Jack Da Hat Leaves the Stage

It's really hard to believe that Jack Da Hat, a talented entertainer, nice guy and the coolest cat I ever knew, is gone. Details are sketchy, but it sounds like he left us last Friday, taken by an aneurism. More details will surface, but it won't make me feel any better.

I got to know Jack from performing with him and also watching his show. As part of Hayward's Sycamore 129 Blues Band--a modern reformation of the legendary Dawgs, he would slide in and share with us a few of his New Orleans style songs. He'd drop by during our monthly rehearsals--you could tell when he arrived by his knowing smile beneath one of his fine fedoras, and the scent of Old Spice. Jack Da Hat was in the house!

My last chance to play bass behind his stylish lines was this October 7th. Nobody there had any hint that we were enjoying Jack for the last time. He did his great song, "That Night." Hear it here.

Jack Da Hat sang in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades, sometimes with his backup "Jackettes," and always with some good musicians behind him. Jack Luna got his nickname from Carol Doda, the famous "lady" of San Francisco's Broadway, the story goes. He got it because of his ever present hat--and from the way he wore it with confidence and style.

Jack had a chopped gray '59 Rolls-Royce that he cruised around in. It was low to the ground and unique--and suited him perfectly. With his colorful shirt, slim pony tail, sunglasses and ride--he was the best.

And now--he's gone. There is something wrong with that. I don't understand, and it hurts.

I found out about Jack yesterday afternoon, and he's been on my mind since then. Where do our friends and family go when they leave us? Why do they have to go so soon? You can tell me it's natural--the circle of life and death--even "God's will," but it always shocks me when another person I care about vaporizes. You can't help thinking that someday, it'll be your turn to leave people behind wondering and missing you, too.

We sure miss you already, Jack.

Blue Eternity Relaxes and Stimulates

Left to right: Manring, Oster, Weingarten last year

Last night I got more than I expected when I went to the 1400 Bar and Grill in Alameda, California to hear Michael Manring. Michael is one of the world's best fretless electric bassists, and he plays solo and with a variety of other interesting musicians.

I got there about 8 p.m. and found out that the music wouldn't begin until about 9:30 p.m. So--I sat and watched (without sound) a good portion of the London Olympics opening ceremony. I also started the first of two pints of Rye'd Piper, a strong, fragrant ale that 1400 offers on tap for a mere $5. When I heard a horn and bass tuning up around 9:15, I migrated to the rear of the 100-year-old facility to transition my attention to the music.

Blue Eternity, an ensemble of four fine musicians, puts out what you might call "Smooth Jazz" except that it is more than just smooth. Although the seven people at the round table near me continued with their animated conversation after the music started, I found myself riveted by the band's at times mellow, other times forceful music.

Trumpet and flugelhorn player Jeff Oster, the group's spokesperson and apparent leader, provided a clear and compelling part up front. I heard some of the great Jazz performers, such as Miles Davis, in his sound, and his own style, too. Jeff handed me his True CD to enjoy, which I will explore and blog about soon. Surrender is his latest effort, and you can find out more about it on his website.

The three other musicians are definitely not Jeff's "backup band"--all added significantly to the show. And Jeff, contributing something to the feeling of a jam, at times set down his horn and added incidental sounds from a triangle, metallic cup, or a small box that looked like a toy stove, all carefully placed on the end of his strategically located trumpet case. It all suited the mood.

Carl Weingarten, over to the left, made otherworldly sounds with his electric slide guitar, in open tuning and using looping, building a sonic orchestra of strings. Both as a perfect accompaniment for the other instruments and a thrillling soloist, he sounded like more than one guy. Carl kindly gave me one of his CDs during the break. Panomorphia is just the latest in a series of about 20 albums he's recorded over the last three decades. I look forward to exploring it and reporting back in a separate blog post.

Of course, I was there originally to hear Michael Manring, and he delivered, as always. We often think of the bass as a support, rhythm section instrument, and it does serve that function. Michael makes it do much more. While many of the selections were a mellow, trance-inducing sort, in a single droning key, a few times, Michael got things rolling and brought up the energy with his lightning-fast fingers on the fretless fingerboard. He uses various electronic effects, including something called an EBow, for extended sounds you can't get with just a pluck. He also started the second set with an extended solo performance that rocked the house, showing the tremendous range of colors and textures he can pull out of the four-string fretless bass.

