West Coast Jazz Party Offers Much to Celebrate

Those who came looking for the “party” in the West Coast Jazz Party over Labor Day weekend shouldn’t have been disappointed. There was plenty of good-time music fit for toe-tapping and finger-snapping, without serious intellectual or emotional content.

The three-evening event, held Friday through Sunday at the Irvine Marriott hotel, also had the informal feel of an open house. Eighteen musicians rotated in mix-and-match sessions that focused on well-worn standards, the shared language of jazz musicians and their followers.

But it would be wrong to say that Saturday’s 4 1/2-hour program, despite its carefree nature, was devoid of serious moments. In fact, a number of moving musical statements during the evening gave the event a depth that belied its party designation.

Among those moments: saxophonist Rickey Woodard’s melancholy tenor play during “It Could Happen to You,” Conte Candoli’s beautiful muted trumpet on “Lover Man” and vocalist Grady Tate’s reading of “My Funny Valentine.” Other serious statements came from the warm, touching fluegelhorn of Stacy Rowles, trombonist Andy Martin’s astute, agile work, drummer Jeff Hamilton’s responsive play and flutist Holly Hofmann’s muscle and flair inside the otherwise delicate “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise.”

Even headliner Ray Brown, a happy-go-lucky bassist known for jazzing up the most mundane tunes (here, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”), imparted a studious, well-practiced feel to unrehearsed jam sessions. Brown’s bottom-end counterpoints, decorations and echoes of the soloists he supported took him beyond the role of simple accompaniment, establishing a second lead even as Hofmann, Woodard, Candoli or guitarist Mundell Lowe soloed.

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Brown’s Duke Ellington medley near the end of the show, with only occasional contributions from Tate (this time in his more accustomed role as drummer), was a wonder of wit and construction. It was filled with long involved runs and harmonious double stops (the striking of two tones at once) as he quoted from “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be” and others. Brown may not be the most accurately pitched of bassists (fellow bassist John Leitham made for a revealing contrast in this department), but he remains one of the most inventive.

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Still, the majority of the music Saturday was feel-good and party-appropriate. Buddy DeFranco’s infectiously swinging clarinet play, while not all that ambitious, was ultimately rewarding for its rhythm and lyricism. Pianist Bill Cunliffe showed plenty of technique as he romped with Brown on “Sweet Georgia Brown,” an effort that brought many in the crowd to their feet.

As vocalist, Tate was warm and intimate, recalling Johnny Hartman’s languid tones during ballads. Pianist Gerald Wiggins, a player of smooth confidence, improvised with all the sweet, inviting friendliness found at an ice cream social. Fellow pianist Paul Smith sprinkled his play with humorous quotes and asides as he wound his way through solos.

Sometimes tunes that progressed with polished precision didn’t start or end that way. As is often the case in jam sessions, the various musicians often stumbled their way into or out of numbers. These awkward, all-too-human moments served to underscore the often exciting music they framed.

Although it competed for its audience with two other Labor Day weekend jazz events--the Sweet & Hot Jazz Festival and the L.A. Classic Jazz Festival (both held near Los Angeles International Airport and both focusing on traditional and classic jazz)--the West Coast Jazz Party, in its second year, has gained a definite identity. Its highlighting of standards is true to its advertising slogan: “Right Down the Middle and Straight Ahead.” Festival organizers, encouraged by Saturday’s attendance of more than 350, promised they would be back in 1997.