George Esposito (georgeespo@abcglobal.net) — who’s been well-known on KXJZ Sacramento public radio as a jazz host — has been staging his own lovely outdoor concerts for a long time: this is the ninth year of his Midweek Sunset Jazz Series. I print his email above so that you can get on his list if you are driving distance from Sacramento, California in the summer.
On June 6, 2013, I was able to observe, applaud, and capture a singular concert in George’s spacious backyard.
The combination of music and scenery was nearly intoxicating. Jazz is so often presented in dark rooms to the accompaniment of talk, eating, and drinking. Here, we had delicious music presented against the changing canvas of the sky, as afternoon shaded into night. And the music — as always, it mixed sweetness, inventiveness, and surprise beautifully.
The proponents: Tamar Korn, song; Gordon Au, trumpet / composition / arrangement; Dennis Lichtman, clarinet; Jared Engel, string bass; Jimmy Spero, guitar. All of this took place in George’s backyard on June 6, 2013. These creative musicians offered fifteen performances: here are the first five of the evening, a mixture of classics and originals, all voiced splendidly.
WHEN I TAKE MY SUGAR TO TEA:
Gordon’s original, CHICAGO COUNTDOWN:
IT’S A SIN TO TELL A LIE:
SUGAR BLUES:
CRAZY EYES:
More to come, although (alas) they didn’t do BACK IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD or AT SUNDOWN. Perhaps too obvious? Next time.
May your happiness increase!
JAZZ LIVES 