A Night Worth Regretting
By Carl Anthony
There are evenings that exist at the perfect intersection of culture, community, and generosity, where the music is transcendent, the cause is worthy, and the room itself seems to hum with significance. Last Saturday was one of those evenings. The California Jazz Foundation’s 20th Anniversary Gala, Give the Band a Hand, unfolded at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel, and if you weren’t there, you missed something genuinely special.
It began before dinner even started. Lining the second-floor lobby, a gallery of photographs by renowned jazzographer Bob Barry stopped guests in their tracks with intimate portraits of jazz legends, the kind of images that make you feel history in the room. Cocktails flowed, hors d’oeuvres made the rounds, and strangers became friends over silent auction bids on rare and new items. The energy was warm, electric, and celebratory.
Then the ballroom doors opened. Nearly 250 guests settled into 25 tables as the program unfolded with the precision of a well-rehearsed set. KCRW’s LeRoy Downs, a master of the craft, commanded the room with charm and ease, the ideal host for an evening of this magnitude. The Just Jazz Student Collective played through dinner with a sophistication that would have surprised anyone who didn’t already know: the next generation of L.A. jazz is in extraordinary hands.
But the evening’s emotional core came in the awards and tribute sets, curated by the peerless music director Clayton Cameron. The first was a revelation: a deep dive into the life of John Dolphin, the visionary who turned Central Avenue into a music destination a full decade before Motown did the same for Detroit. Actor and vocalist Stu James brought Dolphin’s story to vivid life, followed by vocalist Darynn Dean, a talent you’ll be reading about for years to come, who paid tribute to Billie Holiday, a Dolphin’s of Hollywood regular, with arrangements so assured, so fully inhabited, that the ballroom went genuinely quiet. Her sextet, featuring saxophonists Nicole McCabe and Ricky Woodard, pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Trevor Ware and Myles Martin on drums, was the kind of performance that lodges in your memory and refuses to leave.
The evening’s Nica Award was accepted on behalf of the ailing Dave Grusin by the renowned bassist Marcus Miller, who didn’t just accept an award and sit down, he related a few of his memories of the man, then sat in with the band. And then saxophonist Tom Scott, joined by Ernie Watts, the luminous Regina Carter on violin, guitarist Grant Geissman, Edwin Livingston on bass, the incomparable Clayton Cameron on drums and Patrice Rushen at the piano, played through a selection of Grusin’s work as Scott regaled us with stories and tidbits of information that reminded everyone in that room exactly why his music matters.
When the Foundation’s president, Edythe Bronston, showed the 20th Anniversary montage, about the 700 L.A. musicians that have been helped, from rent assistance to healthcare to groceries and gas money, there was a visible shift in the room. Auctioneer Kris Kloss facilitated a bidding war on two live auction items that the crowd vigorously took part in with laughter and applause, and paddles flew up for the Fund In Need so fast that it took two volunteers to track every donation.
As guests streamed out, picking up their auction wins and exchanging promises to see each other soon, the verdict was unanimous: What a night. Next year, don’t miss it twice. And wherever you hear music, give the band a hand!
Carl Anthony is a jazz writer, educator and curator and the executive producer of the “Jazzin’ the Grove” festival in Florida. For more information visit www.notoriousjazz.com .
“The John Dolphin Tribute band featured (l-r) Paul Cornish, piano; Darynn Dean, vocals; Trevor Ware, bass; Nicole McCabe, alto sax; Rickey Woodard, tenor sax and Myles Martin, drums.” (Photo: Bob Barry/Jazzography)
“The Dave Grusin Tribute band featured (l-r) Patrice Rushen, piano; Grant Geissman, guitar; Edwin Livingston, bass; Ernie Watts, tenor sax; Tom Scott, alto sax; Clayton Cameron, drums and Tom Scott, tenor sax.” (Photo: Bob Barry/Jazzography)
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Take 6 returns to Los Angeles for a one-night appearance at Blue Note LA on Thursday, April 30, bringing with them one of the most recognizable and enduring sounds in vocal music. For decades, they’ve occupied a space all their own, rooted in gospel but fully conversant in Jazz, R&B, and Pop.
What makes this group consistently compelling is their ability to bridge audiences. Jazz listeners hear the sophistication. Gospel audiences feel the foundation. Casual listeners just hear something that sounds amazing.
Their live performances move fluidly between styles and moods, from deeply rooted spiritual material to playful takes on familiar songs. There’s a sense of ease in how they present it all, backed by a catalog that spans generations without feeling dated.
Blue Note LA provides an ideal setting for this show. For longtime fans, it’s a chance to hear a group that has remained remarkably consistent while continuing to evolve. For anyone new to Take 6, it’s an opportunity to experience a vocal ensemble that has set the bar for decades.
Show Details:
Thursday, April 30
Blue Note LA
Showtimes typically at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM (check listing for exact times)
Tickets are available directly through Blue Note LA’s website and box office. Advance purchase is strongly recommended, as seating is limited and shows frequently sell out.
