Jazz at Palms Court - Resist…Create…Relax…Repeat
By Chuck Bloomquist
In the program booklet for last
year’s presentation of Jazz at Palms Court by the Venice Community Housing
Corporation, Steve Clare the Executive Director urged us to resist the
homogenization of people and life style that threatens us all.
In the August issue of the Beachhead Yasmin Tong,
a member of the VCHC staff, outlined a creative approach to providing more
affordable housing and more parking in Venice. The creativity, and hard work, of
VCHC has already resulted in better lives for those who live in the nearly 200
units of housing provided so far, giving them a chance to relax, secure in their
own domain.
On September 14 VCHC will
be presenting its eleventh annual presentation of Jazz at Palms Court, providing
an opportunity for the resisters and creators in Venice to relax before
continuing the good fight with renewed vigor.
Resistance, creativity, relaxation in
an unending cycle not only describes VCHC’s efforts, but also those of the
musicians who appear each year at the festival. They have dedicated their lives
to resisting the easy path, to creating fresh and new ways to present music that
speaks to our souls. They present it at events such as ours and then go on to
even greater heights of resistance and creativity.
This year we have three groups who
epitomize resistance and creativity. Our brunch, served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
by reservation only, will feature the Howlett Smith duo. Howlett Smith on piano
and vocals is well-known on the Westside having played for 20 years at the Bob
Burns restaurant in Santa Monica. He has also played the Jazz Bakery, Spazio,
Charley O’s, and numerous hotels and churches in the area. He will be
accompanied by Paul Gormley on bass who is a long-time associate and the
producer of Howlett’s most recent CD, Take Me Where the Grass is Greener.
The afternoon concert, from 2 p.m. to
6 p.m. is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or in
advance. The Thomas Tedesco Quartet will lead off playing originals such as
Limpopo and the title tune from Thomas’ most recent CD, Don’t Ever
Be Afraid to Be Ascared.
One can also
expect creative renditions of compositions from such masters as Thelonious Monk
and Duke Ellington. In addition to Thomas on guitar, the quartet consists of
Onaje Murray on vibraphone, Miguel Sawaya on bass, and William Jeffrey on drums.
These musicians are familiar to Venice audiences from their appearances at
Hal’s Bar and Grill and the Canal Club. They also play at many other
venues throughout the city.
Closing out
the concert is the near-legendary Bobby Bradford and his Mo’tet. Known for
his technical ability and brilliant musicianship Mr. Bradford was a key
participant in the John Carter masterpiece Roots and Folklore: Episodes in the
Development of American Folk Music. He composed the suite Death of a Sideman, a
tribute to John Carter, and performed on its recording by the David Murray
Quartet. He has recorded extensively with many groups and has played at
festivals around the world. The week after Jazz at Palms Court his group will
appear at the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival. In addition to Bobby Bradford
on cornet, the Mo’tet consists of Michael Vlatkovich on trombone, Chuck
Manning on tenor saxophone, Ken Rosser on guitar, Roberto Miranda on bass, and
the omnipresent William Jeffrey on drums—geniuses all.
In addition to the music there will be
the popular silent auction, open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The items to be
auctioned are a virtual Sinbad’s cave of treasures contributed by
Venice’s artists, artisans, and other generous souls. There will be music
and movies, posters and antiques, restaurant dinners, and vacations, jewelry and
clothes, sculptures, collectibles and curios—and that covers about half of
the offerings. There will also be food and beverages (wine, beer, sodas, and
waters) available all afternoon at a modest
price.
In the August 11, 2003 L.A.
Times, columnist Al Martinez wrote about his attendance at the Hollywood Bowl
where the stellar jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter was appearing. He introduces
his column thusly: “There is something about jazz in the open air on a
warm summer night that soothes the soul. Its sweetness reaches down into
whirlpools of stress and calms a person’s most anxious moments.”
Come to Jazz at Palms Court, relax and feel the truth of this observation. Then
go out, resist and create
again.
Additional information, tickets
and general camaraderie are available from Kristen Laskaris at VCHC (310)
399-4100 x 106 or
kristen@vchcorp.org.
Chuck
Bloomquist is a founding member of the Jazz at Palms Court
Committee.
Posted: Mon - September 1, 2003 at 04:08 PM