Articles by Bill Leikam
Tribute to Prentice “Pete” Douglas at Douglas Beach House
by Bill Leikam
Tribute to Prentice “Pete" Douglas Douglas Beach House Half Moon Bay, CA October 4-5, 2014 In some ways, for all of us who time and again came to the Douglas Beach House in Half Moon Bay to listen to some of the finest jazz anywhere, the passing of Prentice “Pete" Douglas--the absence of the man who sat along the east wall sucking on his dead pipe, listening to the music, sometimes kicking his leg ...
read moreThe Swallow-Talmor-Nussbaum Trio at the Douglas Beach House
by Bill Leikam
Swallow-Talmor-Nussbaum TrioDouglas Beach House Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society Half Moon Bay, California August 10, 2014 A rare U.S. performance by the highly sophisticated and seasoned jazz trio of Steve Swallow, electric bass; Ohad Talmor, tenor saxophone; and Adam Nussbaum on drums, set the stage for a two-set performance. Before his passing on July 12, 2014, Pete Douglas, the legendary club owner and founder of the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, talked about this ...
read moreHalie Loren at the Bach Dynamite & Dancing Society
by Bill Leikam
Halie Loren Quartet Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society aka Douglas Beach House Half Moon Bay, CaliforniaJune 22, 2014 Topping off the late afternoon at the Bach, the Halie Loren Quartet took the stage, ready to give the audience the gift of song. The quartet was composed of Brian West on drums, Mark Schneider on bass, Matthew Treder on piano and Halie Loren vocals. They have been on the rise in the public eye, expanding their ...
read moreMelissa Morgan Quartet at the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society
by Bill Leikam
Melissa Morgan Quartet Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society Half Moon Bay, Ca. May 11, 2014As is often customary, vocalist Melissa Morgan did not immediately appear on stage while her trio of Los Angeles based musicians, pianist Sam Hirsh,bassist Katie Thiroux, and Matt Witek on drums, opened the show with an old standard, “Satin Doll." It was the first time these musicians played the Bach. To a person, they were thrilled at the opportunity to join ...
read moreDisappear Incompletely at the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society
by Bill Leikam
Disappear Incompletely Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society Half Moon Bay, CA February 9, 2014 The electro-jazz septet of Disappear Incompletely performed selected numbers from the Radiohead songbook, with all arrangements by trombonist and electronics master Rob Ewing in what might be best described as the jazzification of the English rock band. Ewing brought some of the finest electro-jazz musicians in the San Francisco bay area to the stage: Kasey Knudsen on tenor saxophone; Patrick Cress ...
read moreBrubeck Brothers Quartet: at Filoli Estate
by Bill Leikam
Brubeck Brothers QuartetFiloli EstateWoodside, CaliforniaAugust 23, 2013Six hundred fifty people streamed onto what had years before been a tennis court converted into an outdoor concert setting at the early 20th Century Filoli Estate, just south of San Francisco, California. Add to that the 50 volunteers and there were 700 people listening to the final, sold-out jazz concert of the season to hear the Brubeck Brothers Quartet. Accompanying the Brubeck brothers--Chris Brubeck on electric bass and ...
read moreFrank Tusa Quartet at the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society
by Bill Leikam
Frank Tusa QuartetBach Dancing & Dynamite SocietyRemembering Chet BakerHalf Moon Bay, CAAugust 11, 2013To honor the memory of the great vocalist and trumpet master Chet Baker, bassist Frank Tusa was inspired to create a concert based on the man and his music. Since Tusa had toured and recorded with Baker, it was natural that he be so inspired. As the tribute took shape, the only drummer right for this concert was San Francisco's ...
read moreJerry Vivino and the LA/NY Jazz Trio: Half Moon Bay, CA, June 9, 2013
by Bill Leikam
Jerry Vivino and the LA/NY Jazz TrioDouglas Beach HouseHalf Moon Bay, CaliforniaJune 9, 2013Three top-flight jazz musicians--saxophonist/flautist Jerry Vivino (soprano, tenor, and baritone), the ever-inspiring pianist Mitchel Forman and stand-up bassist Kevin Axt (touted as being Los Angeles' busiest bassist)--presented themselves on a breezy, sunny afternoon at the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, aka the Douglas Beach House. As these three jazz musicians took the stage, they carried with them deep histories and experiences, having ...
read moreDenise Donatelli and Geoffrey Keezer Quartet: Half Moon Bay, CA, April 13, 2013
by Bill Leikam
Denise Donatelli and Geoffrey Keezer QuartetDouglas Beach House aka Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society/ConcertHalf Moon Bay, CaliforniaApril 21, 2013Two-time Grammy nominee Denise Donatelli once again teamed up with master pianist Geoffrey Keezer for the singer's performance at the Bach Dynamite and Dancing Society. Aside from these two principals, Essiet Essiet from Queens, New York, took charge of the bass. Also from the New York scene, Sylvia Cuenca handled the drums and percussion with ...
read moreRufus Reid: Stanford University, February 27, 2013
by Bill Leikam
Stanford Jazz Orchestra, directed by Fredrick BerryGuest Artist: Rufus ReidBing Concert HallStanford, CAFebruary 27, 2013 Walking into Stanford University's new Bing Concert Hall can be a stunning experience. Listening to the magnificent acoustic qualities of the hall, it is nothing short of an aural experience that brings a fresh vibrancy to a concert such as the one produced by Fred Berry, director of the 17-piece Stanford Jazz Orchestra. Berry focused this concert ...
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