By Chris J. Walker
In association with the Loyola Marymount University Jazz Studies Department led by Dr. Emma Dayhuff and the Just Jazz Foundation’s The Future is Now concert series, keyboardist Jahari Stampley’s Family performed at the college’s Murphy Recital Hall. Stampley’s Family band for the special show was his mother D’Erania Stampley-bass/alto sax/synth/vocals and drummer JongKuk Kim.
The 26-year old prodigy, taught himself to play piano by ear at 14, after initially playing drums. Ten years later, he won the Herbie Hancock Institute International Piano Competition. Stampley, though, was already highly regarded by other artists, such as Jill Scott, Robert Glasper, Cory Henry, andJacob Collier before winning the prestigious award. Additionally, the up and coming pianist has toured with bass icon Stanley Clarke and recorded with super producer/drummer Kendrick Scott, and is on trumpeter Keyon Harrold’s Grammy-nominated Foreverland album.
At LMU, Stampley surprised the mostly student audience with brief spoken words while playing classical romantic-like that included symphonic synth strings. When his mother on bass and Kim powerfully playing drums joined in, the bandleader inserted gospel touches for an untitled tune that will be part of his upcoming project. From there the 2023 Chicago Jazz Musician of The Year maintained the dynamic and continuous mood, displaying his impressive range, while intermixing songs from different projects and new pieces.
“To Be Alive” from Still Listening incorporated rock-like goth and rhythmic classical textures that surged with overpowering energy. One tune leaned to driving New Age stylings, another mixed R&B/pop through Michael Jackson/Toto’s “Human Nature” featuring his mother playing sax, and more fusion oriented jams.
For more variety, the bandleader invited two trumpeters from the audience, Nicolaus Gelin, currently enrolled at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance and 18th Street Arts Complex Jazz Competition Winner Skylar Tang to join him for a soulful jam that totally transfixed the audience. With clapping continuing, Stampley wailed on synth for an upbeat fusion number with tinges of jazz and R&B mixed in. Also related to the piece was one with his mother playing soprano and Kim turning in a thundering solo. The trio’s ending composition was built on classical minimalism, with ebbs and flows of explosive energy and imaginative playing, to garner a standing ovation.
Before Stampley’s trio, Sumbocalasque a collective of players from Los Angeles area high schools and colleges led by drummer Eli Boreth from Santa Monica High School performed. The ensemble included Sydney DeFranco-vocals (USC Thornton), Luca Zamora-keyboards (Santa Monica College), Te’A Lucasan-trumpet (Santa Monica College), Matt Captol-sax (Cal State Northridge) and Grayson Fitzgerald-bass (Santa Monica High School). They showcased remarkable skills and getting them going was trumpeter/bandleader/educator Tattiana Tate. She took them through their paces for Coltrane’s “Lonnie’s Lament.”
Without Tate, Boreth spearheaded the group for a very cohesive interpretation Joe Henderson’s “Shade of Jade” garnished by Zamora on piano and Captol on sax. An extra bonus, DeFranco’s lovely singing and lightly swinging scatting for Fred Hersch and Norma Winstone’s “Stars” drew strong reactions from the audience. For more info go to: www.jaharistampley.com, Instagram, cfa.lmu.edu, and www.justjazz.tv.
The New Orleans Groove Masters at the Broad Stage occurred close to Mardi Gras (Feb 17) and definitely was a party. It integrated the talents of drummer Herlan Riley, percussionist Weedie Braimah, drummer/percussionist/vibrist Jason Marsalis, saxophonist Ricardo Pascal, pianist Oscar Valdeone and bassist Max Moran. Braimah, a bandleader fired up the crowd with a spirited percussive/chanting solo intro that transformed into the full band’s reveling of the popular New Orleans second line song “Li’l Liza Jane.”
Riley, also one of the bandleaders, showcased his sophisticated jazz composition, “New Directions.” It was far from being a light-hearted tune and contained both pulsing and explosive moments, garnished with high caliber solos from piano, sax and vibes. The percussionist though, broke out of the seriousness with entertaining and amusing scatting/yodeling to end the tune. Marsalis, another leader, sarcastically introduced his chill jazzy funk groove derived from news events entitled, “Outside Counsel.” The tune featured Pascal, Valdeone and percussion intelligently soloing to delight the audience.
