Since May 1976, I have written in journals. When I have nothing particularly resonant to say about my own inner turmoil, philosophic ramblings, sexual peccadillos or whining on about the state of the world around me...I have always fallen back on reporting the cultural time consumption that takes up in inordinate portion of my daily goings on.
In the 40+ years since my first concerts seeing Children's Symphony presentations on Sundays at the Pasadena Civic or The Hot Jazz Society's monthly Dixieland romps in an old meeting hall on the edge of the L.A. "River" across from Griffith Park, I have been sold heavily on the magic of live music. As Neil Young so aptly put it, "Live music is better bumper stickers should be issued."
Growing up a few orange groves and canyons length away from Hollywood also contributed greatly to my family's addiction to movie going. From the time I was a small there were weekly trips to the drive-in theaters that dotted the landscape, or the local Temple theater for the Saturday matinees. Once in a while we'd drive the 12 miles into Hollywood and see something in one of the magnificent old movie palaces like Grauman's Chinese, the Egyptian, The Pantages or later the Cinerama Dome. My dad loved Westerns and War movies, as if he didn't get enough shoot-'em-up as an L.A. County Sheriff in his day gig, my mom adored musicals and comedies. My brother and I loved them all.
At SDSU, I played in my first gigging band and began booking concerts on campus as part of the well-funded Cultural Arts Board, kindling for my future life in and around music.
So it's not surprising that my first jobs out of college were working in local video rental places (which were all the rage) or managing a couple of Sam Goody record stores in Mall's on the East Coast where we marveled at the new CD format and sold the first home computers and video games (yes Commodore and Pong and Atari).
So these are really just extensions of all of those journal entries talking about the great new movies I was seeing and LPs/CDs I was listening to.
Though iPODS/iPADs, apps, smart phones and downloads now make music and movies accessible in your own pocket, there is still nothing like sitting in front of a stack of speakers with a room full of people swaying to music created before your eyes. Nor is there anything that works quite so well for me to escape the real world and all of it's pressures just outside than two hours in a dark theater, absorbing the stories flickering across that wide screen as they pull you into their world.
With the Village Theater closed August 15, film buffs in Big Bear Lake are left with three first-run films in town each week (occasionally 4) instead of the usual five we've been used to for years. But for cineasts and fledgling film buffs alike, this small town, only 2 hours away from the bright lights of Hollywood still has offered plenty of filmic fun.
In late August, there was a wonderful special event for film fans on the mountain: A rare showing of the landmark silent film, THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD from 1924. So rare these days to see a silent film anywhere but late at night on TCM. In first the penny arcades then the silent movie halls was where the industry learned it's craft, where film making sprouted wings.
Starring Douglas Fairbanks, Julianne Johnston and Anna May Wong, this swashbuckling adventure was presented at a fundraiser for the Community Arts Theater Society of Big Bear Lake (C.A.T.S) in their Olde Tyme Movie Night series.
Of special interest to film fans was the organ and sound effects accompaniment by renowned musician Bob Salisbury which gave old and young alike a chance to experience what it was like in the Golden Age of silent film before talkies revolutionized the movie industry.
The film was shown on the side if C.A.T.S. Warehouse Theater and the admission price of $20 included the film, pasta dinner served by the adjacent Broadway Cafe, and popcorn. It was a beautiful, summer evening and a perfect occasion to get out and see a film under the stars.
In the early years of it's development before jet travel and superhighways made getting away from it all a more world-wide opportunity, Big Bear Lake was a hideaway spot for the Hollywood film industry. Not only did they make 100s of films in the rustic grandeur of the surrounding wilderness areas but many stars had weekend homes throughout the Bear Valley.
Proximity to Hollywood still brings a passionate film goer to the mountain and locals have many wonderful opportunities in the summer time to catch movies around town.
On select Saturdays this summer families have enjoyed MOVIES ON THE BEACH at the Swim Beach Amphitheater on Park Avenue. A fun place to take the kids for family fare like Happy Feet 2, Cars 2 andThe Muppets Movie.With an open snack bar and beautiful sunsets that lead right up to movie time, these are great events for kids and mom and dad as well.
