Jean's Galley: Ink Notes

Jean Bartlett

Jean's Magazines

Ink Notes – 2008

There is not enough music written specifically for the trio combination of bassoon, clarinet and piano. That will change as more people join the growing audience of Trio Arcadia. Represented by Kathleen Johannessen on bassoon, Michael A. Kimbell on clarinet (or in his case: A, Bb, C and Eb clarinets), and Elizabeth Lee on piano – Trio Arcadia proves there is an extraordinary musical dialogue between the three instruments that is lithe and that is classical. Trio Arcadia performed Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. They presented “Trio, Op. 159 No. 3” (Carl Reinecke); “Sonata for Bassoon and Piano” and “Four Characteristic Pieces for Clarinet and Piano” (William Hurlstone); “Trio, Op. 61” (Heinrich von Herzogenberg); and “Rondino Scherzando” (Michael A. Kimbell.) There was a singing tone between Kimbell on clarinet and Johannessen on bassoon as pianist Lee swept alongside of them with a fluent, playful lyricism. Three instruments dancing in virtuosic air yet all riding on the same magical wind. A quiet, enchanted performance, full of charm and not for those who like their classical on blast. Ah!

Bending strings over a layer of sweet and edgy electric blues, Daniel Castro soared mighty rounds of satisfying notes from his Fender Telecaster – and he took his time. While his audience bellowed their approval of his blistering guitar, Castro carried them along a ledge of sliding virtuosity where sometimes only a few notes told a whole bunch of story. Castro’s got a good scratcher voice for the blues: articulate, kind and well lived in. Playing Saturday night at Pacifica Performances, Castro was joined on stage by T. Moran on drums, Glade Ramussen on bass and Bill Hancock on keys. Smart and inventive, these impeccably résuméd gentlemen, aka the Daniel Castro Band, poured out Albert King, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Dixon and more – like good men well acquainted with the ‘bad.’ Bringing every kind of shoe to their concert hall dance floor, these gutsy electric bluesmen simmered like a stewpot in the legendary halls of the great blues cookers.

Beautiful nuanced phrasing in piano and vocal, inspired interpretation of when the world was (like) a song – you can give smoky contralto Bobbe Norris and her husband pianist, composer, arranger Larry Dunlap any old great jukebox tune from the 1930s on up through the early 60s and you’re going to hear plush and life in equal measure. Norris and Dunlap let the audience rule their songbook when they opened up their Saturday night Pacifica Performance stage to requests. A lot of song hopes came their way and they presented as many tunes as you can fit in two sets with an audience pounding time with applause. Songs performed included: “Fly Me To The Moon;” “Moonlight In Vermont;” “Skylark;” “The Very Thought Of You;” “Anything Goes;” and “Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered.” Long-time married couple, Norris and Dunlap are about as elegant on vocal and piano that a listener is going to hear in the genre of jazz and pop, tender and playful romanticism. Accompanied by a couple of the nation’s best traps and bull fiddle musicians (Jason Lewis on drums and Seward McCain on stand-up bass) – it is obvious that a love affair with really good music is still a musical valentine from these savvy song stylists.

Tuck a violin under the chin of Kim Angelis and suddenly the ancient is in the now. Fingers, strings and bow swirl great comfort notes of articulation filling the listener with wonder as musical stories pulsate their rhythms along some great ethereal highway. Angelis, a classically trained violinist who literally sings each string like a gypsy poet, writes most of the music she performs. Through breathtaking credenzas and tender passage this violinist creates great river lullabies, or the sound of soldiers marching, quiet walks beneath redwoods or tango born bright from the embers. She played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. She was accompanied by her husband Josef Gault on classical guitar. Though she wowed her audience with “Caprice 20, Opus 1” (Paganini) – it was her own composed music which constantly brought the audience to their feet because it is of earth and yet not. It is no wonder her compositions have been heard all over the U.S., in Chile, Taiwan and additionally at the Olympics. Visit the artist’s website at: www.skysong.com.

