Deanna Bogart Brings Down the Roof at Vicky's in Indian Wells, CA

Jeff Olson, Deanna Bogart and Bob Gross

Chuck Alvarez

Composer/Vocalist/Arranger/Keyboard and Tenor Sax player, Deanna Bogart is bringing down the house aided by her talented band at Vicky's of Santa Fe every Monday starting at 6:30.  For those who have not seen Deanna perform,  she is a spinning domino of musical talents and energy.  She loves to perform and nobody does it better!  Deanna's musical tastes span many musical schools including Blues, R & B and Pop, but her love is for Boogie Piano.  I would guess that for most of you, it has been been a long-time since you heard Boogie Piano being played live. Also, my guess is you have never heard it played like Deanna plays it.  Her fingers move at an unbelievable rate of speed up and down the Keyboard, never missing a note or a beat!  It's fun to see the members of her band, all veteran Jazz players,  just watch with the rest of us marveling at her dexterity.  Her bandmates are the-always-wonderful Jeff Olson on Drums,  Composer/Guitarist wonder Chuck Alvarez on Guitar and the talented Bob Gross on Electric Bass.  Deanna is a test for these three veteran musicians as they never really know where Deanna may be going during a song because she is a free spirit and takes the music wherever she feels it's telling her to go.

Music has been Deanna's life from a very early age, and she never had a doubt of what she wanted to do the rest of her life.  It's very seldom that you have the chance to experience a musical talent with such energy like Deanna live and close up.  Now you get that chance every Monday night at Vicky's with no coverage.  Just one word of advice, get there early because when she performs there are no empty seats in the house!   She is a delight to see and hear.

I have attached a real treat for you.  This is a "Youtube" of Deanna performing live, one of her original compositions, "Still the Girl in the Band".   Fasten your seat belts and listen to this!

Rose Mallett Is Fantastic at Vicky's of Santa Fe In Indian Wells, CA

The first time I heard Rose Mallett sing was on March 21, 2012.  I immediately fell in love with her silky and mellow voice.  At that time Rose had been singing for a few years having retired early from a secretarial job with a California Bank.  Rose told me she always had a burning desire to sing and perform and felt the time had come to follow her long-held dream.  Fortunately for all of the music fans in the Coachella Valley,  Rose had the strength to change her life path and make music her total focus!  It is so wonderful to see Rose's progress over the past 5 years in both her vocal skills and her stage presence.  Rose has worked and studied hard to improve her vocal performance and has achieved greatness.  Her voice is still silky and mellow;  she moves through octaves effortlessly and her stage presence is imposing.  When Rose sings, her voice and phrasing at times  recalls the great ones,  Ella and Sarah,  but she clearly has her own special styling.  She has developed a strong following of admirers over the years who attend her performances.  She has earned all of the accolades she receives for the professional way she handled the development of her voice and stage presence.  She has achieved universal praise from everyone who hears her sing and is truly one of the "Divas of the Desert"!

Rose is supported by two seasoned and talented musicians and Rose gives them both a workout.  She is a superb Jazz vocalist and her supporting cast has to always be alert to the changes that flow out of Rose so smoothly. Both her Bassist,  Danny Flahive and her Pianist, Jeff Lance love it.  They both are not only up to the musical challenge but revel in it!

Danny Flahive is one of the most popular Bassists in the Desert and has played for some of the giants in the music business including the recently passed, Buddy Greco, who expected and demanded only excellence from his support players.  It was fun watching Danny enjoy performing with Rose with much admiration for her vocal skills.

Rose has an active schedule that I have listed below.  You can always fin where her she is performing by hitting her site, "Rosemallett.com".

Saturdays: Vicky's of Santa Fe  5:00pm to 7:00pm

Tuesday: The Purple Room, Palm Springs  6:30pm to 9:30pm

Friday: Woody's in Palm Springs   6:30 to 9:30pm

Rose is also producing a special show on Sunday April 29 "Songs of Sarah" at the Arthur Newman Theatre (At the Joslyn Center) that will surely be special!

I found a "YouTube" recorded at the "Purple Room" in Palm Springs, Ca.  Rose sings "Aint Misbehavin" with David Ring on Keyboard and Larry Holloway on Bass.  Enjoy!