All of this leads up to the 13th Annual BIG BEAR LAKE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL taking place September 14th-16th. Known for it's annual Screenwriters Competition, this year the festival honors Academy Award winning screenwriter Tom Schulman, whose first feature script for Dead Poet's Societywon him the coveted Oscar statuette in 1990. He has also written screenplays for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, What About Bob? (my favorite of his projects and the last film I saw in a drive-in theater, by the way),Medicine Man and Holy Man in addition to becoming a leading director and producer as well as executive with the Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild Foundation. Schulman will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for Screenwriting from BBLIFF.
See a trailer on the Big Bear International Film Festival here.
Being honored posthumously with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinematography is the great cinematographer/director/photographer, Jack Cardiff. His camera work won an Oscar for Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes, The African Queen, and Death On The Nile. He worked alongside legendary directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston, Orson Welles, Joseph Mankiewicz, Laurence Olivier and King Vidor. A wonderful documentary, Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010) is being screened during the festival.
From the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival's website:
"BBLIFF was founded in 2000 to showcase the emerging talent of screenwriters and independent filmmakers within the idyllic setting of Big Bear Lake. Our goal is to nurture a festival that is highly creative, filmmaker friendly and which provides an educational experience for people interested in all aspects of the film industry."
The BBLIFF features three days packed with events, screenings of features, shorts, student films, panels and Q&A sessions, parties and even a film camp. Find out more about the schedule of events, including Screenwriters Competition,
here.
Thanks to Monique and Brandon R. Miller of BBLIFF for assistance with this article.
But I absolutely am addicted to going to the movies. As you have read in my introduction to this blog and elsewhere or if you have tried to reach me on bargain nights at the various theaters wherever I am, you know I am sitting in the dark, shutting up (for once) and diving into some popcorn deeply involved in whatever alternate universe I am exploring from my aisle seat.
I like stories. Sure songs, novels, poetry, paintings, conversation, a smattering of television are okay. But when at all possible, that walk into big dark room where the illusion of being drawn into the bigger-than-life story being laid out on that huge screen is just about as good as it gets for me.
Yes, I have been accused of "liking everything." WRONG! Did you see BATTLESHIP? Oy. But, I DO like the movie-going process. I enjoy checking out how a movie was made, what I would've changed to make it better. I had to see INCEPTION three times in the theater to have any idea of what was really going on. But each time I was stunned by the artistic achievement of the visual and sonic aspects of the film. I bought the DVD and get some new insight every time I see it. I have seen ERASERHEAD two dozen times at least and 1/3 of those on the big screen. No idea what the hell is going on but I can't stop watching and I haven't MISS a David Lynch film since.
Direct focused interaction with the transportational artistic devices in film present demonstrative elements that allow one's own imagination, interpretive skills, emotional moods and perspectives to contextualize life in ways the overwhelming speed and roar of the real world blur in our daily lives. Leaving a theater with new perspectives on human relations, individual achievements, empathetic experiences as well as the distinct possibility of just leaving life's pressures and intrusions behind for a couple of hours is well-needed in these stress-filled times.
It is not an accident or even a product of marketing that has long made movies popular in times of economic, emotional and societal depression. Escapism is not just for hiding out from reality's travails. It fosters perspective, needed distance or at times the neglected focus about our place in this universe that helps us to deal with our everyday issues.
But, really, in spite of all the high fallutin' rationale, I primarily just like stories. Stories about people, places, things. Stories with laughs, suspense, thrills, horrors, sexiness. Stories I don't have to live through in real life. Other people's stories but stories that in some way foster some glimmers of being part of something bigger than my own little worries, my own ego-centric world view. They let me get a sense of some kind of shared humanity, some kind of hopefulness, of poignant pain, unrealistic or improbable futures, or different, distant pasts that allows us a better chance of living a more considered, thoughtful and observant life. Movies help me see that my world is just a small fragment of a much larger existence out there where the chances that anything can and does happen, a world of limitless possibility, untapped imagination and breathless humanity. Bring it on.
##
1999 photo from the Will Viner collection
I mourn the passing of the Village Theater in Big Bear Lake. It closed on August 14. Rumors that another theater company is interested in opening up with second run films, i.e. films you may have missed in the theaters in the recent past, (generally movies are about 4 months old). The hard part these days is that 35mm movie grade prints are rarely produced other than for first run films. I do see films at the Academy in Pasadena which was a beautiful old theater when I was young and now is a multi-plex of 5-6 screens (?). Their prints are generally pretty good so it can be done. Hopefully, that will come to fruition here. But for now, these are only rumors and the "FOR SALE OR LEASE" sign is still out front.
