http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/22/24822/
This Sunday, May 27, local trumpet master Gilbert Castellanos will be assembling a special cadre of the area's most illustrious musicians--all of them bandleaders in their own right, for a concert at Tango Del Rey celebrating San Diego Legends of Jazz.
"This is my way of sending out a big 'thank-you' to all of these guys for their contributions to the music," said Castellanos. "In my 17 years that I've been here, those guys have been so important to my development as a musician--especially Daniel Jackson, Marshall Hawkins, Gary LeFebvre and Carlos Vazquez.
"This is going to be my first time playing with Mundell Lowe, which is exciting, because he's a legend, you know, but I've played a lot with these other cats, and they've all been such an inspiration to me."
Castellanos hasn't hit 40 yet, but "legend" is a title he's going to have to start getting used to himself.
The always busy trumpeter just finished a recording session with pop-music icon Leon Russell yesterday in the world-famous Capital Records recording studio in LA, and today we spoke after he recorded some new music he's composing for a play written by Richard Montoya and directed by the award-winning Sam Woodhouse.
The twin tenor saxophone lineup of LeFebvre and Jackson have a huge slice of jazz history between them--Ray Charles employed Jackson, and LeFebvre played with a "who's-who" of West Coast Jazz luminaries. Lowe's bio is unbelievable--Billie Holliday, Lester Young, and Charlie Parker--for starters. Hawkins has Miles Davis and Pharoah Sanders in his c.v., and all of these bios are severely truncated.
I remember watching Vazquez lay it down more than 30 years ago with San Diego heavyweights Bruce Cameron and Hollis Gentry.
"Carlos Vazquez can sing, and play bass, but his main instrument is the drums. He can swing his ass off, and he really has the Latin stuff down," says Castellanos.
Also appearing with this group of San Diego legends is Castellanos' band-mate in the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, guitarist Graham Dechter.
"Graham is just such a fantastic musician," Castellanos said. " He's only in his twenties, but he's already got a couple of records out--he plays with the wisdom and experience of a cat in his sixties. He's an old soul!"
As if that wouldn't be enough, expect a few surprise guests as well.
This concert is a Chuck Perrin / Dizzy's production. Tickets are $20, show begins at 8 p.m.
Concert Poster by Jamie Shadowlight
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/may/22/24822/
This Sunday, May 27, local trumpet master Gilbert Castellanos will be assembling a special cadre of the area's most illustrious musicians--all of them bandleaders in their own right, for a concert at Tango Del Rey celebrating San Diego Legends of Jazz.
"This is my way of sending out a big 'thank-you' to all of these guys for their contributions to the music," said Castellanos. "In my 17 years that I've been here, those guys have been so important to my development as a musician--especially Daniel Jackson, Marshall Hawkins, Gary LeFebvre and Carlos Vazquez.
"This is going to be my first time playing with Mundell Lowe, which is exciting, because he's a legend, you know, but I've played a lot with these other cats, and they've all been such an inspiration to me."
Castellanos hasn't hit 40 yet, but "legend" is a title he's going to have to start getting used to himself.
The always busy trumpeter just finished a recording session with pop-music icon Leon Russell yesterday in the world-famous Capital Records recording studio in LA, and today we spoke after he recorded some new music he's composing for a play written by Richard Montoya and directed by the award-winning Sam Woodhouse.
The twin tenor saxophone lineup of LeFebvre and Jackson have a huge slice of jazz history between them--Ray Charles employed Jackson, and LeFebvre played with a "who's-who" of West Coast Jazz luminaries. Lowe's bio is unbelievable--Billie Holliday, Lester Young, and Charlie Parker--for starters. Hawkins has Miles Davis and Pharoah Sanders in his c.v., and all of these bios are severely truncated.
I remember watching Vazquez lay it down more than 30 years ago with San Diego heavyweights Bruce Cameron and Hollis Gentry.
"Carlos Vazquez can sing, and play bass, but his main instrument is the drums. He can swing his ass off, and he really has the Latin stuff down," says Castellanos.
Also appearing with this group of San Diego legends is Castellanos' band-mate in the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, guitarist Graham Dechter.
"Graham is just such a fantastic musician," Castellanos said. " He's only in his twenties, but he's already got a couple of records out--he plays with the wisdom and experience of a cat in his sixties. He's an old soul!"
As if that wouldn't be enough, expect a few surprise guests as well.
This concert is a Chuck Perrin / Dizzy's production. Tickets are $20, show begins at 8 p.m.
Concert Poster by Jamie Shadowlight