by Scott Yanow,
Due to me having an excessive amount of assignments during the past few weeks, this edition of Jazz Around Town is much shorter than usual. However, next month, when it includes a comprehensive summary of the Monterey Jazz Festival, the column will be quite a bit longer.
TEKA AT THE GRAPE
Teka has long been one of the top singers of Brazilian music to be based in Southern California. She not only has a beautiful voice and an engaging stage manner but she talks to the audience about the songs she is interpreting, many of which are in Portuguese. Her phrasing is original and often finds her singing way behind the beat but always catching up. She also scats well when it fits the song and utilizes occasional wordless vocalizing.
The Grape, which is located in Ventura but is easily accessible from the San Fernando Valley, is an attractive listening room that features jazz on a nightly basis, a rarity in Southern California. It certainly deserves to be supported.
Teka, who accompanied herself on guitar, was joined by Robert Kyle on tenor, soprano, flute and percussion (including a shaker and a large drum), and keyboardist Alisse Korn. Due to Ms. Korn’s deep knowledge of the songs and her creative yet supportive style, one did not notice the absence of bass and drums. Kyle’s versatility and tasteful playing on each of his horns added to the appeal of the music while allowing Teka to shine.
Among the many songs performed were “O Pato,” “She’s a Carioca,” “Rare Bird, “Summer Samba,” “So Danco Samba,” “So Many Stars,” “Brazil Needs To Shake,” the Beatles’ “And I Love Him,” “Corcovado” and the inevitable “The Girl From Ipanema.”
It made for an enjoyable evening of Brazilian jazz.
Three great jazz concerts are coming up in October.
On Tuesday Oct. 6, the remarkable pianist Hiromi will be performing at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica with her trio.
Branford Marsalis and his quartet will be at the Saroya in Northridge on Thursday Oct. 8.
And Jeremy Pelt, one of today’s top trumpeters, will be leading a quintet at the Moss Theater (sponsored by the Jazz Bakery) on Sunday Oct. 25.
Every recording deserves informative liner notes (I have written over 1,000) and every jazz musician needs a well-written press biography along with press releases that announce important events. I write all of these and more at reasonable rates. Please contact me at 661-678-3542 or at scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com for further information about my services. My latest book, Jazz Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist (My Jazz Memoirs) is available from www.amazon.com.
My latest book, Jazz Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist (My Jazz Memoirs) is available at www.amazon.com.
I have a new book that is available from amazon.com. Life Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist. It is subtitled My Jazz Memoirs and is my 12th book and first in a few years. I discuss in an often-humorous fashion my early days and discovery of jazz, my period as the jazz editor of Record Review, the story behind my involvement with the All Music Guide, and I reminisce about some of my adventures as an amateur musician. Included are vintage interviews with Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea, and Maynard Ferguson, encounters with Clint Eastwood, summaries of the Monterey and Playboy Jazz Festivals (including a full-length review of the 1985 Playboy Festival), memories of other events (such as the IAJE Conventions), and brief snapshots of many memorable club and concert performances. There is also background information about my other books, evaluations of the jazz critics who inspired me early on, and my thoughts on jazz criticism which includes advice to up-and-coming jazz journalists. Rounding out the book is a chapter on how the jazz writing business has changed over the past 50 years, and appendixes that include the jazz greats of the past, 86 jazz giants of today, 21 young performers to look for in the future, jazz books and DVDs that everyone should own, and a dozen enjoyable Hollywood jazz films.
Life Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist, a paperback book, sells for $26 through Amazon.com Signed copies (which will take 2-3 weeks) are also available for $30 (which includes free postage) by sending the money via Pay Pal to scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com and by sending your mailing address to that E-mail.