The month of December opens up with a serious bang for jazz fans. Among the slew of local concerts to catch, including performances by Joe Garrison & Night People at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living on Dec. 6 and Gilbert Castellanos at 98 Bottles on Dec. 7, there are two this week at the Loft at UC San Diego that I consider “must-see” events.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the debut trio performance of Mark Dresser on bass, with Joshua White on piano and Kjell Nordeson on drums figures to qualify as a strong candidate for concert of the year. Sparks always fly when Dresser and White combine their energies, and Nordeson -- a European virtuoso new to San Diego – is a remarkable percussive catalyst. This is a free concert if you're an UCSD student - otherwise general admission tickets are $10.
On Thursday, Dec. 5, 8-string guitar guru Charlie Hunter returns to San Diego in duo with drummer Scott Amendola for a night of hard-hitting grooves. Hunter and Amendola have been playing together for 20 years, and their lock-tight interaction is proof positive. This will be the second date of a 13-show west coast tour for the duo, and is sure to be a sell-out, so get your tickets now!
Robert Bush Robert Bush is a freelance jazz writer who has been exploring the San Diego improvised music scene for more than 30 years.