Bay Area jazz greats Shanna Carlson and Cathi Walkup, with assistance from Tom Segal (who also directed), wrote a cozy little jazz musical called: “Almost Famous – Jazz With A Plot!” which they presented Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. The story focuses on two vocalists, old friends, who meet up between their respective travels at a bistro in San Francisco. The bistro comes equipped with two very talented musicians, Benny Watson on piano and Fred Randolph on standup bass, who are willing to backup the ladies whenever Carlson and Walkup feel the need to explain their life in song. Like the singers they are representing, Carlson and Walkup are a couple of pros, each able to grasp hold of lyric and gift it out – nice and easy and full of good gravelly jazz bottom notes. Carlson is equally at home on the piano, sitting down just once to offer up her natural polish and groove on the ivories. Additionally like the singers they play, both ladies are willing to put up with the quirks of the business because quite simply they love music. Many of the songs in the production are written by Carlson and Walkup and travel a rich gambit of jazz, including: bebop, ballad, swing, blues, bossa nova, samba, waltz and maybe even a little tango. Their songs have clever lyrics and lend themselves well to swing and sway and finger-snap. Their last song “The Music Is The Magic” by Abbey Lincoln is magic and needs to find its spot on the radio so it can rocket up the charts. The problem however with “Almost Famous – Jazz With A Plot!” is it needs serious editing. Explanatory dialogue between each song loses the audience and eighteen songs are probably four too many. It could also use a bit of goosing with maybe a drum roll or a cymbal crashing, or piano/bass equivalent, to make the audience sit up and cheer over punch lines. “Almost Famous – Jazz With A Plot!” has a lot of heart and a lot of talent with a little bit of work, it will be a showpiece. (Websites: Shanna Carlson at http://www.shannacarlson.net/, Cathi Walkup at http://www.cwalkup.com/.)

The extremely talented guitarist Jérôme Malaval has got that Chet Atkins classical finger-picking style down – thumb bopping out the rhythmic bass notes, three fingers steering through runs, arpeggios, double-stops and fire cracking licks to guitar symphonize a melody. He played Pacifica Performances Saturday night with his special guest, the legendary Chet Atkins style guitarist Jim Nichols. He offered in solo or in duet, extraordinary intricate versions of songs such as: “Autumn Leaves” (Joseph Kosma); “The Early Dawn” (Jerry Reed); and “Dark Eyes” (Ukrainian traditional). Malaval was able to produce washboard-like guitar then switch right into a cool spray of tumbling strings. The best version of Henry Mancini’s “Charade” yet to be recorded was played Saturday night by Malaval and Nichols – ditto Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” Malaval is a triumph on guitar. The musician however could take a rest between pieces – chat a little with his ticket buyers, introduce the next piece, make his audience feel less like they are at a fire and more like they are his invited guests.

The individual members of the quartet Camogie could easily stand solo before a sold-out concert hall and lift the pulse of every ticket holder. There is Libby McLaren on vocals, piano, accordion and occasional shaker. Robin Flower sings as well and plays guitar, fiddle and mandolin. Danny Carnahan offers his gifts of vocals, fiddle, octave mandolin and guitar. Northern Ireland born Mary McLaughlin plays electric keyboard and sets her vocal sail to the skylark. Songwriters all, Camogie throws life itself into their inspired lyrics, pristine harmonies and intoxicating, intricate musicianship. They played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. They offered original tunes such as: ‘Níl Sé Na Lá’ ‘Steelhead in the Riffles,’ ‘Billy Tave’s Hornpipe,’ ‘Fly My Way,’ ‘Sue’s Delight,’ ‘The Weaver’ and ‘Kings of Kilfenora.’ Folk, barn stomping, R&B, starry night and sweet Appalachian Reinhardt – the quartet mixes it all in a lovely Celtic stream of mood and hope and reasons to dance. If you are seeking to be dazzled by something new and rich in Celtic Americana fusion, but with all the elements of a Robert Burns lullaby, pull up your chair and your heart to the music of Camogie. (http://www.camogie.us/band.html)

Legendary Bay Area jazz pianist just released a little slice of seductive atmosphere called: High Wall: Real Life Film Noir. It’s classic music like the film genre it represents – beautiful scores throwing their veil over the rough and tumble side of the human condition and Vuckovich plays it all in a highly representative finger-note articulation.

