Kikuya Now Back in Bebop Business

For more than a decade, the lounge in Huntington Beach’s Restaurant Kikuya fulfilled jazz fans’ dreams.

There, one could see musicians, often of world-class caliber, in a setting so intimate you could almost reach out and touch them. That dream seemed to be over when Kikuya closed its doors last April.

But since Dec. 16, when sax player Greg Vail and keyboardist Rob Mullins celebrated the release of a new CD, Kikuya has been offering its blend of jazz and Japanese food again, a development being cheered by musicians and those who turn out to hear them.

“The place always felt homey,” said bassist Luther Hughes, who will appear at Kikuya the last Wednesday of each month with former Kikuya regulars guitarist Ron Eschete, pianist Tom Ranier and drummer Paul Kreibich. “It’s sure good to have it back.”

Kikuya rejoins the handful of clubs and dining establishments scattered across Orange County--including Steamers Cafe in Fullerton, Spaghettini in Seal Beach and Vanilla’s Caffe in Orange--presenting jazz on a regular basis.

Kikuya general manager Lisa Zhang explained the music policy remains basically the same with straight-ahead jazz offered Wednesday and Thursday, contemporary jazz Friday and Saturday. Previously, Kikuya also offered a Sunday evening straight-ahead set and a Tuesday evening “jazz party” hosted by singer Jack Wood.

“We want to take some time to let people know we’re open again,” said Zhang, noting that the month after the Christmas holidays can be slow. “If things are going very well, we’ll do Sundays too.”

In the past, Kikuya has featured such well-known musicians as pianist Alan Broadbent, saxophonist Buddy Collette, trumpeter Jack Sheldon, former “Tonight Show” band members Tommy Newsom, Pete Christlieb and Ross Tompkins and Crusaders saxophonist Wilton Felder.

Such local favorites as singers Dewey Erney and Micki Rhyne, saxophonist Tom Margitan and bandleader Charles “Doc” Rutherford made regular appearances.

The club was a favorite place for guitarist and Huntington Beach resident George Van Eps. Guitar aficionados from far and wide would travel there to hear the late innovator of the seven-string guitar play and tell anecdotes from his long, illustrious career.

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Keyboardist Mullins, who’s scheduled to appear there every Saturday night, said the intimacy of the place enables music lovers to rub elbows with the musicians and vice versa.

“The cool thing about Kikuya is that it’s mostly a local crowd, there’s a lot of regulars. The five years I played there gave me an opportunity to build personal relationships with the fans. It’s a cool little family. But the key thing is that the entertainment is world class.”

Besides some minor cosmetic changes, the club boasts a new acoustic piano purchased by the restaurant and a sound system furnished by Mullins.

“I’m a traditionalist in that respect,” Mullins said of the keyboard. “Whether playing contemporary or straight-ahead, I’ve got to have a decent acoustic piano. That’s the one thing that keeps me out of a lot of the L.A. clubs, their lack of an acoustic piano.”

SHOW TIMES

Kikuya hosts guitarist Ron Eschete today, 7:30; saxophonist Tom Margitan on Thursday, 8 p.m.; keyboardist Scott Wilke on Friday, 8:30 p.m. No cover, $15 minimum. Information: (714) 536-6665.