Last Saturday evening, March 13, Gary and Rhonda Nestle came up from Orange County to join my brother and sister-in-law, Les and Judy, and me at Charlie O's in Valley Glen, in the San Fernando Valley. Charlie O's has been voted by Downbeat Magazine as one of 100 best jazz clubs in the world three years in a row, and that night it certainly lived up to its reputation. It attracts the best jazz musicians in the area. We were lucky enough to see, hear and enjoy Chuck Manning, an incredibly talented saxophonist, playing with the John Heard Trio,
with Andy Langham on piano, Roy McCurdy on drums, and John Heard, who has played with every famous jazz musician in the world, on bass. For years, Gary has been playing drums professionally, and his enthusiasm for the music and the quality of the musicians was contagious. The New Castle Brown Ale wasn't bad, either. It was just a great evening. I kept shaking my head at the thought of what I would have said if someone had told me during my last summer at Chic-a-Lac that in 47 years I'd be sitting in a jazz club outside Los Angeles enjoying great music and having beers with one my campers and his wife. Mind boggling.
[Hint: click on the highlighted links above for more information and to hear samples of some great jazz!]
[click on either photo to enlarge]
Les, Judy, Rhonda, Gary, and me
Andy Langham, piano, Chuck Manning, saxophone,
John Heard, bass, Roy McCurdy, drums
So, if you live in the L.A. area, or are just visiting, and want to hear some classy, live jazz, head over to Charlie O's -- you'll enjoy every note. And check out the Charlie O's site for some great jazz links.
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