By Chris Young
Daily Bruin Contributor
In the crisp, cool air of Saturday night, you could hear music
playing from the hills of Los Angeles.
Well, almost.
The music floated out of the Ford Amphitheater, a 1200-seat
outdoor performance space near the Hollywood Bowl. It set up a
relaxed atmosphere for the “Jazz on a June Night”
concert, part of a series presented by the Jazz Bakery. Built on
hilly terrain and surrounded by trees and stone walls, the Ford
Amphitheater lent a spacious feeling to the concert as medleys of
notes drifted through the crisp June night air.
The concert launched with Billy Childs’ piano trio,
featuring bassist Billy Mohler and drummer Rob Perkins. The band
took a relaxed tempo in “I Hear a Rhapsody,” letting
the melody carry itself forward. Childs’ bobbing, weaving
improvisations danced along, spurring the trio to a higher level of
excitement.
The show-stoppers were the vocalists Freelon and Lundy. First
Freelon came onstage and sang, accompanied by Childs’ group.
She gave stirring performances of a fast tune, then a medium-tempo
song that sounded like both a lullaby and a swing-era dance
tune.
After a beautiful ballad by Freelon and Childs’ trio,
Lundy came onstage. Her low notes in “The Language of
Love” filled the air with a haunting power.
Freelon and Lundy then took the microphone together and sang
powerful duets. They projected a commanding presence as they sang
solos over grooves set up by Childs’ and company. Their
voices had different textures: Freelon’s boasted a joyful,
sweet quality while Lundy’s possessed a deep, luscious
character. Together, their voices suggested two silk ribbons
blowing in the wind, crossing and weaving about each other in an
ethereal dance.
Next onstage came Prime, a trio with Tom Ranier on piano, Peter
Donald on drums, and Abraham Laboriel on bass, playing a collection
of original tunes with an intense groove.
Ranier’s agile piano solos in “Three on a
Rhapsody” and “In the Still of the Night” were
jaw-dropping, as were Laboriel’s funky and supportive bass
lines. Donald’s intricate drum beats and fills propelled the
rhythm. Ranier and Laboriel performed some interesting unison
phrases in “Teach Me Your Past,” with head-nodding
solos by Donald and Ranier. Prime’s sound contrasted well
with the vocalists and the next group, the Terence Blanchard
Sextet.
Blanchard’s outfit kicked off with a scorching version of
Miles Davis’ song “The Sorcerer.” Blanchard,
Brince Winston on tenor sax and Aaron Fletcher on alto sax played
solos in turn, all favoring harmonically complex ideas. Their lines
hit the audience with a fiery intensity that dissipated gradually,
like lightning burned into your retina.
Edward Simon’s piano solo on the next ballad was
hauntingly beautiful, as was Blanchard’s trumpet solo. Derek
Nievergelts’ bass and Eric Harland’s drums fueled the
fire under the soloists. The sextet wrapped up its set with a
chorus of the blues.
Unfortunately, some groups were forced to cut songs short due to
lack of time, and during parts of the show a low buzz was heard
from the loudspeakers.
That notwithstanding, “Jazz on a June Night”
entertained the crowd and the performers alike; the music simply
came alive.
MUSIC: The Jazz Bakery, located at 3233 Helms Avenue in Los
Angeles, has seven nights of jazz a week, year-round. Call (310)
271-9039 or go to www.thejazzbakery.com for more
information.