AUGUST 9, 2019

BY ANDREA BEENHAM

Material: In recognition of his 71st birthday and to promote the release of his band’s latest single, “Can’t Stand It,” film composer and conductor Dennis Dreith hosted a stellar celebration of sound and charisma at Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill. Given the who’s who of session players from around Los Angeles and the camaraderie and understanding between Dreith and his guest vocalists, this was not your standard night out. The new single delivers a fun New Orleans vibe with a gentle high-hat sprinkled around playful bass lines, rich horn arrangements, and funky organ stylings.

Musicianship: From the warm retro groove of the band’s trademark “Eighty-Six, Ninety-Five” to the Herbie Hancock feel of “Brujo,” featuring eight soloists, a combination of driving minor lilt, dancing horn parts, dotted percussion, a sensitive funky drummer, and a pianist who knows how to use space, the level of musicality presented was truly breathtaking. The mutual respect between the conductor and his musicians was evident throughout the evening, and the combination of the 13-piece jazz band, four-piece string section, a Hammond B3 and traditional piano created an exciting playground of sound.

Performance: The incomparable Sandra Booker joined the gifted group with a unique rendition of “My Funny Valentine.” Her unexpected (but absolutely divine!) nod to Donna Summer in the intro made for a perfect segue into an earthy, soulful presentation. Booker’s unbelievable breath control, vocal command and virtuoso ghosting and scat stylings left even the most seasoned vocalist humbled. Legend Ellis Hall joined the band with his original, “Some Days Are Meant for Rain,” a ballad best described as having captured the essence and magic of what every love song should be. Hall followed up with a bluesy version of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” before presenting the band’s latest single, “Can’t Stand It,” a song already receiving airplay and momentum across the pond just a week after its release. Hall’s unbelievable falsetto and four-octave range, Southern gospel sounds on the Hammond B3, and vivacious personality and cheeky sense of humor made for an incredible blend of seasoned talent and engaging showmanship.

Summary: A funky bass pulse, lilting rhythm section and a seasoned gathering of stellar session players combined to create a phenomenal listening experience. The Dennis Dreith Band has a reputation for delivering some of the highest caliber musicianship around, and the show at Vibrato did not disappoint. With a mix of traditional jazz sounds, funk, R&B and Latin stylings, the evening was an incredible blend of musical flavors, and the phenomenal combination of talents left you feeling like a fly on the wall at a private recording session, with the added fun of a jazz jam of musicians clearly enjoying themselves at the top of their game.

Players: Dennis Dreith (composer, conductor); Kait Dunton (piano); Dominic Genova (bass); Jake Reed (drums); John Goux (guitar); Brian Kilgore (percussion); Fred Selden (alto sax, soprano sax, flute, piccolo, alto flute); Gary Herbig (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, clarinet); Bob Crosby (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, alto flute, clarinet); Steve Taylor (baritone sax, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute); Ron King (trumpet, flugelhorn); Dave Richards (trumpet; flugelhorn); Ido Meshulam (trombone); Steve Hughes (bass trombone); Rafi Rishig (1st violin); Rhea Fowler (2nd violin); Jennie Hansen (viola); Armen Ksajikian (cello)

Special Guests: Ellis Hall (vocals, keyboard); Sandra Booker (vocals)

BY JONATHAN WIDRAN

Material: A veteran film, TV and jingle composer, orchestrator and arranger, Dennis Dreith has a wealth of material to choose from in presenting his 18-piece big band. The band set the tone for the action-packed set with the vibrant, brassy and hard-swinging jam “Eighty Six Ninety Five Sincerely,” but artfully alternated these full-on blasts of funk and jazz with more subtly infectious pieces like the sensual, Latin-tinged “Ta Che Strut.” Dreith varied his largely instrumental set with the deep soul vocal energy of guest singers Sandra Booker (“Love Has a Way,” “She Can Be Evil”), Dan Foliart (a jazzy re-imagining of “Burning Love”), and barnburner Toni Malone (“Natural Woman”). Many of the band members are TV music veterans, and it was a blast watching Jimmy Z (harmonica) and Gary Herbig (sax) lead a sizzling, hard-edged blues jam through the earthy “Roseanne” theme.

