About & Out – What’s Hot In SoCal Jazz – The Week Of December 27, 2021

2021 ends and a new year begins with SoCal jazz shows from Gordon Goodwin, Mike Miller, Michael Feinstein, Logan Richardson, Straight No Chaser, Don Randi, Pink Martini, Gary Novak, Betty Bryant, Karl McComas-Reichl, Billy Mitchell, and the Fil-Am Jazz Fest.

Please see the online version of About & Out for updated information throughout the week at lajazzpicks.com.

Monday 12/27 – Jacques Lesure Jam Session at the Lighthouse

Guitarist Jacques Lesure hosts a straight-ahead set and jazz jam session at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach including Pete Kuzma on keys, Rene Camacho on bass, and Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums. Guitarist Matthew Yeakley hosts a Monday night jam session at The Falls Lounge in downtown L.A. Bassist Ryan Cross’ Jazz Eclectic is at Riviera 31 at the Beverly Hills Sofitel Hotel. Vocalist Sacha Boutros is at Il Sogno Italiano in San Diego. Pianist Mikan Zlatkovich is at Eddie V’s in San Diego. Trio Renacimiento is at Las Perlas in downtown L.A. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features vocalist Paul Jost.

Tuesday 12/28 – Karl McComas-Reichl at Sam First

Bassist Karl McComas-Reichl is at Sam First near LAX with Larry Goldings on piano and Christian Euman on drums. Pianist Billy Mitchell is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Vocalist Sacha Boutros is at Il Sogno Italiano in San Diego. Vocalist Natalie Mendoza is at Seven Grand in downtown L.A. Percussionist Joey De Leon is at Cana Rum Bar in downtown L.A. Pianist Mark LeBrun is at The Drake in Laguna Beach. The Lil Jazz Quintet is at SoHo in Santa Barbara. Vocalist Phylliss Bailey Brooks is at Catalina in Hollywood. Saxophonist Will Donato is at Vicky’s Of Santa Fe in Indian Wells. Vocalist Rose Mallett is at the Purple Room in Palm Springs. The Brig Band is at The Brig in Venice. Guitarist Hans Ottsen hosts a jazz jam at The Grape in Ventura. The Jazztown Band is at Casey’s Tavern in Canoga Park. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features drummer J.R. Robinson.

Wednesday 12/29 – Logan Richardson at Sam First

Saxophonist Logan Richardson is at Sam First near LAX for the first of two nights (Wed-Thu) with Solomon Dorsey on bass and Justin Brown on drums. JazzZone is at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center in South L.A. Vocalist Angela O’Neill & The Outrageous 8 are at Catalina in Hollywood. Guitarist Allen Hinds is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Vocalist Billy Valentine is at Vibrato in Bel Air. Pianist Brian Clemens is at The Drake in Laguna Beach with vocalist Luke Carlsen. Pianist Sue Palmer is at Il Sogno Italiano in San Diego. Trumpeter Mike Rocha is at Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood. Trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos is at Panama 66 at the San Diego Museum Of Art. Saxophonist Justin Chart is at Salt’s Cure in Hollywood. Saxophonist Jerry Mandel is at Bistango in Irvine. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features trumpeter Nathan Breedlove.

Thursday 12/30 – Mike Miller at The Baked Potato

Guitarist Mike Miller is at The Baked Potato in Studio City with Mitchel Forman on keys, Jimmy Earl on bass, and Gary Novak on drums. Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band is at Catalina in Hollywood for the first of two nights (Thu-Fri). Vocal group Straight No Chaser is at the Fred Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks.  Saxophonist Logan Richardson is at Sam First near LAX.  Trumpeter Greg Adams & East Bay Soul are at Vibrato in Bel Air. Violinist Fabrice You is at the Oracle Tavern in downtown L.A. The Merc in Temecula offers a jazz jam session.  Drummer Kevin Crabb is at the Olive & Fig Restaurant & Jazz Bar in Canoga Park. Guitarist Matthew Yeakley is at the Continental Club in downtown L.A. Guitarist Doug MacDonald is at Edwin Mills in Pasadena. Drummer Davey Miller is at The Twist On Main in Ventura. Pianist Ron Kobayashi is at the Bayside Restaurant in Newport Beach. Drummer Tyler Hammond is at Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood. Four And More is at Casey’s Tavern in Canoga Park. The World Stage in South L.A. hosts an evening outdoor patio jam session for instrumentalists. Vocalist Dan Olivo is at The Drake in Laguna Beach. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features saxophonist Frank Griffith.

Friday 12/31 – Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band at Catalina Jazz Club.

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band is at Catalina in Hollywood. Pianist/vocalist Michael Feinstein is at Feinstein’s at Vitello’s in Studio City. Don Randi & Quest are at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Pink Martini does a pair of shows at Walt Disney Hall in downtown L.A. The Luke Carlsen Big Band plays an early show at Vibrato in Bel Air, followed by the Angel Town Combo for the New Year’s Eve late show. Trumpeter Tony Guerrero is at Campus Jax in Newport Beach with vocalist Lia Booth. Vocalist Howie Levine is at Sorriso in Pasadena.   Vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia is at the Conference Room in Playa Vista.  Vocalist Sacha Boutros is at Il Sogno Italiano in San Diego. Saxophonist Doug Webb is at 1881 in Pasadena. Saxophonist Justin Chart is at Mr. C’s in Beverly Hills. Pianist Larry Cohn is at the Canyon Bistro in Topanga. The Harry Selvin Orchestra is at the Palm Garden Hotel in Newbury Park.   Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features vocalist Roberta Gambarini.

