Any Southern California jazz heads out there? The Central Avenue Jazz Festival is happening today and tomorrow.I plan to be there tomorrow and check out saxophonist Charles McPherson, who played with Charles Mingus throughout the ’60s.
Wish I could hit it today to see Arthur Blythe, but tonight is Yancey Arias’s charity poker tournament in Malibu, and I’m getting my head ready for that.
(Thanks to Dougfp for the heads-up about the festival.)
Man, Charles Macpherson (and he ain't rehearsin) is the shizzit, as the kids say nowdays.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Vancouver, Canada, I was lucky enough to catch Charles on two consectutive nights at a great little 80 seat club called the Cellar. The guy who runs it (Cory Weeds) is an alto player himself, and also runs his own label called Cellarlive. The documentation of one of those nights is on this album:
http://cellarlive.com/discography.php?section=Discography&page=5
I really believe that God, in Her wisdom, meant for jazz to be heard this way. In a small club, up close, and with a waiter with a tray of cocktails at the ready. The recording features a 'local rhythm section' but anybody familiar with Vancouver musicians knows that's actually a recommendation. I've played with all these people, and they take a backseat to nobody. Bassist Jodi Proznik is particularly killin.
Jazz? In Vancouver? Well hush my puppies...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the note and the link, John. I hope all's well.