By Chris J. Walker
The fourth Palm Springs International Jazz Festival is right around the corner and will feature some jazz’s top artists for an incredible weekend. Residents of the desert area will have jazz at their footstep. While, non-residents will have an opportunity to getaway for warmer weather and a great “jazz hang.”
Organizing, curating and presenting the festival is Michael B. Seligman, Tracy Conrad, Lance Conrad, Lowell Pickett and others. They have worked tirelessly to bring everything to fruition. LA Jazz Scene caught up Pickett to get more insight about the upcoming festival.
LA Jazz Scene: You are the Executive Director of the Palm Springs Jazz Festival?
Lowell Pickett: There really isn’t an executive director, and about five of us primarily who have been spearheading it. Each of us brings a different skill set and we love the idea of creating an event like this in Palm Springs. We feel it can evolve into one of the signature events of this type on the West Coast.
LA Jazz Scene: How did the Palm Springs Internation Jazz Festival begin?
Lowell Pickett: It was founded 2019 by Michael B. Seligman, who had been the Supervising Producer of the Academy Awards for many years. He also produced the Kennedy Center Honors, and had career of doing large events like that. He retired at 80, loves jazz and created a non-profit The Palm Springs International Jazz Festival. There was an attempt to do a Palm Springs Jazz Festival in the late 1950s and I think it would have been at the Polo Grounds. The Chief of Police in Palm Springs at the time put a stop to it, because he worried about young people coming to a jazz festival and being overly exuberant.
LA Jazz Scene: So, this is the sixth year of festival?
Lowell Pickett: The first edition was in November 2019. COVID came along after that and next one was in 2023 and last year was our third. I have just been involved with last two. The second one I was really impressed with the program and didn’t know the organizers then. It was just one day and was folded into another musical event. Because of COVID it was pushed back and originally supposed to be in January/February and ended being in May. I thought it was well curated with Matthew Whittaker and Christian McBride playing, along with a duet of Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap. Those were people Michael had known through his work and each year the festival has grown a bit more with the number of artists, thus solidifying its presence.
LA Jazz Scene: Jazz in Palm Springs is not new, right?
Lowell Pickett: Yes, it has a history of jazz, with musicians hanging out there and places featuring it, along with Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Van Husen, Nat King Cole and others coming and having homes there.
LA Jazz Scene: How did you get involved with the festival?
Lowell Pickett: In recent years I’ve been spending time in Palm Springs and met Michael Seligman and other people who had been quite involved, such as Tracy Conrad. She’s a fixture in Palm Springs and President of its Historical Society and loves jazz, along with her son Lance, who’s a guitarist and USC graduate. Since I had a fair amount of experience/history presenting music and heavily focused on presenting jazz I became part of the team.
LA Jazz Scene: What type of events and venues were you a part of prior to the Palm Springs Jazz Festival?
Lowell Pickett: I opened a venue in Minneapolis 40 years called the Dakota that’s on the same circuit as Yoshi’s (San Francisco Bay Area) and Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle. For the first 20 years we were all jazz and then we expanded and presented a lot of different types of music, but still very heavily focused on jazz.
Also, for 10 years, starting in 2012, I was the Artistic Director of the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. It is the most unbelievable place on the planet! It’s a 200,000 sq. ft. museum of music for all around the world, with an exhibit for every country in the world and every country has 15-20 instruments. The museum’s theatre presents about 300 concerts a year of every conceivable genre.
I’m also on the board of Western Jazz Presenters Network, which includes Monterey Jazz Festival, Portland Jazz Festival, Earshot Jazz in Seattle, and the San Jose Jazz Festival. So, I have a fairly good sense of what’s going on in the Western part of the country and this fits in nicely.
LA Jazz Scene: What’s exactly is your main role with the festival?
Lowell Pickett: Programming, that’s because I’ve been doing it for a long time and have a lot of relationships.
LA Jazz Scene: You have a great lineup and I’m sure it’s not easy to put it all together.
Lowell Pickett: These all people I’ve worked with before and admire tremendously. Chucho, Cimafunk and Arturo, putting that all together in the same category is going to be amazing. Cimafunk is an extraordinary talent and brings like another generation of the Afro-Cuban tradition. Also, Irakere really transformed the genre, but the players in band now are a younger reincarnation that Chucho was put together and are influenced by the original members.
