West Coast jazz Party

clinthopson · August-21st-2003, 12:32 PM

I guess this thread didn't live past the site change.

I have one extra pass for a seat at the Sunday night edition , here's the schedule: (my wife Donna gets burned out by Sunday night so she gives me a pass)

“Basie Swing” with Butch Miles featuring Scotty Barnhart, Kenny Drew, Jr., Lynn Seaton, Dan Faehnle
7:50-8:35pm

Wycliffe Gordon, Scott Hamilton, Rickey Woodard, John Campbell, Bob Maize,Frank Capp
8:50-9:30pm

Ken Peplowski Quartet with John Campbell (p/vibes) Chuck Berghofer, Butch Miles, plus special guest Kenny Drew, Jr.
9:40-10:25pm

Jeff Hamilton Trio with Tamir Hendelman (p) & Christoph Luty (b)
10:45-11:45pm

Frank Capp Juggernaut featuring Ernie Andrews

Email me if you are interested.

hornplayer · August-21st-2003, 04:20 PM

Man! that's tempting!!! But I made some commitments to be on the other coast Labor Day Weekend...

Phooey!

clinthopson · August-25th-2003, 11:32 AM

I forgot to add that the ticket is on me for the price of a glass of Scotch.

Too bad, Doug.

Elliot · August-26th-2003, 03:49 PM

Clint,
I will be there Friday and Saturday only. I'm looking forward to meeting you non-virtually. :-)
I hope to post some reviews of the sets I hear, but will probably not get a chance for a week or so-- we are moving next week and things will be rather hairy.

clinthopson · August-26th-2003, 04:21 PM

Elliott,

Check with the folks at the registration counter and they'll tell you where I'm seated.

It's nice to meet jcers face to face.

Elliot · August-26th-2003, 05:15 PM

Clint,
Do you look like your Avatar?

clinthopson · August-27th-2003, 11:31 AM

Unfortunately,I do.

Of course, the stogie is prohibited indoors in this pc world

Elliot · September-5th-2003, 02:30 PM

I was able to make the Friday and Saturday night sessions of the party, and got the chance to meet Clint & the lovely Mrs. Hopson. Some quick impressions:

Friday night started with two rather lackluster sets, the first by Ken Peplowski, on tenor sax and clarinet, which never really caught fire (despite some excellent trumpet fromScotty Barnhart, a player who was new to me ), and the second from Judy Roberts, a singer-pianist from Chicago who did not live up to her advance billing. The highlight of Friday night, for me, was a too-short set by Wycliffe Gordon and fellow trombonist Dan Barrett. (Barrett had also played with Peplowski earlier in the evening.) They opened and closed with Ellington tunes ("It Don't Mean a Thing" and "Mood Indigo"), and in the middle did a medley of tunes based on "Rhythm" changes: Oleo, Cottontail, and 'I Got Rhythm' itself. Scott Hamilton followed with a good quartet set; the evening's headliner was Joey DeFrancisco, who was a big hit with the crowd but reminded me of why I don't like organ trios.

Saturday night was far more enjoyable to me. Kenny Drew, Jr. opened with a great set, accompanied by Dan Faehnle, a superb guitarist I had never previously heard (or even heard of), the excellent bassist Lynn Seaton, and the always-musical drummer Jeff Hamilton.

Next up was Kristin Korb, a singer-bassist I had never heard of till this party, but who is really fine, both as a vocalist and a player. (I picked up her first CD, which doesn't feature her bass playing [it was recorded with Ray Brown and pianist Benny Green], and I highly recommend it.) Kristin played bass throughout the set, stepping up front only for "My Romance" (accompanied only by piano), and highlighting her playing on one instrumental, "I'll Remember April." The previously mentioned Scotty Barhart played superb trumpet throughout the set.

Next was a set by comedian Pete Barbutti, who had everyone but me laughing, followed by another sizzling set from Wycliffe Gordon, this time singing ("On the Sunny Side of the Street" and an original blues) as well as playing, and with guitar by Dan Faehnle. (The way musicians are mixed and matched from set to set and night to night is one of the highlights of the party.)

The headliners Saturday were the "Three Tenors," Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski and Rickey Woodard. Woodard is another west-coast fave who was new to this transplanted New Yorker, and he is a fine player. The set took off at the end, with a beautiful round of solos on "Body and Soul," followed by a crackling "Blues Up and Down."

hornplayer · September-6th-2003, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Elliot
(despite some excellent trumpet from Scotty Barnhart, a player who was new to me )

Scotty has played with the Basie Band for years. He's a superb trumpeter, and I'm glad to hear he's doing at least some things on his own.

[/i]
accompanied by Dan Faehnle, a superb guitarist I had never previously heard (or even heard of),
[/QUOTE]

Dan Faehnle played with Diana Krall briefly right after Russell Malone left her trio.... tho he is a really good guitarist, he lacked Russell's personality, and so -- I guess -- didn't last...

Elliot: you didn't mention Butch Miles.... I thought he was supposed to be playing also.... He's a great drummer, and a friend of mine.....

Elliot · September-8th-2003, 12:39 PM

Sorry I didn't mention Butch.
He played (very well) with Scott Hamilton Friday and with Wycliffe Gordon Saturday.

clinthopson · September-9th-2003, 12:03 PM

Elliot, it was very nice meeting you. Maybe we'll bump into each other at Steamers some time.

I thought Elliot's assessment of Friday night was pretty accurate except I happen to like organ trios so I loved Joey's sets Friday nite and Saturday afternoon, he was joined by Rickey Woodard at the pool on Saturday. I thought the set by Scott Hamilton, John Campbell, Lynn Seaton (I think) and Butch Miles was outstanding. Scott's rendition of "Blue and Sentimental" was simply gorgeous. Wycliffe Gordon's clever IGR with Kenny Drew and Dan Barrett was a gas. I liked the answer the bass player gave when he was asked what tune he chose "I'll play the changes to 'I Got Rhythm.'"

Us SoCal folks are very aware of Rickey, he's one of the top straight ahead players anywhere. I've seen him in all kinds of settings from small groups to Gerald WIlson and Frank Capp's big bands. He always delivers.

Dan Fahnle and Scotty Bernhart were new to me and I had the same impressions as Elliott. Outstanding players.

I thought OUR three tenors were a helluva lot better than those fat Italians.

We always enjoy the Sunday Jazz Cruise, we had a chance to hang out with the musicians and hear a lot of fine jazz. It was nice visiting with Joe LaBarbara and hearing tales about a certain bad boy drummer. Gerald Clayton, John's son, will be heard from to be sure. What a talent. Scott Hamilton gave us a great finish of the cruise with a quartet with Kenny Drew, Jr., Lynn Seaton adn Jeff Hamilton. I can still hear his set-closing rendition of "Cottontail."

BTW, IMHO, is one of jazz's best drummers. He proved it over the weekend. Getting the chance to hear Joe and Jeff Hamilton in several settings is a real treat.

Sunday night's session was a fine wrap up, especially the Jeff Hamilton trio with Tamir Hendleman and Christof Ludy. I think it's about the best piano trio around today. Be sure to catch them when they come to your town.

Can't wait 'til next year.