday, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., and 16 Los Angeles jazz clubs are involved, among them the Jazz Bakery, the World Stage, Legends of Hollywood, 5th Street Dick’s, Lunaria, the Cinegrill, the Baked Potato North Hollywood and Chadney’s.

The caravan costs $10 in advance, $15 at the door. One ticket price provides entry to all clubs and bus service.

Tickets and information: (310) 985-5566.

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Around Town: Hungarian pianist Laszlo Gardony, who has been living in Boston since 1983, makes his L.A. debut Wednesday, 8 p.m., at the Jazz Bakery. A unique stylist who combines rhythmic drive with distinct melodic flavors, Gardony will work unaccompanied, condensing quintet pieces from his new “Breakout” (Avenue Jazz) album into the solo format. Information: (310) 271-9039. . . .

Trilok Gurta, the percussion master who has been often heard with guitarist John MacLaughlin, arrives with his quartet Monday at 8 p.m. at LunaPark. Information: (310) 652-0611. . . .

New York pianist Lynne Arriale, delivering fine material from her just-out “When You Listen” (DMP) CD, plays her first L.A. dates Wednesday at Chadney’s, (818) 843-5333; Thursday at the Baked Potato Pasadena, (818) 564-1122, and April 29 at Lunaria, (310) 282-8870.