Skipper and Crew

Catalina's Bar and Grill has been bringing an exciting array of world-class jazz performers to L.A. for a good while. The Frank Morgan/Sonny Fortune Quintet is absolutely no exception! My friend and I visited them during their week's gig in late March and were remarkably impressed by this fantastic and unique ensemble. Both Morgan and Fortune are stellar alto saxophone players who do extensive soloing and capably gain low notes on the baritone and tenor sax and as high as soprano saxophone – all on just their alto saxes! Accompanying these musical giants, were all-time greats George Cables on piano, Henry "Skipper" Franklin at the bass, and Steve Johns on drums. As my friend, Henry "Skipper" Franklin said, "This is the real deal". Their starting tune was the classic jazz Thelonious Monk piece, "Well You Needn't", where the quintet got right into it with some tremendous alto soloing from Fortune and Morgan while the trio of Cables, Franklin and Johns did their magic backing them to the hilt.

In Wayne Shorter's "Footprints", both Morgan and Fortune again played so many different and unique approaches in their solos individually, stretching and creating some extended ideas, with dynamic range, both melodically and harmonically.

One of my longtime favorite jazz pianists, George Cables, on this engagement, was doing his fantastic accompaniment for this quintet. In his piano solo, his well-placed staccato notes added an interesting dimension, and colorful shading for some sparkle in "Footprints". I had first heard Cables way back with Dexter Gordon's quartet and he is still one of the all time greats right into present time! The amazing Henry "Skipper" Franklin's fine all-time bass playing is always extraordinary and right "on the money", both time-wise and musical speaking. Franklin's solos have every conceivable musical attribute including chords and his eloquent‚ 'bass slides' that is truly part of his well-known style. Steve Johns, on drums, is very adept and the perfect timekeeper for this ensemble. Their work showed the truest form of a supportive consistent rhythm section, plus their many great solos throughout the evening. The audience stayed with the Morgan/Fortune Quintet throughout the whole evening with very appreciative applause.

A couple of very pretty ballads were done via the quintet, one of which is composed by Cables, for his friend Helen, entitled "Helen's Song". The content and shading was gloriously beautiful. Before ending the first set (of two shows), the quintet did a rousing version of "Cherokee". Morgan and Fortune did some superb contrapuntal harmonic solo work in traded solo and integrated alto horn playing beyond imagination!

The great Miles Davis jazz standard "All Blues" started the second set - a jazz work for the best of jazz players to perform and truly stretch out create, exactly what all five performers did. Their playing was very alive and audience appreciable to the max.

I look forward to another visit when they return to L. A. See Catalina Bar and Grill's website: www.catalinajazzclub.com Catalina's has fine dinners and wines. In Hollywood, Ca. 1.323.466.2210. Recommended.