Musicianship: One of the benefits of having been in the biz for decades is Dreith’s “rolodex” of first-call studio friends, and all of them, whether soloing, working in tandem with a single cohort, or making the emotions rise and fall in unison, were stellar. To paraphrase Parliament, this 18-piece band tore the roof off the sucker (intimate supper club, ha!) with a crazy-cool, way out whirlwind of vibes that were freewheeling but grounded in melody and alternately seductive and toe-tapping grooves.

Performance: Dreith is a masterful conductor/arranger and it was engaging to watch his arms and hands at work as he led his ensemble through mountains and valleys of transcendent energy and subtle grace. Having several excellent vocalists performing familiar classics amid the original material made the set hop and zip along quickly. Hands down, it was the fiery rendition of “Roseanne” that provoked the most visceral reactions.

Summary: Studio musicians are Los Angeles’ greatest musical treasures, but many of the greats who make the music happen for our favorite films and TV shows toil in relative obscurity. Creating shows like this, Dreith is a godsend. He allows these incredible artists to have a moment or two in the sun even as they strive toward their collective goal of working together to create an unforgettable jazz, rock, blues, New Orleans and funk-filled show. It’s good to be reminded every so often just how deep the musical talent runs in our fair city. A truly triumphant show on so many levels.

The Players: Dennis Dreith, bandleader and conductor; Jake Reed, drums; Kait Dunton, keyboards; John Goux, guitar; Dominick Genova, bass; Brian Kilgore, percussion; Fred Selden, saxophones, flute; Gary Herbig, saxophones, flute, clarinet; Bob Crosby, saxophones, flute, clarinet, English horn; Greg Huckins, saxophones, clarinet, flute; Ron King, trumpet, flugelhorn; Dave Richards, trumpet, flugelhorn; Ido Meshulam, trombone; Steve Hughes, bass trombone, tuba; Jay Rosen, violin; Neil Samples, violin; Jennie Hansen, viola; Matt Cooker, cello; Jimmy Z, harmonica.

By Grant Stoner

Material: Composer and conductor Dreith leads a hand-picked, 13-piece ensemble of stalwarts in the contemporary music scene.
In addition to a five-piece rhythm section, the big band features woodwinds, brass and, for this performance, a string quartet. Celebrating Dreith’s first jazz/fusion album in 30 years, the group performed the entirety of the seven-song release, along with a three-song sequence of Claude Debussy pieces.

Musicianship: Dreith is influenced by early 20th century classical, with echoes of Copland and Stravinsky. The band roster boasts session and touring musicians with credits ranging from The Rolling Stones to Lady Gaga, so there was no shortage of highly skilled players on stage. Fill-in trumpets Stever and Rocha each offered excellent moments when given the chance to solo, and versatile guitarist Goux shined. Bassist Genova held everything down, providing the through-line for the band to grab on to all night long.

Performance: The show started with
the energetic, “Eighty-Six, Ninety-Five, Sincerely,” the first track off the new album. The pace remained strong, with neo-vintage compositions and complex charts keeping the audience and band on their toes. The midpoint featured the string quartet, taking on Dreith’s arrangement of Debussy works. The concept provided a beautiful and successful change
of pace, the possible exception being an ambitious country version of “The Girl With the Flaxen Hair.” The set concluded with up-tempo selections, including Herbie-like “Karuna,” followed by an homage to Corea’s “Spain.”

Summary: The band is not short on talent, and Dreith is a seasoned artist who knows how to get the best out of his musicians. The band excels in energetic and funky numbers, such as the Latin-inspired “Brujo,” which features strong bass lines and blues changes. Writing and conducting for a big band is an impressive feat, and more live performances will elevate the material to where it deserves to be.

Players: Dennis Dreith, composer, conductor; Gary Herbig, saxaphone; Bob Crosby, saxophone; Greg Huckins, saxophone; Ralph Humphrey, drums; Phil Teele, bass trombone/tuba; Charlie Morillas, trombone; John Goux, guitar; Dominick Genova, bass; Brian Kilgore, percussion; Kait Dunton, piano; Jeff Driskill, woodwinds; Michael Stever, trumpet; Mike Rocha, trumpet; special guests: Jay Rosen, violin; Neil Samples, violin; Jennie Hansen, viola; Armen Ksajikian, cello.

Venue: Catalina Bar & Grill
City: Hollywood, CA