by Scott Yanow     

  Rex Merriweather has long had the dream of booking and running a jazz club. In recent times he has been realizing that goal at the 19th Hole Bar & Grill at the El Carison Golf Course (13100 Eldridge Avenue, Sylmar). From 6-8 p.m. each Sunday, he hosts a different group of top local jazz musicians. The friendly atmosphere and comfortable room inspire consistently excellent playing.

            The 7th Unit Jazz Project is comprised of drummer-leader Dave Renick, trumpeter Dallas Crane, trombonist Steve Johnson, altoist Howard Fallman, tenor-saxophonist Dan Heffernan, pianist Henry Darragh, and bassist Dave Grover. The excellent septet performed arranged ensembles that left plenty of room for solos. Among their numbers were “Like Someone In Love,” “Baby Come Here,” “The End Of A Love Affair,” “Just In Time,” “All Blues,” Jobim’s “I Will Wait For You,” “Too Marvelous For Words,” “Emily,” Frank Strazzeri’s “Relaxin’,” a swinging “You Go To My Head,” and “A Quick Trip” plus two originals by the trumpeter.

            Renick, who was a genial, informative and sometimes humorous emcee, drove and uplifted the band with his drumming as did Dave Grover with his swinging and creative bass lines. Solo honors often went to Dan Heffernan but all of the musicians played well and the group sounded well-rehearsed.

            The 7th Unit Jazz Project is well worth catching live, and jazz fans who are free on Sundays should drop by the 19th Hole Bar & Grill. Coming up on August 3 are the Free Agents and the Phoenyx Big Band will be there on Aug. 17. More information can be found at www.jazzclubla.com.

ANNETTE WARREN’S 103TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION      

            Back in the 1950s, Annette Warren was a studio singer who was involved in dubbing her voice in movies for nonsinging actresses such as Ava Gardner in Showboat (although Gardner actually could sing okay) and Lucille Ball. A radio broadcast exists from 1945 (when she was 23) singing with the Brick Fleagle Orchestra. Warren recorded the following year with Earle Spencer’s big band, made records as a solo artist starting in 1946, had a long marriage to the late pianist Paul Smith, and became an influential vocal coach.

            Last year at 102, she made a memorable appearance during agent-manager Alan Eichler’s 80th birthday party at Catalina Bar & Grill, doing a superb and touching job singing “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man.” This year a special birthday celebration organized and produced by Chris Isaacson and Eichler (who introduced the musicians) took place at Catalina’s to celebrate her 103rd birthday. Annette Warren now ranks second among surviving jazz-related performers to the long-retired trumpeter-bandleader Ray Anthony who is a few months older.

            The night began with some film clips of actresses in the 1950s pretending they were singing while Ms. Warren’s voice was actually being heard. The live music started with one of the night’s highpoints, a trio comprised of violinist Benny Brydern, pianist Randy Woltz, and bassist Marquis Howell (all members of Janet Klein’s Parlor Boys) playing a swinging rendition of “Shine.” I wish that they had had more opportunities to stretch out. They should record a trio album!

            Janet Klein joined her musicians for “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue” and another number. While she did not mention Annette Warren, Suzy Williams more than made up for that oversight. With backing by pianist Steve Weisberg, she dedicated her original “Make Room For A Miracle” to the smiling singer and also performed “Am I Blue,” a song that she pointed out Ms. Warren had recorded in 1946, 79 years ago! Suzy Williams displayed a powerful voice on some impressive long notes and, along with her wit, was in top form and gained a lot of applause.

            Singer-pianist Betty Bryant, who is a mere 95, was joined by tenor-saxophonist Robert Kyle and bassist Marquis Howell for a version of “He May Be Your Man (But He Comes To See Me Sometimes)” that delighted the audience. Her singing and piano playing showed that she is still very much in her musical prime. Mark Christian Miller joined the group for a fine version of “But Beautiful” that also included some warm tenor playing. After that, the jazz content was replaced by performances from Broadway-type singers including Steve Masterson (“That Face”) and Andrea Marcovicci (“Bill”).

            Finally Annette Warren made her way to the stage where she sang a slow version of “The Man I Love” that consisted of the rarely-heard verse and a heartfelt chorus. It is a pity that she could not have been persuaded to sing a few more songs for she certainly was up to the task and her voice still sounded excellent. But instead a birthday cake came out, the audience sang “Happy Birthday,” and the celebration was over.

            Chris Isaacson and Alan Eichler are to be congratulated for organizing the fun show. It made one look forward to Annette Warren’s 104th birthday party.   

            One of the most unique musical groups around today, Nutty performs inspired and often-humorous mashups of jazz and rock tunes. Their arrangements generally have the three-horn septet starting off playing a jazz standard. But when its co-leader Sonny Moon (a genial and humorous host) starts to sing, it suddenly becomes a completely different and unrelated rock song that somehow fits. At that point a typical performance goes back and forth between jazz and rock with the band often quoting other tunes, sometimes to humorous effect.