That’s really exciting, and to have Romero Lubambo with Dianne Reeves and then Cécile McLorin Salvant. They are incandescent singers that are the pinnacle of innovation, virtuosity, while respecting and continuing the tradition that was created by people like Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.
LA Jazz Scene: You’ll be featuring some other incredible instrumentalist as well.
Lowell Pickett: I love Charles Lloyd and think he’s one the great musical presences on the planet, who was a marvel a top selling artist in the ‘60s. And presently, can still be Jazz Artist of The Year and top Critics Polls in 2023 and 2024. That kind of span is unheard of. Then you add Reuben Rogers on bass and I love Gerald Clayton’s piano playing and Bill Frisell—that’s pretty exceptional. Of course, Charles Lloyd has done all kinds of configurations, including the Chapel Trio with Frisell and bassist Thomas Morgan. They created exquisite and transformative pieces of music.
LA Jazz Scene: How did you decide on the format of the festival?
Lowell Pickett: It sort of evolved and it’s the second weekend of Modernism Week, and (the festival) is under the umbrella of it, which then gave us the ticketing platform to connect festival goers with it. There’s one other element, on Thursday night there’s a reception/Sunset Jazz Party at the Koerner, designed by architect E. Stewart Williams, which is one of the most significant mid-century modern architectural jewels in Palm Springs. That ties in jazz and the themes of mid-century modernism.
LA Jazz Scene: How were able to find a venue for the Palm Springs Jazz Festival?
Lowell Pickett: Finding the right venue and one we could do the production in was important. The Annenberg Theatre fits our needs and Modernism Week takes over the theatre for the entire ten days and they made the theatre available to us for the festival. It gives us a nucleus or center of gravity, which we needed.
LA Jazz Scene: How is this year different?
Lowell Pickett: Last year, we had three concerts on the Sunday and the production shifts were challenging. This year we expanded, last year it was just Saturday and Sunday. We consider this an evolving, emerging, aspirational festival.
LA Jazz Scene: In that regard, what are your plans for the upcoming years?
Lowell Pickett: Next year we’re planning on adding a second venue, so it’s a step at a time.
LA Jazz Scene: How are you reaching out to kids and students?
Lowell Pickett: The educational component is extremely important to us, we’re arranging with some local schools to bring some kids to these concerts at no cost and we’re covering the expenses for that, such as busses. We did that last year as well. As the festival grows, we want to add ways for these kids to connect with the music and artists, along with adding more emerging artists.
LA Jazz Scene: Appealing to all types of people, young and older can be a challenge.
Lowell Pickett: How do we do this in a way that connects with the audience that respects the tradition of the music that creates an impact, so that people notice it. I think the magnitude of the artists performing this year and last year certainly accomplishes parts of those goals, because they’re getting attention.
As the festival develops a sense of time and place that people come to expect there are more elements that can be added to it and take advantage of the foundation we’re establishing in these early years. If we tried to do too much, if would be dispersed and would have a focal point. This is only the fourth one and each year it has become better.
LA Jazz Scene: Do you have any affiliation with the Women in Jazz Festival that also happens in Palm Springs?
Lowell Pickett: No, but I am aware of it and went to the last one with Nina Freelon and Cyrille Aimée—I really like both of them a lot. But there’s no direct relation with that festival.
LA Jazz Scene: Any parting comments?
Lowell Pickett: We think this year is going to be really great—especially having Grammy-winner Cécile McLorin Salvant is going to be incredible. So, we’re really engaged with making this something that has a strong future and trying to take the steps that will accomplish that.
Palm Springs International Jazz Festival February 20-23, 2025 Annenberg Theatre-In the Palm Springs Art Museum
101 N Museum Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262 https://psjazzfest.org
Take 6,the super heroes of a cappella singing, with 10 Grammys, 10 Dove Awards, an induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and a Soul Train Award came to rejoice at the Segerstrom Center For The Performing Arts. The 45-year old group consisting of lead tenor Claude McKnight III (Brian McKnight’s brother), bass Alvin Chea, baritone Khistian Dentley, second tenor Dave Thomas, and brothers, second tenor Joel and first tenor Mark Kibble were as radiant as ever. In the vocal sextet’s signature fashion, they celebrated the Holidays and optimism for 2025 with a mix gospel, R&B, doo-wop, pop and even hip-hop, with plenty of fun banter included.
