Alan Broadbent: fire in the residency
Alan Broadbent – Photo by Jon Frost When he left Santa Monica for New York in the fall of 2011, pianist and composer Alan Broadbent wasn’t missing out on many playing opportunities. One night a month at Vibrato wasn’t exactly stoking his pianistic fires. Chalk it up to one of the failures of this city ...
Judy Garland plays The Barn
She pulverized the Palace, and made carnage of Carnegie Hall. She slayed in Las Vegas. But you ain’t seen nothing yet … till you see Judy Garland play the Barn. That is happening Wednesday June 12. And we’re going! Garland, known to be a droll wit, made numerous appearances on television in the ’60s that ...
Pre-show snackery: simple smoked-salmon sandwich
It’s not gourmet. It’s a simple repast. It’s what the British call “homely.” But it is good — and it’s necessary. With apologies for the teeth marks, may I introduce you to the lowly pre-theater bar snack? Everyone knows that the eternal question for theater-goers is … eat before or after the show? This option ...
Cyndi Lauper, Ph.D.
May
24
2019
i used to just wanna have fun … now it’s different. photo of cydni lauper by brent hallenbeck For a high-school dropout whose life was changed by an experience while attending Northern Vermont University – Johnson, it must have been a pretty wonderful day May 18, 2019, when Cyndi Lauper was granted an honorary doctorate. ...
Can Kahane? Yes he can!
May
13
2019
Pianist/conductor Jeffrey Kahane, soon at Pianospheresphoto by John Rabe for KPCC In a rare Southern California solo recital appearance, Jeffrey Kahane has designed a special program for the presenter Pianospheres in its 25th season. Kahane, of course, is an acclaimed pianist, conductor, music director laureate of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and educator. Gabriel Kahane,Works ...
The pursuit of ‘Love & Happiness’ with Al Green
photo credit: Al Green facebook page He struggled. Both with his voice and his body. Argh, that gorgeous, sexy young man got fat. The voice was often not there. He reached for signature falsetto trills, swooping octave-length slides, and growls, and came up with memories. Rather than whisper, he croaked. He relied on the audience ...
Remembering Rita Guerrero
RITA, THE DOCUMENTARY, an intimate and music-fueled documentary by Arturo Díaz Santana that captures the energy and artistry of the brilliant lead singer of Santa Sabina, Rita Guerrero (1964-2011), will screen at the Hola Mexico Film Festival on Thursday, June 6 at The Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood. Santa Sabina, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, will perform following the ...
Los Angeles lore thru music & photography @ Central Library
Josh Nelson: The Sky Remains, May 4, 2019, singer Kathleen Grace out frontCentral Library downtown Los Angelesphoto courtesy of Mark Christian Miller, Corniche Entertainment A wonderful Saturday afternoon: a chance to unplug, be with people, and simply simmer in a stew of creativity, while taking in a jazz concert in the cozy confines of the ...
Jazz review: Chilly night at the Ford warmed by ‘Spring Quartet’
Spring Quartet: DeJohnette, Lovano, Spalding, Genovese For a jazz super group, the Spring Quartet is something of a phantom. Most Angeleno jazz fans had never heard of the quartet, but they all know the names of saxophonist Joe Lovano, drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Esperanza Spalding and pianist Leo Genovese. When the group performed at the ...
One man’s ‘Bliss’ … @ Fluxus Fest
Apr
25
2019
… is this woman’s The Marriage of Figaro. More to the point, focus on the final few minutes of Mozart’s sublime operatic score. Take that rapture and loop it for twelve hours – a Fluxus-Festival endurance feat — and you have Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson‘s Mozart madness starting at noon, at REDCAT, on May 25. ...