Kjazz 88.1 Summer Benefit Concert

I've been a Big Phat Band fan for years so their kick-a__ performance was just what I was expecting. But this was the first time that I heard Sara Gazarek live, and I thought she was fantastic. She has impressive musical underpinnings which, ahem, match those great looking legs. I thought her command of complex/demanding rhythmic structures was particularly impressive. Gordon Goodwin may want to consider her for a couple songs on a future CD. I'd go for it.

We loved the Phat Band...and also we thoroughly enjoyed the Sara Gazarek Band. What a great evening and a FANTASTIC Venue...first timer for the Walt Disney Concert Hall. 5 Star Ratings all around!!!

Love it, wished it would continue all night. Looking forward for the next concert.

Very disappointing that only one Basie chart was played.

Sara has a great vocal range and will be one of the great female jazz singers of all time.

All performers were very talented and the Disney Center accoustics arevamazing.

The musicians were all excellent in their own right but the show sounded like it was slapped together in the fashion of a typical lounge-lizard performance. The opening pianist is a fine musician but I did not pay for 4 tickets so I can hear him play along with his iPod, especially with the loop of a lady singing (chanting?) the same phrase for what felt like about 10 minutes. That was not art, it was annoying. I could also tell when the ensemble was playing along with either a recording or sequenced strings - you can't blend in with that the way you can interact with real musicians. For a venue that has 1,000-ish seats the preparation was not there, and as typical jazz musicians, they probably felt like it doesn't matter - an attitude that make jazz musicians their own worst enemies. When David Benoit played his composition the band suddenly sounded 3 times better, then back to barely-prepared covers. And the last tune for KJAZZ was "Stand By Me" ??? WHAT?? Benefit or not, the price of admission and the size of the venue should have elicited far better preparation and repertoire from the performers.

Steve Tyrell and Jane Monheit were very good. Jason Moran not so much. With exception of "Song for My Father", we found it difficult to listen to the other selections. He is very talented technically however. Would have liked to hear more of Jane Monheit. David Benoit was very good as well.

The concert was arranged as a benefit, so with that in mind going in, I wasn't sure what to expect from the headliners Steve Tyrell, David Benoit, Jane Monheit and Jason Moran since I have never heard any of these artists in person. The evening was centered around two pianists and two vocalists which made for some interesting duets and solos. After all was said and done, Tyrell was the main draw with the others featured over the course of the evening. I was looking forward to more play time from Benoit, but he did have some solos as he sat in on a couple Tyrell tunes. Jason Moran is an amazing pianist playing songs that are both accessible or in the more avant garde range. Moran played an interesting tribute to Horace Silver with his interpretation of "Song for my Father". Overall, Tyrell did not disappoint with the expected songs ("Just the Way You Look Tonight') and a couple new ones ("On Broadway"). The concert was well paced, and all the artists were featured well enough though it seemed that there wasn't enough time to truly feature all four of them. The Disney Concert Hall is a great venue, so kudos to KKJZ for that, and lining up four great artists.

I chose to attend this concert because I expected to hear professional jazz performers and to see them perform in a first-rate concert hall. My decision was rewarded. that night's conceptualizing/improvising by Jason Moran in his opening set worked for me. I remember seeing a video of a young, curly-headed fellow who sang a ballad in a nice voice, Steve Tyrell's voice. His performance was very good. David Benoit and Jane Monheit's sit-ins with Steve and the band were so nice and seamless. Thanks to all performers, thanks to KJazz.

Thoroughly enjoyed the evening of music and song, especially Jason Maron and trumpet player in the band. Would have liked to have had more duets with the vocalists but the length of the concert was perfect so that would have only enhanced the total package. Looking forward to a repeat next year.

Overall the concert was good but expected Jane Monheit to sing more than 2 songs. We especially came to hear her. Jason Moran was very good.

Fantastic!! We loved the music!! Steve Tyrell is fantastic!!! We try to see him as much as we can. He still sings the songs we grew up with. You can hear the singer and the Band comes in when it is supposed to---not dominate. His trumpet player was excellent. We would have liked to hear more songs from the female vocalist--she had a great range and together w/Steve they did well.

Musicians were great. Always enjoy listening to Steve Tyrell and Jane Monheit voice is absolutely beautiful. The only thing that could made it better was to have David Benoit play more.

As is the case with many such fund raising events, this performance appeared unrehearsed and at times wobbly - only 3 songs sung by Jane Monheit??? One a duet, the other a pop song??? Really??? I guess I should be thankful the musicians showed up for the great 88.1, but what could have been a quite memorable event was merely "meh."

The advertising for this event highlighted Jane Monheit (we are long time Monheit fans) and David Benoit (who is also an awesome jazz force). Yet when we got to the concert, we found the concert was really a Steve Terrell concert with Jane Monheit singing exactly one song by herself and 1 song backing up Terrell. Dave Benoit got to play one number and he was great. Steve Terrell came across a frankly a lounge lizard from Las Vegas with a weak, out of tune voice he did did not even bother to warm up before the show. Despite a terrific backup band, his vocals of Frank Sinatra hits and one Geffen song were heavy, out of tune and just plain painful. They were not even good pop, much less jazz. We were in the terrace balcony and a number of people got up and left after 2 of his songs. We kept hoping Jane Monheit and Benoit would come back but they never got a chance as Terrell was determined to fill every minute of the almost 2 hour concert. The one bright light of the concert was the opening act, progressive jazz pianist, Justin Moran, whose haunting and unusual pieces combined technical virtuosity, unusual chord progressions and mixed media with taped interviews and voices from the past. He played for about 20 minutes and was amazing. We drove 2.5 hours to get to this concert and it simply was not worth it. KJAZZ should be ashamed of themselves for misleading marketing. The ads should have read "Steve Terrel with appearances from special guests Jane Monheit and David Benoit". The intro to Terrel stated he came straight from Buckingham palace where he played for Prince Charles. That should have been our first clue. Maybe we can catch him next week at the Chumash Casino. Sorry, we are bitter.