“Come On” was a rally call to the audience to get ready for jubilation and love, personally, religiously and for the world. The Beatles’ “Got to Get You Into My Life” done Earth, Wind & Fire style, contemporary gospel song with hip-hop and doo-wop touches “Jesus Makes Me Happy,” and an accelerated-funked up “What The World Needs Now” further accentuated the all-encompassing theme.
Of course, the singers couldn’t leave out traditional Christmas songs. They soared with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Christmas is Here” and “Carol of the Bells” all merged together into one tune, which impressed the attendees, along with other yuletide carols. As a bonus they performed “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” popularized by Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra, but done vastly differently in doo-wop style that seemed perfect for the septet. To shake things up “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” was spotlighted and featured low-end singers Chea and Dentley reveling to delight the audience.
Mark Kibble dubbed by the group as the “Markatech” was spotlighted through some of his arrangements. Among them were Billy Holiday’s classic “God Bless The Child,” Eric Clapton’s pop hit “Change The World” that was Grammy-nominated, Christopher Cross’ “Sailing” and Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed.” They intermixed jazz and pop aspects of the group’s singing. For the latter two, some of the singers additionally played piano, guitar and percussion to show off their instrumental chops.
During the closing moments of the appealing concert the singers returned to doo-wop with Ben E. King’s immortal “Stand By Me,” along with the contemporary jazzy and upbeat “Roof Garden” by Al Jarreau to draw a spirited standing ovation. For the encore Take 6 became spiritual with their own “Alleluia” that intermixed pop, classical and jazz. For more info go to: take6.com and ww.scfta.org.
Another longstanding a cappella group is the all-female Sweet Honey in The Rock. The quintet celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2023 and recently did a holiday concert at the Soraya located on the CSUN campus. The powerful and impressive singers, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Rochelle Rice, Carol Maillard, Louse Robinson and Aisha Kahlil, with support provided by bassist Romeir Mendez and ASL interpreter Barbara Hunt, intermix African choral traditions, blues, gospel, and jazz. They were dynamically announced by TV personality Kiki Shepard, who’s known the group since their beginnings at the HBC Howard University in the early ‘70s.
Unlike Take 6, the women are much more socially, politically, racially and environmentally conscious, while also including a strong dose of gospel and religious songs. They began with the reverberating, multi-part hymn-like “8 Days Later” and called the season a “holy time.” Staying in the mode was the upbeat gospel revival rocker “Children, Go Where I Send Thee” that was enthusiastically received by the audience and easier flowing “Ain’t That Rockin’?” with bassist Mendez joining in.
Shifting to civil rights activism was “The Ballad of Henry T. Moore.” He was a pioneering President of Florida NAACP branch during the early ‘50s and a very effective voting registrar. Because of his efforts the home he shared with his wife Harriette was bombed and they subsequently died afterwards.
Whereas “Greed,” and “Hallelujah” with the audience singing along, and choral/R&B flavored “Retribution” with bass were about finding solace on a higher spiritual plane. The principles and virtues of Kwanza were extolled in spoken word fashion and accentuating sung “Seven Principles was approvingly received. Furthermore, universal love and acceptance were embraced through the lightly pulsing bass line and beautifully sung “Give Love.” While freedom and its ramifications were celebrated through Nina Simone’s immortal “Feelin’ Good,” first as a duet with one singer and Mendez initially, before the other singers soulfully joined in choruses and chants.
For the final moments of the fast-pace concert the wonderment of being a child was celebrated through “No Mirrors (In My Nana’s House),” gospel ballad “Hush,” gospel rouser “Beside” and “(Jesus) Wonderful Child”
In honor of Mirian Mekeba (Mother Africa) was “Sabumoya” done as a swing vocal jazz tune with fluid bass that expressed the urgency of catching the big train. In true sisterhood they served up “We Are One” that featured each singer individually with a montague of previous and present band members. In closing, they did a salsa styled “Let There Peace On Earth” with the audience singing to promote carrying on the word with after the concert to garner a standing ovation. For more info go to: sweethoneyintherock.org and thesoraya.org
It was only a couple of days before New Years Eve 2024, but at The Mint the nearly 50-year old New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen Brass Band were playing like the festive night was happening then. The group consisting of Roger Lewis- baritone sax/vocals, Gregory Davis-trumpet/vocals, Kirk Joseph-sousaphone, Trevarri Huff-Boone-tenor sax/vocals, Stephen Walker-trombone/vocals, Julian Addison-drums and Takeshi Shimmura-guitar took command of the club with their signature mix of jazz, New Orleans second-line, R&B and of course, funk.