By Ricky Richardson, Contributing Writer
(Los Angeles, CA) Afro City Marketplace and Larry Nash teamed up to present Jazz Picnic Indoors! This stellar event was held at Afro City Marketplace, inside the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall, 3650 W. Martin Luther King Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA. 90008
This was an unforgettable afternoon of live jazz in the mall. The event was held on Sunday, August 3, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Afro City Marketplace was the perfect venue to relax, connect with other jazz aficionados, and enjoy listening to jazz and blues in a cozy environment. I forgot to mention that the Afro City Marketplace comes with a view. Afro City Marketplace showcases the creativity and talents of some wonderful artwork, as well as wearable art.
The first concert in the ongoing series was held on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Jazz Picnic on Father’s Day. The lineup for the 60th Anniversary featured Larry Nash & The Jazz Symphonic All-Stars, Ricky Woodard-sax, Kye Palmer-trumpet, Yvette Deveraux-violin, Roy McCurdy-drums, Richard Simon-bass, and Tony Poinsett-percussions.
The 60th Anniversary Party continued with top-notch musicians. The Larry Nash & The Jazz Symphonic All-Stars is a stellar group of musicians who have performed and recorded with a who’s who of artists from all genres of music. They have also toured all over the world. You might be surprised how many EPs or CDs in your private collection that features either Larry Nash-piano, Ricky Woodard-sax/flute, Yvette Devearuex-violin, Clayton Cameron-drums, Jeffrey Littleton-bass, and/or Munyungo Jackson, Jr., on percussion. Let me know if I need to pause so that you can complete this segment of your monthly assignment. They are also leaders in their own right.
The band played two brilliant and swinging sets of straight-ahead jazz and a dash of the blues to the delight of the appreciative crowd.
Larry Nash’s wizardry as a pianist, arranger, and composer was on full display throughout the afternoon. The All-Stars were given ample opportunity to stretch out throughout the program.
The band performed “Smell of Jasmine,” “Mississippi Jump,” “Christo Redemptor,” and “Present Tense” during their first set.
Highlights from their second set featured the selections “Flying Home” and a rollicking arrangement of “Cold Duck Time.”
Afro City Marketplace is an idea, an intimate and cozy atmosphere for some jazz on a Sunday afternoon. The mall was busy with parents and their kids shopping in preparation for returning to K-12 school campuses or institutes of higher education in a couple of weeks.
Afro City Marketplace held a Roaming Fashion Show in between live performances. The Roaming Fashion Show featured a dazzling display of wearable art for sale at Afro City Marketplace. Students of all ages are sure to stand out from the crowd with the nice selection of one-of-a-kind clothing and apparel featured at the Afro City Marketplace.
Afro City Marketplace is a business collective for all Black Designers, entrepreneurs, and brands. Rwanda Ray’s Afro City Marketplace has created a new shopping experience that supports Black owned businesses, while recycling Black dollars back into the community. Roll through to check out the amazing inventory.
Stay connected with Afro City Marketplace on Social media to learn about the next Jazz Picnic as well as other events happening monthly. www.afrocitymarketplace.com The concert series Jazz Picnic Indoors is creating a pleasant buzz in the jazz community and beyond.
Gyedu Blay Ambolley Brings His Landmark Album Simigwa to the Lodge Room
By Mark Towns
For Los Angeles music lovers, tonight is one of those rare opportunities that shouldn’t be missed. Gyedu Blay Ambolley, one of Ghana’s most revered musical figures, is bringing his eight-piece band from West Africa to the Lodge Room to perform his groundbreaking 1975 debut album Simigwa in its entirety for the first time ever in the United States.
Ambolley, affectionately known as the Simigwa Do Man, has spent decades shaping and reshaping the sound of Ghanaian highlife, fusing it with elements of funk, soul, and jazz. With 29 albums to his name, he remains a living force in African music, but Simigwa holds a special place in his catalog. Co-written and produced with fellow Ghanaian legend Ebo Taylor, the record is a vibrant, rhythm-forward masterwork equal parts highlife tradition and James Brown-inspired funk fire.
Born in the port city of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ambolley began his musical journey on his father’s flute at age eight and soon picked up the guitar under the guidance of mentors like Sammy Lartey and Ebo Taylor. He honed his craft in prominent Ghanaian ensembles such as Houghas Extraordinaires, the Meridians of Tema, and the Ghana Broadcasting Band. His career took a major turn in 1973 when he joined Taylor’s Uhuru Dance Band and traveled to Nigeria, performing alongside Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti at his famed Shrine.
The result of these experiences was Simigwa a joyful, daring blend of Ghanaian rhythms, Afrobeat, funk, and folk elements that cemented Ambolley as a creative force. With its infectious grooves, commanding horn lines, and unmistakable Afro-funk sensibility, the album still sounds ahead of its time.
Ambolley’s performance at the Lodge Room is more than a concert it’s a journey into the roots and evolution of modern West African music, delivered by the artist who helped shape it. If you’ve never experienced the electricity of Simigwa live, tonight’s your chance.
Gyedu Blay Ambolley & Band
Performing Simigwa in its entirety
Wednesday 7/23/25
Lodge Room
104 N. Ave 56 (2nd floor), Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Doors open at 6 PM; show starts at 7 PM.
Tickets $30 in advance (+ fees); purchase only through the Lodge Room website: https://www.lodgeroomhlp.com/shows/gyedu-blay-ambolley/