My blogging is Infrequent

James leads the charge Bassed
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At the World Stage with James Leary’s Bass Choir

I have a better than before website thanks to help from Paul and Neva Chevalier.

Plus I have been doing a lot of music work which I love.  To contribute to the sound from the bottom of it all is a special pleasure for me especially with musicians I relate to and who appreciate what I bring.

Now for me to make my website even better I need to blog a little more often.  That’s how this WordPress deal rolls.  On the pages of the site are lots of cool more “permanent things” for you who want to go into it.  I think the blog comes up first in a lot of formats so I’ll do what I can to inform you more often of my current musical activities. So here goes!

This coming Saturday evening October 14, 2017 I will perform special arrangements of Thelonius Monk music arranged by James Leary for his Bass Choir—5 acoustic basses and Clayton Cameron on drums.  We’ll be at the World Stage at 8:00 pm as part of the tenth annual Angel City Jazz Festival celebrating Monk’s centennial.  This performance is part of World Music Days,  an organization founded  by Daniel Pearl’s parents  to promote peace through music.  Harmony for Humanity is their slogan.  October is the month of Daniel Pearl’s birthday so World Music Days celebrate his memory during the month of October.  Daniel Pearl grew up in Encino.  He was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and he also played violin jamming with people he met all over the world on his journalist assignments.  He was executed by terrorists in 2002.  There was a movie made about him (Angelina Jolie).  In his memory any performers who wish to acknowledge him are invited to do so during October.

I look forward to performing this season with the Cal Tech Symphony at the Ramo Auditorium on the Cal Tech campus in Pasadena CA under the direction of conductor Dr. Allen R. Gross.  Our upcoming concert is scheduled for matinees on November 18 (2:30 pm) and November 19 (3:30 pm).  These are open to the public at no charge.

I have currently released an album of songs entitled “Good Vibes” recorded and produced by my team. The music is available to hear online (at this website).  Specially packaged physical copies are available in limited supply.  The music is all done by three people, myself, Tyler Combs and Ken Park pretty much first takes–a “live in the studio” concept recorded and mixed by Paul Chevalier.

Thank you to all the band leaders who give me a great variety of things to do, please continue!  My calendar at the website will let you know how the dates are happening.  In addition thanks to all the fans and friends who support my endeavors.   The beat goes on……..

 

 

Jazzabration celebrates Leslie Baker and Yevette Stewart

Thanks to any and all who take the time to share this wonderful time with me and Yevette Stewart, a friend and fine Jazz Vocalist.  We are being honored in Inglewood “City of Champions ” as a Living Legends of Jazz and Blues.  I look forward to joining many of my colleagues who have been so honored.

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Click on me to make me BIGGER.

 Jazzabrations & Vespers at “The Side”(Live Jazz and Liturgy interwoven)

Morningside Church
8722 Crenshaw Blvd. Ingelwood CA 90305
March 26, 2017 5-7 PM
$20 donation at the door
RSVP www.morningsideucc.org
or call Linda Morgan 562-762-6441

 

Up and running with Jazz in Schools!

Today the band, under the direction of trumpeter/educator Dr. Bobby Rodriguez, brings live jazz music and education to grammar school kids all over Los Angeles.

We are sponsored by the Los Angeles Jazz Society, Musicians Performance Trust Fund, Herb Alpert Foundation and Cultural Affairs of Los Angeles.  We have several more concerts coming up this month along with 2 other bands in celebration of Black History Month.

Here’s a picture from last year:

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Jazz in Schools! 2016

And the year before:

Jazz in Schools! 2015

Mark Christian Miller, Maria Martinez, Dr. Bobby Rodriguez, Leslie Baker, Oscar Hernandez

What a Year!

2016 has been a great year for growth and new beginnings.  The creativity flows.  The fun continues. How lucky am I?  I picked up 2 new basses this year, both Fenders.  So I got plenty to boom boom boom with considering the collection of instruments those 2 get added to. The Fender Precision sounds great in Bobby Hurricane Spencer’s All Star band where I feel transported to New Orleans every time because of a fantastic drummer named Albert Trepanier Jr.  This is the band with the trending video, over 112K people know “we got the blues”.  It’s been great to play music with so many very talented people.

112K +++!!!

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Blues! Mother of Rock an Roll>>>>we rocking’!

From the critics, our friends and the All Stars’ fans: “Mixing soul, funk and blues into a mighty gumbo, Bobby Hurricane Spencer Blues All Stars take you to saxophone driven blues heaven. This music will lift your spirits and move your body with deep soulful and funky blues. Easy listening putting a smile on your face, dancing in your feet and then some ice in your drink. If you like blues stirred but not shaken with jazz, doo wop, a touch of Latino and funk then you will enjoy the Hurricane’s All Stars – everyone of them a star in their own right!”— with Tom J Daniels, Livewires Live-music, Jazz LivingLegend, Bobby Spencer, Tadg Galleran,George Van Wagner, Albert Trepagnier Jr., Kelly Chappue, Leslie Baker and West L.A. Studios.

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Leslie with Bobby “Hurricane” Spencer celebrating his birthday.

 

Upcoming show at Seabird Lounge Long Beach on Veterans Day Nov. 11, 2016.  Come on down, shake a tail feather with us.  Oh, and Happy Halloween all, may your evening be full of tricks and treats a few frights and lots of fun….