Anna Mjöll live @ Vibrato, Aug 28

Katja Rieckermann @ Vibrato, tomorrow night

Amy Schumer live @ Constellation, Aug 20

The one and only AMY SCHUMER performs at Constellation on August 20!
Tickets will go fast! 

Guests: Jason Stein's My Silence, 
featuring Mike Reed & Nick Butcher, kicks things off.

Thursday, August 20, at 7pm
at Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave.

RECENTLY ANNOUNCED
Sun 10/18 Dal Niente Presents: Matthew Oliphant
Wed 10/28 Hamir Atwal, Mike Sopko, Joshua Abrams, James Falzone, SOUND OF THE CITY WORKSHOP
Sat 10/31 Steve Gunn, James Elkington & Nathan Salsburg
Thu 11/19 Twin Talk, Jonah Parzen-Johnson
Wed 12/2 Sylvie Courvoisier & Mark Feldman Duo
Thu 12/3 Dee Alexander's Evolution Ensemble with special guest Edward Wilkerson

UPCOMING EVENTS

FRI 8/21
9:00 PM
M. Sage, TALsounds

SUN 8/23
8:30 PM
Music with Films by Pablo Chin

MON 8/24
7:00 PM
RUN OF LIFE: Experimental Documentary Series: ALPI

WED 8/26
9:30 PM
Greg Tuohey Quartet, SOUND OF THE CITY WORKSHOP

THU 8/27
8:30 PM
Tomeka Reid with Mary Halvorson, Jason Roebke & Tomas Fujiwara

FRI 8/28
8:30 PM
Tootie Heath, Ethan Iverson & Ben Street

SAT 8/29
8:30 PM
Tootie Heath, Ethan Iverson & Ben Street

SUN 8/30
8:30 PM
a.pe.ri.od.ic (13): The Music of Gerhard Stäbler & Kunsu Shim

MON 8/31
8:30 PM
I HEAR VOICES, Maren Celest, Chris Ash, Macie Stewart

WED 9/2
8:30 PM
9/2: An Evening of Nine Duos

THU 9/3
8:30 PM
Jenny Hval, Briana Marela

FRI 9/4
9:30 PM
After Fest: Kidd Jordan, Alvin Fielder & guests

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed 8/26 CLASSICAL REVOLUTION, Triple Reed Trio
Sun 9/6 TIGUE, Mocrep
Wed 9/9 Cortex, SOUND OF THE CITY WORKSHOP
Thu 9/10 Slow Planes
Fri 9/11 Angela James & Stirrup, Quarter Mile Thunder (Solo)
Sun 9/13 Five Dollar Ferrari (Brad Henkel & Dustin Carlson), Janice Misurell-Mitchell & Friends
Wed 9/16 Gebhard Ullman / Steve Swell: Chicago Plan, SOUND OF THE CITY WORKSHOP
Thu 9/17 São Paulo Underground: Rob Mazurek, Mauricio Takara & Guilherme Granado
Fri 9/18 Josh Berman Trio
Sat 9/19 Amir ElSaffar Two Rivers Ensemble
Mon 9/21 RUN OF LIFE: Experimental Documentary Series: Lived Landscapes
Thu 9/24 Sun Speak, Matt Ulery's Loom
Fri 9/25 Jeremy Cunningham Quintet
Sat 9/26 Matthew Shipp & Michael Bisio Duo
Wed 9/30 Thollem McDonas, James Falzone, Matthew Lux & Bill Mackay, SOUND OF THE CITY WORKSHOP
Thu 10/1 Dave McDonnell Group
Fri 10/2 John Corbett in Conversation with Maats Gustaffson, The Thing
Fri 10/2 The Thing
Sat 10/3 Never Enough Hope
Sun 10/4 Fifth House Ensemble: Soundings
Wed 10/14 James Davis Quintet, SOUND OF THE CITY WORKSHOP
Fri 10/16 William Parker Quartet
Sat 10/17 William Parker Quartet
Sun 10/18 Dal Niente Presents: Matthew Oliphant
Fri 10/23 Tatsu Aoki's Miyumi Project, Suwan Choi / Jeff Chan Duet
Sat 10/24 Tim Berne's Decay
Wed 10/28 Hamir Atwal, Mike Sopko, Joshua Abrams, James Falzone, SOUND OF THE CITY WORKSHOP
Sat 10/31 Steve Gunn, James Elkington & Nathan Salsburg
Thu 11/19 Twin Talk, Jonah Parzen-Johnson
Wed 12/2 Sylvie Courvoisier & Mark Feldman Duo