Vuckovich played music from this new CD Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. He brought along musicians with their own impeccable sheets of credentials to add their talent to the groove. There was Buca Necak on stand-up bass, Kent Bryson on drums, Hector Lugo on Latin percussion – and of course piano man Vuckovich himself swirling through all kinds of keyboard emotion and mood. With a song list that included: “Ow!” (Dizzy Gillespie); “High Wall” (Bronislaw Kaper, from the movie of the same name); “View From Telegraph Hill” (Larry Vuckovich); and “Locomotion” (John Coltrane) – the audience was swept along wind-blown alleyways where noble and desperate themes of joy and rain played out like yesterday’s heart-held love affairs.

This music was pure satisfaction; delivered by the hands of pros. Here’s looking at you, Mr. Vuckovich. Check out more on this musical cat at: http://www.larryvuckovich.com/.

You cannot always get to a place by plane or boat or car. Sometimes all that is left of ‘what was’ is the call of its music. Enter the trio Golden Bough, who played to a full house Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. With lyric soprano Margie Butler on vocals, Celtic harp, penny whistle, recorder, bodhran and guitar; folk tenor Paul Espinoza on vocals, guitar, accordion and octave-mandolin; and folk soprano Kathy Sierra on vocals, violin and viola – the audience was taken along emerald valleys and water fed shores, through marriage promises, the escapades of a pirate queen and the hopes of a Highland Soldier as their music traveled the pages of the seven Celtic Nations. There were tunes to kick and spin your heels by and tunes in step with a waltz – and the vocals were as plush and lovely as walk through O’Carolan’s green. If you are one for enjoying a modern-day melodic tour of a magical history dream; then buy your ticket and take your seat when Golden Bough claims the stage. Visit their website at: http://www.goldenboughmusic.com/.

Silky vocalist Morning Nichols and Chet Atkins-style guitarist Jim Nichols are just plain damn good. While Jim finger climbs through guitar maneuvers that have made the famous whistle (Chet Atkins was a fan), Morning serves up vocal morsels with a little layered icing and a deep well of richness. They’ve got finesse and style and enough fans to burst a room. This long-time married couple played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances and they invited a few seriously talented friends to join their stage. Drummer David Rokeach who has played traps for Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, the late Ray Charles and other legends including the Nichols – played groove wise, technically virtuosic and personally loose for some serious rhythm poetry. Grammy-nominated Michael Manring took the electric bass into rich and highly listenable astounding territories where no bassist has gone before. Vocalist Nate Pruitt, a student of Carmen McRae, and an expert at sweet vocal tease, highlighted songs with his saucy, lovely articulation. The show met with a lot of standing ovations while the Quintet, all at once, in solo, in duo, in trio or in quartet covered songs by such composers as: George Gershwin, Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin, Jerry Reed, Sting, Paul Rice, Hoagy Carmichael, Eric Clapton, Buddy Johnson, George Harrison and Rudy Toombs (Chet Atkins style). Fantastic performances throughout, extra whomping applause belong to Morning and Jim Nichols for highlighting their own shining stars with the high beams of others. Five stars!

Earth, air, water and fire show up in Alexander Scribian’s “Sonata No. 8” in all kinds of complex counterpoint and cascading double notes and desperate shadowy hand figurations of a composer trying to explain it all. “Sonata No. 9,” same composer, is an audience head dive into cleverly poisonous triplets and asylum tension. The final Scriabin “Sonata No. 10” aka “The Trill Sonata” has at its heart a desire to lead the listener out of the darkness and into the vast peaceful explosiveness of the sun. This was the first half of pianist Matthew Edwards program in Pacifica which while it proved the undeniable truth that Edwards can launch through Scriabian’s mystical-driven musical thought with obvious genius and a keyboard intimate alchemy – it was to my ear, a vigorous long-winded storm into the disquiet. The second half of the program was Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” which relies on stunning technical negotiations and enough inner strength to conquer all the demons of Beethoven. Pianist Edwards excelled because he is an impressive, informed, strong performer with a sweeping and majestic talent. But oh, for a rubber chicken or a clown bike – anything to give us but a brief ride from the intensity of the smart music.

