Big-Time Jazz In Our Small Town
Critic-at-large
The next time writer Paul Turner asks readers of his Slice column to name Spokane’s best hidden asset, I’m going to nominate the Spokane Jazz Society.
My partner, Teresa, and I had a ball Sunday at the annual, five-hour First Jazz concert: The music and people-watching were first-class, the bartenders were friendly - and generous - and, as far as I could tell, everyone had a grand time.
Three groups played; a fourth, a vocal group named Spectrum, was to perform but apparently fell victim to dissension Saturday. A fitting finale, I think, for a jazz group, given the music’s transitory character.
Bruce Davis and his Dixie Dandies opened the show. Davis is a whitehaired, gravelly voiced tenor who plays trumpet and made some noise years ago on the Southern California jazz scene, as did his guitar-playing pal Don Eagle. Eagle is best-known locally for producing those sly buttons that spoof the annual Lilac Festival.
Together, they’re quite a pair of old cats, cutting up on such songs as Phil Harris’ “That’s What I Like About the South,” and the little orchestra - complete with sax, trombone, piano and drums - made some very smooth sounds on the Paul Whiteman Orchestra’s “Louisiana Shuffle.”
Pianist and singer Geri Brown brought down the house again, singing Johnny Mercer’s “Hard Hearted Hannah.”
The Spokane Jazz Orchestra played a couple of dance sets under the baton of trombonist Bruce Stultz, who sat in for music director Paul Davis. The dual responsibility didn’t hurt Stultz’s playing - or the group’s - as they swung lushly through a batch of big band standards.
It was during Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade” that Teresa decided she could tell which of the dancing couples were in love by the way they held each other.
She motioned at the wall of windows behind the orchestra:”What I love about this music is that it transports you … all we need is the New York City skyline out there.”
The energy turned sensuous when the new Brazilian-jazz group Desafinado played: As if scripted, a walrus-moustachioed and ponytailed man and his captivating, raven-haired partner took the floor and danced the kind of romantic pas de deux for which this music was written.
Co-led by sax player and flutist Gary Edighoffer and flutist Pam Meyer, Desafinado features a revolving lineup drawn from the city’s elite players. Singer Robin Reynolds, especially, has found a real niche here - her sultry alto is a lovely match for Desafinado’s earthy ethereality.
It’s an outstanding band, another hidden asset courtesy of Spokane’s jazz community.