McKee Thatcher Plays Impressive Piano at Vicky's Of Santa Fe

It is so satisfying to find young adults who appreciate classical music, but to find one who also loves the songs from the  "Great American Songbook",  popular songs written in recent years and Jazz is truly exciting.  Vicky's has welcomed to its music showcase, McKee Thatcher, a 17 year old gifted pianist who lives in Bermuda Dunes.  McKee has been playing piano since he was 3 and has a very welcoming personality in addition to being a wonderful musician.  He loves Classical music but has the ability to cross over into many musical genres including Jazz.  He also has written many Classical compositions that are remarkable.  I knew little about McKee before I made a visit to hear him early one Tuesday evening.  He exceeded my expectations and provided two hours of pure musical enjoyment.  One of the pieces he performed was Beethoven's beautiful "Fur Elise" in a Jazz format!

McKee performs at Vicky's on the first Tuesday of the month from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and I absolutely recommend all of my readers to go to see him.  You will not be disappointed; you will be up-lifted!  Young gifted people like Robert need our support and encouragement!

McKee also fills in at times, so check Vicky's entertainment schedule to see when he might be playing.

Luther Hughes and the "Cannonball/Coltrane Project', Light up the Jazz Crowd at Pete Carlson's Jazz Series

If you were not at Pete Carlson's Golf Shop this past Saturday night to enjoy his "Jazz for Jazz Lovers " weekly concert series, you missed some absolutely great live Jazz.  Luther Hughes, the talented veteran Jazz Bass player has put together a group of 5 of the best Jazz musicians playing today in what he titles, "The Cannonball/Coltrane Project".  The theme of the performance was developed to cover some of the wonderful resume tunes that were associated with these two Saxophone Jazz Giants.  As experienced and professional as these musicians are, it was so refreshing to see how excited they were to get to perform these great songs for an appreciative audience.  From the first count down of the first song, this group was off to the races.  No warm-up necessary tonight, just straight ahead Jazz from beginning to end.  The quintet has been together for over 15 years and it showed.  Each performer, a star musician and leader in their own right, played together as one voice, each giving room for all to shine.  The group has recorded 4 superb CDs that have received national recognition.  

This group put together by Bassist, Luther Hughes is perfectly fitted to venture into hollow ground that Cannonball and Coltrane established.  Bruce Babad was outstanding on Alto Sax as he always is and I am sure even Cannonball would have been impressed.  Glenn Cashman performed Tenor Sax with great strength and style. If you closed your eyes you might have thought Coltrane was back on the scene.  Ed Czach on Piano was perfectly fitted to bring this group together and a joy to listen to.  Finally, the percussion duo of Luther Hughes on Bass and Paul Kreibich on Drums was perfect.

"Jazz for Jazz Lovers" is a season-long weekly series that is supported and managed by Pete Carlson and his wife Edna.  Pete set up this Jazz series as a non-profit and the proceeds support music education for young musicians in the Coachella Valley.  It's a lot of work for Pete and Edna but it's truly a labor of love as Pete and Edna have always been supporters and major fans of Jazz.  The series has a new presentation every week on Saturday at 7:00 PM and you can buy tickets at Pete's Carlson's Golf Shop.  At $30.00 per ticket it is the best deal in the country to hear major league live Jazz!

I found a "YouTube" of this outstanding group of world class musicians playing Cannonball's, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy".  I know you will enjoy it!

CD Review: "Randy Porter Plays Cole Porter with Nancy King"

                                                       

I am excited to tell you about a new CD that I just found that is crazy good.  It contains fresh and original Jazz piano playing by Randy Porter, new live wonderful arrangements, a tribute to Cole Porter and the marvelous styling, phrasing and unique voice of Nancy King.  The CD is "Randy Porter plays Cole Porter" with special guest vocalist, Nancy King.  The CD has been nominated for Best Vocal Jazz Album in the 60th Grammy Awards for 2017.

Randy Porter provides some of the best Jazz interpretations of eight Cole Porter songs plus a beautiful original ballad Randy composed, "Inside Your Mind".  Randy Porter gets the opportunity to exhibit his creativity bringing the great classic standards to life, making them fresh and new and, yet,  retaining the essence of the melody and lyric Cole Porter had in mind when he wrote these gems!

Nancy King delivers a master class for Jazz vocalists.  Her voice is warm and rich and exhibits her years of study and experience.  Her phrasing is marvelous and at the same time m comforting to the listener.