She sings, he plays piano – he cuddles intimate with 88 keys and she embraces words then unwraps them one by one. You might think you know what it is like to have songs speak to you as if the lyricist and composer came in for a spell and made you a warm fire. My guess – if you haven’t heard song stylist Wesla Whitfield and pianist, composer, arranger Mike Greensill stroll out a little night music, you’ve been listening to something that blew in with the rain. The married couple played Saturday night in Pacifica. They were joined by standup bass phenomenon Dean Reilly who also weighed in with his legendary pocket trumpet. Songs played were from that old American songbook still shining bright with gems and some of those songs can be found on the couple’s latest CD “Message from the Man in the Moon.” All of the songs hushed right through the audience like a memory treat flying by; nice and easy. They’re a good ticket, these musical muse friends. Have a listen - http://www.weslawhitfield.com/.

If ever there were a sound to explain the spirited musical whispers of yore from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany and Québec it is clearly within the string talk of fiddler Jamie Laval and mandolinist and fiddler Ashley Broder (also plays cello.) The two played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. They played music that moved feet and clicked fingers. They offered pizzicato and staccato, Appalachian runs, jigs, reels, moonlight, Celtic blues, cartoon sliders, bagpipe tributes and finger dance agility across their respective instruments. Their music traveled along a mountain path of string fiddle and rhythmic river mandolin. They didn’t play too loudly or too softly and you could literally hear notes laughing; glad to be free and out there with all the rest of us – listening and loving it. Among the tunes played were: “The Fowl Set” (traditional), “Sir Archibald Grant of Moneymusk,” (traditional), “Staircase” (Broder) and “Bridge of Cally” (Laval). It’s a seamless blend of discerning virtuosity, these magic musicians offer, wrapped in just the right amount of tradition and quirkiness. Laval and Broder are a great old song for a Celtic new world.

Bella Sorella (beautiful sister) performed Saturday night in Pacifica. Causing prolonged bursts of enthused applause and receiving more than one standing ovation, Bella Sorella rocked like an auditory walk through paradise. Recipients of the coveted 2007 Los Angeles Music Awards “Vocal Group of the Year,” Bella Sorella takes any perceived stuffiness out of the classics and puts all the best of it, which is considerable, right into their circle of joy.

The ensemble consists of real life sisters-in-law: coloratura soprano Nova Dague Jiménez and lyric soprano Susanna Uher Jiménez – and the sister-in-law’s “sister of the soul” pianist Shinobu Kameyama. While virtuosic pianist Shinobu communicated and technically dazzled as intimate orchestra, soprano Nova and soprano Susanna vocally climbed wondrous textures with palpable warmth, clear-noted honesty, agility and absolute fun. Through their individual voices as well as their breathtaking blending, Nova and Susanna explained that notes and rainbows are made of the same stuff. Among the songs performed were: “Prenderò” (Mozart from the opera Cosi fan tutte), “The Prayer” (Sager/Foster from the movie Quest For Camelot); “Nella Fantasia” (Morricone/Ferrau from the movie The Mission) and the “Flower Duet” (Delibes from the opera Lakmé). Only problem – no Bella Sorella concert can be long enough.

Bella Sorella – whose first television appearance in 2006 was on the noteworthy Bruce Latimer Show, ‘the longest running, most successful variety show in American television’ (quote from ABC7/KGO-TV) – are luminaries bound for glory. If you have a willingness to have a full heart and a great time, pull up a chair to Bella Sorella. (http://www.bellasorella.net/)

Brocelïande’s music, Celtic and Early Music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, expresses an old age harmony, seemingly rising like a mist from the very sword of King Arthur, to yield a sweetly crafted musical peace for today’s world. The quartet played Saturday night in Pacifica. Members of Brocelïande are: Margaret Davis on vocals, Celtic harp, flute and recorders; Karl Franzen on guitar, octave mandolin, vocals, whistle, melodeon and percussion; Kristoph Klover on vocals, guitars, octave mandolin and oboe; and Kris Yenney on cello, viola da gamba, Kamanche (an ancient, bowed Persian spike fiddle), vocals and percussion. This is a smart, talented, highly listenable quartet. Their vocal distributions and instrumental teamwork are a caravan of lush harmonies and technical wizardry, with the sonorous cello ever articulating the balance of this dream. While pleasant enough as individual vocalists, Brocelïande’s strength is in its full quartet – for it is then you will hear an explanation of spring. (http://www.broceliande.org/)

