Jazz Scene 072407

By Don Henke

Last week: The Ron Jones trio proved Friday night at Pacchia Prima that you don’t need a drummer to swing. With bassist and long-time associate Sonny Stephens and pianist Rob Allgeyer the Louisville alto saxophonist swung for four hours. The absence of a drummer gave bassist Stephens more of a chance to shine and shine he did. He is one of the better bass players to appear in this area regularly and his intensity is palpable. Cincinnatian Rob Allgeyer is also well-known in these parts for playing keyboards and organ. You have to be pretty good to play with Ron Jones and Rob has been with him for quite a while, working in Kentucky and Indiana as well as Ohio.

Ron Jones is a master saxophonist. He moves facilely from bebop (Charlie Parker’s “Yardbird Suite”; Thelonious Monk’s “Well, You Needn’t”) to swing tunes (“Perdido”; “In a Mellow Tone”) to ballads (“Round Midnight”; “A Child is Born”) with aplomb. His cohorts are right beside him every step of the way. When three musicians are in sync like that it makes for a pleasurable evening of listening.

Saturday night we caught Miss Teresa Hunt’s first set at Gregory’s Piano Bar on N. Main St. This young lady seems to get better with time. She’s added a flair for the dramatic and her song selection is also improving. Saturday, backed by Columbus pianist Ed Clay, she sang “When Sunny Gets Blue”, “Sunday Kind of Love” and “All Right, Okay, You Win” among others.

This week in Dayton: Pianist Kareem Powell, a mainstay with the Eddie Brookshire Orchestra, steps into the spotlight Wednesday with a solo recital on the upper floor at Hauer Music at 6 p.m. The Lizz and Rex Club Combo plays at the 88 Club Wednesday from 4 to 6. You can leave there and jump over to Hauer’s for Kareem’s show. And after that stop at the Crowne Plaza Stars Lounge for Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers from 7:30 to 11:30. Didn’t know there was so much to do in Dayton on a Wednesday, did you?

Thursday the Mario Abney Quintet is at the 88 Club, Tammy Powell and the Randy Villars Trio are at the Crowne from 8 to 12 and the Kim Kelly Orchestra is on Riverscape from 7:30 to 9:30. Friday the Bill Burns Quartet is at Pacchia Prima, David Simpson plays at Café Boulevard and Puzzle of Light is at Therapy Café from 9 to 12. The Shawn Stanley Trio plays at the Crowne Plaza Friday and Saturday.

Other goings-on Saturday include the Doug Simon Quartet at Pacchia Prima (Don’t forget their new weekend hours from 9 to 1 – gives you time to have dinner before the music starts) and, at the other end of the Oregon District, Puzzle of Light is at the Trolley Stop from 9:30 to 1:30.

The ‘burbs are also hopping this week. The Greene in Beavercreek features Chris Bowman and friends Wednesday from 5:30 to 9:30 and Kick-N-Flava Sunday from 1 to 4. Rick Evans and friends are at Yankee Trace Golf Club in Centerville Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:30. Magnolia Bolthead is at the Emporium in Yellow Springs Friday at 7:30. The Lizz and Rex Club Combo is at the Oasis in Xenia Saturday. The Smart Set with Mike Eldridge plays at L’Auberge in Kettering Friday and Saturday from 8 to midnight. The Wolf Creek Jazz Ensemble will perform an outdoor concert at Golden Gate Park in Brookville Sunday from 12:30 to 2:00.

In the Queen City: The Greenwich in Walnut Hills continues its Tuesday night jam sessions at 8:30 tonight. All musicians are welcome. There’s a lot happening on Wednesday. The Blue Wisp Jazz Club, of course, has its big band playing from 8:30 to 11:30. Andrea Cefalo and Billy Larkin are at Gajah Wong Indonesian Restaurant in Northside. The Bruce Menefield Quartet is at Jardin (formerly Neon’s) in Over-the-Rhine beginning at 8. Vocalist April Aloisio and guitarist Bob Roetker are at Tink’s Café in Clifton. Ricky Nye is at Chez Nora in Covington.

Thursday Ricky Nye pairs with Dottie Warner at Arnold’s downtown from 7:30 to 9:30. The Blue Wisp has the Oz Landesberg Group from 8:30 to 11:30. The Hilton Hotel’s Palm Court features April Aloisio with the Jim Hart Trio Friday and Pamela Mallory with the Jim Connerley Trio Saturday. Music is from 9 to 1 both nights. At another downtown hotel, the Hyatt Regency, the AfroRican Ensemble appears Friday at 8. The Washington Platform Oyster House has pianist Rob Allgeyer and flutist Sandy Suskind Friday from 5:30 to 8:30. Sunday Kathy Radecki and friends will be at Cincinnati Yoga Society from 6:30 to 8:30.

Bone Voyage plays at Cactus Pear in Blue Ash Thursday at 7. Also Thursday vocalist Larry Kinley and pianist Wayne Yeager are at deSha’s American Tavern on Montgomery Road from 7:00 to 10:30. Ricky Nye is at City BBQ in West Chester Friday from 6:30 to 9:30. Ricky also plays at Latitudes in Anderson Township Saturday from 5 to 8. The Dilly Deli has two duos going this week: Pamela Mallory and Wayne Yeager Friday and April Aloisio and Bob Roetker Saturday. Music goes from 7:30 to 10:30 both nights.

Up in the Cap City: Columbus Music Hall features the Brad Mellon Quartet Thursday at 8. The Dwight Lenox Trio plays at West Main and Jefferson in Van Wert some time Friday. The Vernon Hairston Trio is at the Worthington Inn Friday from 7 to 10. Flutist Gail Keen and keyboardist Larry Halpern are at The Depot in Urbana Saturday from 7 to 9.

Out of Town: Night Town in Cleveland has Hugh Masekela tonight (Tuesday) for two shows at 7 and 9 and reed man Ken Peplowski at 7:00 Thursday. The Jazz Kitchen in Indy has Rob Dixon and Triology +1 Wednesday from 7:00 to 10:30 ($5 cover) and trumpeter Pharez Whited with Eddie Bayard and Steve Allee Friday for two shows ($12 cover).