From a traditional standpoint was Louis Armstrong’s timeless ballad “A Kiss To Build a Dream On.” The classic featured the drummer singing appealingly and all the other band members turning in stylish solos to impress the crowd. Braimah, on the other hand, took them to Africa with call and response djembe interactions that required everyone to clap on the beat. The percussionist also interacted mightily with the band and Riley. After Braimah, demonstrated field chants from his homeland Ghana, he and band unleashed the extensive and feverish post-bop “Connections to Congo Square.” It included elements of Latin jazz and bebop to blow the audience away.
Finishing out the New Orleans oriented show was the city’s fabled jazzman and storyteller Danny Barker’s second line classic, “Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing.” It inspired the audience to dance and form a conga line around the perimeter of the concert hall, as the band musically caroused with Riley chanting away. It seemed like the show could go on forever and ended with a rousing ovation, since the audience was already standing. For more info go to: broadstage.org.
In conjunction with the Miles Davis’ Centennial (May 26, 1926), the Miles Electric Band Tour landed at CSU Long Beach’s Carpenter Center to celebrate the icon’s ground-breaking electric/fusion music. For the special occasion, Davis’ nephew, Grammy/Emmy-winning drummer/producer and former member of his groups in the ‘80s, Vince Wilburn Jr. assembled a powerful ensemble.
Being a Chicago native, he enlisted friends from his hood and several Davis band alumni. Among them were bassist/Rolling Stones associate Darryl Jones, DJ Logic (Jason Kibler), guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly, keyboardists Greg Spero, Deron Johnson and Musical Director Robert Irving III (Baabe) and saxophonist Antoine Roney. Not originating from the midwestern hub were trumpeter Keyon Harrold from St. Louis and percussionist Munyungo Jackson from LA.
The tribute band darted around the influential trumpeter/composer/bandleader’s impactful music from the late ‘60s to his Grammy-winning records produced by bassist Marcus Miller in the late ‘80s. With trumpeter Harrold, saxophonist Roney and guitarist Bourelly at the helm the group wailed with slight undercurrents of funk and pop for Davis’ later compositions “That’s What Happened” and “It Gets Better” to amaze the audience. Intermixed into all the music were spoken word snippets from the legendary trumpeter.
Representing the icon’s ‘60s pre-Bitches Brew period was the atmospheric and lengthy crescendo of the In a Silent Way title track. It was impressively interpreted by Harrold and Roney on bass clarinet, with percolating comping and accenting from his fellow players.
Surprisingly, the large band additionally inserted tunes that were not fusion, and instead among Davis’ signature classics. Included in the non-electric offering were “Nefertiti,” “Seven Steps to Heaven,” “Blue in Green” captivatingly highlighted by Irving III and Harrold, and Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints.” Predictably, the renowned composition overflowed with remarkable solos from everyone in the band.
For the concert finale, the small big band returned to fusion with Davis’s themed piece “Jean-Pierre.” A combination of being ambient with a child-like lingering melody, Wilburn coolly led the collective through its paces and received a zealous standing ovation afterwards. For more info go to: www.mileselectricband.com and
At the Getty Center’s Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Pamyua (pronounced bum-yo-ah and means encore) showcased their unique Inuit Soul music. Based in Anchorage, Alaska the band’s core members of 31 years, vocalists/songwriters Qacung, Phillip Blanchett and Ossie Kariraiuak maintain their indigenous Yup’ik-Inuit traditions and culture through music and dance. The customs originate from the Arctic/sub Arctic regions of Alaska, Greenland, Canada and Russia. Through the group’s creativity, the music is an intriguing and appealing blending of ceremonial and contemporary Inuit, melded with influences from R&B, gospel, hip-hop, folk and funk.
The Alaskan artists began with tribal drumming and chants for what translated to be “Let Me Take You to Beautiful Places,” and with only vocals “All Day I Want to Sleep” (after night rituals) that had some strains of doo-wop to amuse the audience. With backing bandmembers Chantil Dukart-piano/bass, Zak Dyland Wass-guitar and Julian Miltenberger-drums they soulfully sang in English, “You Been on My Mind” and quickly shifted to hip-hop grooving featuring Qacung rapping. He also demonstrating the “butt-hop” dance that involved jumping in the air and kicking a stick across the room before landing.
