Trumpeting a Year Before It Hits Crescendo

Six months into 1998, and a lot of jazz has already come down the pike. What kind of year has it been so far for jazz in the Southland? Not bad at all, if a bit uneven at times. Here’s a month-by-month look at the first half of 1998, and some performances to look forward to heading toward 1999.

* January: The first month of the year is almost always a slow period, and 1998 was no exception. But it started well with pianist Brad Mehldau’s thoughtful chamber jazz set in a Music in Historic Sites program at the Cicada restaurant a few days into the new year.

* February: This month belonged to the Jazz Bakery, with three markedly disparate bookings. Jerry Gonzalez and the Ft. Apache Band opened with a collection of propulsive Latin-styled jazz. A week later the vastly underrated group Oregon played, with music ranging from floating lyricism to energetic avant-garde. The following week, drummer Max Roach weighed in with the stirring roots sound of his So What Brass 5.

* March: The Mingus Big Band’s performance at Cal State L.A.’s Luckman Auditorium provided a highlight in an otherwise slow month, as the talented 14-piece ensemble beautifully delineated the multilayered twists and turns of Charles Mingus’ music.

* April: Veterans took the spotlight this month. Kenny Barron and Charlie Haden’s superb set at the Orange County Performing Arts Center was a classic meeting of gifted musical minds. Jon Hendricks at the Jazz Bakery revealed that, at 76, he still possesses a surprisingly wide range of musical skills. And Charles Lloyd’s brilliant soloing at Catalina Bar & Grill was a powerful reminder that, in a conservative jazz decade, he continues to be a rare original.

* May: A potentially intriguing month that didn’t fully deliver. Marcus Roberts’ solo set at the Wadsworth clearly defined his extraordinary versatility. But Tom Harrell’s Catalina appearance fascinated primarily because of the presence of young tenor saxophonist Gregory Tardy, and the pairing of pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba with saxophonist Joe Lovano at Royce Hall displayed two gifted individuals never quite managing to get their music in sync.

* June: A great month of music, with a little something for everyone. Joe Henderson introduced a potentially important young talent--vibist Stefon Harris--in his Catalina gig, while vibist legend Milt Jackson was perfectly positioned in his set with the Clayton-Hamilton Band at the Bakery. The Conga Room was alive with four scintillating Cuban acts: pianist Chucho Valdes, the bands Bamboleo and Cubanismo, and the amazing voices in Vocal Sampling. Playboy came up with one of the most musically appealing festivals in years, and the month peaked brilliantly with the rare appearance of legendary Brazilian artist Joao Gilberto at San Francisco’s Masonic Auditorium.

* Looking ahead: The Hollywood Bowl schedule includes some first-rate jazz events. Among them: the Count Basie Orchestra and Rosemary Clooney (July 22); Brazilian pianist Eliane Elias (Aug. 5); a tribute to the late Stephane Grappelli (Aug. 12); the first Los Angeles appearance in years of veteran pianist Oscar Peterson (Aug. 19); Ray Charles (Sept. 2); the Mingus Big Band, Paquito D’Rivera and others (Sept. 16).

There will be dueling contemporary jazz events Aug. 23, with Grover Washington Jr. and Lee Ritenour at the Bowl, and the Rippingtons and Spyro Gyra at the Greek Theatre. The Marcus Roberts Trio does Nat “King” Cole tunes at Pepperdine University on Oct. 3, Chick Corea arrives with his new group Origin at Catalina in October, and Shirley Horn does a two-week residency at the Cinegrill in November.

Smorgasbord of Jazz: The Old Pasadena Jazzfest, which kicks off Saturday at noon in Pasadena’s Central Park, is a cornucopia of contemporary jazz acts. Saturday’s bill spotlights Gato Barbieri, the Yellowjackets and Robben Ford. But the most intriguing performance of the day may be provided by Bobby Womack’s 12-piece group. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who rarely has been heard recently because of recurring health problems, reportedly will sit in with the band for a few numbers.

Sunday’s program includes an unusual pairing of saxophonists Richard Elliot and Kirk Whalum, as well as Kevin Mahogany and Norman Brown. Information: (818) 771-5544.

Also Saturday, Philippine jazz fusion puts in an appearance at the Celebration of Philippine Jazz at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, with performances by saxophonist Michael Paulo and singer Sugar Pie Desanto, and a tribute to early Philippine jazz pioneers. Information: (213) 389-3050.

Festivals: Tickets for the 16th annual San Francisco Jazz Festival go on sale July 24 at the opening of the festival’s store and gallery at Two Embarcadero Center. The 10-day festival (Oct. 29-Nov. 8) features a lineup of major artists (including Joshua Redman, Al Jarreau, Milt Jackson and Bobby Watson), as well as more out-of-the-mainstream performers such as Cuba’s legendary Ruben Gonzalez, Indian percussionist Zakir Hussain and the Latin ensemble El Gran Combo. Information: (415) 788-7353.

The Monterey Jazz Festival, meanwhile, is on the verge of selling out its season tickets to the Jimmy Lyons Stage, the festival’s largest venue, and the location for its major act presentations. Fortunately, however, the festival (Sept. 18-20) also will present, for the first time, big-screen simulcasts of Lyons Stage concerts. That means grounds admission tickets--$65 for a three-day pass ($22-$27 for individual day tickets)--will essentially allow jazz fans to see all the festival artists. Information: (800) 307-3378.

The 1998 Telluride Jazz Celebration, July 31-Aug. 2, has chosen James Moody as guest of honor. Participants, in addition to the Moody Quartet, include Chick Corea and his new group, Origin, the Cedar Walton Trio (with flutist Holly Hofmann), Terence Blanchard, Ernie Watts, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, and Kitty Margolis. Information: (970) 728-7009.