Tenor Truth
By Kirk Silsbee
The Texas-born tenor saxophonist Billy Harper started coming to L.A. in 1966, when he lit up Royce Hall with the Gil Evans Orchestra. Evans made Harper one of the main solo voices in the former’s epochal Svengali album of ’73. A tenure with Max Roach further seasoned Harper, who has long been one of the greatest living tenor saxophonists. His strong voice on the horn clearly carries a spiritual dimension. Harper makes a rare visit, as he continues through Saturday at the Jazz Bakery. Don’t you dare miss him.
Blues singer and guitarist Eric Bibb – something of a Taj Mahal lite – is at McCabe’s Sunday, singing of men, mules, and the Holy Spirit. Guitarist Robben Ford isn’t much of a singer but he’s a hell of a jazz-informed blues guitarist. He’s got Gary Novak supplying drum heat on Ford’s new Truth (Concord) CD and the two of them supply incentive to see Ford at Catalina’s, Friday to Sunday. Improvisational guitarist Tom McNalley, fresh from a New York interlude where he had a month-long intensive playing with Ornette Coleman, is at Dangerous Curve (1020 E. Fourth Pl., downtown L.A., 213-617-8483; 7 p.m.; $7-10) Sunday. Talk about getting’ mean on your instrument … John Pizzarelli, heir to a formidable swing guitar heritage, sings and (let’s hope) plays in tribute to Sinatra at the Disney on Sunday. Tuesday at the Bakery, Mike Melvoin, one of our most accomplished jazz pianists, leads his trio. From classical pieces to the keyboards on “Good Vibrations,” Melvoin’s got a lot under his musical belt buckle.
For info, see Jazz, Blues, Latin; Rock, Pop, Acoustic; and Concerts listings.
Published: 03/12/2008
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