JAZZ REVIEWS : BILL BERRY FARES WELL AT WADSWORTH

The music of cornetist Bill Berry and his L.A. Big Band was the fare at the monthly free concert, partly sponsored by KKGO (which aired the second half of the program) at the Wadsworth Theater on Sunday evening.

Though its members live other lives and rarely come together as a group, this remains one of the most compelling and vital of all the many Southland jazz ensembles. It was worth sitting in the sticky, non-air-conditioned Wadsworth just to hear Marshal Royal bring his quasi-Johnny Hodges alto sax beauty to “Blood Count,” his blustering beat to “Big Fat Alice’s Blues.”

Rich as the orchestra is in individuals--Frank Szabo playing powerful lead trumpet, Buster Cooper and Vince Prudente on trombones, and all five saxophonists--the essence of this band since its formation in 1971 has been its superbly authentic Ellington orientation. Because of this, there is a slight identity problem, but one that could easily be remedied.

Of the 20 tunes played, 13 were by Ellington or Billy Strayhorn. Three of the other seven were comedy vocals by Jack Sheldon (who also sang Ellington’s “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me”). One wonders why Berry doesn’t go the whole hog and make this the definitive West Coast repository of the Ellington lode.

There would be no sacrifice of variety. Although many of the arrangements are Ellington’s own, some are by Bob Ojeda, Nat Pierce and others, while “Things Ain’t What they Used to Be” is a loose and happy head arrangement.

As for the non-Ellington pieces, regardless of their quality, somehow they seemed interruptive. To jump from “Warm Valley” to “America the Beautiful” or from “I Got It Bad” to “Cherokee” is not the most logical of moves.

Berry would be the first to grant that the music of his alma mater belongs to the ages. Let’s hope that next time around he makes it official. It just may be the best idea for this best of all local bands.