What I would love to see is a resurgence of what used to be called "repertory cinema" houses. This town may not be the place, but who knows. College towns are good for this. The great Ken Cinema in the North Park section of San Diego was a treasure. Programming ws eclectic and exhilarating and I spent many nights a week there while in college when I should have been studying but how could I resist? They changed the programming 3-4 times a week and always featured double bills. Mon-Tues might be two Woody Allen films of fairly recent vintage. I recall a double bill of Bananas and Take The Money & Run while Sleeper was in the first run theaters across town. I first dug the films of the great director Stanley Kubrick when on a Wed-Thurs they showed a dbl. feature of Dr. Strangelove and Paths of Glory. There might be a Bogart night or a couple of days of films by the legendary surrealist Luis Bunuel. More popular fare hit on the weekends and every Friday at midnight was, of course, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Always double bills and always good prices and always lots of butts in seats.
Whatever goes into the building, Bear Valley movie fans will miss the familiar faces of the long-time staff (most of them will move down the street to the Village Theater on Pine Knot) and young Big Bear students who often held their first jobs behind the candy counter in this classic old theater will have to count on their memories from now on to conjure up their own nostalgic moments. For movie buffs, losing two screens in town would be a real shame. While my mom was a movie buff and Dad had a cheap drive-in movie pass when were were growing up, we also drove to Hollywood for big name releases once and awhile, did the Universal tour, met a few movie stars and have only missed one Oscars broadcast since I was 10. While I have my favorite stars (Depp, DeNiro, Cruz, Johansson...), directors (Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar, Christopher Nolan...) and genres (foreign, epics, psychological thrillers...)
Village Theaters business owner Will Viner posted the following thank you to long-time patrons here: www.villagetheaters.com
I personally will miss the old theater. In spite of the roller coaster rise and fall of the sloping rows of seats which sometimes puts your line of vision below the shoulders of the people directly in front of you (I have learned which rows NOT to sit in), the projectors and sound in the old theater were the best on the mountain and as with all of the theaters in the E&Wtheater chain, the prices are unbeatable and I'm told will continue at the Pine Knot Avenue location. Having a neighborhood theater where you see folks you know every week and you can share the movie-going experience helps create a sense of community that you can never get in the big suburban or inner city multi-plexes and in this day and age where every mall and street in the country features the same cookie-cutter chain stores and marquees, it is nice to have a place that feels your own. Like a good neighborhood bar, a favorite local band or a breakfast joint that knows your order before you walk in the door. Memories are built like this. I wish nothing but the best of luck to Will and Bruce and my good friend Koley who I met when she was just a teenager behind the glass in the ticket booth so many years ago. They and their staff have created a friendly and smiling environment where, in this small mountain burg, the locals and tourists alike can enjoy a quality night out on the town.
Regarding my personal tastes, in addition to the 2-3 movies a week at the Village Theaters, I still head down the hill driving two hours each way a couple of times a month for a day or two and camp out in the Laemmele Theaters in Pasadena or the Landmark Theaters in Hollywood to see that latest independent, foreign and art-house flicks. And Lord knows the bargain bins at K-Mart and Big Bear's indie owned Blockbuster have provided a recent plethora of B-pictures, old classics and the odd essential addition to my DVD collection for next to nothing. Nothing like batch of "sale" priced movies to cheer me up. I won't even get into my NetFlix habit which has blown up exponentially since I gave up my exhaustively expensive cable bill two years ago. Too many films, not enough time.
The profusion of Hollywood blockbusters is generally what we get on our 5 screens in the little town, lots of kids movies, horror and teen-aged fare which is needed to keep the theaters afloat. Once and awhile the wonderful folks who run the theaters respond to the requests of their more discerning crowd and bring a spectacular, more critically favored film (i.e. indie or less of a box-office smash) to town and we love them for it. Recently, THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (not the greatest title for a film) played for a week and I heard not one bad thing from anyone lucky enough to catch it. It was delightfully written, compellingly acted and a visual feast. Coming soon to town will be the surprise romantic all-star hit of the summer, MOONRISE KINGDOM and the Lee Hirsch documentary BULLY. Both sound like must-see films for those looking outside the general car chase and animated summer fare.