Jason Moran did a repertoire of very eclectic pieces and made me wonder why I was there. But since Steve Tyrell was the reason for my attendance, I sat and waited in anticipation. Wow, what a letdown. His voice was a touch off. He kept looking at his watch (was he booked for another gig and had to leave?). The songs were lacking the quality that he always puts into what he sings. And there was no encore. Jane Monheit sang a few songs and it still all added up to a big fat zero in my book. If David Benoit had sat and played several of his pieces instead of just one, it would have made it so much better but alas, was not to be. I sat there wondering how soon I'd be put out of my misery. In fact, it was such a chore to be there that I kept waiting for a friend to jump out of nowhere and yell "You've been punked!" How sad for me and perhaps others that felt like I did; we not only wasted money but time.

What do you say when you know something is definitely wrong after five minutes? Such was the case Saturday night at Disney Hall. When Jason Moran appeared and began "improving" with his piano, you knew that he had never seen this instrument before let alone participated in a sound check or a rehearsal. After he "acquainted" himself with the instrument, he began to as remarkable as I knew he could. But then sound problems occurred, and his recorded interview with Fats Waller and Rochester was impossible to understand. Still he was worth the concert. Then the second half. Now I get a has been lounge singer, Steve Tyrell, to take the stage. A couple of songs to prove that he was minor league. Did he think we thought of Sinatra, of Tony Bennet, of Michael Buble or my neighbor singing in the shower? Again the sound wasn't mixed properly so the horn player had one solo that was impossible to discern. And a recorded string section? Finally the class of the second half: Jane Monheit. Old enough to be her father, he sings a duet "I'll Take Romance" while pawing her. Finally she gets her stage. One song. ONE SONG. All her youth and talent and energy in ONE SONG. Back comes Tyrell to tell us about his Albums, compares himself to Sinatra, suggests he was only 3 when FS recorded Come Fly with Me, which makes him 70. Finally David Benoit plays. But only one song, brilliantly played, and then were back to Tyrell. To insult his audience again, he checks his watch to see if he has time to sing again (really to see if it is 10pm so he can quit). Audience response: polite. Disappointing indeed.

Music and hall were super. Would have liked a little more Jane M.

Props to LA's only jazz station for a swinging evening. Traditional jazz vocals were supplied by the always entertaining Steve Tyrell with star turns by singer Jane Monheit and host of the evening David Benoit. Great show!

I was extremely diappointed by this concert. I guess I'm glad that the radio station got some funds but it was way too exspensive for what the audience received. Just because it's a benefit does not mean the performers should "call it in". I work in the business and I was offended. I brought guests because we are fans of Steve Tyrell and Miss Monheit. Wow, I was embarrased that I suggested it. Very low satisfaction. I will never attend another benefit concert. I will just donate money and attend a concert that is performed with audience pleasure is the main goal.

Was sad to see that Jane was such a small part of the program.

Steve Tyrell was outstanding. However Jason Moran was too much for me. He is a skilled pianist but his progressive jazz is too far out.

Took my wife, son, and daughter to the Kjazz benefit concert for my daughters' birthday. We all agreed the show could have been good fun if David Benoit and Jane Monheit had been the headliners instead of 'also appearing'. Steve Tyrell did his lounge-crooner thing, while guitarist Steve Cotter awakened occasionally to play a few lack-luster licks and Jon Allen performed nicely on keyboard. Jason Moran performed a few great pieces however. Wouldn't go out of my way next year...

A magical evening of Jazz at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Aside from the announcing guy who forgot multiple performers names, the music was great!

Fabulous setting for this music! So happy to see jazz in a world class venue in LA!!! No bad seat in the house. Big enough for volume, yet intimate enough for visibility. Enjoyable from start to finish. I'd be back anytime!!

Benoit, Schuur, and Mason (and company) performed with virtuosity, making for a truly amazing evening of Jazz! The inaugural KJZZ fund raiser at Disney Hall for Disney Hall Jazz left us wanting more. We are genuinely looking forward to the next concert. The quality of this concert demonstrates KJZZ and Disney Hall's commitment to Jazz fans and to the genre.

It's was my first time and the concert was great!!!!. I had a great time:-)

David Benoit, Diane Schuur and Steve Tyrell were great entertainers. I liked how they highlighted a new and upcoming jazz contributor Christian Scott. I had never been to the Disney Hall and I love the place. I had invited 2 friends on a whim and they loved the music too!

Absolutely FABULOUS performances!!! Am looking forward to KJazz's Second Annual Summer Benefit Concert in June, 2014. And an amazing place for jazz groups to perform.

Loved the concert once it got away from a reliance on electronics. The sound of acoustic instruments is what Disney was built for. Benoit's "Blue Rondo a la Turk" was about the best I have ever heard. Benoit's set and much of Schuur's fit the venue the best.