October 2002

Philly Jazz
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By Donald True Van Deusen

Philadelphia jazz artists held forth last weekend with Bruce Klauber's Men of Jazz (with vocalist Joy Adams) and guitarist Jimmy Bruno (with his trio and quartet) while Sept. 29th brings us a national jazz legend--Oscar Peterson.

Klauber's Men of Jazz includes an all-star lineup of Norman Manno, clarinet & saxophone; Bruce Kaminsky, bass; Sonny Bernstein, piano and Klauber, drums and vibes. Ms Adams, sometimes called the ³golden girl² has been singing jazz and pop standards to perfection for years. They were at the Whitemarsh Valley Inn, 474 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA (610.941.0555) from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. September 21st. They went romping through some Gene Krupa, Louis Prima-Keely Smith numbers along with standards from the Great American Songbook. They can remind you just how much fun music can be. Klauber has been doing this since he was a teenager playing with Charlie Ventura at the old Saxony East jazz club on Walnut Street. Mr. Bernstein has reportedly been playing with almost every band in Philadelphia for half a century.

Jimmy Bruno, indisputably one of the finest jazz guitarists anywhere (and something of a local legend) was at Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1431 Sansom St., Philadelphia (215.568.3131) Sept. 20th and September 21st from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. for an $8 cover and students for $5. Sept. 20th he had his trio featuring Craig Thomas, bass; Mike DeMonte, drums; Bruno on guitar and they were joined by young tenor sax star Chris Farr. Tomorrow night, Jim Ridl was sitting in on piano with Farr out. Bruno, like Klauber, is a native Philadelphian, and his father was also a noted local jazz guitarist.

Oscar Peterson, one of the finest jazz pianists of the past 60 years will be demonstrating his distinctive lyrical stylings with his quartet at Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, Walnut and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia (215.893.1999) September 29 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are: $72, $59, $44, $32 and $20. His quartet includes: Peterson, piano; Ulf Wakenius, guitar; Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson, bass and Martin Drew, drums.

Peterson has worked with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and JATP, virtually the who's who of jazz history for more than half a century. He has won multiple top flight awards and honors including a dozen Down Beat citations as the best jazz pianist. Born in Montreal, Canada in 1925, he has played all over the world and was host of various television programs and specials. He is still going strong despite a stroke several years ago.