Well, all of this by way of introduction to this new more regular movie review column. I will try to keep the reviews weekly and brief from now on and my mix up some DVD and NetFlix fare along with theatrical releases in the future but primarily I'll be giving my own, highly opinionated capsule reviews of recently viewed films.
This week in theaters:
TOTAL RECALL
Colin Farrell, Bookeem Woodbine, Bryan Cranston, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bill Nighy
****1/2
Directed by Len Wiseman
Remake of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzeneggger vehicle of the same name (originally directed by Paul Verhoeven). This one was light year's better, in my humble opinion. Not only was the acting predictably not as stiff and formulaic but the visual sensibility was up there with BLADE RUNNER and A.I. as a stunning glimpse at a futuristic world not so far from our quickly changing, present day timeline. This world is bleaker and grittier than either of the scenario's shown in the above SciFi classics but as compellingly created by the filmmakers. Based on Philip K. Dick's short story, "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale"...this new version stays firmly planted on Earth while the book and original had sub-plot set on Mars. Dick also wrote the books/stories that were the basis for the films "BLADE RUNNER", "MINORITY REPORT", "ADJUSTMENT BUREAU", "SCREAMERS", "IMPOSTER" "PAYCHECK", "KING OF ELVES", "A SCANNER DARKLY", "NEXT", "CONFESSIONS D'UN BARJO"...PKD is my all-time favorite sci-fi writer and was a unique and odd and compelling human being...read him. Some of his most popular work are "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" (aka Blade Runner); "The Cosmic Puppets", "Martian Time-Slip", "A Scanner Darkly" and my own personal fave "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch." Buy them all!!! www.philipkdick.com
THE CAMPAIGN
Will Ferrell, Zach Ganifikanis, John Lithgow, Dan Ackroyd, Dylan McDermott
***1/2
Directed by Jay Roach
Not the hilarity fest I had hoped but lots of fun, off-color and ridiculous moments as is to be expected from these guys. Ferrell was much more low-key than usual playing an unlikeable dolt and Zach the big scene-stealer playing a delightful dweeb who challenges the incumbent Ferrell in a last minute bid for a seat in Congress. The ensuing cutthroat campaign nearly destroys them both. And no, I don't limit my reviews to movies staring people named Farrell/Ferrell. I'd review a new movie by the Farrelly Brothers as well, if there was one out now. In the meantime, here are some others...
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt
****1/2
Directed by Christopher Nolan
I rarely see films twice in a theater (getting to be a habit with Chris Nolan's films), but I wanted to see the final showing at the Village Theater and I was quite taken with this third in Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. While a bit long and convoluted plot wise (takes a LONG time before we ever see the Batman cowled and hittin' it), I loved the look of this film. Nolan is a stunningly visual director and the cast here was A-list good though Anne Hathaway while fine and gorgeous lacked the stylized cattiness of previous Catwomen, Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry. Tom Hardy, another favorite actor in Nolan's films (as is co-star Marion Cotillard) is intense and practically unrecognizable as the villain, Bane. Nolan's trio of films is so much darker and more adult oriented than the Spiderman series.
Last week or two:
THE WATCH
Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughan, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, R. James Ermey
***
Directed by Akiva Shaffer
A fun comedy though not great but some laughs and a nice diversion. Vaughn's dry delivery and Stiller's befuddled but persistent hero save the pic from just silly, nothingness. There are good lines throughout but not a lot of super, great lines as four bumbling wanna be hero's form a Neighborhood Watch when aliens invade the solitude of their suburban town.