Straight out of the gate, the mighty septet excited the audience with rollicking and robust brass forays featuring sizzling solos, along with their guitarist also injecting one and interweaving with the horn players. Keeping the party time energy going and in the same mode was The Blackbyrds “Do It Fluid.” A funky interpretation of a visit to a doctor’s office with the band and audience all saying “Ahh” similar to when someone gets their throat examined led to the Meters’ New Orleans funk classic “Cissy Strut.”
Also from the Meters’ songbook was the immortal soulful tune “Hey Pocky A-Way” that showcased the band’s vocal and saxophone chops. From a more traditional standpoint the popular brass band served up Caribbean and Latin rhythmic tunes, along with the Crescent City hit “Li’l Liza Jane.” Returning to funk and jazz was James Brown’s highly impactful “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” done New Orleans style to wrap up the wild set.
For the encore the band played “Dirty Old Man” and invited ladies in the audience to come on stage and shake their booties, much to the crowd’s delight. Opening before DDBB was soul stirring vocalist/activist Kat Lincoln and the ska-funk/Ethio band Sin Palabras, along with near operatic singer Macías & the Velvet Priests, stripped down with only her and Roberto on bass doing softer versions of their originals. For more info go to: http://dirtydozenbrassband.com/, www.instagram.com/klspmusic/reel/C9C_YqCpqb1/, https://www.instagram.com/maciasandthevelvetpriests/ and https://themintla.com/
Whether you’re a rocker, jazzer or both, Nutty will both stump and amaze you when performing. Their special brand of “classic Rock all jazzed up” sophisticatedly intermingles hard-bop, Latin/bossa, big band and swing, with well-known rock/blues and pop tunes, along with TV and movie themes from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. The ambitious and often irreverent undertaking is spearheaded and arranged by rascally lead singer Sonny Moon and stalwart bassist Guy Wonder.
The duo’s zany charts and wordplay titles were recently showcased at the Write-Off Room with bandmates, Dan Spector-piano, Kyle O’Donnell-tenor/alto saxes/flute, Sean O’Kelley-baritone sax/flute, Scott Bell-trumpet, Dave Derge-drums and Scott Breadman-percussion adroitly supporting. Some examples of the bandleaders’ ingenuity were “Black Mutt” that merged Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” with Ian Dury’s ‘70s anthem “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,” “That Old Black Magic Woman” combined “That Old Black Magic” and “Black Magic Woman,” and “Purple Panther” synthesized “Purple Haze” with the “Pink Panther Theme.”
Alternately, “Manteca In a Bottle” boldly juxtaposed Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo and Gil Fuller’s ground breaking Afro-Cuban composition “Manteca” as Moon aggressively sang the Police’s mega hit “Message In a Bottle” to draw strong audience response. Additionally, “Heart Full Of (Double-O) Soul” that incorporated the Yardbird’s “Heart Full Of Soul” with the “007 James Bond Theme” was velvety musically and vocally.
A surprising delight from the ensemble was “This Here Madly Medley,” which was a Doors medley fused with Bobby Timmons hard-bop/gospel piano from “This Here” as the foundation remarkably played by Spector. It of course, included bits of the Doors’ “Love Her Madly,” “Hello, I Love You,” “Riders On The Storm” and “Roadhouse Blues.” Somewhat similar and equally astounding was “Pleasant Valley Monkday,” intermixing the Monkee’s “Pleasant Valley Sunday” with Monk’s “Straight No Chaser,” “Little Rootie Tootie,” “Rhythm-A-Ning,” “Epistrophy,” “We See,” and “Well You Needn’t.”
For genuine sentimentality, Moon subtlety sang “Baker’s Bread” that nicely melded “The Guitar Man” and “My Funny Valentine.” Additionally, it included solid brass playing and a stellar trumpet solo from Bell.
Rounding things out were more rock oriented arrangements, such as rockabilly styled “What Is This Crazy Little Thing Called, Love?” that mingled “What Is This Thing Called Love?,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Somebody To Love,” Queen’s ever popular “Bohemian Rhapsody” and even Curtis Mayfield’s super cool blaxploitation jam “Freddy’s Dead” from Super Fly for its close.