Pertaining to Los Angeles indigenous culture, Samuel Lopez a member of San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribal Council came on stage. He gave a “Land Welcome” and also sang the “Ancestor Song” in his native language to the group and audience who were on his peoples’ ancestral lands.
Returning to Pamyua’s music was the funky “Drum I Carry” and later in the show “Ocean Prayer,” both elevated by super soulful singing from the bandleaders and the band adeptly working out. Alternately, “Lessons From Our History” was stripped down, heartfelt and autobiographical. From a lighter perspective was the rollicking “Bubble Gum Song” (actually not allowed doing tribal and historical workshops) and taken from a tradition dance.
Karina Moeller, the other main member, who lives in Denmark and originally from Greenland wasn’t at the concert. She was acknowledged through her Inuit styled spiritual “Ice Song.” Incredibly harmonized by the singers, with light and at times dramatic band accompaniment, it was a concert highlight. Also culturally strong was the hard-pounding “Squirrel Song,” written by storyteller/artist/dancer Chuna McIntyre from Southwest Alaska who’s one of the band’s major influences.
Wrapping up a delightful and inspiring show was the funk grooving “Cranes,” about the birds that wildly fly around Alaska. Keep the good vibes going for the enore were the reggae styled, “Flying in Alaska” and a crowd participating dance party to chanting Inuit music. For more info go to: www.pamyua.com and www.getty.edu.
There are blues artists and then there’s Taj Mahal. He’s totally in a category by himself as mostly a practitioner of rural down-home blues and Delta styles. He can play a variety instruments, but generally sticks to guitar, banjo and mandolin, with traits of calypso, reggae, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Americana and African music mixed in, depending on his mood. On the verge of turning 84 (May 17) he performed with his Grammy-winning Phantom Blues Band at the Wiltern to a house filled with longtime fans and a few new ones.
Mahal, born Henry St. Claire Fredericks, records almost annually in a variety of configurations and occasionally with old friends. He didn’t showcase any new material for the show and truthfully doesn’t need to. His repertoire dates back to the late ‘60s and his loyal fanbase relishes those classics, along with traditional ones Mahal has made his own. With his longstanding band, consisting of Tony Braunagel-drums, Larry Fulcher-bass/vocals, Johnny Lee Schell-guitar/vocals and Jim Pugh-keyboards, he began with banjo-driven and folk/country-flavored instrumental “Tom And Sally Drake.”
“Wild About My Lovin’” first recorded by Jim Jackson in 1929 was a prime example of how the popular troubadour transforms vintage tunes into his own with Caribbean rhythms, grooving organ and signature raspy singing/growling. Another song similarly related was the easy flowing “Fishing Blues” recorded by Henry Thomas in 1929 and adapted by Mahal at the beginning of his solo career. While, trademark and crowd pleasing original “Corinna” was co-written with Jesse Ed Davis during the early years and is essential to any performance the iconoclastic blues man does.
Mahal was naturally full of banter and good vibes. That made it easy for him to get the audience to do some call and response with him before easing into Chuck Willis’ blues shuffling “Betty and Dupree.” The headliner injected howling vocals with Pugh’s funky honky-tonk piano and whirling organ playing to further excite everyone. Along the same lines was the world musician’s own “Cakewalk Into Town.”
Mahal was clearly on a roll by this point in the concert and songs flowed effortlessly from him and his stalwart band. The crowd loved immortals “Stagger Lee,” “Queen Bee,” sweet ballad “Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes” and blues/R&B standard “E Z Rider.” It incorporated some of the bandleader’s strongest singing. For the last song, he captured the collective spirit of the attendees with the non-blues, island tinged and universal themed, “Everybody is Somebody.” The audience happily sang along and gave the musicians a unanimous standing ovation.
Multi Grammy-winning contemporary folk singer/songwriter/guitarist Patty Griffin, a sensitive and insightful artist, opened the concert with evocative singing and poignant songs that sometimes were very honest and profound. Backed by David Pulkingham-guitars and Michael Longoria-drums/percussion, she passionately sang “All The Way Home” from her latest recording Crown of Roses that was embellished with her sideman’s fiery flamenco styled playing.