SAVAGES
Aaron Johnson, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, John Travolta, Benecio del Toro, Salma Hayek
****1/2
Directed by Oliver Stone
Well acted by the incredible cast, this is one of my favorite movies of the year. Travolta and Del Toro are sublime. This is the story of two local pot growers servicing the medical marijuana stores who get involved in an ill advised involvement with a Mexican drug cartel owned by Hayek. Del Toro is simply menacing in this role.
on DVD:
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN
George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, John Hawkes, Fred Williamson
****
Directed by Robert Rodriquez
I had forgotten how much fun this movie was. Though the vampire horror make-up looks a bit over the top these post-Twilight days, it was state-of-the-art back in the day. The creepiness factor rules this film with Tarantino's role taking the cake (he also wrote the screenplay). Really a Grindhouse movie stylistically with a bigger FX budget (master Special FX man, Tom Savini even has a starring role) this one is just a hell ride from start to finish. I love Lewis and Keitel's performances and the opening sequence in the liquor store is edgy and twisted in a Peckinpaugh-Meets-Pulp Fiction way. Great color and score add to the garishness of the whole shebang. Not to mention one of my favorite songs, DARK NIGHT by always riveting L.A. band, The Blasters (hear the abbreviated version under the FDTD credits above and a cool more recent live version below.
There's a fun band in the resort town of Big Bear Lake in
the San Bernardino mountains of Southern California called SKELETON KEY BAND
("skeleton keys in the rain") and they are having their 1st Annual
ZIMMY-A-THON on June 2nd at the Skeleton Key Folk Music Center in Big Bear Lake. It's a great resort
town with lots of motels and B&Bs, a beautiful lake, hiking etc. in the
middle of the national forest only 2 hours from downtown L.A.
It's only a $5 suggested donation which helps to keep the
SKFMC alive and supporting the local roos music scene.
JUNE 2nd - 8pm-midnight
The club is all ages, no liquor and holds about 50 people so
it will be intimate and fun.
SKELETON KEY BAND will be playing the BLONDE ON BLONDE album
in it's entirety for set one and collaborating with a handful of other local
are musicians in a long 2nd set covering tunes from Bob's career. Other
featured artists include multi-instrumentalist RUSTY SMITH from L.A./Dallas,
mandolinist/singer ROY COULTER, singer/guitarist MIKE O'DONNELL,
singer/guitarist DAVID GRAHAM from Damned Good Question, acoustic duo SILVER
MOON, rock bands A FULL DECK and THE WRINGERS, raconteur ART HARRIMAN (played
on HEE HAW back in the day), and guitarist SCOTT WILLIAMS from Blind Corner.
BRAD RIESAU from the East Coast based Dylan cover band LOVE MINUS ZERO helped
co-ordinate the event and will be joining SKELETON KEY BAND and others onstage.
SKELETON KEY BAND is Bear Valley premier American Folk-Rock
ensemble. Their repertoire includes lots of early country, bluegrass,
Appalacian, Delta, Chicago Blues, psychedelic, country/rock and lots more. On
June 2 all the music performed will be written by Bob Dylan in honor of his
recent 71st birthday.
The Skeleton Key Folk Music Center is dedicated to keeping
all kinds of roots music alive and is a wonderful place for musicians and music
fans alike to network, book their own gigs and hear quality local, regional and
national artists. They recently had Texas singer/songwriter Butch Hancock in concert.
For more information contact the SKELETON KEY FOLK MUSIC
CENTER at 909-866-6064
560-B Pine Knot Ave. Big Bear Lake, CA 92314
Below are photos taken at the 5/25 and *5/26 rehearsals at the SKFMC.
Skeleton Key founder and proprietor of the Skeleton Key Folk Music Center,
Rich Spaulding. Photo by Mike O'Donnell
(l-r) Roy Coulter, Hank Kalvin, Brad Riesau. Photo by Mike O'Donnell
Skeleton Key co-founder Tom Burton on guitar and Jim Runkle. Photo by Mike O'Donnell
Skeleton Key drummer Jim "Rocko" Runkle, Photo by Mike O'Donnell
*(l-r) Rich Spaulding, Jim Runkle, Hank Kalvin, Scott Williams and Brad Riesau plahying Dylan's "Meet Me In The Morning". Photo by Tom Burton.
Skeleton Key's Rich Spaulding, guest Mike O'Donnell, Silver
Moon/Skeleton Key member Brad Riesau (l-r) playing Dylan's "All Along
The Watchtower". Photo by Tom Burton.
