At 5 p.m. on Sunday, saxist Michael Session leads an arkestral tribute to Horace Tapscott at the Bryant Temple AME Church (2525 Vernon Ave. at 4th Avenue, 323-293-6201). Session's ranks includes the likes of Azar Lawrence and Trevor Ware. This should be wild and beautiful. $20.
He doesn't play in town that often, so guitarist Anthony Wilson at Vibrato on Tuesday is a real treat. Saxist Ben Wendel is a tremendous player with ingenious ideas and, damn it, he moved to NYC. He's back this week, and at the Blue Whale on Tuesday he's in a most extraordinary band with saxist Walter Smith III, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Hamilton Price and drummer Steve Hass. Absolutely killer. Also in from NYC is the excellent vibist Tyler Blanton, who's with Walter Smith at Charlie O's on Wednesday and at the Blue Whale on Thursday, and both are recommended. Pianist Jon Mayer also came from NYC, but that was decades ago; still, there's a lot of that late '50s and '60s in his sound, though he's developed it further in his L.A. career since then. He has quite a band with him at Café 322 on Wednesday: saxist Ricky Woodard, bassist Edwin Livingston and drummer Roy McCurdy. This will be a good one.
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Vibist Warren Chiasson is at the Culver City Radisson on Friday. Chiasson's not a well-known player except among musicians, who know what a master of the vibraphone the man is. This is a rare opportunity to see him on the West Coast. Out at Café 322 on Saturday, the quintet of guitarist Riner Scivally and saxist David Sills with trombonist/vibist Isla Eckinger and bassist Putter Smith and drummer Tim Pleasant will be making some cool music. Eckinger's playing has long intrigued us: There's something different about his approach no matter which instruments he's playing at the time. Maybe they learn jazz differently in Switzerland, who knows. We really like his bass playing, too.
Master jazz accordionist Frank Marocco (and how many of you didn't even know there was such a thing?) celebrates his 80th birthday with a new CD, Live at Giannelli Square at, obviously, Giannelli Square (19451 Londelius St., Northridge; 818-772-1722). The band is good, with alto Jon Whinnery, bassist John Giannelli and drummer Kendall Kay. It's on Saturday at 8 p.m., $25 (which includes refreshments).
And ya gotta love Gil Bernal. He's got a sound that brings to mind the feeling of Lester Young at times, soul-stirring stuff. An L.A. legend who needs to be rediscovered by jazz fans, he's at Viva Cantina (900 W. Riverside Drive in Burbank) every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. and it's free. And he'll be able to stretch even more with his quartet, which also is at Café 322 on Thursday. Beautiful.
(Brick can be reached at brickjazz@yahoo.com.)
