Jazz Scene 071007

By Don Henke

Last week: Pacchia Café was taken over by violinist Christian Howes and his Creative Strings Workshop. We managed to get there two of the four nights. Things were a little more controlled this year than last year. There were two groups each night. The two leaders Tuesday were Howes and bassist Chris Berg. Saturday night the groups were led by Berg and violinist Rob Thomas. There was a mixture of students and professionals. Berg’s groups played mostly his arrangements and originals. There were violins, violas and celli galore. Tuesday night included New York guitarist Joel Newton and Columbus drummer Steve Purcell. There were standout performances by, of course, Berg, Howes and Thomas and also by cellist Mike Block and San Francisco violinist Yehudit, among others.

Berg contributed a suite, written especially for the occasion, called “Three Blues for String Quintet” and another piece, written for his wife, called “Patricia”. Other tunes featured included Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower”, Django Reinhardt’s “Swing ‘42”, Miles Davis’s “So What”, Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments”, Herbie Hancock’s “Canteloupe Island” and a couple of tangos. Berg also chipped in with an arrangement of “Three Blind Mice”.

This week in Dayton: The expanded Pacchia Prima kicks off with the Randy Villars Trio Friday night and the Brian Cashwell Trio with guitarist Jim Smith Saturday. New hours (actually the old hours) will be 8 to 12 Thursdays and 9 to 1 on weekends. Across the street Café Boulevard hosts vocalist Patricia Berg and guitarist Doug Simon Friday and the John Wagner Duo Saturday. The Brian Powell-Lou James Trio plays at Therapy Café Friday from 6:00 to 9:30.

The Mario Abney Quintet still holds forth Thursdays at the 88 Club. Also Thursday the Dayton Jazz Orchestra will be the featured big band at Riverscape. You want more big bands? The Tom Daugherty Orchestra will be at Stubbs Park in Centerville Sunday from 7 to 9. Monday the Jack Carr Big Band will be on the Village Green in Fairfield and Tuesday finds the Johnny Mack Super Big Band at North Park in Springboro.

Saxophonist Randy Villars and keyboardist Tim Jennens do an early morning gig Saturday at the 2^nd Street Market. They play from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The weekly jam session, now under the leadership of Kenny Baccus, is still going strong Sunday nights at Jazz Central. Up in Tipp City guitarist Tim Berens and vocalist Louise Cramer will appear at Chin’s Ginger Grill from 7 to 10 Friday. And the Bill Burns Quartet will be at The Greene Sunday from 1 to 4.

In the Queen City and environs: Pianist Michael Eldridge plays at the Federal Reserve Lounge Wednesday through Saturday. He’s there from 6 to 10 each night except, curiously, Friday when he plays from 5 to 9. The Washington Platform Oyster House has trombonist Marc Fields, pianist Jeff Hufnagle and bassist Mike Sharfe Friday from 5:30 to 8:30. The Hyatt Regency Hotel features the Mike Wade Sextet Friday at 8.

Wednesday’s a big night in Cincy this week. Vocalist Andrea Cefalo and keyboardist Billy Larkin are at Gajah Wong Indonesian Restaurant, vocalist April Aloisio and guitarist Bob Roetker are at Tink’s Café in Clifton from 6:30 to 9:00 and the Barb Bruce Quartet plays at the Avenue in Covington from 7 to 11. Ricky Nye and the Red Hots play on the Greenhills Common from 7 to 9 Wednesday and, of course, it’s also the night for the big band to play at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club.

Speaking of the Blue Wisp, the Oz Landesberg Group is there Thursday. Friday and Saturday trumpeter Al Nori and saxophonist Joe Gaudio (both of whom play with the big band) bring their small group into the club. Ricky Nye and Dottie Warner are at Arnold’s Thursday from 7:30 to 9:30. Ricky also brings the Swingin’ Mudbugs to the Avenue in Covington Friday and he’ll play solo at the City BBQ in West Chester Saturday from 6:30 to 9:30 and at Paxton’s Grill in Loveland from 5 to 8 Sunday.

April Aloisio and Bob Roetker are at Chateau Pomije in Hyde Park Friday from 6 to 9. April also sings with the Jim Hart Trio at the Hilton Hotel Palm Court Saturday from 9 to 1. The Cactus Pear in Blue Ash will feature Bone Voyage Thursday at 7. Also Thursday, vocalist Larry Kinley and pianist Wayne Yeager will be at deSha’s American Tavern from 7:00 to 10:30. Bassist Dave LaRocca and guitarist Dick Sorice are at the Glendale Pub Friday from 7 to 10. Also in Glendale, the Ron Jones Quartet plays at Concerts on the Green Saturday from 6 to 9.

Columbus, Urbana, etc.: The Dwight Lenox Trio will be at the Broad St. Presbyterian Church Wednesday from 7:30 to 9:00. They’ll also be at the Mallway in Upper Arlington Thursday from 6:30 to 8:00, at the Worthington Inn Friday from 7 to 10 and at the Wexner Party Barn in New Albany Saturday from 6 to 10.

Pianist Richard Lopez and bassist Roger Hines are at Rigsby’s Wednesday from 7 to 10. The OK Syncopators big band will be in Melvin Miller Park in Urbana Sunday from 6 to 8.