Constellation
3111 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60618

Brent Fischer + The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Group Live @ Hancock Park, LA

LACMA Presents:
Brent Fischer + The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Group
Live at Hancock Park (L.A.)
Free Concert! Saturday, August 29th, 2015
5:00-7:00PM (PDT)

Brent Fischer + Clare Fischer
Latin Jazz Group featuring:
Brent Fischer, Bass
Luis Conte, Timbales
Kevin Ricard, Congas
Alex Budman, Woodwinds
Mark Gasbarro, Keyboard
Enzo Todesco, Drums

Sponsered by:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
323-857-6000

Want to Perform On-Stage with Bob Mintzer?

Alfredo Rodriguez live in Los Angeles, Aug 15

Don't miss this special evening of "Classical Remix" by Daedelus & the Cuban virtuoso pianist Alfredo Rodriguez -- with Eay Ushikubo -- @ Grand Performances in Downtown LA. Free entrance! This next Saturday, August 15, 8pm. See u there!

Fundraiser Concert For Tambu, tomorrow

This next Saturday, August 15 @ Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center (4305 Degan Blvd. Suite 101, Los Angeles, CA), don't miss a Fundraiser Concert for the legendary Los Angeles native son, percussionist Tambu.
Suggested Minimum Donation: $20;

Tribute To Jaco Pastorius @ Hollywood Bowl

Tomorrow night, an incredible roster of musicians honors the late, brilliant bass innovator, revlutionary & true genius Jaco Pastorius. His use of the fretless bass and his popularization of harmonics are just a couple of the lasting influences the bassist had on jazz and music as a whole. A must-see for jazz fans: http://hollywoodbowl.com/jaco

"Goddess Wednesdays" w/ DJ Hana, Aug 12

Free concert by the Zana Messia Quartet in LA!

The gorgeous LA-based singer Zana Messia leads her quartet @ The Dresden (1760 North Vermont Avenue) here in Los Angeles on August 17, at 9pm. With Dimitris Jimmy Mahlis (oud & guitar), Sezani Ahmet Turmenoglu (bass) & Chris Wabich (drums).

Zana has recorded for Universal Music, studied Ethnomusicology at UCLA, wrote awarded songs for "The Lightkeepers" and other movies, was heard by legendary producers Quincy Jones and Jerry Moss, collaborated with Harvey Mason (who was the executive producer of her American debut album, "Zana Messia & The Balkan Soul Orchestra" along with her husband, David Marcus), recorded an accalaimed version of Carlinhos Brown's "Maria Caipirinha (Samba da Bahia") for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and also leads her own jazz group.

It's a free event and I'm sure you'll be mesmerized by this great vocalist (born Zana Mesihovic in Mostar, in the former Yusgoslavia, now Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina) who also happens to be a wonderful human being and one of the most beautiful women on Earth, a true Goddess from the Balkans.
Judge for yourself!