It has been a hectic summer this year. Now back in Big Bear Lake, I have been gigging like a madman and getting down off "the hill" sporadically to catch shows in Southern California and a few short trips East. It is all too rare when a national act comes up the mountain to Big Bear Lake and when we get them it is always a big occasion for music fans up near the 7000 feet mark. The Skeleton Key Folk Music Center, the town's best kept secret for free weekly local and regional music had one of their first national acts earlier in the year when folk/country songwriter Butch Hancock came to town from Texas for an intimate concert. Granted the natl. acts here are ticketed events but Hancock was well worth the price of admission playing a wonderful set of his funny, poignant and savvy originals. He even got the house band, Skeleton Key up for a mini-set at one point.
The Letterman also play a yearly gig in town as well as city sponsored concerts at The Discovery Center and at the Swim Beach. Maria Muldaur played this summer and previous concerts have featured America, Marcia Ball, and many others. But jazz music is sporadic at best. We did have bebop and country guitar master Jackie King in town a couple of years back. Willie Nelson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Chet baker, Ray Charles are just a few the names on his CV. He played a magnificent solo jazz set and then joined my local group Porch Jones for 2+ hours of country, rock, blues and Bob Dylan tunes. Keep dreaming if you expect to see straight-ahead or outside jazz artists up here very often though the location and proximity to L.A. would make for a great, hip jazz festival. Perhaps an ancillary, smaller version of the spectacular Angel City Jazz Fest that happens in L.A. each year.
One area of jazz that DOES get some action on the mountain is SmoothJazz. Okay, if you know me you may be surprised to see me writing about a SmoothJazz festival. I admit, it is not my favorite genre of music and yes, in an uncharacteristic moment I told Kenny G he "sucked" to his face many years ago. What a couple of cocktails and an opening act horning over his allotted time can do to someone waiting to hear Miles Davis. Apologies, Mr. G. You're the millionaire, I'm not. So what do I know. Though I stand by my comments.
Anyway, I will also mention that it is not the standard hate rap against SmoothJazz that I beat a drum to. But, we all know that even the best SmoothJazz can remind one of a) soul music rid of it's funky heart b) music to shop or ride elevators by or c) background for "your local weather on the 8's" if heard out of context.
Wait, context? Well, maybe the best context is exactly what many of the best SmoothJazz festivals give their audiences--bright, sunny music in vacation-like settings...rolling vineyards, exotic tropical beach fronts or lakeside in a beautiful mountain resort with plenty of good food and libations.
Somehow all of that sunshine, all of those wine-flushed cheeks of the exuberant if a tad slurry crowds dressed in their splendiferous summer duds just brings out the best in this music. Who says you can take the music out of the elevator but you can't take the elevator out of the music?
Still, I'd rather hear this music in this setting instead of mixed into an otherwise straight ahead jazz program. I do admit having worked PR on records by great SmoothJazz forefathers like The Yellowjackets and Acoustic Alchemy. I also booked Hiroshima, Spyro Gyra, and a plethora of fusion bands into SDSU back in the mid-late 70s, so I'm not adverse to the music when done with a bit of integrity and jazz harmonized solos by major players. I also LOVED almost everything on CTI Records back in the day which was really the precursor to the whole genre but which featured some jazz heavyweights such as George Benson, Ron Carter, Hubert Laws, Paul Desmond, Herbie Hancock, Stanley Turrentine, etc etc. So I am not tone deaf to the genre's intricacies and possibilities. Just often let down by the commercial elements and sameness tonally these days. So would I generally be prone to a full day, much less a weekend of this music? Not generally, but this is Big Bear and a day in the sun, on the beach just may get me motivated.
The 6th Annual Big Bear Lake JazzTrax Summer Music Festival in what is called Southern California's only "four season resort" proves just that. Growing every year through the fine promotion efforts of JazzTrax, the city of Big Bear Lake and local sponsors, the festival has quickly grown accustomed to its recent digs on the Floating Stage Lakeside Lawn on the beach of the Marina Resort. In conjunction with Nottingham's Restaurant & Tavern across the street who catered the event, the perfect weather, ideal setting and strong line-up the weekend of June 24-26 made this wonderful start of the Big Bear summer tourist season.
Friday night featured a smaller scale concert under the tent by Chris Standring while Saturday's line-up ran from 2-8pm and included Marcus Anderson, Johannes Linstead and crowd-favorite Warren Hill. There was even an after-party at Nottingham's Robin Hood Resort featuring DJ Johnathan Phillips.
