Club Series Packed Kerrytown Concert House

BY LARS BJORN

The two SEMJA/KCH Club Series events at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor in January filled the space to the max with enthusiastic listeners. On January 11, guitarist John E. Lawrence (right) made a rare appearance at KCH as Jazz Master with the also masterful Weed-Krahnke-Dobbins Trio; and on January 18 congero Alberto Nacif brought his joyous Aguanko Afro-Cuban Jazz Project (above) to the stage.

Lawrence's fluid guitar was beautifully showcased on a number of standards, like "Joy Spring", "Green Dolphin Street" and "Four." On the latter he invited a surprise guest to the stage, Detroit's trumpet great Rayse Biggs and for an encore they all swung to a slow blues.

Aguanko's set included songs written by Nacif from the band's recent "Elemental" CD on PKO records. It included great alto solos by Russ Miller, the spunky trombone of Chris Smith, the stratospheric trumpet of Paul Finkbeiner, the lively piano of Wesley Reynoso, and above all the cooking rhythms provided by bassist Pat Prouty, the phenomenal percussionist Jose "Pepe" Espinosa, and Nacif himself. Nacif is to be congratulated on this very well-conceived and executed project. His group can be heard regularly at Tio's in Ann Arbor.

Upcoming in the SEMJA/KCH Club series are Detroit vocalist Naima Shambourguer on March 15 and RJ Spangler on April 5. Shamourguer will be joined by tenorist Vincent Bowens, drummer Sean Dobbins and others.

RIGHT: John E Lawrence
TOP from left: Chris Smith, Paul Finkbeiner, Russ Miller, Wesley Reynoso, Alberto Nacif, Pat Prouty, Pepe Espinosa

photographs by Lars Bjorn

I N - T H I S - I S S U E :
1. SEMJA/KCH CLUB SERIES---2. CLAUDE BLACK
3. ROD HICKS---4. CASS CORRIDOR TO THE WORLD
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