Saturday 1/1/22 – Larry Goldings Trio at Sam First

Pianist Larry Goldings leads a trio at Sam First near LAX with Anna Butterss on bass and Christian Euman on drums. Groove Legacy is at The Baked Potato in Studio City.   Flutist Holly Hofmann is at the Westage Hotel in San Diego.  The Jazz Cartel is at Sorriso in Pasadena. Vocalist Lia Booth does a brunch show at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features vocalist Sinne Eeg.

Sunday 1/2 – Fil-Am Jazz Fest at the Conference Room

The Fil-Am Filipino-American Jazz Fest presents a noon event at the Conference Room in Playa Vista including vocalist Mon David, pianist Winston Raval, and vocalist Charmaine Clamor. Drummer Gary Novak is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Pianist/vocalist Betty Bryant is at Vibrato in Bel Air.   Vocalist Andrea Miller is at The Drake in Laguna Beach. Saxophonist Vincent Ingala is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. Guitarist Brad Rabuchin leads a group and jam session at Michael’s On Riverside in Toluca Lake.  Bassist Zephyr Avalon is at The San Fernando in Glendale. Drummer Kevin Crabb is at the Olive & Fig Restaurant & Jazz Bar in Canoga Park. Drummer Mark San Filippo leads an outdoor show at the Barkley Restaurant in South Pasadena. Guitarist Jacques Lesure is at Lavender Blue in Inglewood. Vocalist Jacqui Hylton is at Nonna in Westlake Village. Saxophonist Nick Gomez plays an early jazz brunch at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. The Jazz Cartel plays a jazz brunch at Sorriso in Pasadena. The World Stage in South L.A. hosts an evening outdoor patio jam session for vocalists. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features vocalist Mon David.

Monday 1/3 – Artur Menezes at The Baked Potato

Blues guitarist/vocalist Artur Menezes is at The Baked Potato in Studio City as the club returns to a seven-night schedule in 2022. Saxophonist Vincent Ingala is at Spaghettini in Seal Beach. The Harry Selvin Orchestra is at the Palm Garden Hotel in Newbury Park. Guitarist Jacques Lesure hosts a straight-ahead set and jazz jam session at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach including Pete Kuzma on keys, Rene Camacho on bass, and Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums. Guitarist Matthew Yeakley hosts a Monday night jam session at The Falls Lounge in downtown L.A. Bassist Ryan Cross’ Jazz Eclectic is at Riviera 31 at the Beverly Hills Sofitel Hotel. Vocalist Sacha Boutros is at Il Sogno Italiano in San Diego. Pianist Mikan Zlatkovich is at Eddie V’s in San Diego. Trio Renacimiento is at Las Perlas in downtown L.A. Guitarist Kimberly Ford leads a jazz jam at SoHo in Santa Barbara. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features jazz writer Scott Yanow.

Tuesday 1/4 – Doug MacDonald Quartet w/Sherry Williams at Vibrato

Guitarist Doug MacDonald leads a quartet at Vibrato in Bel Air with vocalist Sherry Williams including Mike Flick on bass and Paul Kreibich on drums.  Saxophonist Henry Solomon is at Sam First near LAX (livestream only).  Blues guitarist Josh Smith is at The Baked Potato in Studio City.  Guitarist Dean Grech is at The Drake in Laguna Beach.  Vocalist Barbara Morrison is at Pips On La Brea in West L.A. Vocalist Rose Mallett is at the Purple Room in Palm Springs. Vocalist Lynn Cardona is at 10e in downtown L.A.  Vocalist Slim Man is at Vicky’s Of Santa Fe in Indian Wells. The Brig Band is at The Brig in Venice. The Jazztown Band is at Casey’s Tavern in Canoga Park.  Guitarist Hans Ottsen leads a jazz jam at The Grape in Ventura. Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features saxophonist Matt Otto.

Wednesday 1/5 – Charnett Moffett & Jana Herzen at Catalina Jazz Club

Bassist Charnett Moffett and guitarist Jana Herzen begin a January Wednesdays residency series at Catalina in Hollywood. Keyboardist Scott Kinsey is at The Baked Potato in Studio City. Vocalists Patrick Barnitt and Meloney Collins are at Vibrato in Bel Air.  Saxophonist Tom Luer’s Project Popular is at Sam First near LAX (livestream only).  Gypsy jazz guitarist Tom Jorgensen is at SoHo in Santa Barbara. Trumpeter Mike Rocha is at Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood. Trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos is at Panama 66 at the San Diego Museum Of Art. Saxophonist Justin Chart is at Salt’s Cure in Hollywood. The Avant Garde Trio is at Pips On La Brea in West L.A. Saxophonist Jerry Mandel is at Bistango in Irvine.  Producer Debra Graff’s latest livestream to benefit The Innocence Project includes vocalists Dante Chambers and Cheryl Barnes.  Cathy Segal-Garcia’s Noon YouTube Hang features music and players from her latest CD project.