But Sunday's crowds even topped the previous days with a line-up of genre favorites. You saxophonist Jackiem Joyner opened the day with a modern, funky set followed by long-time Smooth Jazz superstar Marion Meadows and his impeccable band. A little soprano sax goes a long way with me so I was antsy by the time the band got around to the proto-rap anthem "Rapper's Delight". Why this decidedly non-jazz cover? Marian Meadows bassist of nearly 18 years, Chip Shearin was recently inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame as bassist on this seminal hip-hop classic from the Sugarhill Gang. Meadows even asked if there was any in the crowd who knew the word. A couple of brave women grabbed their moment of (out-of-tune) glory and hopped up on stage to the crowds amusement.
Closing the day was the penultimate SmoothJazz showman, guitarist Peter White. I must make note here that while I did work for a PR firm that has worked Peter White's records over the years, I never personally was his publicist. As a guitar player, I was impressed by his touch and tastefulness. Always, tossing in a sneaky quote from a 70s hit or a slick jazz harmony to spice things up when the music verged on the predictable. Most impressive though to me, a novice at Smooth fests, was White's easy rapport and natural stage presence and connection with the audience. Always opting for fun instead of heaviness even on tunes that bordered on the overly dramatic.
Most importantly, White knows his crowd. His set is peppered with silky covers of easily recognizable hits from the 60s and seventies as well as groove oriented jazzier numbers which allow the band some room to stretch. Like most Smooth acts though the solos lean heavily on the leader's signature sound. Even in a band with ringers such as Eric Marienthal on tenor and alto sax and Gregg Karukas on keys, both among the A-list purveyors on their respective instruments in the genre today, White took the lion's share of the spotlight. He played well-thought out and articulated solos through out the near 90 minute set. The rhythm section of Eric Valentine (who also backed Meadows) and bassist/vocalist Nate Phillips was propulsive throughout.
I wasn't hip to the titles of the first two tunes White played but the crowd sure was, leaping to their feet as the tunes transitioned one into the other. The third tune was a bit of Western pastiche called "Ramon's Revenge" which told the story of a friend's roller coaster love affair. White even tucked a humorous quote from the cowboy anthem "Ghost Riders In The Sky" into his solo. Next was a tastefully emotive number White wrote about the famous jazz space in Austin called "Caravan of Dreams" which featured Marienthal on a warm but too-short solo.
Commenting on the weather on his first trip to Big Bear Lake, White began the next number with a few bars of Johnny Nash's reggae hit, "I Can See Clearly Now" before thrilling the crowd with a tender mid-tempo version of Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" with ended with a brief quote of the standard "It Had To Be You". Don't quote me on that last title. i was scrambling to find a pen that worked at that point.
As the band vamped White, who communicated warmly with the crowd all night, told the audience that they weren't really playing a song just "warming up before we actually get to the song...don't try this at work, your boss won't appreciate it." Karukas even teased White into a short quote of the Rolling Stones' "Miss You" riff before they eventually landed on a shimmering take on the Isley Brothers' hit "Who's That Lady". This segued into a wah-wah fueled guitar figure for The Temptations classic "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" with White and Phillips splitting the vocal chores.
Next up was the beautiful song dedicated to his mother back in England, White's "My Prayer" followed by White's daughter's favorite song, "Bright". Taken from White's latest release, this he dedicated to the late NBA and SmoothJazz all-star Wayman Tisdale.
"We'll go back again to my 'big hair' album called Reflections for this one." They played a gorgeous version of the Bee Gees "How Deep Is Your Love". And on the set went...long and with lots of treks into the crowd to pose with folks and virtually play to nearly every corner of the joint. They even got down on the right end of the pier/stage and kicked their feet in the water while they played. Fans waded out into the water to get pictures and be close. It was a very interactive set with the crowd.
As the sun went down behind Butler Peak, the band was still playing Eric Marienthal's arrangement of the Les McCann/Eddie Harris classic "Compared to What". This was one of those rare gigs where the venue truly helped me enjoy the music much more than I would have in a normal boring auditorium. The folks that put on this fest and their longer, bigger festival on Catalina island know exactly what their fans are looking for and know just how to provide it. If SmoothJazz is your thing then make a point of attending next year's Big Bear Lake Jazz Festival. You can't go wrong.
