The magic of seeing just one master jazz musician onstage can be a thrilling experience. The way the timeless notes seem to fill the room and your heart beats in rhythm with the music—it’s moving. Now, throw three seasoned jazz musicians into the mix and it’s sure to be a night that jazz fans won’t soon forget.
Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White have been working musicians since the ’60s and ’70s. But their trio, Corea, Clarke & White, harkens back to a week-long engagement in 1973, when they performed together at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco. The musicians have recently reunited as a trio and, according to their bio, are “recharting their course for a fresh new direction.”
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The group’s jazz grooves are light, effortless, and soothing to the nervous system. The trio’s set list includes an array of jazz standards and songs from the band’s previous Return To Forever (RTF) reunion tour.
Since 2008’s tour, the trio has been working to reinvent itself. “Now that we’re playing together again, there’s a flood of creativity and inspiration that could only come from making music with this group,” says Corea on the trio’s website. “Stanley, Lenny, and I are looking forward to taking it back to the trio setting we had when we were putting the first electric version of RTF together.”
Don’t miss this journey of three masters through an evening of classic tunes and jazz like you’ve never heard it before.
December 8
The Shedd Institute (all ages)
868 High St.
541/434-7000
ofam.org
chickcorea.com
Herb Alpert has loved jazz since he was a child, and today he stands as a world-renowned trumpet player. Alpert, known as a solo artist and leader of the Tijuana Brass, has earned five No. 1 hits, eight Grammy awards, and 14 platinum and 15 gold albums—totaling 72 million albums sold worldwide. And during his musical lifetime, he has worked with the likes of Hugh Masekela, Shorty Rogers, Pete Jolly, and Louis Armstrong. Alpert has also produced and played with Gato Barbieri and Stan Getz.
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Lani Hall, Herb Alpert’s wife, was discovered in 1965 by Sergio Mendes while she was singing in a nightclub in her hometown of Chicago. Mendes asked her to become the lead vocalist for the new group he was putting together, Brasil 66, which toured with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass in 1966. Since then, Hall and Alpert have merged their musical specialties to create jazz music of all varieties.
The duo recently released Anything Goes, a live collection of reinterpreted standards. This album marks the first complete project that Herb and Lani have recorded together.
Anything Goes contains a mix of styles and sounds. Some songs are upbeat foot-tappers with playful cymbals, while others, such as “Anything Goes” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” are more moody, rich with emotion and yearning in the vocals. The duo’s upbeat samba numbers provide a completely different experience, one that will get concert goers to grab a partner, get out of their seats, and move to the music.
January 22
The Shedd Institute (all ages)
868 High St.
541/434-7000
www.ofam.org
herbalpert.com
The Asylum Street Spankers’ new album, their ninth, is called God’s Favorite Band. While I can’t confirm that’s true, I can say that the band has certainly gained recognition as an underground institution since their formation in 1994. Though the Asylum Street Spankers hail from Austin, Texas, they are frequent visitors to our town, bringing their contemporary vaudeville act that combines music, humor, and theatrics.
The band presents a fun, old-timey experience, performed completely acoustic. The seven members, including founders and singers Christina Marrs and Wammo, dabble in Americana, folk, ragtime, country music, and more, which makes their live shows varied, entertaining, and engaging.
Since their inception, the band’s albums have represented their varying influences, such as the Beatles, the B-52’s, Duke Ellington, and the Flaming Lips. Their songs can be playfully naughty at times, sweetly romantic, or downright silly. Marrs and Wammo have a sharp sense of humor, which they aren’t afraid to use. With naturally gifted singers and whimsical instruments like the ukulele, washboard, and harmonica, the Asylum Street Spankers create mischievous fun and excitement onstage. While the songs alone are great to listen to, the live show is the ultimate experience. Part concert, part theatrics, the show is almost like “A Prairie Home Companion”—just a little more risqué.
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To celebrate their new album, the group will present an all-new, two-part concert featuring gospel music and songs about sinning.
February 26
WOW Hall (all ages)
291 W 8th Ave.
541/687-2746
wowhall.org
asylumstreetspankers.com
ALSO APPEARING LOCALLY
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
December 10
WOW Hall
