Miles Goodman, Inventive Producer, Will Be Missed

Miles Goodman was not a jazz musician. Until a few years ago, his musical talents were directed almost exclusively toward his film composing. Among his scores--”Footloose,” “La Bamba,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “What About Bob?” But Goodman was important to jazz, nonetheless, and his sudden death of a heart attack last week, at the age of 47, deprives the music of one of its more inventive record producers.

Goodman was an advocate of “concept” albums--recordings structured around a thematic idea or a carefully planned program of music. It’s nothing new, of course. Jazz companies have been releasing albums with such titles as “Jazz Goes to the Movies” or “Hot Sax With Strings” for years.

But Goodman brought some intriguing notions to the process, especially when he was working with longtime partner and friend Oscar Castro-Neves, the Brazilian guitarist-composer. The pair’s anthology “Color and Light,” for example, assembled Herbie Hancock, Nancy Wilson, Jim Hall, Wayne Shorter and others to provide convincing evidence that Stephen Sondheim’s music--for the most part overlooked by jazz musicians--is improvisation-friendly. Their two “Brasil Project” albums brought Toots Thielemans to the attention of a wider audience, and “A Brazilian Christmas,” scheduled for fall release, takes the novel stance of featuring such Brazilian performers as Ivan Lins and Joao Bosco singing Christmas classics.

Goodman also produced Terence Blanchard’s “The Billie Holiday Songbook” and “The Heart Speaks” (with Lins’ songs and vocals).

Impressive work, all of it--the product of an inquiring mind and a warmly expressive personality. The jazz world will miss Goodman on both counts.

*

Torme Update: No replacement has as yet been announced to fill in for Mel Torme’s scheduled concert at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 18. The veteran jazz singer, who suffered a “mild stroke” two weeks ago, continues to be in “guarded” condition, according to his spokesman, Rob Wilcox.

Torme requires a tube in his throat to aid his breathing, and he still experiences weakness in his left side. Although the intubation has made it impossible for Torme to speak, Wilcox reports that the attending physicians hope for a full and complete recovery.

But Torme, as well as his listeners, will undoubtedly be saddened by the fact that his Bowl program--which would have been his 20th consecutive appearance at the venue--has been canceled.

*

Jazz Camp: Six students from two Los Angeles area high schools, Washington Prep and Hamilton, are among 10 young musicians who have received scholarships to participate in the Vail Jazz Foundation’s Jazz Workshop in Vail, Colo. Foundation spokesman Howard L. Stone reports that “the kids . . . arrive on Saturday, spend a week studying with John Clayton and the guys in his quartet--Jeff Clayton, Bill Cunliffe and John Riley--and then they get to perform on Labor Day weekend at our second annual Vail Jazz Party.”

The talented young players are Miles Mosley, bass, from Hamilton, and Washington Prep’s Corey Hogan, tenor sax; Marcus R. Campbell, drums; Jose Antonio Barrillas, bass; Keschia Potter, alto sax; and Ryan Porter, trombone.

The attractive lineup for the Vail Jazz Party, which takes place Aug. 31-Sept. 2, includes the Kenny Barron Trio, the Roy Hargrove Quintet, the Phil Woods Quintet, the Steve Turre Quartet, Joey DeFrancesco, Diana Krall and others. Information: (800) 525-3875.

*

Free Music: The Summer Nights at MOCA program of free jazz, with wine and microbrew tastings, features trumpeter Tom Harrell performing in an unusual, pianoless trio with drummer Billy Hart and saxophonist Don Braden, on Thursday at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1749. . . . Johnny Mandel will talk about his songs and autograph sheet music at Pedrini Music in Alhambra on Saturday afternoon at 1:30. The Terry Trotter Quartet (with Trotter on piano, Tom Warrington on bass, Paul Kreibeck on drums and Larry Koonse on guitar) will add its interpretations of some Mandel tunes. Information: (213) 283-1932.

*

Around Town: On Saturday night, San Francisco steel drum jazz group Pan Ramajay performs at the African Marketplace in Rancho Cienega Park, 2 p.m., and at LunaPark, 8 p.m. . . . Highly regarded saxophonist Scheila Gonzalez, just back from the first Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Residency Program at Aspen, Colo., brings her quartet to Catalina Bar & Grill on Sunday afternoon as part of the club’s Young Artists’ Concert Series, 12:30 and 2 p.m. . . . The Sun Ra Omniverse Arkestra, an ensemble that has been at the cutting edge of avant-garde jazz for decades, makes a rare L.A. appearance Sunday night at 7 at LunaPark. Sun Ra, the band’s pianist, leader and inspirational guide, died three years ago, but the ensemble has continued to vigorously pursue his eccentric musical vision.