After the show, I enjoyed a conversation with percussionist Tracy Tucker, who not only employed an amazing conga drum with an adjustable head (using a pedal), but sported some amazing tattoos on his arms. The theme was Indian spiritual, but also contained W.C. Fields' head. Whimsical, but serious too. Tucker helped keep the energy moving with his throbbing beat, coming closer to the foreground and then receding deftly into the background, maintaining the flow. He is also a shiatsu therapist, an area where he can influence the body in the same way his music affects the feelings and mind.

What an evening. Around 12:30 a.m., it ended and I rolled on home satisfied. A show at 1400 is an inexpensive and entertaining way to get out, and I will seek out the Blue Eternity musicians--separately and together--again. One memory--hearing Blue Eternity's last number and looking over to my left and seeing Sir Paul McCartney on three video screens playing "Hey Jude" in front of 2 billion people. The power of music.

Jazz Lives Today With Jenny Ferris and Friends

When my friend, Tony, offered an evening of live Jazz in Berkeley last night, I jumped at the chance. We were rewarded with two hours of the real deal, a good, inexpensive dinner, quality beer, and, in a way, a peek into the past.

Caffe Trieste sits at 2500 San Pablo Avenue, at Dwight, in Berkeley. It's in a quaint little business block. You enter at the corner and see the counter ahead of you, its wares displayed, and in the rest of the place, small tables with chairs. In the back, in a narrow space, were our musicians. It felt like it must have entering an Italian cafe in San Francisco's North Beach in the late 1950's. You could hear the alto sax and piano going when we arrived. Even the man next to me's horn rimmed glasses and beard evoked the time of beat poetry, plentiful Jazz, and bohemian living.

We grabbed a good table up near the musicians. Jenny Ferris, the featured vocalist, stood, and to her left was Rich Lesnik, a man with a rack of wind instruments at his disposal. He was superb on alto and soprano saxes, and the clarinet too. The flute sat until the final number, when he took it out for a spin. His many solos were finely modulated, soothing, and sometimes provided a little extra kick when he squeezed out a special high note or silky cascade of notes on the golden saxes.

Behind him, along the windows, sat Laura Klein. She was saddled with a very ungrand, but quite serviceable upright piano from which she pulled a great range of sounds. She comped behind soloists and singer when she wasn't providing a rousing solo of her own. She displayed a wide range of dynamics and could really build a phrase up to a satisfying conclusion. Laura also teaches the Alexander Technique.

Behind Laura, Ron Crotty held down the upright bass duties with ease. I later spoke with Ron, who told me he was 83 and had been playing bass for 65 years! You could tell. He had the right stuff. He also said he was Dave Brubeck's first bassist, and that's definitely a great thing to have in your CV. Ron provided a number of subtle, but always swinging solos.

Way in back of the narrow band space sat Tom Hassett, a popular local Jazz drummer, who played so subtly at times using his white brushes on seasoned skins, that you could hardly hear him. But you could always sense his presense, keeping the numbers moving. He pulled out the sticks sometimes in the more uptempo songs. Tom got a chance at a few solos and provided a nice tour of his modest drum kit. My companion Tony, a drummer himself, studied Tom's every move, and had a chance to talk shop with him after the show.

The group played two sets, featuring a range of Jazz classics, but especially fine selections from Johnny Mercer, including Come Rain or Shine, Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive and My Shining Hour. Jenny produced a CD, Day In Day Out, in 2005 that features 15 Mercer compositions. It was for sale at the show; click the link to learn more or order your own copy.

Jenny is the kind of singer you like right away and still enjoy after a set or two. She doesn't push too hard, and has a great range and a delightful subtlety of phrasing. She told me that she has performed for a long time, and she displays both the depth you acquire with experience and a smoothness that shows she hasn't abused her instrument.

All too soon, the two hours were over. My visit to 1958 ended, but the good feelings were only beginning. I'll enjoy exploring the CD now as well.

Jazz Summit III - The Power of Amateur Musicianship

I got to hear an afternoon of Jazz last Sunday that was way about what I had expected. I got an invitation to come to the Netivot Shalom synagogue to hear the Albany Jazz Big Band, with whom my ex-wife, an excellent singer, performs. What I got was the exciting and very rhythmic Netivot Shalom Jazz/Klez Band, let by Rabbi Stuart Kelman on clarinet, the quite impressive 25-piece Albany Jazz Band, and then, when I thought the show was already very fine for a mere $5 donation, out came the 17-piece Jazzschool Adult Big Band.

As far as I know, none of these talented musicians is a professional, but you'd never know it by the show. The Jazzschool, an institution of scholarship and musical training, had their reputation further polished by the set these folks delivered. Great solos, a nicely blended and powerful ensemble sound, and some animated and spot on conducting by saxophonist Dave LeFebvre. As a bassist, I was especially taken with Jon Randall's switch-hitting, moving smoothly from upright to five-string electric bass.

