June 2000
Bay Boppin'
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Bay Boppin': June 2000
By Jeff Kaliss
Stoppin' by Mr. E's in Berkeley a couple of months back was ultimately revealing about several aspects of the mercurial but marvelous local jazz scene. The event was a cd release party for Bay-based trombonist Wayne Wallace's vital "Three In One" (on Spirit Nectar), and I was glad for the live enhancement of what I'd already come to appreciate on the album: molten, Latin-laced originals and retakes on standards, ignited by some of the best of the area's percussion, rhythm, and horn players. Absent was John Santos, who graces Wayne's album and makes fine use of the trombonist on his own resplendent release, "Tribute to the Masters" (Cubop). But present were several members of Wayne's family that sort of thing is a charming part of the best of Bay Area gatherings and veteran jazz educator and commentator Herb Wong, who shared my table and enthusiasm.
In conversation, Wayne confirmed, from the inside, the opinion many of us share that Latin music is an important nutrient in the current vitality of Bay Area jazz, keeping many creative talents working and manifesting in some of the most exciting recordings (particularly Wayne's and John's) and as major sectors of almost all the local jazz festivals. But Wayne also referenced the unpredictability of the jazz business: despite the goodly crowd which his act had drawn to Pete Escovedo's (he's Mr. E) large and handsome space, difficult relations with the club's landlord were threatening to stop the music.
And indeed, Mr. E's closed in Berkeley but a few weeks later. The good news is that it's about to reopen this summer as Mr. E's Spotlight On the Square, a dozen miles to the south in Alameda, closer to Pete's residence. And there'll be plenty of swing and standard sounds along with the Latin, with Pete's daughter (known across genres as Sheila E) appearing July 7 & 8 and Pete feting his own new album on July 29. You'll see more about this at http://www.escovedo.com.
Across the water, pianist Larry Vuckovich, who's smoothed the aural environment of many a local lounge and club, co-hosted a delicious showcase of the food and music to be found at his new gig, Pier 33 on San Francisco's Embarcadero. Serving the jazz were Larry and Young at Heart combo, which forms its book from the legacy of Lester Young and compatible material. They'll have an album out this summer, and Larry will be seen and heard in various-sized contexts at Pier 33, alongside occasional nights of swing and, yes, Latin.
We followed the free food to the press luncheon for the 6th Annual North Beach Jazz Festival, which will happen July 29-August 6. Although this gathering was actually held somewhat to the west (at the scrumptious Pasta Pomodoro, on Union Street not too far from the site of the fabled Coffee Gallery), the North Beach event somehow feels closer to the streets and to history than do most these days. One-third of the programs are free, most tickets cost less than twenty bucks, and nearly two-thirds of the happenings will be accessible to all ages, which as the father of two minors means it'll be a hell of a lot easier for me to attend. The Festival has made another humanistic concession: it's moved its opening day Jazz On Coit offerings from evening to afternoon, to stave off the threat of fog and wind which tend to cool enthusiasm there atop Telegraph Hill.
Local luminaries Dmitri Matheny and Dave Ellis will be blowing there at Coit Tower, along with the Marcus Shelby Ensemble, Darrell Grant Trio, and the recently-Marsalisless Los Hombres Calientes, visiting from simpatico New Orleans. During the following week, there'll be a lot more of poetry and spoken word jazz than one is used to getting at festivals, though that sort of thing was very much a part of the legendary Beat scene in the North Beach of the 1950s and 60s. Queen of the Jazz Divas program is the very fun Kitty Margolis, a longtime neighborhood resident, and the Jazz On Grant evening, besides transforming that famous avenue into an effervescent row of jazz-activated venues, will add the medium of film to the Festival with the world premiere of "Live From Somewhere," a biopic focusing on the young local saxophonist Howard Wiley, who just returned from educating his chops at Berklee. It was made by independents Tony Maniaci and Brandon Heidt, and Wiley will be seen and heard live nearby after the screening. And don't forget the Latin Tinge, thanks to Josh Jones and other hot locals.
We'll no doubt have more to say about the estimable Stanford, Monterey, and San Francisco festivals later on, but do hasten to e-mail me with your own questions and contributions.
Jeff Kaliss has freelanced jazz and world music for the San Francisco Chronicle & Examiner, San Jose Mercury-News, Marin Independent-Journal, Oakland Tribune, Jazz Online, Jazz Times, Jazziz, the Rough Guides to Jazz and World Music, and other publications.
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