The place: Pacifica Performances Sanchez Concert Hall. The musicians: the Josh Workman Quartet featuring Josh Workman on acoustic and electric guitars, Ben Stolorow on piano, Michael Zisman on standup bass and Kent Bryson on drums. The music dipped into all kinds of stylistic treats, many by Workman. There was blues, samba, Reinhardt, a jazz waltz, jump swing and sweet talkers. There were beautiful melodies and smart harmonic structures. You couldn’t help but bounce your butt to the bass man’s strings and the drummer cooked like a corn tub popping. The pianist, while not as relaxed as the other musicians, still keyed out plenty of finery. Every one of these musicians comes with a long sheet of impeccable jazz credentials – but, if you are looking to hear the vocabulary of a distinctive journey on guitar, effortlessly grounded in the grace and legacy of a full-course musical meal, then pull up an auditory seat to the magic of Workman. (P.S. Workman tours with acclaimed singer-actress Lynda Carter – what a wonder that ticket that must be.) Find out more about this guitar melody man at: www.joshworkman.com

Okay Pacifica is not that small of a town (see article title) but when compared to the opera stages of San Francisco, New York and Chicago - it is definitely a venue for cheaper seats, scant props and a zero tolerance for an electronic libretto system. However, that does not mean less of an aptitude for educated listeners and remarkable vocalists. Sunday afternoon Verismo Opera, in association with California Opera, presented Puccini’s La Bohéme. It starred: coloratura soprano Jamie Bonetto as Mimi; tenor Zachary Sheely as Rodolfo, baritone Christopher Wells as Marcello, coloratura soprano Deanne Reeder as Musetta; baritone John Minagro as Schaunard; and basso Roger Smith as Colline. Accompanist was Gertrude Dubanski. Conducted and stage-directed by the very likeable Fred Winthrop, the opera was stripped down to its essentials – a story of being young, finding one’s way as a starving artist and falling in love only to realize that even youth is no panacea to a knock from the Grim Reaper. Bonetto (Mimi) dramatically conveyed an extraordinary disciplined restraint which heightened the poignancy of her dying character. Her vocals, touching and supremely musical, soared. Sheely (Rodolfo) quite simply has a secure and radiant tenor that is a triumph. He and Bonetto believably lost themselves in doomed love; so much so that perhaps even Death was surprised it stood at their door. Reader’s Musetta was loaded with vitality and flirty temperament and her vocals were clear and agile as she dazzled a trapeze of trills and thrills. Wells (Marcello) is a natural on the stage, full of handsome vocals and sustained heat. Smith was dramatically and vocally excellent as Colline; and Minagro (Schaunard) has a voice that can long capture a satisfied listener’s ear. The women’s chorus was tremendous, the men’s was not. That was the pity. In such a small production, theatrical and vocal inexperience stands out. Lack of super titles, which could have been displayed on the hall’s small screen, also kept on the reminder light that this was indeed budget opera. The setting would have been given a great boost with just a little more effort into props. Standing ovation to pianist Gertrude Dubanski who gave a thoroughly brava performance as orchestra and as vocal compass.

Classical pianist Di Wu performed Sunday afternoon in Pacifca. Her technically commanding, highly listenable program was entitled “The Art of Transcription” and featured such works as: “Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major” (Bach, transcription by Rachmaninoff); “Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Mendelssohn, transcription by Rachmaninoff); and “Fantasy on themes from The Marriage of Figaro” (Mozart, transcription by Liszt/Busoni.)

Wu, whose sound was as imaginative, articulate and expansive as the program she presented – played with unfathomable dexterity and expressivity over tumultuous and spiritual passage. Her virtuosic ease with the keyboard allowed her to naturally orchestrate each piece with affection and vitality. And, despite her jaw-dropping résumé – Master of Music degree from The Julliard School, currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at Julliard under Joseph Kalichstein and Robert McDonald, various prestigious competition wins and performances at such world-class venues as Carnegie Hall (twice) – 23-year-old Wu introduced each piece and the reasons why she chose to perform it, with all the thrill of a big time fan. In addition, she sincerely thanked her audience for coming. With her aptitude for beautiful music and her welcome mat to the irresistible adventure of a time when Haydn was king, pianist Di Wu may well be the key to bringing audiences of all backgrounds and ages back into the arms of classical music.

