A Wolff Hungry to Be Performing Again

For about half of the more than five years he was music director of “The Arsenio Hall Show,” pianist-composer Michael Wolff wanted to be somewhere else: back on a bandstand, playing jazz.

“Though I was into the show, I started concentrating on practicing and writing, getting my music together,” Wolff, 43, recalled. “I realized that if I wanted to be a player, I’d better do it.”

Wolff has been a player since the age of 18, appearing and recording with heavyweights such as Cal Tjader, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins and Nancy Wilson. But after the Hall show left the air in May, 1994, Wolff redoubled his efforts on piano, and the results of that work can be heard on “Jumpstart!,” his new trio album on Jimco Records.

The recording, which features bassist Christian McBride and drummer Tony Williams, finds Wolff playing some originals, three Wayne Shorter pieces and two standards with a clear, ringing sound and a penchant for devising fresh, if somewhat abstruse, improvised melodies. “I’m trying to play the piano as if it were an orchestra,” he said.

Wolff will offer selections from the album at a release party Tuesday at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, where he’ll be accompanied by bassist John B. Williams and drummer Will Kennedy. Each paid admission receives a CD. Information: (310) 276-6168.

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Paich Remembered: Marty Paich, the classy arranger and composer who died of cancer this month at the age of 70, was an essential element on the Los Angeles musical horizon for more than 40 years. But in jazz, his main efforts were in the ‘50s, first as a pianist, then as an arranger whose work for altoist Art Pepper, singers Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and others was stunning.

“He was a masterful writer,” said his contemporary Bill Holman. “I remember he did a chart on ‘Body and Soul’ for Maynard Ferguson, and it was just a simple line of having the tenor sax and clarinet play the melody in octaves that had the whole town on its ear. It was the simplest thing in the world, but nobody had done it. It created a great ballad sound.”

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Handy Man: Saxophonist John Handy, the noted Bay Area saxophonist, will return Tuesday for a run at Catalina Bar & Grill that will last through Sept. 3. Handy, who appeared in the same room last November, will be playing with the fellows who were with him on his last visit, pianist Larry Nash and bassist James Leary.

“I was very impressed with these guys, and we became very comfortable very quickly,” Handy said. “I like to play a variety of music, and so do they.”

Handy said he’ll play standards and originals, and maybe some tunes with an Indian influence. “If anybody can do that, these guys can.” Information: (213) 466-2210.

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Jazz at Cerritos: Five jazz shows are on the 1995-96 schedule at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Russ Freeman and the Rippingtons, along with Earl Klugh, will get things started Sept. 8-9. They will be followed by the Modern Jazz Quartet, Oct. 14; Andreas Vollenweider, Nov. 3-4; David Benoit and Michael Franks, Nov. 17-18; and John Tesh, Feb. 17-18. Information: (800) 300-4345.

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Surfing the Jazz Waves: Herbie Hancock’s “Brazilian Celebration” can be seen tonight at 7 and at 1 a.m. Saturday on the Bravo channel. . . . The great Sarah Vaughan can be heard in concert on BET’s “Jazz Central” on Monday and Chick Corea on Wednesday, both at 9:30 p.m. . . . The music of Jelly Roll Morton will be played by Wynton Marsalis and others on “Jazz From Lincoln Center,” airing Monday at 10 p.m. on KPCC-FM (89.3). Then hear Jack DeJohnette’s piano playing on Marian McPartland’s “Piano Jazz,” airing Tuesday at 11 p.m.

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Free Music: Pianist Horace Tapscott appears today and Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m., at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, (213) 857-6000. . . . Black/Note concludes the summer series at the Museum of Contemporary Art on Thursday, 5:30 p.m. (213) 621-1749. . . . On Saturday from 1:30 to 4 p.m., singer Pamela Feener, pianist Billy Mitchell and others celebrate the fifth year of free concerts at Pedrini Music in Alhambra, (213) 283-1932. . . . Ace conga drummer Poncho Sanchez plays Saturday, 8 p.m., at California Plaza, 350 Grand Ave., Downtown, (213) 687-2159. . . . Saxophonist Tim Cunningham performs Wednesday, 7 p.m., at the Century City Shopping Center, (310) 277-3898.

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Critic’s Choices: Blues belter Linda Hopkins takes charge for a Blues Brunch on Sunday, 1 p.m., at Catalina Bar & Grill, (213) 466-2210. . . . Singer-drummer David Basse’s swinging version of Kansas City jazz can be heard Saturday at Lunaria, (310) 282-0502.