The Jazz Voyager

The Jazz Voyager is heading west once again to the Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley where film producer Mack Sennett built his studio lot on twenty acres in 1927 and subsequently where the surrounding area became known as Studio City. It is there that I will be entertained at The Baked Potato jazz club. This small storied venue offers up an array of its namesake and world class jazz.

I’ll be flying in a day early to visit LA’s Natural History Museum, a nostalgic architecture drive-by of the Brady Bunch house and for some stargazing at the Griffith Observatory. This weekend performance heating up the stage is by six time Grammy winner, pianist and composer Billy Childs. A recipient of several commissions he has worked with orchestras and symphonies, as well as leading his ouw groups.

The Baked Potato is located at 3787 Cahuenga Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604. For more information visit https://www.thebakedpotato.com.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Tony Carr was born George Caruana on October 24, 1927 in Malta. Moving to the United Kingdom in 1953, he joined bandleader Billy Eckstine for a tour in Europe. He played regularly at the Bull’s Head in Barnes SW London, accompanying the cream of British and American jazz musicians.

He eventually became a most sought-after session player in London, England between 1954 and the early 1980s. During the Sixties pianist, conductor and arranger John Cameron recruited Carr as his first-call session player. His career would see him working with Ella Fitzgerald, Sixto Rodriguez, Donovan, Alan Price, Paul McCartney among others.  In Malta, he also played with Frank Bibi Camilleri, Joe Curmi il-Puse, Juice Wilson, Freddie Mizzi and Sammy Galea, to name a few.

He has been a member of  Daylight, Directions In Jazz Unit, Harold McNair Quartet, John Cameron Quartet, Mike Batt And Friends, Señor Funk and Frog, the latter put together for a horror film soundtrack.

Drummer and percussionist Tony Carr, at 96, no longer performs in public

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Rick DellaRatta was born October 23, 1961 in Schenectady, New York. The oldest of five children, he studied at the New England Conservatory, earning a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance and a master’s degree in Jazz Composition. He studied jazz piano with Jackie Byard, Kenny Werner, Charlie Banacos, and Richie Bierach and classical piano with Thomas Stumpf.

In 1997 Rick along with Eddie Gomez, Dave Liebman, and Lenny White released the album Thought Provoking. In 2000 he was nominated for a MAC award for Recording of the Year.

Witnessing the 9/11 attacks from a New York City rooftop Rick was inspired while watching the unfolding tragedy to write a poem which became known as Jazz for Peace. The poem would later become a worldwide movement promoting peace through jazz.

Pianist and singer Rick DellaRatta, who has recorded five albums, continues to perform, tour and record.

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Jazz Poems

CHARLIE PARKER BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK

from Wall Street who OD’ed last week

on Explosion 2000 on that street corner

right over there when KABOOM! You kissed me

smack on the lips just as “Confirmation” kicked in.

Just as Venusin two-toned dreadlocks and a skin-tight

smock danced from the band shell with her pet python,

Bodyguard, to “All the Things You Are.”

Just as punk rockers rocked, in-flowered on sheets,

sipped smoothies and smoked,

Their hair spirited to pastel auras, rosehip,

Island lime, a shade of blue just washed by rain.

Just as Ukraine checkmated, as twins seesawed,

As bikers cracked smiles in the Hari-Hari, the slap-

tongue of sax. At the mommies and the poppies. Just as.

And they were doing the brothers in descending order.

The three brothers Heath: Percy, Jimmy, call him “Little Bird,”

And Albert “Tootie” Heath. With Milt Jackson on vibes,

three score and twelve, and still working. Two boys in love

Grooved, one in white pants and sailor hat,

the other in a buffalo nickel belt that bedazzled.

They sat on the park bench eating falafel.

A man with one leg sold charms for a dollar. For luck.

For the music that day and the light, you could say it

was all bell-bottomed and swaybacked. Young-like.

And your kiss. All at once I was riding a sparkling gold Schwinn bike.

Something in my head went from full torpor to starburst:

as if whetted by some wild vibranto, your kiss,

the vibes’ licks cleared my vision of fizz for an instant.

What had been all Midnight Dragon was now

a Tropicana-Pure-Premium-sharpened C

delivered as of this morning to the Santa Barbara Deli

and Superetti down the street. Just like that.

In your arms and the music and the light, I thought I might

>go plumb or Penteostal, lay down on the grass, recite

Kahlil, take up knitting, eat pickles and marry you–

Tell that priest to stop playing Frisbee with the lab

so we can say our vows right here and now before “Tenor Madness”

ends! Opps! I forget we’re already married! Just as.

CATHERINE BOWMAN

from Jazz Poems ~ Selected and Edited by Kevin Young

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Søren Reiff born October 22, 1962, in Holbæk, Denmark to painter Tove Reiff and potter Erik Reiff. When he was ten years old he went to an Eric Clapton concert which sealed his fate to become a guitarist. A few years later he was invited to a recording session and that cemented his career choice.

In the mid-Eighties was the guitarist in house bands and as musical director on Danish National television, which led him to play with Toots Thielemans, Randy Crawford, Robert Palmer, Bonnie Tyler and others. The Nineties saw Reiff working as musical director for Chaka Khan, David Sanborn, Mark King, and many others on these television shows.

As an author Søren has published five books, released three albums as a recording artist. He has played on several American television shows, Studiojams and co-hosted the show The Color of Jazz. He was the founder of Den Rytmiske Højskole’s course for Songwriters and Producers.

Guitarist, producer, composer and author Søren Reiff, who was included in the International Who’s Who in Music, Volume Two, Popular Music, continues to perform and record.

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