By Donald True Van Deusen
The Philadelphia jazz pot is cooking over the next two weeks with Dave Brubeck
coming in Oct. 25 and various other tasty jazz performers working here
starting Oct. 18.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet will be at Verizon Hall, the Kimmel Center, Broad and
Spruce Streets, (215.893.1999) starting at 8 p.m. with tickets going from $18
to $62. The quartet includes Bobby Militello, alto sax and flute; Michael
Moore, bass; Randy Jones on drums and Brubeck on piano. The 81-year-old
Brubeck is, like Oscar Peterson who appeared here just last month, one of the
true legends of jazz piano.
A composer, classical and jazz pianist, the west coast born Brubeck, made jazz
history with his quartet featuring drummer Joe Morello and alto sax star Paul
Desmond. Their recordings of such now standards as "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo
a la Turk" helped establish California cool jazz concepts. Brubeck studied
with Milhaud and worked later with Leonard Bernstein and others in classical
presentations as well. He is the recipient of seemingly every award offered
musicians including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy
of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Eric Alexander,a tenor man described as "a titan in the making" was
demonstrating why the critics have been raving about him at Chris' Jazz Cafe,
1421 Sansom St. (215.568.3131) Oct. 18 for $10 cover and Oct. 19 for $12,
both nights from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. He will be working with some local stars at
both, tonight with John Swana, trumpet; Sid Simmons, piano; Madison Rast, bass
and Dan Monaghan on drums. Tomorrow, he will have Jimmy Bruno, guitar; Craig
Thomas, bass and Mike DaMonte, drums. Alexander, just 34, was rated by Down
Beat as one of the top three tenor men deserving wider recognition and a Jazz
Times critic called him "a wonder."
A substantially more seasoned local tenor sax man, Jimmy Oliver, was
working Oct. 18 with the smoking Mickey Roker Quartet at Ortlieb's Jazz Haus,
847 N. 3rd St., (215.922.1035) with sets going from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
for just a $5 cover. Both Oliver and Roker have almost as much time on the
bandstand as Alexander does alive.
Big band jazz featuring some of Philadelphia's finest young musicians was
at Chris' Oct. 21 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. led by drummer-band leader
(Norwegian-born) Lars Halle . The 17-member band performs selections ranging
from Stand Kenton to Count Basie and Thad Jones. Halle has recorded in Sweden
and has compositions used by such stars as Jon Faddis and Bobby Shew. He has
worked as a drummer with Grover Washington Jr. and Phil Woods, among others.
He is a graduate of University of the Arts and has been working with big bands
since he was eleven.
This powerhouse group had the walls at Chris' shaking with their
driving, up tempo jazz including bop standards and some written by the
leader. It was an exciting night and once again demonstrated the fantastic
array of local talent in Philadlephia with so many of his musicians being
well established local stars in their own right.