In addition, to the love medley was the encore “Reaper” filled with Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear The Reaper” and Benny Goodman’s immortal “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Ending the two and a half hour show was “Four On KISS” encompassing Kiss’ “Detroit Rock City” and Wes Montgomery’s “Four On Six.” Overall, Nutty has volumes of quirky and entertaining arrangements to showcase, and truly are one of a kind. For more info go to: www.nuttyjazz.com.
Similar to fellow African, guitarist/singer Lionel Loueke, Grammy-winner Richard Bona, a powerhouse bassist and melodious singer, prefers to scat and beautifully vocalize, instead of jamming intensely. With recordings, tours and performances with heavyweights such as Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Chick Corea, Sting, Pat Metheny, Stevie Wonder, Bobby McFerrin, Chucho Valdés, and more, Bona has profoundly proven that he’s a monster player. However, audiences receive much more joy and enchantment through his singing and audacious personality that includes a good amount of joking around.
At the Moss Theatre, Bona who fluently speaks four languages and can somewhat communicate in a few others, thrilled an international sold-out audience. With cohorts, pianist Jesus Pupo and drummer Ludwig Afonso, both from Cuba, he declared that they are a “real Afro-Cuban band,” and he was right. On the other hand, African diaspora, jazz and world music are well imbedded into their sound.
They opened with “Mantula Moto (The Benediction of a Long Life)” that melded the bandleaders sweet singing and the trio’s pulsating South African textures, especially from Pupo’s exhilarating solo that impressed the audience. Contrarily, instrumental “Three Views of A Secret” had subtle hints of Jaco Pastorius/Weather Report and showcased Bona’s supple playing. Additionally, Miles Davis classic “All Blues” was done in 11/3 time to keep the audience alert and give the trio a workout, while the bandleader sonically soared, which drew raves.
Of course, when the trio shifted to salsa and Latin oriented music the crowd erupted. If there had been room to dance, they would have been up and partying. The same could said when Bona served up sensual ballads and sons, such as heartfelt ballad “Mut’Esukudu.” With it he hoped the trio’s presence would help with restoration and inspiration to recover from the fires that recently savaged So Cal.
For added variety the singer/bassist looped himself with his sampler to sing classically and beautifully solely. With the return of the band, he joked around about taking the audience to church and said he would be the “new Pope.” Then he went into mambo/calypso styled “Sen Sen Sen” with the audience energetically clapping and singing along.
As the truly engrossing concert was ending Bona’s pianist solely played an astonishing bolero intro before he magnificently joined in vocally in Spanish to take it over the top and send the crowd merrily on its way. For more info go to: www.richard-bona.com and www.jazzbakery.org
Greek fableist Aesop stated, “A man is judged by the company he keeps.” In Ivan Lins’ case that includes fellow countryperson and legendary singer Elis Regina, mega producer Quincy Jones, immortal vocalists Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, contemporary jazz artists, singer Brenda Russell, singer/guitarist George Benson, guitarist Lee Ritenour, pianist/composer Dave Grusin and many others. All of them experienced success and high caliber artistry with Lins’ compositions and collaborations. In that regard, the Segerstrom Center For The Arts presented Pacific Jazz Orchestra: Ivan Lins’ 80th Birthday Celebration with Jane Monheit and Lee Ritenour.
Contrarily, the Brazilian’s musical career, born June 16, 1945 that began in the ‘70s didn’t make an impression in the U.S. until the ‘80s. At that point his song craftsmanship and unique arrangements started gaining notoriety in inner music circles. However, with music consumers it would take another twenty years for him to receive recognition. Lins, undaunted kept creating and joining forces with other musicians. The fruits of his labor cumulated with him winning two Latin Grammy Awards; Album of the Year and Best MPB (Música Popular Prasileira) for Cantando Histórias in 2005. Notably, he was the first Brazilian and Portuguese-language artist to win the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year. In 2009 Lins won another Latin Grammy for Regência: Vince Mendoza with the Metropole Orchestra, and 2015 he again won Best MPB for América Brasil.
In concert with the 40-person PJO and Conductor/arranger, Chris Walden, Lins’ music was majestically performed. The orchestra began grandly with the resounding “No Bounds” that included an enchanting solo from pianist Josh Nelson. Afterwards, bossa classic “Água de Beber” featured Ritenour’s trademark breezy chops with his unannounced dog Quincy, a Golden Retriever laying close by for the first bars. Monheit followed and lushly sang “Love Dance” powered by a sumptuous string backdrop.
