REMEMBERING ELLA—A GOOD TIME HAD BY ALL
A near-capacity crowd at Mountain View High School’s spacious Spartan Theater witnessed PAJA’s great fall concert offering on Friday evening, October 1. This concert was a tribute to the memory of former PAJA Jazz Buff editor Tony Harry and was co-sponsored by The Music School of Sunnyvale, the Palo Alto Adult School and the Mountain View HS Choral Dept.
Opening for the “Remembering Ella” section of the concert was the Brian Ho Quartet, featuring Brian on jazz organ, Calvin Keys on guitar, Oscar Pangilnan on tenor, and Lorca Hart on drums. Ho is on the faculty at The Music School and his group stirred the audience into the proper upbeat mood.
Brian Ho Quartet
Photo by Andy Nozaka
The headline Ella ensemble was directed and arranged by Larry Dunlap and included Dunlap on piano, Noel Jewkes on reeds, Mike Olmos on trumpet, Jason Lewis on drums, and Seward McCain on bass. Vocals were handled by the great Kenny Washington and Bobbe Norris and two young singers, Holly Smolik and Laila Smith. They sang familiar tunes from the Ella Fitzgerald songbook, such as Night in Tunisia and Just One of Those Things, and it all culminated in a fabulous duet with Kenny and Bobbe on Our Love Is Here To Stay. Everybody swung, scatted, and satisfied. A splendid evening of straight-ahead jazz.
Larry Dunlap ...............................................Kenny Washington
Laila Smith at the Mike ....................................Bobbe Norris
Photos by Andy Nozaka
Thanks to everyone who attended. The ticket proceeds make it possible for PAJA to continue its educational mission in helping to keep jazz vibrant in our area and providing scholarship support to aspiring local musicians.
