Still touring at 82 yrs. of age, Dave Brubeck and his band of  white haired musicians proved that they can still swing it like the best of them. The quartet had such a great cohesive chemistry on stage, their energy was contagious. They played tunes from their new CD ("I Love Vienna", "Travellin' Blues" & "Crescent City Stomp") which got the audience tapping their feet and swinging in their seats. But it was the final piece, the Brubeck classic "Take Five", that brought the house down and the audience to their feet. A memorable evening with one of the last living legends of jazz. 

Joshua Redman Elastic Band, 1 Oct 2002, Humphrey's Backstage Lounge
Sam Yahel (keyboards), Brian Blade (drums)

Joshua Redman's show made up for the lack of excitement in the jazz scene during the previous 9 months of 2002. What a treat to see such a dynamic group in such an intimate setting! This was my first real exposure to Joshua Redman. I've listened to his CDs before, but this was different. This was an "in your face" experience, music you can't escape. I love his style--a sophisticated melding of funk, jazz and electric. Definitely the best show of the year!

Touted best live performance of the year by Jazz Magazine, they obviously did not attend *this* concert. Wayne Shorter miserably failed to live up to his legend (sorry John!) Even the all-star lineup of backup musicians did not help resuscitate this show to a living pulse. Wayne's performance was lackluster, uncoordinated and missed the mark every single time. His backup musicians were like pitbulls on reins, rearing to get going, but the lead man never got to going. The only saving grace for the evening was the amazingly delicious dinner at  Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe before the show. Ladies, bring your purses--they have special stools for them!