VALLEY WEEKEND : Clubs Throughout the Valley in Sync With Quality Jazz : Fans in ’96 will find venues that offer good artists and a variety of styles from one to several nights a week.
Except for a brief period from 1945 to the early 1960s, jazz has never really thrived in Southern California. But there have been times when the music bloomed nicely, as in the ‘80s, when Donte’s, the Baked Potato in North Hollywood and Carmelo’s in Sherman Oaks were booking a grand assortment of both top flight local artists and name out-of-towners.
1996 in the Valley could be another of those times.
Now, high-quality jazz can be heard several nights a week at seven local clubs--the Baked Potato, Bjlauzezs in Sherman Oaks, Chadney’s in Burbank, Jax in Glendale, La Ve Lee in Studio City, Monty’s Steakhouse in Woodland Hills, the Moonlight Tango Cafe in Sherman Oaks and New York West in Tarzana.
The clubs are joined by numerous other establishments that feature jazz at least once a week. These include: Bob Burns’ Restaurant in Woodland Hills, Ca’ del Sole in Universal City, Common Grounds in Northridge, J.P.’s Lounge in Burbank, J.P.’s Money Tree in Toluca Lake and Monteleone’s West in Tarzana.
These haunts, scattered in different neighborhoods with widely varying musical menus, offer fans a wealth of styles to explore.
The Baked Potato now ranks as Southern California’s oldest continually operating jazz room: Pianist-owner Don Randi opened it in 1970. At first, the room booked Randi’s pop-jazz-blues trio and a number of well-known mainstream jazzmen, then in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, fusion became king. Such musicians as guitarist Lee Ritenour and saxophonist Tom Scott formed internationally known groups out of the room.
Today, the club retains some of its cutting-edge quality, spotlighting Randi’s mainstream-to-fusion band Quest most weekends. But coming up will be Niacin, with keyboardist John Novello (Monday and Jan. 15); scintillating modern mainstream sounds from guitarist John Morell’s quartet, with organist Greg Mathieson (on Jan. 29); fervent blues from Chuck Kavooras’ Fender Benders on Jan. 10 and 24; and more.
Bjlauzezs, on the other hand, has hardly any history at all. The surprisingly warm, high-tech joint debuted last October, with owner Michael Koren sticking with what the name says: a mix of blues and jazz.
The blues has been solid, mostly from guitarist-singer Bill Lynch and his guests (Jan. 17-18). The jazz has been even better, with ace young keyboardist Greg Kurstin acting as musical director and bringing in fine developing local artists such as Ralph Penland, Dale Fielder and Cecilia Coleman, as well as the occasional ringer like “Tonight Show” saxophonist Ralph Moore, certainly one of the finest acoustic jazzmen anywhere (he’s back on Jan. 20).
In the new year, the hottest new club in our town will continue with outstanding locals, including Kurstin (Jan. 12); John Beasley (Jan. 26); and Rick Zunigar (Sunday jam sessions from 6-10 p.m.). Plans include adding touring acts in March to increase the room’s visibility.
Chadney’s has been around for decades; one former incarnation was as The Carriage House. Now jazz is on tap five nights a week, with a “no cover-no minimum” policy, which also means lots of loud talking. But booker Dennis Duke has continued to do a dandy job of mixing artists who are strictly for listening, such as singer Stephanie Haynes (Jan. 13) or the trio of Bob Sheppard, Dave Carpenter and Peter Erskine (next Thursday). Also coming up are some performers who can really push through the din: reed man John Bolivar (Jan. 19) and percussionist Ray Armando (Jan. 27).
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Jax is another talk-heavy joint, while at La Ve Lee, most of the volume comes from the bands. Jax features mostly straight-ahead jazz of good-to-very-good quality--Cecilia Coleman (Jan. 15 and 20) and Frank Strazzeri (Jan. 22) are regulars. La Ve Lee caters to fusion, Latin and Brazilian jazz and funk, with conga drummer Poncho Sanchez (Saturday, Jan. 13 and 20) and brilliant fusion guitarist Frank Gambale (next Thursday and Jan. 25) among the top draws.
Monty’s Steakhouse just started a jazz policy, but it’s a good one. Drummer Danny Pucillo’s trio, which sports the resourceful be-bop-based pianist Claude Williamson, plays a few numbers, then backs visiting horn players; on Jan. 18-20, check out the superb alto saxophonist Lanny Morgan.
The Moonlight Tango Cafe is now L.A.’s spot for big bands. On Tuesdays, hear one of the area’s best, along with a vocalist (Glen Garrett with Katia Moraes on Jan. 16, Frank Capp’s Juggernaut with Carmen Bradford on Jan. 30). Wednesdays are now given over to jump-swing bands for dancing (Billy Mitchell on Jan. 17, Ron Allan’s Swing Kids on Jan. 24); Sundays are reserved for traditional jazz from trombonist Conrad Janis.
New York West, another Valley newcomer, has a solid three-night jazz policy, with such artists as Jack Sheldon (next Thursday, Jan. 18 and 25) and Susie Hansen (Jan. 19 and 26) delivering either mainstream or Latin/jazz sounds, with Sheldon in charge of the Sunday jam sessions.
These rooms, plus the ancillary clubs, provide Valley jazz fans with a smorgasbord of sound the likes of which we haven’t heard for many years. The title of a Charlie Parker song best expresses my personal take on the local scene: “Now’s the time.”