Wayne Wallace has a tremendous style on trombone. He takes from his variety of musical contexts, which includes Latin-jazz and funk, and blows a steady stream of playtime. He played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. He played with the members of his Quintet: Murray Low on piano, David Belove on bass, Paul Van Wageningen on drums and Michael Spiro on congas. Together the Quintet was relaxed polish: keeping their music blazing whether it was humming or kicked up a notch in volume. They played Miles Davis and Oscar Hammerstein, Sonny Rollins, Jovino Santos Neto, Wayne Wallace and more. Solo voices headlined each number with a lot of instrumental maturity and smolder – then the band would fall in together to become a liquid rhythm plane. Not an evening for much chat, from the stage or from the audience but the groove was irresistible. (http://www.walacomusic.com/)

Rhonda Benin is right about a lot of things. She is right that among the great songwriters of the 20th century, in this case specifically focusing on composers from 1960 on up, there are African American songwriters whose names belong on the top of that list: Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Sly Stone – and that’s the short list. Included on the Benin Saturday night right set were: “People Get Ready” (Mayfield); “Higher Ground” (Wonder); “Reach Out And Touch” (Ashford and Simpson), “What’s Going On” (Benson, Cleveland and Gaye); “Lean On Me” (Withers); and “Stand” (Stone.)

She is right when she told her Pacifica Performances audience that: “In our society we need to come up and focus on things like love and humanity and helping each other. These songs, which everybody knows, have messages of love, peace and hope and a better tomorrow.” Not to mention some honeyed grooves.

Accompanied by extraordinary musicians – Terry Scott on piano/keyboard, Ron Belcher on standup bass, Joey Truso on drums and Cedricke Dennis on guitar; Benin pulled her audience out of their seats and onto the dance floor with her energy, her obvious sense of sharing fun and the purr and the fireworks of a stirring vocal that knows how to wrap itself around a word and a note and send it right to the listener’s heart.

The thing that is really right about Rhonda Benin is she is so right to be singing. She’s got a voice, a style and a presentation that is a better day.

Vibrant rhythms and elegant melodies sweep in memories of pre-revolutionary Havana. Elegant waltz, salsa and bolero – yesterday’s classics find a comfortable way to be in today’s contemporary music world. This is the presentation of the eight-piece Afro-Cuban Latin ensemble Los Boleros; a band that inspires its audience to whisper, to dance, to romance. Los Boleros played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances Sanchez Concert Hall to a house full and attentive to each and every groove. Maybe even still you can hear the sound of satisfied sighs.

Members of Los Boleros are: band co-founder Ivan Chancay on lead vocals and rhythm guitar; band co-founder and leader Rudy Furlan on tres Cubano and back-up vocals; Jeannie McKenzie on violin, Dave Somers on tenor sax and flute, Dominic Cabrera and Jack Lawlor on percussion, Eugene Warren on upright bass and Zareen on lead vocals and percussion. Songs included on their play list were: “Negra Tomasa,” “El Carretero,” “Como Fue” and “Cuarto de Tula.”

The band played dazzling ballads and smoky island colors. Clave, tumbao and tres Cubano (guitar-like instrument with three double strings) circled and captured each song with their fire. Extraordinary sax and violin solos caused thrilled whistles and booming applause. Their vocals invited listeners to relax and be embraced by the comfort of friends. With Los Boleros there is always room for another moment, another song – and even time stops to listen. Tune into the party at: http://www.losboleros.net/.

There’s got to be some music that just makes Mother Earth sway a little in her axis – that music has got to be Ed Johnson and his band Novo Tempo. They play samba like a wind breath and bossa nova like berries in a spray of fall. What’s more Johnson can write songs that whisper Brazil back in the day when Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes were teaching cool jazz a new walk.