When the honored musician appeared onstage singing and playing keyboards, he shifted things up-tempo with the Carnival-tinged “Ai, Ai, Ai, Ai, Ai” that was adorned with stimulating segments from alto saxophonist Jacob Scesney and guitarist Andrew Synoweic. Lins, taken by the special occasion called PJO and Walden “angels” before proceeding to do Vince Mendoza arranged and powerfully orchestrated “Daquilo Que Eu Sei (Believe What I Say).”
Monheit, who’s worked extensively with both Lins and Walden, and dubbed by them as their “favorite jazz singer” returned to stage. She steamed things up with the prolific Brazilian for ballad “Rio De Maio” and sang powerfully during the Jane McNealy arranged swirling bossa “Desesperar Jamais (Never Despair).”
In light of the recent devastating fires in Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other So Cal areas the Los Angeles-based singer passionately rendered “Começar De Novo (Start Over)” with additional lyrics she wrote. In tandem with Lins were uplifting “A Gente Merece Ser Feliz (We Deserve to Be Happy),” and “Dinorah Dinorah,” recorded by Brazilian icon Regina in 1970.
Conversely, Ritenour injected liveliness and grit into the special program with his own “Rio Funk” and Lins’ thematic “Arlequim Desconhecido (Harlequin)” that he recorded with Grusin 40 years ago. He additionally united with the other concert participants for the lauded singer/composer/keyboardist’s enduring and festive hit “Madalena,” first popularized by Regina in 1970. The number received a standing ovation and to cap things off was special guest saxophonist Tom Scott playing “Velas” that’s on Quincy Jones’ 1981 album The Dude. Scott amazed the audience by rendering legendary harmonica player Toots Thielemans euphonious part on a Roland Aerophone (wind synthesizer). For more info go to: ivanlins.com.br, www.pacificjazz.org and www.scfta.org.
You can take a blues man out of the Chitlin’ Circuit, but you can’t take the Chitlin’ Circuit out of the blues man. At least not for 91-year old Bobby Rush, who’s going strong and recently performed solely at the folk/bluegrass enclave McCabe’s. The three-time Grammy-winner, multi-Blues Award Winner, Blues Hall of Fame inductee, future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and author usually works with a full band that includes a couple of “big-legged” buxom backup singers/dancers. Rush who got some of his comedic and bawdy tendencies from working with Sammy Davis Jr. and Redd Foxx during the early ‘50s often tantalizes audiences with the ladies’ moves, sexuality, and also singing.
Understandably, that wasn’t kosher or applicable for the historic Santa Monica venue’s small stage. Rush, though almost more of a raconteur with a near photographic memory, than a hit-making multi-instrumentalist/singer/song writer had the audience spellbound and cracking up. After about 10 minutes of that he picked up his guitar and started stomping and singing his signature “folk funk” with “The Night Natchez Burned Down,” Jimmy Reed’s “Baby You Don’t Have to Go,” “You Just Like a Dresser (Someone’s Always Rambling Through Your Draws)” and his super funky “Chicken Heads.” By that time the living legend was on a roll and got raunchier with “Bowl Legged Woman, Knock-Kneed Man.”
But even Rush is not all jive and jokes. He revealed some sensitivity briefly with “Got to Find a Way (To Get That Woman Out of My Mind” and “Let Me in Your House.” While for the outrageously funny “Garbage Man (Have You Ever Been Mistreated)” he was on harmonica and singing soulfully amidst the audience to overall to keep the vibe fun and of course a little lewd.
Interestingly, the blues man now living in Jackson, Mississippi intimated his family history and dynamics, especially regarding his great grandmother. She was enslaved and his great grandfather was a slave owner. He joked that some of the audience might be his cousins, and on a serious note said he was the oldest living black blues singer in his category.