The Albany Jazz Big Band reminded me of my own Castro Valley Chamber Orchestra. Folks assemble to improve their skills and have a great time. I spoke with Wendy, who had taken up the saxophone in her 50's after seeing her son do the same. She performed a fine solo near the end of the set that showed that her work and dedication were paying off.

The singers with the band put their well-rehearsed pipes to work over the big sound and if you half closed your eyes, you might think you were in a club 50 years ago, hearing the original real deal. Conductor Bob Levenson was fun to watch, his long hair flying, his baton constantly in motion. My ex's two songs, of course, were sensational.

The synagogue's groups I knew less well, but they made a perfect warm-up. They truly mixed the Jewish klezmer sound with the big band Jazz feel for a very satisfying show. An affiliated choral group also appeared and sang some old Yiddish songs--which seemed appropriate in the sanctuary of the synagogue.

A note on that fine building. Located along a major thoroughfare in college city Berkeley, California, the modern and recent Netivot Shalom synagogue has lots of glass and feels wide open. This says something about how synagogues are perceived and respected today in America. Recognition of this happy situation stands in sad contrast to the shootings that occurred right in front of the Jewish school in Toulouse, France at almost the same time.

Robert Schoen Quartet: Memorable Memories

Last night I had the pleasure of hearing Catherine DeCuir sing 21 beautiful songs accompanied by Robert Schoen's Jazz trio. I have known Ms. DeCuir and heard her fine voice for many years, but finally she's in the perfect setting to highlight her considerable talents.

The highly skilled band, which played a few numbers on their own to give Ms. DeCuir a break about 2/3 of the way through the two-hour set, is led by Robert Schoen on keyboard with Jamie Dowd on bass and John Remenarich holding down the drum duties. These guys obviously have been around and know their stuff. Photo, left to right: Schoen, DeCuir, Remenarich, Dowd.

Ms. DeCuir adds a powerful vocal element that, if you squint and ignore your cell phone, would put you right into the past. She sang 21 songs ranging from I've Got Rhythm (Gershwin) to Under the Boardwalk (classic Motown). She sang just as well in Spanish and in French ("La Vie en Rose") as she did in English. She also sang in Portuguese for two Brazilian songs ("Mas Que Nada" and "Tristeza"). It was heaven.

This all took place in a warm and friendly Thai restaurant, Saysetha, on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland near the Berkeley border. My spicy chicken with cashews went well with a nice Singha Thai beer.

The music ended too soon, but you can hear the quartet at Saysetha almost every Thursday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Jazz, KCSM, and John Coltrane

I had the pleasure of listening to my ex sing in her latest group the other night. It was a small place right on the main drag, two doors from the local movie theater. Just as you walked in the door you'd practically stumble across the five--two lady singers, the guitarist/leader, upright bass and saxophone. They played three sets of jazz and pop standards impeccably--and with lots of feeling and warmth.

It all made me hungry for some more Jazz, so I turned to KCSM 91.1-- the Bay Area's Jazz Station. KCSM plays all Jazz all the time, and has for years. Taking over the massive record library of KJAZ, its noble predecessor, the station now boasts the third largest Jazz collection in the country--and one of the others is at the Smithsonian!

So, on went the radio and before long I was caught up in a multi-hour special presentation on the great saxophonist John Coltrane. His story is well known to Jazz aficionados. He was huge in the 1950's and 60's, with the up and down life that he led fueled by an intense focus (he practiced all the time), his musical vision and, sadly, some heroin addition too (which he did kick in a spiritual discovery).

At home, I listened to the rest of the special and then put on my copy of Giant Steps, one of his great albums. Man, it sounded good. Then, I called KCSM and renewed my membership. The station, based at the College of San Mateo, a local community college, is commercial free (that means 100 percent music and very deep expertise from its seasoned staff). I rejoined with pleasure. If you're a Jazz enthusiast, you should be a member. If you're not in the area, you can hear them online--so no excuses!

Wine, Tapas and New Orleans Jazz Satisfy Completely

Last night, I was looking for some action and decided to visit a small restaurant that was featuring a quartet. Based on not much more information than that, I drove to the warm center of San Leandro, California (just over the hill) and checked out The Vines Wine & Tapas, which sits right next to the popular Englander restaurant/bar/music venue.