For many Bay Area listeners with an ear for what is smooth and what is hot, the mention of Bay Area guitarist, composer, vocalist and arranger Ed Johnson playing at a local venue is enough to vault out of the recliner and into the musical arms of Johnson in concert. But look who Ed invited to be in his band. There is Jennifer Scott on piano and vocals, John Worley on trumpet and flugelhorn, Kristen Strom on sax and flute and backup vocals, Scott Sorkin on guitar, Rene Worst on bass, Jason Lewis on drums and Michaelle Goerlitz on percussion. This is like putting vinyl on the turntable when 8 out of 8 songs are gold; except of course, there’s that extra kicker of hearing gold, live. Novo Tempo played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances. They treated their full-house crowd to Johnson’s latest CD, “The Other Road” along with songs from Johnson’s 2004 release “Movimento.” We also heard songs composed by Jobim, Scott Sorkin, Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster. You could count the great songs of this concert on both hands and both feet, with no song out. Extra fanning on the Ed Johnson arranged “Certain Smile” featuring Johnson, Scott and Strom on 3-part harmony. Nice to know that real artists are still out there waiting to give everything for those so glad for the listen.

People thought Frank Sinatra, Gary Puckett, Jim Morrison and Sammy Davis, Jr. were the chipotle in the hot sauce, the sizzle in the barbecue, the nitro in the glycerin – but they are just fans to the flame when it comes to the megaton attraction of star blazing dynamo Mr. Bud Euripides Luvalopolis, aka Bud E. Luv. He sang Saturday night at Pacifica Performances Sanchez Concert Hall. He dished out his devil-may-care hunkatude with long-time band mates and three-alarm compadres, Michael Ludwig von Luvinsky (Mikey Luv) on backup vocals, keyboards and synthesizer and Marcus Aurelius Luvinowitz (Markey Luv) on backup vocals, guitar and saxophone. Songs covered in Set One were the hits of the famous written by the fabulous Bud E. Tunes by Elvis, Tony Orlando, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Louis Prima, Sammy Davis Jr., Gary Pucket, Chicago, Eddie Holman, Bobby Vinton, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and Eddie Van Halen – poured forth like honey from the Gifted’s (that would be Mr. Luv) golden chords. Set Two was six horns and a full rhythm section, Mr. Luv on heart stopping croon and special guest, Ms. Christina A. (or Desiree), snapping out vocal mastery with the vocal master himself.

And here’s the real sequined jacket cincher; underneath the absolute perfect pitch Las Vegas silliness, Bud E. Luv is a first rate entertainer who can sing gloriously and put on one heck of a show and Mikey and Markey are on the same virtuosic page. Get yourself to a Luverly concert. Check out the man and the magic at http://www.budeluv.com/

Similar to the oboe, the bassoon has a wonderful other worldly sound. It was played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances Sanchez Concert Hall. Joined by cellist Rebecca Rust and pianist Vera Breheda, bassoonist Friedrich Edelmann presented the far too under represented bassoon like a beacon to classical composition. His notes were inviting and supple, gracefully mellow and as needed charged with intricate festivity.

The first piece, written by Beethoven originally for bassoon and clarinet, was played by husband and wife Edelmann and Rust on bassoon and cello, respectively. The two instruments blended and balanced with Rust ribboning through evocative baritone strings while Edelmann stole through expressive rapid movements. Pianist Breheda and cellist Rust presented the next piece “12 Variations in G-Major for Cello and Piano on a theme of Handel’s opera: Judas Maccabaeus” (Beethoven). Rust, a brilliant cellist, has a virtuosic tone and captivating control. Pianist Breheda has the ability to immerse herself into the musical articulation of Beethoven with clarity and color and ease of phrasing. Together they created a generous and thoughtful partnership and a beautiful Beethoven.

Piano and cello played sweet, intricate tones softly lapping, while bassoon wound its way below and between like a great deep river – denying thrilled listeners absolutely nothing in the performers’ chill-making presentation of “Trio Pathetique” for cello, bassoon and piano by Glinka. In a program which also included “Black Swan for Cello and Piano” (Villa-Lobos) and “Sonata e-minor op. 38 for Cello and Piano” (Brahms) – these individual stars, bassoonist Edelmann, cellist Rust and pianist Breheda, collectively became a symphonic universe.