This was the opening night of the Angel City Jazz Festival (Oct. An opportunity for everyone to recognize their home team is also an all-star team. ![]() For all the grandeur and pomp of the gala concert, it still felt like a family affair, a reunion of sorts. Perhaps not all the aforementioned are as well-known to the rest of the country and world, but they are rightfully revered by colleagues, students and fans alike in the City of Angels, where almost the entire band calls home, including Souza and Mendoza. Souza, one of the most celebrated Brazilian singers in recent memory, was backed by a jazz ensemble led by composer-arranger (and five-time Grammy winner) Vince Mendoza, stocked with a who’s who of local jazz luminaries: trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, saxophonist Bob Sheppard, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Darek Oles, percussionist Alex Acuna and drummer Peter Erskine, to name just a few. She might be correct in that, but no one had ever seen this band before that night either, making this a singularly historic event for those gathered at the Ford, a 1,200-seat outdoor venue built on the same hill as its bigger, more famous brother, the Hollywood Bowl. Luciana Souza gazed out at the large crowd that filled the amphitheater, gestured at the big band behind her and proclaimed, “You will never see this band again on the same stage.” (Photo: Courtesy Angel City Jazz Festival) Luciana Souza performs with Vince Mendoza’s Storytellers Big Band at the Angel City Jazz Festival on Oct.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |