Double Bass Los Angeles jazz club recommendations, please

[Jim T]

Traveling to LA this weekend and am looking for club suggestions where I might catch old (or not so old) jazz masters. Staying in Marina Del Rey. I'll visit my favorite fusion club, the Baked Potato, but also hoping to hear some more traditional sounds as well.

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Ross Kratter]

Blue Whale is a great spot for the slightly-more-out, as is Sam First. For totally straight ahead, Catalina is probably it. They book the big national acts.

 

[Sean Riddle]

Sunday March 3rd at Zebulon Cafe Concert The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra and a group called Double D and the Skipper Quartet, which features LA masters Henry Franklin and Donald Dean, will be performing. The night is dedicated to the great Horace Tapscott who founded the Arkestra. If you want to catch some old LA jazz masters playing, and coincidentally also here some of the heavy young players who play in the Arkestra now, that’s probably the place you want to be.

Also you can totally see straight ahead at the Blue Whale and Sam First. More out and avant-garde music does happen there, but it’s not happening every night there. They’re both mostly spots for the young and modern players. On March 2nd Vardan Ovsepian is playing there with Dave Robaire and Peter Erskine. Vardan is a absolutely stunning pianist and well worth seeing.

Also I don’t know what’s going on at the World Stage this weekend, but that’s a great and seriously important venue in LA.

 

[Jim T]

Thank you for these great suggestions! I see Joel Frahm on the calendars at the Blue Whale, and Catalina with Jane Monheit, which likely also means the wonderful Neil Miner on bass...

 

[Don Hergert]

I'd also suggest, for old-jazz, a trip to Disneyland will typically provide at least three great daily working bands, the Straw Hatters, the Jambalaya Jazz Band, and the Royal Street Bachelors. Each band typically provides six ~30 minute shows daily at locations between Main Street and New Orleans Square, up close and personal. One of my favorite double bass players, Jeff Littleton, is a regular with the Royal Street Bachelors. (Also one of our favorite musicians, guitarist Terry Evans has been with Disneyland and the Bachelors for a number of decades).

There are also a number of other great non-jazz bands and musicians (including other great double bass players) at Disneyland and at California Adventure. Plus a great day of sightseeing, rides (if you like them) and walking exercise in an upscale, manicured, clean environment. My wife and I consider Disneyland our health club.

A call ahead can provide an "insider's schedule" for these bands, just in case there are any schedule changes due to other events or due to weather.

 

[dan1952]

I'd also suggest, for old-jazz, a trip to Disneyland will typically provide at least three great daily working bands, the Straw Hatters, the Jambalaya Jazz Band, and the Royal Street Bachelors. Each band typically provides six ~30 minute shows daily at locations between Main Street and New Orleans Square, up close and personal. One of my favorite double bass players, Jeff Littleton, is a regular with the Royal Street Bachelors. (Also one of our favorite musicians, guitarist Terry Evans has been with Disneyland and the Bachelors for a number of decades).

There are also a number of other great non-jazz bands and musicians (including other great double bass players) at Disneyland and at California Adventure. Plus a great day of sightseeing, rides (if you like them) and walking exercise in an upscale, manicured, clean environment. My wife and I consider Disneyland our health club.

A call ahead can provide an "insider's schedule" for these bands, just in case there are any schedule changes due to other events or due to weather.

Disneeyland aand other theme parks don't get mentioned much, but the musicians at these venues are typically REALLY good. John Jorgensen played at one (Disneyland, I think) for some time before "hitting it big."

 

[Ross Kratter]

I'd also suggest, for old-jazz, a trip to Disneyland will typically provide at least three great daily working bands, the Straw Hatters, the Jambalaya Jazz Band, and the Royal Street Bachelors. Each band typically provides six ~30 minute shows daily at locations between Main Street and New Orleans Square, up close and personal. One of my favorite double bass players, Jeff Littleton, is a regular with the Royal Street Bachelors. (Also one of our favorite musicians, guitarist Terry Evans has been with Disneyland and the Bachelors for a number of decades).

There are also a number of other great non-jazz bands and musicians (including other great double bass players) at Disneyland and at California Adventure. Plus a great day of sightseeing, rides (if you like them) and walking exercise in an upscale, manicured, clean environment. My wife and I consider Disneyland our health club.

A call ahead can provide an "insider's schedule" for these bands, just in case there are any schedule changes due to other events or due to weather.

Agreed. The musicians at Disneyland are phenomenal, particularly the bands you mentioned.

 

[Tom Lane]

Depending on what you're into, in addition to the venues above, there's Vitello's for more hard corp jazz; Claire Fischer used to perform there. And Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill which is a really nice room, similar to Birdland in NYC, with a great sound system, no cover; good, but slightly over-priced food, and the acts tend to be serious jazzers mixed with some more crowd pleasing performers. John Pisano's Guitar Night is now at the Mixx in Pasadena on Tuesday's at 7:30 but arrive around 6:45 for a good table, or make a reservation if they'll let you. Pisano's a local institution and I always marvel at how versatile he is, always adapting his playing to his guest with always a first-rate rhythm section. Last, in San Pedro there's Alva's. Also a really nice, small room, no food, BYOB, but a $10 to $25 cover. All of the acts are good, not all jazz, some semi-pro.

 

[Ross Kratter]

Depending on what you're into, in addition to the venues above, there's Vitello's for more hard corp jazz; Claire Fischer used to perform there. And Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill which is a really nice room, similar to Birdland in NYC, with a great sound system, no cover; good, but slightly over-priced food, and the acts tend to be serious jazzers mixed with some more crowd pleasing performers. John Pisano's Guitar Night is now at the Mixx in Pasadena on Tuesday's at 7:30 but arrive around 6:45 for a good table, or make a reservation if they'll let you. Pisano's a local institution and I always marvel at how versatile he is, always adapting his playing to his guest with always a first-rate rhythm section. Last, in San Pedro there's Alva's. Also a really nice, small room, no food, BYOB, but a $10 to $25 cover. All of the acts are good, not all jazz, some semi-pro.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Vitello’s has much, if any, jazz anymore, unfortunately.

 

[Tom Lane]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Vitello’s has much, if any, jazz anymore, unfortunately.

Could be true; it's been a couple of years since I was last there. Worth a Godgle search.

I checked out Vitello's website; they're still active with 3 or 4 acts per week.

 

[B String]

I would say look up who might be playing at Catalina's in Hollywood. Also, if you're still around on Tuesday, my friends are playing at Edwin Mills by Equator. 22 Mills Pl, Pasadena. Great players. More adventurous, Jazz. These guys are good. Chris Blondal trio.

 

[meandering]

I would say look up who might be playing at Catalina's in Hollywood. Also, if you're still around on Tuesday, my friends are playing at Edwin Mills by Equator. 22 Mills Pl, Pasadena. Great players. More adventurous, Jazz. These guys are good. Chris Blondal trio.

I am not the op but appreciate the recommendation. Caught one set and enjoyed it!

 

[B String]

I am not the op but appreciate the recommendation. Caught one set and enjoyed it!

Glad you liked it. Steve Billman is such a ridiculous musician. One of my favorite electric guys in LA. I've played with them on upright. Steve makes it just as artistic on electric bass, lol, maybe more.