With an appreciative bow and genial tip of the hat to the late Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra
1915 - 1998
vocal , the Los Angeles Jazz Institute named its semi-annual big-band soiree May 21-24 at the Sheraton LAX Four Points Hotel "A Swingin' Affair." Was the event able to live up to its name? In the immortal words of Gov. Sarah Palin, "You betcha!"

As is always true of these events, "A Swingin' Affair" was more marathon than sprint with twenty large ensembles performing in four days in addition to three films, four panel discussions, memorial tributes to Bud Shank Bud Shank
1926 - 2009
saxophone and Bob Florence Bob Florence
1932 - 2008
band/orchestra , and an audio-visual presentation by Ken Poston marking the sixtieth anniversary of trumpeter Miles Davis Miles Davis
1926 - 1991
trumpet ' groundbreaking album, The Birth of the Cool.

Prologue

There was a "bonus" event on Wednesday, May 20, but as it involved close to a ten-hour bus ride to Las Vegas and back, departing around 7:30 a.m. and returning near midnight, Betty and I decided to pass, arriving instead at the Sheraton Four Points at roughly one o'clock Wednesday afternoon. The concert that evening at the Tropicana Hotel celebrated the golden anniversary of the Stan Kenton Stan Kenton
1911 - 1979
piano Orchestra's notable recording, Live from the Las Vegas Tropicana. We were told that at least two members of that 1959 Kenton group, saxophonists Bill Trujillo and Billy Root Billy Root
b.1934 , were among the performers, and the ensemble was conducted by Kenton alumnus Carl Saunders Carl Saunders
b.1942
trumpet . While that was happening, Betty and I rested and prepared ourselves mentally and physically for what lay ahead.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

As those who had ridden the three buses to Vegas and back returned late the evening before, Thursday's session started at noon with the first of four poolside concerts, this one by the Santa Monica College Jazz Ensemble directed by Keith Fiddmont. The group opened with four tepid vocals ("Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "What a Difference a Day Made," "Just You, Just Me," "God Bless the Child") before the first instrumental. I didn't catch the name of that one, but the ensemble completed the program with credible readings of "Shiny Stockings," "Killer Joe," "Moanin'" and "Jeannine."

From poolside, we moved indoors to the California Ballroom for a performance by the Les Hooper Les Hooper
b.1940 Big Band, led by the seven-time Gammy Award-nominated composer / arranger who does much of his writing for films and television. Hooper favors a heavy backbeat, which was evident on three of the first four numbers (his "Rooster Parade," "What's Your Hurry" and "How About a Hand for the Band," the last with rhythmic hand-clapping by members of the ensemble). Between them was one straight-ahead chart, Miles Davis' "Freddie the Freeloader," featuring alto saxophonist Bruce Babad. The next number, "Guy Noir's Younger Brother," a takeoff on Garrison Keillor's seedy private eye on A Prairie Home Companion, included apposite trombone solo and narration by the "younger Noir," a.k.a. Bruce Otto. The title of the next number, "Barn Burner," speaks for itself—an up-tempo swinger with solos to match by alto Jeff Driskill, trumpeter Ron King and trombonist Jacques Voyemant. Hooper blended Gershwin's "Summertime" with Davis' "All Blues," stirred in another of his originals, "Too Much Coffee" (featuring tenor Kevin Garren) and closed with "Look What They've Done to My Song," giving half a dozen members of the band a chance to stretch.

Next up was the first of four lively and engaging panel discussions in the smaller San Diego Room, moderated by Larry Hathaway with bandleaders Hooper, John Altman and Frank Capp Frank Capp
b.1931
drums comprising the panel. As usual, humorous anecdotes and reminiscences abounded, but as they are far more entertaining in person than in print, we won't burden you by attempting to summarize them.

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