I scooped up the lovely Carol Bach - y - Rita last night and we headed over the hill to Vitello's where reed man Bob Sheppard was having a CD release party for his new disc, "Close Your Eyes". We decided to cut over to the Valley from Hollywood via Outpost. When we hit Mulholland we were enveloped in a cloud of fog and we gingerly made our way down to Barham as sheets of water from the unrelenting rainstorms slid across the roadway. It was a good night to stay in with a book and a cup of tea.
In all honesty I can't rave about the food or the esthetics at Upstairs at Vitello's. Its a plain jane kind of space, but what it lacks in beauty it more than makes up for in good sight lines, good sound and an intimate atmosphere. April Williams has booked the room with care and intelligence, and has turned it into a serious jazz hang. In spite of the foul weather, the room was packed for the first set. Joining Sheppard onstage was a trio of musicians from the CD - Alan Pasqua on piano, Larry Koonse on guitar, and Gabe Noel on bass. Antonio Sanchez on drums and Walter Rodriguez on percussion were absent, replaced by the outstanding drummer Steve Hass.
Sheppard opened the set with the title piece "Close Your Eyes". Its an edgy arrangement of the smooth standard, and the group last night meshed perfectly. Sheppard's originals, "Brain Fog" and "Surface Tension" followed. I am always amazed at the ability of great composers to conceptualize emotion in sound. Sheppard is a master at this. "Brain Fog" has an almost out of kilter, dangerous and angular quality, and would have been the perfect accompaniment to our slightly treacherous trip down Mullholland Drive in the rain storm. On "Surface Tension" Sheppard's taut sax line skates over the surface, and just below the drums, bass and piano provide murky support. On Kenny Barron's composition "Phantoms" Gabe Noel provided an extended bowed introduction that perfectly set up the piece. Joe Henderson's "Gazelle" was performed with a graceful, headlong tempo, powered by Noel and Hass's sure footed support and featuring superb solos by Sheppard, Pasqua, and Koonse. Sheppard added the classic "Estate" to the set, a beautiful, sensitive and evocative reading. His tone on flute was particularly gorgeous, soft and warm like a tropical breeze.
After the set Steve Hass confessed to me that he had been a little nervous about the gig. Having just returned from being out on the road with The Manhattan Transfer, he was worried that he didn't have enough time to prepare for the ambitious program. He needn't have been concerned.
It was a completely satisfying performance by world class musicians in an intimate setting on a rainy Los Angeles night. Perfection! Adding another element to the evening was the respectful attenition the music recieved from the audience. Looking around the room, I was so proud to be a part of the amazing aggregation of musicians who live and work in LA. Drummer Peter Erskine, singers Cheryl Bentyne, Julie Kelly, and Judy Wexler were in the house, as was vocal jazz Grammy nominee for 2010, Denise Donatelli. The sense of community was palpable and warm, as was the affection and admiration for the man himself - Bob Sheppard.
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