            At the Baked Potato (Los Angeles’ oldest jazz club), Nutty reigned supreme before a large and enthusiastic crowd. The group consisted of Sonny Moon (who also played a bit of harmonica and has developed very well as an occasional scat-singer), co-leader bassist Guy Wonder, trumpeter Scott Bell, Edmund Velasco on tenor, alto and flute, baritonist Mike Reznik (doubling on flute), pianist Dan Spector, drummer Dave Tull, and percussionist Scott Breadman (mostly heard on congas). Trombonist Paul Nowell and guitarist Curtis Parry made guest appearances.

            Along the way, Wayne Shorter met the Zombies, Nat Adderley’s “Jive Samba” teamed up with Heart’s “Barracuda,” Charles Mingus co-existed with Deep Purple, “Satin Doll” was combined with “Without Love,” there was a tribute of sorts to Miles Davis and the Who (“Miles and Miles and Miles”) which included quotes of “So What,” “Footprints,” and “Milestones,” “Manteca” met the Police, Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” somehow became an Emerson, Lake & Palmer song, there was an odd medley of Jobim tunes that included some Ozzy Osbourne and, in Sonny Moon’s words, Black Sabbath and Frank Sinatra did a duet.

            The fast-moving show kept the audience excited and was full of surprises. There were many fine solos from Bell and Velasco although baritonist Reznik (a major part of the ensembles) should be featured much more. Nutty is a group that everyone should experience live. It will keep you guessing and smiling.

SU TERRY’S MUSIC AND THE 7 HERMETIC PRINCIPLES

The creation of music has often been called “magical” with some musicians saying that music plays them rather than the other way around. Su Terry, a very good saxophonist based on the East Coast, takes those thoughts a lot further in her book Music and the 7 Hermetic Principles (available from www.amazon.com). Her writing shows how ancient teachings not only relate to modern music but how they can be used in creating new and inventive music. A bit esoteric at times (although leavened with her humor), one should read this 150-page paperback a few times in order to fully understand its principles and to get the most out of it.

The seven principles are Mentalism (how everything in the world relates to each other), Correspondence (communication), Vibration, Polarity, Rhythm, Cause and Effect, and Gender. Hermes Trismegitus, possibly a semi-fictional figure from ancient Egypt, is credited with texts that tie music to the spiritual world in explaining the existence of an art form that is 100% invisible.

            In writing this book, Su Terry also consulted other early texts from different eras, putting together a very readable narrative that includes her own much more contemporary thoughts on the 7 principles. It makes for a fascinating read that is as original as her own solos.

            The second annual San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival, put on by Dan Atkinson (its founder) and Julian Plascencia, will be taking place on October 2, 4 and 5. On Oct 2 in San Diego, the Binational Youth Ensemble and pianist Irving Flores’ Afro-Cuban Jazz Sextet (featuring drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, saxophonist Norbert Stachel and trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos) will be performing. Oct. 4’s events in Escondido will include Lucia (a singer from Mexico who won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2022), vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa, Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Ensemble (which will be performing original works and Carla Bley’s “Tijuana Traffic”), and a centennial tribute to James Moody who lived in San Diego for 20 years. The latter performance will feature David Sanchez, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Lewis Nash, Holly Hofmann and Gilbert Castellanos. The festival concludes on Oct. 5 in Tijuana with many of the artists from the previous two days joining together. More information about the festival can be found at www.sdtjjazz.org.               

Every jazz musician needs a well-written press biography, every CD (and even downloads) deserves informative liner notes (I have now written 995), and important events benefit from press releases. I write all of these and more at reasonable rates. Please contact me at 661-678-3542 or at scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com for further information about my services. My latest book, Jazz Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist (My Jazz Memoirs) is available at www.amazon.com.

I have a new book that is available from amazon.com. Life Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist. It is subtitled My Jazz Memoirs and is my 12th book and first in a few years. I discuss in an often-humorous fashion my early days and discovery of jazz, my period as the jazz editor of Record Review, the story behind my involvement with the All Music Guide, and I reminisce about some of my adventures as an amateur musician. Included are vintage interviews with Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea, and Maynard Ferguson, encounters with Clint Eastwood, summaries of the Monterey and Playboy Jazz Festivals (including a full-length review of the 1985 Playboy Festival), memories of other events (such as the IAJE Conventions), and brief snapshots of many memorable club and concert performances. There is also background information about my other books, evaluations of the jazz critics who inspired me early on, and my thoughts on jazz criticism which includes advice to up-and-coming jazz journalists. Rounding out the book is a chapter on how the jazz writing business has changed over the past 50 years, and appendixes that include the jazz greats of the past, 86 jazz giants of today, 21 young performers to look for in the future, jazz books and DVDs that everyone should own, and a dozen enjoyable Hollywood jazz films.
Life Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist, a paperback book, sells for $26 through Amazon.com Signed copies (which will take 2-3 weeks) are also available for $30 (which includes free postage) by sending the money via Pay Pal to scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com and by sending your mailing address to that E-mail.