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Stories by Robert Bush

Time to jam

Trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos did his last Wednesday-night gig at El Camino bar/restaurant on October 31.

One Busy Bassist

Bassist Mark Dresser continues to gig in Europe and the East Coast rather than home in San Diego at a 10-1 ratio.

Bowels of the Horn

Jeff Kaiser played trumpet and guitar in the Presbyterian Church before becoming a minister. Now he makes computer-accentuated music that sounds satanic at times.

Spragueland

Local jazz guitarist Peter Sprague is putting the finishing touches on two recordings set for summer release on his SBE Records label. “SBE stands for striving-to-break even,” Sprague informs me during a tour of his ...

Louis Hayes Quartet Closes Out 2011 KSDS Jazz Live

Jazz drummer Louis Hayes performed at the Saville Theatre for the final installment of this spring’s "KSDS Jazz Live" series. Hayes has played with several jazz greats, from John Coltrane to Woody Shaw; he once ...

Korb and Cosmologic — Relaxed and Swinging at UCSD

UCSD's music department has been presenting concerts all week featuring returning alumni and staff, including singer and bassist Kristen Korb, who opened Saturday's show, and the creative free-jazz co-op Cosmologic, which closed it. The event ...

Geoffrey Keezer and Peter Sprague Unite

Local pianist Geoffrey Keezer and guitarist Peter Sprague teamed up to form a new jazz band that sold out the Saville Theater. The concert served as a CD-release party for their debut, Mill Creek Road. ...

Nnenna Freelon Wows the Crowd at Sold Out Saville Theatre

Six-time Grammy nominee and Concord recording artist, Nnenna Freelon brought her golden pipes to the Saville Theater at City College. Accompanying her was pianist Mike Garson (David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails) and locals ...

John Abercrombie's East Coast Jazz Meets West Coast Manners at Anthology

Guitarist John Abercrombie brought his New York Quartet to Anthology for a rare San Diego appearance. Abercrombie shared the spotlight with violinist Mark Feldman, bassist Thomas Morgan, and downtown favorite, drummer Joey Baron. The concert ...

Who Made the Scene in Ocean Beach?

The O.B. Music and Arts Festival emerged from its economically influenced hiatus on September 11, more ambitious than ever with 7 venues and 27 acts. Difficult to pick standouts, but the performance of the Geoffrey ...

A Triumphant Return

New York Jazz vocalist Kendra Shank had a triumphant return to San Diego. The Point Loma High grad has several well-received and critically acclaimed releases under her belt — namely Mosaic and Spirit Free: The ...

Scrapple from the Apple

Jazz history was on display at the Saville Theater with the sold-out performance of the Mundell Lowe Quartet. One of the original participants in the Bebop revolution, Lowe's resume includes work experience with three of ...

Shoot-Out at the Saville

Lovers of Latin jazz flocked to the Saville Theater for a sold-out performance by the Bobby Matos Latin Jazz Ensemble. Most of the members of this red-hot sextet hail from New York City, and there ...

From the Jazz Corner

KSDS deejay and jazz vocalist Cynthia Hammond celebrated the 20th anniversary of her weekly program "Local Jazz Corner" with a concert featuring three jazz combos. Opening the show was a trio led by San Diego ...

Jasmine

Jasmine is the first recorded collaboration by Jarrett and Haden in 30 years. Haden was an integral member of Jarrett's ensembles in the 1970s, playing a role in some of the finest music made in ...

Ever Since the World Ended...

Sly, spry octogenarian bluesman Mose Allison is the ultimate hipster. Along with Carlsbad bassist Gunnar Biggs, the pianist-singer delivered what his audience expected, judging by the raucous applause between numbers. Mr. Allison has been doing ...

Jazz Classic

Golson is the composer of at least eight jazz classics that are played every night by jazz musicians all over the world. At age 81, he looks and plays like someone 20 years his junior. ...

For the Birds

There have been moments in Frisell's career where he may have been the most startlingly original guitarist in jazz; on this night, he sounded like Jerry Garcia on Thorazine. The concert began with 10 minutes ...

Shards of Mayhem

Diminutive, 68-year-old Polish free-jazzman Tomasz Stanko led a new quintet of 30-something Scandinavians through a thoughtful, occasionally fiery 90-minute set. Stanko has come a long way from when he was initially dismissed as a Lester ...

Dark Sand Duo

The duo of Sergio Salvatore (piano) and Christo Rafalides (vibes) began with the title cut from their recent release Dark Sand and continued with a funky off-kilter version of Charles Mingus's "Nostalgia in Times Square." ...

What Is Enough?

Kevyn Lettau and Peter Sprague have played prominent parts in the San Diego jazz scene for several years. Though Lettau has relocated to Los Angeles, she and Sprague have continued a musical relationship. What Is ...

'Trane Keeps a-Rollin'

Veteran bassist Henry Franklin's quartet is loaded with ringers. Saxophonist Azar Lawrence has long been a star with a c.v. that includes employment with the legendary McCoy Tyner. Pianist Theo Saunders's virtuosity is both brawny ...