Soul Sauce: l-r shown – Pablo Calagero, Ross Schodek,Peter Burke, Bryan Valasco, Rafael Feliciano, Don Littleton, Andrew Acosta
It’s not everyday you can jump in your car and drive to a spot, then wind up in the middle of the 1960s jazz scene Los Angeles. Back then you could still catch great latin jazz bands coming through like Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria or Tito Puente. Well.. maybe I didn’t wind up in the middle of the 1960s, BUT, I had the next best thing..I drove to Roscoe’s Seabird Lounge in Long Beach where I was able to experience the Cal Tjader legacy band, Soul Sauce.Right now this group of heady musicians are keeping the Latin Jazz legacy alive with a “no-nonsense” or frilly over-produced electronic sound presentation..Working directly with the Cal Tjader songbook, Soul Sauce is conjuring up the hey-days of the Hollywood Palladium or the Lighthouse jazz cafe in the early to late 1960s. Toss in a large group of fun people who love old school latin dancing of Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambos and Boleros. It’s a great recipe for a fun-filled evening, complete with all the appropriate cocktails.(try the Golden Cadillac Margaritas)
I first saw the group at the LA County Art Museum with special guest saxophonist, Justo Almario. Group spokesman, Don Littleton told me, the group had not played the club for a couple of years or so, “I thought it would be a great spot to come in on Sunday afternoons from 5-9pm, a perfect time for “Angelenos” looking for a place that’s fun, has live music and, you can dance to it.”
Members in the Band are Peter Burke Vibes, Bass Ross Schodek, Rafael Feliciano on Timbales/Conga, Bryan Valasco Piano/Keyboards, Don Littleton on Trap Drums, Conga, Bongos & Timbales. Special Guest players, Pablo Calogero Sax/Flute and Andrew Acosta – Conga, assorted Percussion.
Band spokesman, Don Littleton Congo solo out front with Andrew Acosta in background
Currently the Soul Sauce Band is playing on Sundays afternoons at 5pm until 9pm at Roscoe’s Seabird Lounge 730 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 522-8488 Call for the performance schedules or go to website~ http://www.seabirdloungelbc.com
file photo by Robert Carmack Patrice Rushen & Carmen Lundy shown at Ford Theater Hollywood
Once in a lunar eclipse weekend you might get some pretty good entertainment in selected spots around Los Angeles, but to get great jazz, that requires planning ahead and research. for the last 39 years , in an unlikely area of south central Los Angeles wedged between a Junior high school , railroad tracks, some proud residents, and a Los Angeles landmark , built by an immigrant, Simon Rhodia of concrete, steel and broken glass.
The Watts Towers Jazz Festival took its familiar bow September 26 & 27th . The festival features a “Day of the Drum“, with supporting activities of all cultures and ethnicities celebration of drums, throw in Jazz from around the world by local, regional and international musicians performing on a live stage that looked like a revival tent. This writer had planned in advance to get there in time to catch Carmen Lundy & Patrice Rushen performing as single acts , but also together as well.
carmen Lundy
Carmen took the stage with her own group featuring her iconic bassist and brother, Curtis Lundy. After a couple of hot jazz numbers , Carmen called up Patrice to sit in with her group on selections from her 14th new CD as a leader. Rushen was simply stellar in her improvisations on cuts like “Life is a Song in Me” and title track, “Soul to Soul”. In my humble opinion , this is Grammy material. grab a copy at your usual source for purchasing music online.
Patrice Rushen and Ndugu are both products of the Watts community ,while being alumni of Locke High school under the mentorship of musician /Educator Reggie Andrews. Patrice and Ndugu fronted an all-star band of Nedra Wheeler on Bass and Justo Almario on saxophone, Munyungo Jackson on percussion. In their set they chose to celebrate the genius of several iconic jazz masters, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver, and a couple of others to the audience’s delight.
photo by Chuck Koton
Weekend’s events were beautifully MC’d by Jazz program host James Janisse, and Poet Laureate and Griot ,Kamau Daood.
Jazz drummer Fritz Wise, Poet/Jazz griot Kamau Daood with Music journalist Robert J. Carmack @ Watts Towers Jazz Festival photo by Joyce Wilson
DALE FIELDER with PAT SENATORE TRIO at Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz
2930 N Beverly Glen Cir, Los Angeles, California 90077
The Players:Dale Fielder saxes, Tom Ranier, piano
Pat Senatore bass, Ramon Banda, drums
Check out some vintage Dale Fielder music
1993 Free Flow – Clarion Jazz
1994 Know Thyself – Clarion Jazz
1995 Dear Sir: Tribute to Wayne Shorter – Clarion Jazz
1996 Ocean of Love and Mercy: A Passion Suite-Cadence Jazz
2000 Romance Serenade – Blueport
2002 The Hipster -Clarion Jazz
2003 Howling Monk – Clarion Jazz
2004 Suite: Clarity – Clarion Jazz
2005 Baritone Sunride – Clarion Jazz
2007 Dale Fielder Quartet Plays the Music of Pepper Adams
Dream Dancing: Live A Divine Union-Clarion
Stellar Moments – Clarion
