Beatin’ the Jitters With Jazz

When Mike Campbell works the lounge at Ca’ del Sole in North Hollywood tonight, offering standards and originals accompanied by the spirited be-bop-based pianist Jon Mayer, he’ll be well into his fourth decade as a jazz singer.

The way he tells it, Hollywood native Campbell almost didn’t make it to his first performance. “I sang alone in my room, that kind of thing,” Campbell said. “Music was something I loved, that I did well. But I didn’t want to get on stage. I thought I was scared to death to be in front of people; I almost flunked English because I couldn’t give a book report.”

But then Campbell’s older brother Dudley, who was a drummer--and is now dean of the night school at Pierce College--got a gig playing a high school reunion “somewhere in the Valley.” It was 1962, and the older sibling brought his brother along. Campbell can’t explain it, but that night everything went like clockwork.

“I just sang and it was such a strange thing. I felt so comfortable,” he said. “When I finally got there, being on stage felt right, and it always has since. It’s never made me crazy.”

Campbell spent two years at Valley College in Van Nuys, then his career took off. From 1966-69 he toured the U.S. with the 20-singers-strong Doodletown Pipers. “I went from school to opening for George Burns,” he said. “It was amazing.”

The group appeared at Radio City Music Hall and the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, was on “The Ed Sullivan Show” about six times, and hosted its own summer-replacement variety show on CBS.

After the Pipers--during which time he met his wife, Elaine, who also sang with the group--Campbell worked as a single in clubs throughout California. There were the better rooms, like Carmelo’s and Donte’s, two of the Valley’s most renowned, though now defunct, jazz clubs; and there were the nondescript restaurant lounges, from John’s at the Beach in Santa Barbara to the Jolly Roger in Dana Point.

Campbell also made half a dozen recordings--from 1984’s “Blackberry Winter” to 1996’s “Loving Friends”--and established himself as a first-rate teacher. He heads the vocal department at Musicians Institute in Hollywood and lives in North Hollywood with Elaine and daughters, Katie and Megan.

And while Campbell isn’t crazy about clubs in general, he finds that Ca’ del Sole offers an intimate ambience that works well with his approach. He also enjoys the fact that he’ll appear with just a piano player.

“There’s a nakedness about a duo that’s very challenging,” he said. “It’s like walking a tightrope, and sometimes you fall off, but it’s fun.”

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Songs Fill the Air

Katia Moraes offers her spicy Brazilian vocals on Saturday at 9:30 and 11:30 p.m. at La Ve Lee (12514 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; cover charge, $5, two-drink minimum; [818] 980-8158).

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Steve Blackwood delivers his jazz-based tunes with a blues flair at 9 tonight at Chadney’s (3000 W. Olive St., Burbank; no cover, one-drink minimum per show; [818] 843-5333).

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Page Cavanaugh is a dandy pianist, and he can sing, too. He appears with bassist Phil Mallory from 7 to 11:30 tonight at Monteleone’s (19337 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana; no cover; without dinner, $9.95 food/drink minimum; [818] 996-0662).

BE THERE

Mike Campbell sings from 7 to 11 tonight at Ca’ del Sole, 4100 N. Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood. No cover, no minimum. Call: (818) 985-4669.