It’s the best feeling ever when I stumble upon jazz completely by accident.
Josef and I were driving to CPK to catch some yummy spinach-artichoke dip when we saw a giant neon-yellow sign (you really couldn’t miss it) that said LEXUS OF VALENCIA’S JAZZ & BLUES with some guy tuning up his saxophone right next to it. So after we quickly munched through our pizza (plus the delicious spinach-artichoke dip. yum.), we rushed back to the venue to check out Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps.
If I had to pick my favorite subgroup of jazz, I’d probably be stuck in between blues and bebop. But the Rhythm Tramps kind of gave me a different taste of blues — all the same chords but a bunch of different sounds. Congas, yes; but I would never have thought of using a base drum pedal attached to a tambourine (I’m dead serious.).
Teresa James’s voice kind of gives you that straight-to-your-bones kind of tingle. Plus, all vocals were accompanied by the Rhythm Tramps and, yes, herself. She’s got the keyboards covered, too! Her keyboard’s got this bluesy, back-to-basic kind of sound, embellished with tremolos and glissandos — and it’s all somehow super unexpected.
My favorite musician of the evening, though, was the saxophone player (Jerry Peterson). He brought not one, but two saxophones with him (which you’ll usually see in a saxophonist like Peterson) — but he played them both at the same time. Yup, both the alto and the tenor were both in his mouth, and in harmony, too. Woah.
The Rhythm Tramps eventually got some of the audience members up to dance — but the best dancer of them all was this kid:
The kid kept his spot on the dance floor right in front of the stage for a good half of the show — it was absolutely adorable. Blues is definitely intoxicating. He even tried to bring someone with him:
TERESA JAMES & THE RHYTHM TRAMPS:
KEYBOARDS/VOCALS: Teresa James
GUITAR: Billy Watts
BASS: Terry Wilson
DRUMSET: Herman Matthews
PERCUSSION: Debra Dobkin
SAXOPHONE(S): Jerry Peterson
Check out this sextet at www.teresajames.com.
Be sure to check out Lexus of Valencia’s Jazz & Blues’s last concert next Friday (August 28th) at the Town Center Drive next to Hyatt Valencia (it’s right by the SCV Mall) to hear the Tom Nolan Band (R&B/Jazz). The man sings and plays harmonica. So go.
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: All The Things You Are/The Modern Jazz Quartet/MJQ