Getting back to music was “G-String (And a Toothbrush).” Afterwards, Rush returned to the stage, playing guitar and telling more ribald stories through funk-reeling songs about his dad, his wife and a crazy encounter with an old girlfriend that enthralled the crowd. All the while, he exhibited some of his signature gut-bucket guitar technique. Additionally, the blues man jammed on “When The Saints Come Marching In” with actor Mykelti Williamson who was in the audience. The actor/harmonica player’s roles have inclued Bubba in Forest Gump, Al Pacino’s partner in Heat, and Denzel Washington’s brother in Fences on Broadway and in the film. It was totally impromptu and the first time they ever jammed together. Afterwards, Rush continued off-stage and served up “Hoochie Koochie Man” and “Got Me Accused” on his own. Most notably, the concert ended with Rush very socially talking to friends, family and concert attendees, almost like a reunion of sorts. For more info go to: www.bobbyrushbluesman.com and www.mccabes.com
Guitar slinger and hard-rocking singer Samantha Fish ended her monthlong Shake ‘Em Down Tourat The Fonda,with supporting artists Cedric Burnside and Jon Spencer. While Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady” was blaring Fish burst on to the stage and immediately started ripping away and segued into the MC5’s assaulting pre-punk classic “Kick Out The Jams.” It was in honor of the bands’ founding member/bandleader Wayne Kramer who died at the beginning of 2024.
The multi-Independent Blues Award and Blues Award Winner continued with her own high revving rock flavored “(You) Better Be Lonely” and then alternated between being sultry and bad ass for “Chills & Fever” with the audience singing along. Somewhat in the same mode, with more emphasis on the “dark side” was passionately sung Deathwish, the title track of her latest album that she recorded with outlaw country/rocker Jesse Dayton.
The Kansas City, MS native also slightly diverged from hard-edged songs and showed off her soulful side with R&B/doo-wop flavored “Somebody’s Always Trying (To Take My Baby Away),” while still wailing on guitar and letting her band stretch out. Fish, later slowed things down by singing a raw version of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ classic “I Put a Spell on You” that thoroughly impressed the crowd.
Naturally, the bandleader also ripped away on guitar and transitioned into “Black Wind Howlin’” that intensely mashed Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” for a scorching jam to draw a raving ovation. For the encore, Fish included the opening bands for Burnside’s grandfather, R.L. Burnside’s burning “Snake Drive” with them all tearing down the venue.
Burnside’s set was drenched in North Mississippi Hill Country blues. His songs were layered with his unadulterated and irresistible juke joint and Delta rhythms propelled by trance-like guitar playing and heartfelt singing to get the audience moving and dancing. Spencer, producer of Fish’s latest record, actually toured with the senior Burnside in the 90’s and helped resurrect his career. The guitarist/vocalist’s music was total hardedge and strongly influenced by Kramer, with traits of punk, grunge and rockabilly. For more info go to: www.samanthafish.com, www.cedricburnside.net and www.instagram.com/jonspencerhitmaker/?hl=en.
George Colligan may not be well-known outside of inner jazz circles and academia. Nonetheless, he is a formidable multi-instrumentalist (piano, organ, trumpet and drums), bandleader, composer and jazz theorist. In education, Colligan has taught at Julliard, University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada and currently is a full professor at Portland State University.
As sideman on piano, he’s worked with an extensive list of high level artists. Among them are Cassandra Wilson, Buster Williams, Ravi Coltrane, Vanessa Rubin, Jack DeJohnette, Phil Woods, Gary Bartz, Jane Monheit, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, Nicholas Payton, and Richard Bona. And as a drummer, Colligan leads and records with his own group Theoretical Planets. They recently played at Sam First and included Nicole McCabe-alto sax, Alden Hellmuth-alto sax and Logan Kane-bass for somewhat of a CD Release party for the newest project Zero.
“Moment to Moment” not on the new record got the show started and was an explosive, hard driving number bordering on bebop and free jazz. It featured the bandleader’s blistering drumming, along with furious interactions and solos from the other players. From an earthier brass synergy prospective was “Indifferent.” It was written by Colligan when he and Hellmuth were teaching at the Sanford Jazz Workshop in summer 2024. Monkish “The Tone of The Room” that had similarities to the “They Sunny Side of The Street” spotlighted Kane’s rhythm prowess and the saxophonists’ lyrical qualities.
For a total change of pace, Colligan sarcastically asked the audience to indulge him while he played piano (said he learned to play by watching YouTube videos during the Pandemic). It was for a mesmerizing duet ballad with him and Hellmuth magnificently playing together. With the full group and back on drums, the bandleader finally got around to showcasing a new composition. It was “Usain,” a burner featuring the musicians wailing away. It was dedicated to Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medal sprinter and the world record holder from Jamaica. For more info go to: georgecolligan.com and
Anything to be considered for this column can be sent to: chrisjwalker1@earthlink.net