The soft-spoken artist continued and coolly sang personal themed “Back at The Start” that was also new and propelled by hard-strumming and wrangling rhythms. “Gunpowder” from a much later project expressed the threat of eminent danger and as she mentioned “creepy people” with a Western themed guitar motif. Going back to the new album, she beautifully sang about a termination of a relationship for “The End,” boosted by bowing guitar effects to draw notable applause.
“Long Time” also from the 2025 record eerily reflected the outlook of children caught up in the Israeli-Palestinian war and included backing singing from her players. Relating to her own life, Griffin wistfully sang about her mother who passed last year and watched birds regularly through the stark “Bird in a Cage.” It included the singer beautifully whistling to receive notable applause. “Mother of God” also focused on her mother and featured the singer/songwriter playing piano.
For something different, but also on her current record, was the stirring and gospel flavored “I Know A Way.” Griffin admitted she didn’t have much of a background with the genre, but nevertheless was a big fan. Wrapping things up, the Maine-born singer/songwriter revealed a fun side of her personality with the rocking “No Bad News (Try Not to be an Asshole).” While her serious side, which the audience witnessed plenty of was displayed for the poetic and gentle “A Word” to render a standing ovation. For more info go to: pattygriffin.com, tajblues.com/ and www.wiltern.com.
Fast ascending pianist/composer/arranger/band leader Gerald Clayton who will turn 42 on May 11 has both a strong reverence and appreciation for the merging of spiritual/gospel, classical and traditional jazz orchestra. He recently directed an ambitious program, Gerald Clayton Honors Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts at the Soraya toopen the fifth year of the its Jazz at Nazz Festival. Four years earlier, in January 2022, Clayton participated in the Symphonic Ellington: Sacred Concerts, conducted by Thomas Wilkins at Disney Hall and performed as a soloist. Additionally, the pianist has been the Musical Director for the Monterey Jazz Festival Next Generation Jazz Orchestra since 2020.
Clayton’s concert on the CSU-Northridge campus entailed vocalists Christie Dashiell and Michael Mayo, tap dancer Josette Wiggan, the Tonality vocal ensemble and a nonet, all conducted by Alexander Lloyd. The 10-piece band included pianist/composer/arranger’s associates and friends. They were trumpeters Ryan DeWeese and Marquis Hill, trombonists Jon Hatamiya and Ryan Porter, saxophonists Devin Daniels-alto, Daniel Rotem-tenor and Corbin Jones-baritone, drummer Kendrick Scott, bassist Luca Alemanno and guitarist Emmanuel Michael.
The pianist/composer/arranger’s vision diverged strongly from Ellington’s soul-searching works, making it both contemporary and conceptual. In fact, there were only a few similarities to the monumental project recorded between 1965 and 1973, except for the scope, and general themes of spiritual connectiveness and exploration. “Come Sunday” the most recognized and celebrated song of the composer’s sacred pieces was performed as an expansive ensemble and choral number. While, “David Danced” stayed somewhat true to form with the choir, band and vocalists providing a backdrop for Wiggan’s astonishing tap dancing.
Dashiell and Mayo came to the forefront for the suite-like “Freedom” that was jazzier and not quite as soulful as the original, yet still powerful and evocative. Following it, Mayo continued with prophet-like spoken word to reverberate a stirring tap workout. “Heaven” beautifully sung by Dashiell, with only piano backing initially, before light combo support came in, was surprisingly unaltered.
“(My) Love” spotlighted Mayo amazing falsetto, a powerful choral foray and a recording of Ellington’s spoken word to beautifully embellish the performance. Concluding the concert was the triumphant and swinging “Praise and Dance,” featuring the singers, choir and ensemble mightily rejoicing to draw a zealous standing ovation to definitely get the Jazz at Nat started. For more info go to: geraldclayton.com, www.kennedy-center.org and thesoraya.org.
Tel Aviv, Israel-born and New York residing Anat Cohen is easily among the top-five jazz clarinetist in the world. Over the last 20 years as also a multi-faceted reedist she has mercurially ascended to being an impressive improviser and very talented player in a variety of settings. They range from big bands, combos and even duets. At CSU Northridge’s Soraya Center For The Performing Arts Center, Cohen presented her Quartetinho (Portugese for little quartet) for its Jazz at Nazz Festival.