Well, it turns out the quartet was Mike Slack's New Orleans Jazz Band, and they put on an energy-packed show worthy of Bourbon Street. Spun off from the larger San Francisco Feetwarmers, these guys filled the charming, brick-walled, wood-ceilinged venue at just the right volume and intensity to make it possible to talk with the friendly wait staff but at the same time motivate the crowd.

I sat by myself at a small table close to the band. A smiling waitress handed me a single-sheet menu filled with, naturally, wine and tapas offerings. Tapas are appetizers, meant to not distract from conversation in the Spanish cuisine, and they certainly didn't distract from the Jazz.

I ordered two items from the menu of about 27 selections. From the Cheese and Meat section I picked the Manchega cheese made from sheep's milk (creamy good, and it came with raisins, walnuts and slices of baguette. The other was the Garlic Shrimp from the Tapas listing. Delightfully rich, it was five luscious shrimp with garlic sauce on top of baguette slices. Be sure to see the complete menu by clicking the restaurant's link above.

Meanwhile, the band took a break and I was able to talk with them. It was Mike Slack, the leader, on cornet. He used four different mutes for a range of sounds, but always blew strong and true. Louis Armstrong is a major force in Dixieland Jazz and surely was an inspiration. Pete Main deftly handled the clarinet and saxophone, switching off as needed. He also blew strong and sweet, with a warm tone and quick fingers.

In the the rhythm section was Bill DeKuiper strumming a nice Gibson guitar. His chords kept things moving, and his solos were melodic and showed alacrity. I especially liked his Wes Montgomery style octaves. Carrying it all at the bottom was Tom Clark, playing a beautiful blonde string bass. He kept that baby moving throughout, and got plenty of shots at virtuosic solos too on the warm-toned gut strings. He told me he's played for 50 years and you can really tell. All four musicians blended together well, just like the delicious food on the small square and rectangular plates in front of me.

Songs included fast and slow numbers, including the traditional Just a Closer Walk, the Winin' Boy Blues, and a rousing "When the Saints Go Marchin' In" to close the show.

I picked a nice glass of 2007 Baileyana Pinot Noir from Edna Valley, California, which arrived in a large wineglass--the better to enjoy the nose. It was a recommendation from the wait staff. I was full from the food, but decided I'd better sample from the desserts too to make the evening complete. The lava cake with vanilla ice cream was perfect--the cake hot and softly melting in the middle with the ice cream a firm scoop. I came out even with alternating bites!

The entire meal was $33, including tax--quite reasonable. You could have one tapa and skip dessert and it would be downright inexpensive. The music was free, but of course I threw money in the tip jar and bought one of the group's CDs called West End Blues.

The band plans to return to the Vine in October, but you can check their schedule, and the Vines is always there Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. at 135 Parrott Street in San Leandro.

Joe Morello, Dave Brubeck Drummer, Dies at 82

Over the last several years I have gained more awareness of and enthusiasm for Jazz--a music form that surrounds us in America but about which I was fairly ignorant. I now have a stash of CDs and significant iPod space devoted to some high spots. And--I support my local Jazz FM station, KCSM, with a donation every year.

Dave Brubeck is definitely cool, and his longtime drummer, Joe Morello, could really make those skins dance. He now joins the legion of departed Jazz legends. The photo to the left is from 1962.

Take Five was a huge hit in 1959 on the album of the same name. It was in an unusual (Jazzy) 5/4 time, which made it stand out. With its energy and feeling of movement, it's been a favorite for movie and TV soundtracks.

Check out this story and video of Joe and the gang in a French filming of a fast rendition of the tune.

Thoughts While Driving

There was frost on my 2011 Suzuki Kizashi test car this morning as I took off for work. I switched from my usual hat with the bass clef on it to my 25-year-old wool cap. Just the thing for what's turning out to be an unusually cold January in Northern California.

My iPod decided to randomly pick more Jazz than usual today, and it was a fine accompaniment to the fairly smooth ride in. Brad Meldau's piano played nicely off Larry Grenadier's always-terrific bass work; I got two cuts from Bill Evans' Village Vanguard recordings featuring my favorite Jazz bassist, Scott LaFaro, doing his thing. Miles Davis and Oscar Peterson contributed too.

Funny things to see: A flatbed carrying nine portapotties--with a tenth towed behind it on its own tiny trailer. A Toyota 4Runner with the license plate WEEEZL.

The Suzuki is very comfortable. Of course you always wonder who the buyer will be for a brand best known for its motorcycles. But this is a very good car, especially with its quick-shifting six-speed manual transmission, 26 miles per gallon, and upscale interior.