PRESS • • • JAZZ AROUND TOWN by Scott Yanow THE ORANGE COUNTY CLASSIC JAZZ FESTIVAL The emphasis at this festival is on organized groups. If one were to name the main individual heroes, the obvious stars this year were Banu Gibson, Brady McKay, the Midiri Brothers, Louis Mazetier and Paris Washboard, and Jeff Barnhart, but in reality every group was at least excellent. For many, Brady McKay was the new discovery of the festival. Although she had appeared here before, she has matured and become a major jazz singer. Evidence of that was apparent during a set in which Banu Gibson had Brady onstage singing duets with her while accompanied by Banu's band. On "Let Yourself Go," "I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby," "Happy Feet," "Thou Swell," "Swing Brother Swing" and "Happy As The Day Is Long," the two vocalists not only sang together and cracked jokes but inspired each other to dance wildly during the instrumental choruses. Banu's New Orleans Hot Jazz featured concise and hot solos from trumpeter Randy Reinhardt, trombonist David Sager, Dan Levinson (on clarinet and tenor) and pianist-arranger David Boeddinghaus. Otherwise throughout the weekend, Banu was a major attraction, singing standards and obscurities from the 1930s (including "Find Me A Primitive Man," "Swing Mr. Charlie" and "New Orleans") with her usual charm, swing and excitement. For one set, David Sager was late, thinking that the performance was for 15 minutes later. While onstage, Banu talked to him on the cell phone, having the audience yell inthe background and telling him that the venue will be easy to find because all he had to do was look for 300 angry people. During anotherset, she announced a tune by saying that she was going to sing her favorite Gershwin song. The band began to play "Rhapsody In Blue!" Brady McKay's regular gig during the festival was with clarinetist Pieter Meijers' Quartet, a band also including pianist Randy Morris,bassist Clive Collins and the great Jake Hanna on drums. Meijers, who also played tenor, matched Brady in the humor department and the two played off each other very well, both verbally and musically. Brady was in top form on "I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket" and "Melancholy...." For information on next year's festival (taking place August 2-5, 2007) contact www.oc-classicjazz.org. DIXIELAND MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL: billsharp sharp-b at clearwire.net Just returned from a weekend at the Monterey Jazz Festival where the weather and scenery was both picture-postcard perfect. The Monterey people put on a terrific festival, and you can see the results of a lot of hard work., with stellar bands chosen - - - there was not a schlock band in the bunch. (big snip) There's another band on the horizon that you absolutely must hear, organized by Brady McCay, named Parlor Jam. She has assembled a staff of musicians who, each individually, are exceptionally talented, and each one adds that spark of energy you like to present see in any band. That sum total of energy glues your ears to whatever they are doing. Their hugely diverse selection of songs by itself keeps you so very interested in seeing what tempo/beat/style that will choose for the next song. One of the things most interesting to me, being a trumpet player, is the "new" sound coming from Parlor Jam Chuck Bond's trumpet. He is creating a sound unique to just himself in the same way that Dan Barret's sound is so uniquely special on trombone. I asked him about it and he said yes, that's exactly what he's trying to do. Bond is not the same person who drove Titan Hot Five to the top of the charts. Actually, he IS the same person, but he is reinventing the sound he's producing . . . He seems to be trying to caress and give you a brightly polished and highly-refined sound that makes you lean forward to catch what he's doing. When he's done with a solo, the words "Please don't stop. Play more" enters your mind. His final " unique sound" that he says he is is the middle of creating is something that I am certain that others will soon be trying to copy. I know that I will . . Parlor Jam did a song titled "Won't You Smile On Me Tonight", which was so haunting and lyrical that it moved me almost to tears by its sheer beauty and because of the wonderful way it was performed. . the reason that Brady performs it which such personal feeling is that, so it turns out, she wrote it. When you see them, ask for the song. . . this has the potential for becoming her signature piece. They said that it's been recorded, but not put onto a CD yet. Keep an eye on Brady's website and snag it as soon as it comes out - -though I have no idea when that will be .. . . I also have no idea whose parlor they've been jamming in, but they can jam in mine any day. They are a force to be reckoned with. If you're a festival promoter, I suggest you get your arse in gear and snag 'em. . . . When the word gets out, they will soon be drawing the large audiences. . . and that is my fearless prediction! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •