Results for "San Diego"

Jazz Night At the Oceanic Brew Pub, Oceanside, California, Part Two: I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You

by Dan McClenaghan
March 12, 2021

Juanita Diaz-Johnson haunted the house piano at the Oceanic Brew Pub. The baby grand had been hers, when she was alive. But when she passed in December 2020, at age 79, another victim of the Coronavirus, her older daughter Evangeline penciled the piano in for a spot at the estate sale. But Rafaela, Juanita's younger daughter, ...

Jazz Night At The Oceanic Brew Pub, Oceanside, California, Part 1: I've Got A Crush On You

by Dan McClenaghan
March 3, 2021

Nobody seemed to know how the python got into the piano. Or if anybody did know, they weren't talking. But the how of it didn't matter; this is what happened on that Jazz Night at the Oceanic, February 27, 2021. The Oceanic Brew Pub seats sixty, but the current Covid-19 restrictions limit the house ...

Ira B. Liss Big Band Machine Releases 'Mazel Tov Kocktail!' - A Celebration Of 40 Years, Coming January 15, 2021

January 15, 2021

Mazel Tov Kocktail!, the newest recording by the Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, is a swinging, rollicking collection of new and standard big band numbers performed by a tight-knit group of top-notch musicians. The band is well known in Southern California for its fun and engaging performances that have often featured some of the ...

Meet The JazzTwins, Arnold and Donald Stanley

by Tessa Souter and Andrea Wolper
December 9, 2020

For our first two-for-one Super Fans column, we present the JazzTwins, Arnold Stanley and Donald Stanley, who got started pretty young (just wait till you see who played at their high school concerts). All jazz Super Fans are VIPs, but these two take things to another level. From invitations to musicians' family dinners to being the ...

Lizzi Trumbore

Born: July 25, 1996

Chicago based vocalist and composer Lizzi Trumbore infuses catchy melodies, lush harmonies, introspective lyrics, and genre-bending grooves to create a unique spin on both the pop and jazz idioms. Her debut album "Lifelines" is set to release in the fall of 2019. Lizzi is a published songwriter and arranger who’s original compositions have been performed by collegiate and professional vocal groups throughout the country and at the JEN (The Jazz Education Network) and ACDA (American Choral Director’s Association) conferences. Her songs have been described as "world class," "sincere and intelligently crafted," and "full of beautiful surprises." She skillfully combines a vibrant and youthful perspective on songwriting while still capturing a mature depth and understanding of the art form

Dennis Gittens

Dennis Gittens, an East Coast native, grew up listening to the music in his grandmother’s music collection. The combination of Jazz and Salsa music in her collection influences him to this day. In 2001, he moved to New York, where he attended as many live jazz performances as he could, learning from each and every performer. His desire to sing like his jazz heroes took root in his 30s as he began to study the art of jazz. Soon, he was bringing his engaging style to audiences all over San Diego. He has also performed several times in NYC at places such as the world famous Smoke Jazz Club. Dennis tells a story with his vocals and is one singer to keep an ear open for!

Back to the Garden

History can be rewritten, but a song is forever. Back To The Garden embodies this truth by taking their audiences back in time through the songs of past years. Invariably, their concerts become mass sing-alongs, set to the soundtrack of the free-love era. Their inspiration comes from a heartfelt love for the music, and it is experienced on many levels, from primal to spiritual, by anyone who attends one of their shows. Talk to any member of Back To The Garden, you will be speaking to someone who's made major contributions to the music scene. As session and live players, they have backed artists as diverse as Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Kenny Loggins, America, Kim Carnes, Juice Newton, Chaka Khan, Art Neville, BJ Thomas, The Everly Brothers, and many more. Back To The Garden is: "Cactus" Jim Soldi, Marc "Twang" Intravaia, Sharon Whyte, Larry Grano, and Rick Nash.

The OGeeZ

Born: March 4, 1954

Over the years neither L.J. Witter nor Steve Gerick realized that the other had musical ‘chops’ since they rarely discussed it. It wasn’t until Steve mentioned he played ‘some guitar’ and L.J. said “Hey, I sing a little” that a seed was planted that has grown into a fervent collaboration that has lasted more than a decade. In 2008, Steve and L.J. decided to create music together and produced their first studio album. The fact that both Gerick and Witter were well past middle-age, deciding on a name for the band was more of a problem than actually creating music. They settled on The OGeeZ, which in modern parlance could mean Original Gangsters, Old Geezers, etc

Sibarg Ensemble

Active since: September 21, 2008

“...An organic authenticity that reflects strong ties to both traditional Persian music and the improvisational aspect of jazz.” - Robert Bush, San Diego Troubadour. The Sibarg Ensemble explores a creative intercultural music making by combining the sounds of traditional Iranian music and jazz. Through original compositions, arrangements of classical melodies and folk songs, and structured improvisations, ensemble members draw on their own distinct musical backgrounds, while creating a unique dialogue with one another. With each performance, Sibarg sets out to create a sense of unity and peace while facilitating multiculturalism. Vocalist Hesam Abedini and kamancheh player Niloufar Shiri established the Sibarg Ensemble in 2008 at the Tehran Music Conservatory as the first university ensemble to combine Iranian and non-Iranian music

Christopher Vitas

Born: July 25, 1952

Christopher Vitas is an accomplished violinist in San Diego. He has performed with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Starlight Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre, Lamb‘s Players Theatre, Pacific Chamber Opera, San Diego Repertory Theatre and the Grand Ole Opry. He performs on record albums, CDs, motion picture soundtracks, and radio and television commercials. Chris has also shared the stage with Lyle Lovett, Robert Plant, Jimmie Page, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, the Moody Blues, Johnny Mathis, Frankie Lane, Tony Bennett, John Tesh, David Benoit, and more. Chris can be found in different concert venues performing around the San Diego area, such as the San Diego County Fair