With international bandmembers, bassist/guitarist Tal Mashiach (Israel), pianist/accordionist Vitor Gonçalves (Brazil), and vibraphonist/percussionist James Shipp (U.S.), Cohen began with a vibrant and imaginative melding of Brazilian choro, samba, bossa and other genres. “Night Owl” was samba-styled and “Coco,” adapted by Shipp, was influenced by the African styled music of Northern Brazil.
Shifting to bordering Argentina was Goncalves’ accordion driven and abstractly bluesy themed “Tango For Guillermo,” dedicated to composer/pianist Guillermo Klein, who he studied with. Concluding the first half of the program was Mashiach’s guitar playing “Paco.” It was dedicated to the legendary guitarist Paco de Lucia, featuring the bassist/guitarist, bandleader and the others superbly coalescing.
During the second half, Cohen and her players merged tango and Brazilian jazz through Egberto Gismonti’s classic “Lôro,” which overflowed with unbelievable clarinet and accordion solos, with bass and Shipp on drums tastefully supporting. Strangely titled “Superheroes in The Gig Economy” was bluesy and expansive, abounding with soaring and intense tradeoffs between clarinet and accordion.
Wrapping up the engaging concert was “Goodnight, People (Boa Noite),” a lightly fused/funk-based tune that showcased Cohen’s bass clarinet and audience engagement skills. She soared and additionally got call and response choruses from the audience to draw a standing ovation. For the encore, the group served up more choro with Severino Araújo’s very popular in Brazil “Espinha de Bacalhau” and marvelously flowed as Cohen vividly displayed astounding technical brilliance and playful camaraderie during her bandmates’ solos. For more info go to: www.anatcohen.com and thesoraya.org.
Thor Steingraber, Executive and Artistic Director of the CSU Northridge’s Soraya Performing Arts Center, admitted that Valentine’s Day wasn’t one of his favorite occasions. Nevertheless, he presented a spectacular Jazz at Nazz concert. It was titled Love Inside Out and featured the very dynamic and upcoming Veronica Swift, and the very versatile and powerful Pacific Jazz Orchestra led by its Artistic Director/Founder Chris Walden.
The 40-person orchestra included saxophonists Jacob Scesney and Bob Sheppard, trombonist Andy Martin, guitarist Dean Parks, pianist Josh Nelson, bassist Edwin Livingston and drummer/PJO Board Member Gregg Field. They began the program with Walden’s sparkling thematic instrumental “No Bounds.” Things changed dramatically when Swift donning a shimmering tight-fitting outfit came on stage to belt out “Don’t Rain On My Parade” in Broadway fashion.
A little later, the adventurous singer took the audience to Vegas with an iridescent version of “Luck Be a Lady Tonight” and “Fever” with raw guitar and hard-hitting brass accenting as she sang in the audience. Mixed in with those songs were softer and more sentimental ones exhibiting the sensitive side of Swift’s personality and range. Amongst them were Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself” with strains of Rachmaninoff, Gershwin’s classic “The Man I Love” and Lionel Bart’s string adorned ballad “As Long As He Needs Me.”
After intermission, Swift become more personally involved, beginning with a hip singing and scatting interpretation of “There Is No Greater Love” with her mother, singer Stephanie Nakasian. After blowing the crowd away, they segued to the heartfelt pop ballad “Wind Beneath My Wings” and again soared to the audience’s delight.
Without her mother, the headliner delved into “Forget About The Boy” from the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie that was embellished by her energetic scatting and a scorching alto solo by Scesney. Afterwards, she revealed her own true love, husband Brian Viglione, guitarist and former drummer of punk/cabaret band The Dresden Dolls. As a duo, they spotlighted new folk/punk song “Pedestal” from their newly formed group Dame that will debut summer 2026.
Reunited with PJO, Swift smoothly shifted gears to blissfully sing Gershwin’s “Home Blues,” arranged by Michael Feinstein and bolstered by a trumpet solo from Walden. Also included, was David Ross’ luscious standard “This House,” arranged by the orchestra leader. Viglione returned to accompany Swift for his uplifting song “Sing” that’s been featured in her shows lately to receive a standing ovation.
For the encore, the headliner and Nakasian turned to spirited bebop for a high-flying, scat-drenched rendering of Ella Fitzgerald and Chick Webb’s “Undecided.” It was additionally adorned with Walden’s trumpet and Nelson’s piano playing to bring down the house. For more info go to: www.veronicaswift.com, www.pacificjazz.org and thesoraya.org.