                                              (Quincy Jones & Zana Messia)

DJ Amanda Darling @ X Nightclub, Aug 7

Vinyl Reissue of the Month - "Deodato: Love Island"

Vinyl Reissue of the Month
Eumir Deodato: "Love Island" (Warner/Music On Vinyl - MOVLP 1490) 1977/2015
Release Date: August 10, 2015

Beyond CD of the Month - "Hubert Laws, Steve Barta & Jeffrey Biegel"

Beyond CD of the Month
Hubert Laws, Steve Barta & Jefferey Biegel: "Symphonic Arrangement - Suite For Flute And Jazz Piano Trio / Composer: Claude Bolling" (Steve Barta Music)

Rating: ***** (musical performance & sonic quality)

Composed by Claude Bolling
Arranged & Conducted by Steve Barta
Produced by Steve Barta & Michael Shapiro
Executive Producers: John Street, Kathy Hines & Wayne Hines
Recorded by Geoff Gillette & Eric Astor, assisted by Zavosh Rod @ Entourage Studios (North Hollywood, CA) in January 2015
Mixed by Bill Scheene @ Scheene Studios
Mastered by Sangwook "Sunny" Nam @ Jacob's Well Mastering, LLC
Cover Art: Roger Huyssen

Claude Bolling's "Suite For Flute And Jazz Piano" was already born in 1975 as a masterpiece, originally recorded for Columbia by Jean-Pierre Rampal and the composer himself. (Later on, it received another excellent version for RCA by Elena Duran and Laurie Holloway in 1981.)

This brand-new outstanding Symphonic Arrangement, by Steve Barta, adds a new dimension to the work and updates its marvelous content, highlighted by jazz supreme flutist Hubert Laws and virtuoso pianist Jeffrey Biegel. Barta did a brilliant job, achieving perfect balance between respect for the original suite and the creative impetus that led him to create a vivid orchestral score, full of energy and sophistication, perfecting all nuances and subtleties.

Mike Valerio (bassist) and Michael Shapiro (drummer who was a member of Flora Purim/Airto Moreira's group for many years) also shine throughout the album. Soon available also on vinyl, it's already one of the best releases of the year!

**********
Jeffrey Biegel: "In the 1970s, I was one of millions of fans of Claude Bolling's "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano". Fast forward to 2008, I met with Steve Barta during an engagement with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. We talked about music and various styles. I shared with Steve how much I loved the Bolling Suite, and that I thought it might be cool with orchestra. He said he always felt the same about it. Here we are--seven years later--with this new recording, arranged by Steve, featuring the amazing jazz flutist, Hubert Laws and fabulous co-musicians in the new 'Symphonic Arrangement' of the "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano". Special thanks to Roger Huyssen, Inc. for becoming a close frined with Steve and bringing his legendary artwork to this new recording! Special thanks also go to Manuelle Pefferkorn Mazerand for her work with Claude and helping us bring this recording to the public."

The World Premiere of Steve Barta's "Symphonic Arrangement: Suite for Flute and JazzPiano" is with the South Shore Symphony Orchestra will happen on November 20 and 21, conducted by Scott Jackson Wiley as they bring legendary jazz flutist Hubert Laws to Long Island for the premiere live performance. Please mark your calendars!

Vocal CD of the Month - "Ellen Johnson: Form & Formless"

Vocal CD of the Month
Ellen Johnson: "Form & Formless" (Vocal Visions) 2015

Rating: ***** (musical performance & sonic quality)
Produced by Ellen Johnson
Recorded by Nolan Shaheed @ No-Sound Studio
Mixed by Dan Feiszli @ What's For Lunch? Studio
Mastered by Ken Lee Mastering
Graphics: Jeff Foster @ PixelPainter.com
Type Design: Christina Pein
Photos: Adrian Mendosa

Featuring: Ellen Johnson (vocals & percussion), Larry Koonse & John Stowell (guitars), Nolan Shaheed (trumpet)

Instrumental Jazz CD of the Month - "Isaac Darche: Team & Variations"

Instrumental Jazz CD of the Month
Isaac Darche: "Team & Variations" (Challenge Records) 2015

Rating: **** (musical performance & sonic quality)
Produced by Isaac Darche
Executive Producers: Anne de Jong & Marcel van den Broek
Recorded by Max Ross @ System Two Studios
Mixed by Jeremy Loucas
Art Directon: Marcel van den Broek
Photos: Shutterstock & Christy Loo