If you like intelligent, fresh and crisp Jazz Piano playing, Cole Porter classics, outstanding Jazz vocals , then this CD should be under your tree this Christmas.  Every song on the CD is great and I had a difficult time deciding which ones I wanted you to preview.  I found two tracks on "YouTube" that I have attached.  The first is the Cole Porter ballad, "Every Time We Say Goodbye" and the second is "Just One Of Those Things".  I know you will enjoy every song on this new CD, it's Jazz at it finest!

Players:

Randy Porter-Piano, Arrangements

Nancy King- Vocals

John Wiitala-Bass

Todd Strait-Drums

Playlist:

1. "I Concentrate On You"

2. "I Love You"

3. "Just One Of Those Things"

4. "Inside Your Mind"

5. "All Of You"

6. "Why Can't You Behave"

7. "Night and Day"

8. "Get Out Of Town"

9. "Every Time We Say Goodbye"

"Every Time We Say Goodbye"

                                                            "Just One of Those Things"

                                                                             

Rose

                                            Hello Desert Live Music Fans

I want to give everyone a heads-up about another wonderful live music event that I am sure you won't want to miss.  On Monday, January 8th, 2018,  Rose Kingsley and Bob Corwin will be presenting, "Blues In The Night, A Musical Evening For Blues Lovers" at the So Cal Piano Recital Hall, 74111 Hwy 111, Palm Desert, CA.  There will be a group of world-class Musicians playing at this concert including Richard Turner on Piano, Andrew Ford on Bass, Doug McDonald on Guitar and Craig Chestnut on Drums.  It will be a great way to spend a Monday night!

The tickets are a bargain at $20 and includes wine and cheese.  The concert kicks off at 7:00PM and you can buy tickets now at: WWW.Rosekingsley.com/events.

CD Review: 3D Rhythm Of Life, "Fantasy"

                                                                             

It has been quite a while since I came across a Latin-Tropical-Soul band that was worthy of a review on the "Music Man Blog", but that changed when I received a new CD, "Fantasy" from "3D Rhythm Of Life". This group's name is an acronym for Diverse, Dynamic and Danceable, the band's signature sound. This amazing Latin group has put together music that includes Multi-dimensional sounds, a fusion of Latin and Afro-Caribbean rhythms that blend into a variety of genres including Blues, Jazz, Reggae and Rock.  The results will lift you off your chair and carry you onto the dance floor.  It's everything you would expect from a Latin-Tropical-Soul band.  The players involved in this band and in this project have impressive resumes including playing with some of the biggest superstars in the music business such as Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan.

The leader of this talented group is Drummer Michael Tate.  Michael has lots of playing experience under his belt including playing with the renowned international music group, "Kid Creole and the Coconuts" whose fans included Michael Jackson and Prince.  He has done a marvelous job putting this 8 piece multi-tanlented band together.  This is a CD that you will constantly play as all of the tracks are infectious and never get old no matter how many times they are played.

The opening track is a cover of  "Fantasy" and a tribute to the award winning mega-hit by "Earth, Wind and Fire".  The vocal on this track is sung by Nuyorican vocalist, Chris Alfinez and it's a knockout performance.  I located a "YouTube" for you to sample.  Feel free to get up and dance as you are listening to this wonderful track.

PLAYLIST:
1. "Fantasy"
2. "Quiero Saber"
3. "Things Will Change"
4. "I Wonder Why"
5. "Spell on You"
6. "Que Siga La Rumba- (Dance Mix)
7. "Oyelo- (Dance Mis)
8. "Fantasy- (Instrumental)
9. "I Wonder Why-` (Instrumental)

Players:
Michael Tate-Drums
Chris Amelar-Guitar
Lenny Underwood-Kbd, Bass
Ricky Gonzales-Kbd, Bass
George Mena-Kbd, Bass
Chris Alfinez-Vocals
Herman Oliver-Vocals
Bonny Bonaparte-Vocals
Ray Viera-BV
Willy Torres-BV
Chris Hierro-Vox Rap
Luisito Quintero-Percusion
Ozzie Melendes-Trombone
Raul Agraz-Trumpet
Rock Steady Freddie-Sax
Robert Stringer-Trombone
Marin Sebastian-Guitar
Andy Bassford-Guitar
Lino Iglesias-Vocal Translations