RVANews

One more once for Mingus

Dean Christesen — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:00:02 +0000

Listen to "Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too" by Charles Mingus:
[audio: http://media.rvanews.com/dontbeafraidtheclownsafraidtoo.mp3|titles= Don't Be Afraid The Clown's Afraid Too|artists=Charles Mingus]

If you thought last Sunday was your only chance to catch the Richmond Mingus Awareness Project, you thought wrong. The crew is bringing the program to Williamsburg this Sunday where they'll perform at the College of William & Mary's Sadler Center Tidewater Room. Adam Larrabee Trio plays Money Jungle. MAP Big Band directed by Doug Richards. Amazing t-shirts for sale. They'll all be there.

At CenterStage nearly two weeks ago, Guitarist Larrabee, drummer and event producer Brian Jones, and bassist Randall Pharr began the night with choices from the classic Ellington/Mingus/Roach album. Their creative "Caravan" and slow and dark "Fleurette Africaine" stood out as my favorites, as well as Larrabee's breathtaking solo rendition of "Solitude" that made me wonder if the song should really be played any other way.

The MAP's Big Band stacked roster of musicians always provides for an amazing set. Trumpeters John D'earth and Michael Davison played off each other in great solos, vocalist John Winn was delightful on Richards's arrangement of "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" (one of Mingus's tributes to the bandleader extraordinaire), and the whole ensemble sounded tight under Richards's unmistakably eccentric leadership.

If you're tempted to make the drive on Sunday, give in. You won't regret it.

View event details (pdf)

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Jazz tonight

Dean Christesen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:55:03 +0000

School's back in session, and your choices for jazz tonight are reflective of that. This just in: The John Winn-tet is playing a free concert tonight at the Henrico Theatre from 7 to 9. The theatre requests you call in advance to reserve your seat. Check out some details below, courtesy Adam Larrabee:

We'll be playing all kinds of jazz-oriented music, some singing, some swinging, some funk, some ballads, and maybe a surprise or two. Also a couple of funny, and poignant songs. The band will be:
John Winn: Sax & Vocals
Adam Larrabee: guitar
Randall Pharr: bass
Brian Caputo: drums.
There is a strong possibility that Daniel Clarke will drop in to play some piano as well (if his plane gets in from Minneapolis in time).

View event details

Also tonight: Hotel X • 6.00pm; Wine Tasting featuring Carol Covell & Stan Smith Duo • 6.30pm; BopNation • 8.00pm; Jason Jenkins Trio • 8.00pm; Roger D. Carroll & Chez Roue • 9.00pm; No BS! Brass • 9.30pm.

Bogart's: New Location, Stage, and Vibe

Dean Christesen — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:56:00 +0000

I walked into Bogart's last night to see John Winn and his quartet. Upon entering the door, I looked at the band to my right and noticed, to my surprise, that they were elevated.

In the past couple weeks, I have been a bit hard on the relocated venue about the lack of the mysterious vibe and personality that the old location's back room had. After all, the new location has no back room, and when I first visited on a music-less night, a waitress informed me the bands would be tucked into a corner behind some booths. And that they were for the first few weeks that Bogart's was back in business. Some great music happened, but it was hard to picture a thriving demand for music taking place there in the long term.

Devonne Harris and Randall Pharr

Well, those booths are gone now and in their place lies a raised, carpeted, trapezoidal stage. The dynamic of the place has changed dramatically. The music seems to serve a purpose, as you can now see the performers from just about any place in the room. Whereas during my first visit I could not tell what the restaurant was going for, it is now more evident than ever. There's more of a modern classy feel to it than at the old location. Big thrown back curtains and bright neon saxophones in the windows add to the vibe, but the stage definitely makes a huge difference. The stage was constructed yesterday afternoon, owner Nick Hanson said, just in time for last night's performance.

Adam Larrabee and John Winn

While next week's music schedule is empty save for a private party with The Recliners, Hanson informed me they plan on scheduling regular jazz soon. That schedule will be available here next week.

The location on N. Lombardy St. that was formerly home to Bogart's will soon open as Baliceaux under ownership of Steve and Lainie Gratz. According to Hanson, it is scheduled to open in late July ("which means September," he notes) as an upscale French restaurant named after an uninhabited island in the Caribbean. They still plan on having live music. What they have done with the back room, says Hanson, is quite impressive.

Tonight at Bogart's is Summer Brass Fest, featuring Jeff Albert Quartet from New Orleans, No BS! Brass, R2Dtoo, and Verbatim. Come see the stage and check out Bogart's new thing for yourself. - DC

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Summer Brass Fest at Bogart's

No BS! Brass, Jeff Albert Quartet, R2Dtoo, Verbatim

Music starts at 9pm

$7, 21+
1903 Cary St., Richmond, VA 23220

Branford Marsalis Demonstrates Leadership in the West End

Dean Christesen — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:21:00 +0000

This RVAjazz original review has been published by All About Jazz.

Read the article here

[where: 711 St. Christopher's Rd., Richmond, VA 23226]

Catch Adam Larrabee This Weekend

Dean Christesen — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 01:30:00 +0000

Adam Larrabee's compositions based on Bulgarian, Turkish and Middle Eastern music require intense focus and concentration to perform. Rehearsals are of utmost importance, but considering at least three members of the quintet are "full-time daddies" as well as first-call musicians, it can be difficult to work around everyone's schedule. Larrabee (gtr), J.C. Kuhl (sax), John Winn (sax), Randall Pharr (bs), and Brian Jones (dr) may not be playing as many Balkan tunes as Larrabee had hoped to this Sunday at Commercial Taphouse, but the music will still be polished and stunning. Although "the more adventurous" ones, as Larrabee describes them, will be omitted, the set will likely contain several Larrabee and Jones originals.

The Taphouse has heard Brian Jones's original music for years. If walls could talk, these would rave about his various interesting instrumentations, his unique and intense compositions, and his drum solos which often draw almost humorous inspiration from the chatter of the bar flies. Larrabee's music, on the other hand, is new to the Taphouse, at least in this decade. Teaching at the New England Conservatory for the last 9 years, he has been living in Boston, but he has adapted quickly to teaching and playing in Richmond for the first time since his graduate studies at VCU.

The same group, minus Kuhl, can be heard at Bogart's tonight, Friday, as The John Winn-tet. Larrabee expects to play "mostly a mix of standards, obscure pop covers and original jazz pieces and arrangements." John Winn's smooth vocals are sure to delight on a few numbers as well.

If you can't catch either of these dates, Larrabee plays duo with Bob Hallahan every Tuesday night from 8-10 at Infuzion, the hip new club in Scott's Addition.

The John Winn-tet
Friday, February 29
Bogart's Back Room
9:30 pm
21+, $5 cover
[where: 203 N. Lombardy St., Richmond, VA 23220]

Adam Larrabee, John Winn, J.C. Kuhl, Randall Pharr, Brian Jones
Sunday, March 2
Commercial Taphouse
9 pm
All ages, no cover
[where: 111 N. Robinson St., Richmond, VA 23220]