Text 7356, 83 rader
Skriven 2008-05-19 09:16:58 av hap newsom (1:124/311)
     Kommentar till en text av MICHAEL LOO
Ärende: RE: beyond tijuana 332 (2)
==================================
Howdy Michael!
-> 
-> Herb Alpert and Lani Hall with Bill Cantos, Hussain Jeffrey, and Tom
-> at Scullers Jazz Club, Doubletree Hotel.
-> 
-> Over the years, Scullers has evolved into one of the premier jazz
-> venues in the city: back in its early days, one got in for $5 or
-> so and heard struggling young musicians, including friends of mine
-> (occasionally backed up by the likes of me); now, it gets headliners
-> like Brubeck and this guy, and one pays $40 and earns the privilege
-> of buying supermarket wine for about that much a bottle.
-> 
-> It's a cozy space that seats a couple hundred only, and of course
-> it was way sold out. We had comps, so no worries there, especially
-> as it was unlikely we'd have been inclined to go if we didn't know
-> someone in the band. I can't see how the total house would even pay
-> for the plane for these guys. I'm guessing that Herb is taking a
-> deduction on his expenses while giving his wife (who by the was is
-> excellent, so it's not a vanity thing, exactly) lots of exposure
-> and perhaps publicizing some forthcoming album or another.
-> 
-> The venue does make a few bucks, I'm sure, as the markup on the wine
-> is to between 4x and 5x of normal retail! and the food offerings,
-> sort of lackluster in execution as I recall, are generic but costly
-> (fried squid appetizer for 11 bucks, burgers more than that).
-> 
-> As our tickets were from someone who has been described as the best
-> drummer in the world, we were deferentially genuflected into some
-> of the worst seats in the house, with a pillar obstructing the view
-> of the stage: this didn't bother me actually, as I'm not that visual
-> and actually welcomed a barrier between the music and me, especially
-> when the drums or trumpet were playing, which was most of the time.
-> 
-> It was, I'm surprised to say, a memorable concert. Herb's sound
-> is still creamily distinctive, his wife has a sultry but agile voice,
-> and they're both surprisingly fine musicians. Plus they put together
-> behind them the best band money can buy (as opposed to the groups I
-> play in, which are, as Jay Daly says, "the best in our price range.")
-> 
-> The program was mostly Brazilian jazz along with some standard
-> American love songs and a few snippets of the old Tijuana Brass
-> standards, for nostalgia's sake. A particularly touching moment
-> when Herb sang "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" to Lani, who
-> seemed to be feeling real emotion, though he sings the song
-> probably at every gig.
-> 
-> The setting is cabaret, with waiters running up and down all the
-> time, taking orders in a slightly too loud voice. A lot of glass
-> clinking and other cocktail sounds. Not too much conversation
-> from the audience, though, as (as Ellen pointed out) we brought
-> the average age of the patronage down to around 60 or 65.
-> 
-> Sara was hungry and had some dessert that I couldn't see in the
-> dark across the table; the more adult among us avoided the grossly
-> overpriced food menu in favor of the grossly overpriced bar menu.
-> We ordered the Danzante Pinot Grigio, no bargain at $42 a bottle,
-> but it was out. So we asked for the Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc at
-> 30-something, plus a Smuttynose Porter for me, but the waiter said
-> that he'd just sold the last bottle. Ended up with the slightly
-> too sweet, slightly too light, and not acid enough Chateau Ste.
-> Michelle Johannisberg Riesling 06, which had nice apples and pears
-> and a touch of spice, but not much character and not much staying
-> power. I think it was $34. The Smuttynose did come after a lengthy
-> delay, and it was pleasant, rather hoppy but with chocolate and
-> coffee characteristics and a good round malty finish.
-> 
-> Afterward we hung around with the band (minus Herb and Lani, who
-> were dealing with autograph seekers and assorted star-struck types),
-> trading musical war stories and drinking no-name Pinot Grigio and
-> Remy Martin VSOP at hotel prices.
-> 
-> By the way, I got an offer for more comps for the group's sold-out
-> concerts at Jazz Alley in Seattle, but certain persons who shall
-> remain nameless weren't thrilled with the idea, so too bad.
-> 
(A) it's a school night, so Anne would not go, (B) we can get better
hooch at better prices, (C) we can listen to whatever music WE 
choose, (D)while Herb is a decent musician, he ain't no Miles Davis 
or Dizzy the G.
See ya soon!
hap 
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