Featuring: Isaac Darche (guitar), Chad Lefkowitz-Brown (tenor sax), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Desmond White (bass) & E.J. Strickland (drums)

A killer set by guitarist Isaac Darche that leads a smoking quintet on several challenging originals ("A 'Winkel In Time," "Sloped Perspective, "Arts Of A Bachelor," and the fantastic "Nerds") as well as on inventive readings of classic ("Nobody Else But Me," "You Stepped Out Of A Dream") and contemporary jazz standards ("Ana Maria," from Wayne Shorter's iconic "Native Dancer" 1975 album.)

In the nearly ten years that guitarist Isaac Darche has called New York home, the San Francisco Bay Area native has found opportunities to work with many rising jazz stars and to pursue his own muse. He's emerged as a rising star himself and is now following up on the 2012 release of his well-received debut Boom-Baptism withTeam & Variations, to be released by the Dutch-based Challenge Records label on April 14.

Darche's fluid, warm-toned style reflects the classic influence of Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino. But as indicated by the title of the album's opening track, "A 'Winkel in Time" -- a nod to influential guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel -- he is open to the innovations of all kinds of stylists. "Pushing the boundaries musically yet keeping a certain authentic 'jazz feeling' was very important to me on this project," says the leader.

Darche's performances on the new CD with ace team members Chad Lefkowitz-Brown on tenor saxophone, pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Desmond White, and standout drummer E.J. Strickland confirm his status as one of the most impressive young guitarists on the scene.

The playful titles of the originals are drawn from his life. "Sloped Perspective," a wry reference to Brooklyn's Park Slope community, where many jazz musicians live, strives for a combination of simplicity and complexity. "Arts of a Bachelor," an experiment in unusual intervals, reflects on his schooling. "Don't Run out of Money," a double time-exercise with a melody that evolved out of guitar voicings, is the ultimate advice for living in New York.

Fresh readings of the standards "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and "Nobody Else But Me" are also in the mix, along with his take on Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria."

Born and raised in San Anselmo, California, just north of San Francisco, Isaac Darche, 32, started playing the clarinet at age 7, switched to the guitar at 10, and was also playing the saxophone a year or so later. It was the sound of the guitar -- specifically the pure, beautiful jazz sound of the Gibson L-5 models as played by Montgomery and Martino -- that hooked him. He played in various groups at Marin Academy, a San Rafael high school known for its strong arts program.

While attending the Stanford Jazz Workshop Jazz Camp as a young teenager, Darche was blown away by a performance featuring fellow students Ambrose Akinmusire, Jonathan Finlayson, Dayna Stephens, and Taylor Eigsti. "I kept thinking, oh my God, I'm so far behind, this is crazy," he recalls.

He went on to attend UCLA, studying with Billy Higgins, Anthony Wilson, and, primarily, the distinguished guitarist and composer Kenny Burrell, whose groundbreaking course on Duke Ellington was an essential part of the curriculum. Burrell was a stickler for good tone, good phrasing, and swing feel. "He would stop us and say, 'This is not swinging,'" said Darche. "But he was open to all kinds of music."

Darche was encouraged to go to New York by guitarist and "super sideman"Randy Napoleon. His "boom-baptism" there was eased by all the great music happening around him. He got hired by keyboardist Sean Wayland, and played with numerous other artists includingMark Shim, Jon Gordon, Randy Ingram, Henry Cole, Linda Oh, and his old campmateAmbrose Akinmusire.

"It's no easy accomplishment in a field packed with guitarists," wrote David Adler in NYC Jazz Record of Boom-Baptism, "but Darche has found a unique sound and technical approach on the instrument. His tone is bright, his articulation blindingly fast and flawless, his rhythm consistently in the pocket but full of breath, never stiff. ... Effortlessly forward thinking, free of idiomatic clichés."

Photography: Brian Geltner