As scales tipped the 100-degree mark last weekend, the Beast decided to check out Bennie Maupin's hour-long set at the Jazz Explosion III, a California Jazz Foundation benefit at Pasadena’s All Saints Church. The maestro was conducting his Ikeda Kings Orchestra, a big band teaching ensemble he formed under the aegis of SGI-USA, the Buddhist organization that also counts Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock as members. In Mr. Maupin's words to the audience: "Unless you're at UCLA or USC, you don't get a chance to do this." Sweeping his hand over the 25-member band, he added: "We came from the streets, not academia."
Bennie Maupin conducts the IKEDA Kings Orchestra with vocalist Neeyah Lynn Rose
Anyone familiar with Mr. Maupin's classic work with Miles Davis and Hancock's Headhunters (or even his most recent efforts on Cryptogramophone) can see a different side of the saxophonist/clarinetist when he conducts the IKO. The band -- 5 saxophones, 1 bass, 2 keyboards, 1 guitar, 6 trombones, 1 french horn, 5 trumpets, 4 percussionists -- provided the most sternum-rattling moments (we were right up next to stage left) during jaunty instrumental workouts like "Wind Swept" (with a terrific tenor sax break from John Armstrong) and “Lester Jumps Out.” Their set was laden with Latin-heavy arrangements on songs like "Patina Latina" and a bossa nova read of Lieber-Stoller's "Save the Last Dance for Me" replete with mariachi-style trumpets and Phil Edwards’ supple vocal accompaniment.
Maupin centered the set around vocalists whom he admitted he "loved to play with." They included Edwards, Jen Yim and Dee Dee McNeil, who sparkled on "Imagination" and "Fly Me to the Moon," after which Maupin remarked off-mike: "Ah, the voice of experience." Linda Faye closed the set with a smoldering take on Antonio Carlos Jobim’s "Desafinado" and the Vanessa Williams ballad “Colors of the Wind" before closing with the old Eddie Floyd barn-burner "Knock on Wood." (Check out pics from the performance here.) After the set, we caught guests like Mr. Buddy Collette, Mimi Melnick and co-host “Dr.” Jeffrey Winston, who revealed the tough and sluggish negotiations currently underway to keep the World Stage Jazz Festival on the rails for this summer. Keep your economically declined fingers crossed.
EN OTRO NOTICIAS
Bill Milkowski interviews extended Crypto pal and frequent Cline Brothers collaborator Gregg Bendian for All About Jazz.
On July 31, the Los Angeles New Music Ensemble will present "Time, Minimalism and Electronics," a summer program centered around California composer Terry Riley's 1964 masterpiece In C at Columbia College in Tarzana.
Bassist Nick "The Kid" Rosen sent us this message yesterday: Hey Everyone, I have just finished my first full length album entitled Into the Sky after over a year a half of work. It is produced by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Carlos Nino, and features all new music of mine with a lot of great musicians from around LA. In celebration of this new album, I will be playing a show coming up on August 3rd at the Mint to play the new music from the album with a live band. This will also be my group's only west coast performance this whole year, so don't miss it. I have a really great group lined up for the night and I will have some copies of the album to give away.
The Nick Rosen Group:
Nick Rosen-basses, vocals, acoustic guitar
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson-viola
Josh Nelson-keys
Brian Green-guitars
Mike Bennett-drums
plus special guest vocalists
Live at the Mint
Monday, August 3rd
7:30pm, $8
6010 W. Pico Blvd
LA, CA
www.themintla.com
