Cathy and I met probably a decade ago when her group Fish To Birds, an a cappella improvised singing group, was forming, I even sat in with them a few times! She’s been a long time influential presence on the jazz vocal scene in Los Angeles and a tireless champion of jazz of all kinds, and now hosts live broadcasts from Kulak’s Woodshed. Cathy & jazz pianist Gary Fukushima have had a wonderful musical relationship for many years. They are the founders of “The Moment”, a quirky modern-jazz & improvisational quintet with synth, guitar, tenor, and percussion. On the 1st, the band will include Chuck Manning on tenor and special guest percussionist.
First Fridays Jazz Night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends, 9/1/23
Cathy Segal-Garcia & Gary Fukushima MASAUKO Jason Luckett
Hosted by Jason Luckett Doors: 7:30 Showtime: 8pm
Suggested donation: $20 at the door or online at PayPal.me/jasonluckett (100% goes to the musicians).
Lyd & Mo Photograpy Studio & Gallery 27 N Mentor Avenue, Pasadena, CA, United States, California
I think Masa and I may have first met at UCLA, but we became friends through the community around The World Stage in Leimert Park. We were the guys with acoustic guitars, who would fill that room without a mic during poetry nights. We were kin.
Masa also helped to facilitate my first collaboration with Peter J Harris, “Winter in Brazil,” after I’d heard what he had done with Peter’s words.
Soon after we met, Masa partnered with Neo Muyanga to form Blk Sonshine, and beauty was taken to another level! And he continues to grow and inspire me with the power of his voice and writing.
Here’s MASAUKO’s bio:
Masauko is a Malawian-American singer/songwriter, born in Los Angeles while his parents were in political exile. His primary instruments are the acoustic guitar and the voice. Masauko’s sound is a unique mixture of Southern African traditional music with jazz, folk, funk, hip hop and reggae.
He performed at the request of Nelson Mandela in South Africa in 2005 and became a Mandela 46664 Ambassador. Mandela dared his ambassadors to use their art as a form of activism. From that time forward Masauko has used his music to support women and orphans in remote villages of Malawi.
He received a Limon Roots award in August 2014 for his unique contributions to the culture of Costa Rica through African music.
In 2022, Masauko received a certificate of recognition from Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo for his work as an activist and artist in the USA and Africa. On September 1, at First Fridays Jazz Night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends, Masauko will share songs and stories about growing up in Pasadena and making music around the world.
Notes:Using the title of a classic stage play or movie as inspiration, storytellers and poets write poems and stories to be read aloud. Writers may pen a personal story inspired by the themes of the play. They may write in the voice of a character from the play and tell his or her back story. Or they may simply riff on the words in the title. Whatever the writer’s approach, BACKSTORY has consistently been a fascinating and eclectic night of theatre. This month the play is “A Raisin in the Sun.”
This will be new! A rare occurrence… kind of like my crooning in this photo by Cary Baker from this month’s 8th Annual Nilsson tribute.
On August 4, for First Fridays Jazz Night, with Jason Luckett & Friends, we’ll have various alumni from the first six shows returning… and mostly they’ll be covering me!
“What?!?,” you say!?!
Each time I’ve done these shows, I’ve wanted everyone back for the next one because that night had felt so good! So, for August, I wanted to have people come back to celebrate a successful first 6 months, and my birthday! I couldn’t conceptualize it fully though, so one of the artists suggested that they cover my songs.
I could be nonchalant about it, but, whoa! The idea touched me deeply.
The songs and artists are still being finalized, but I’m really excited to share this night with them and you all!
Of course, I’ll play a set of my own stuff, too, with a standard or two as a respectful nod to the tradition.
So please plan to come for the night, celebrate our intertwined communities of artists, family and friends.
Friday, August 4, 7:30 doors, 8:00 showtime, show goes until 10:30 $20 suggested donation (at the door or in advance @paypal.me/jasonluckett)
Lyd & Mo Photography Studio and Gallery (Events – Lyd & Mo Studio & Gallery) 27 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena
Notes:On August 4, for First Fridays Jazz Night, with Jason Luckett & Friends, we’ll have various alumni from the first six shows returning… and mostly they’ll be covering me!
“What?!?,” you say!?!
Each time I’ve done these shows, I’ve wanted everyone back for the next one because that night had felt so good! So, for August, I wanted to have people come back to celebrate a successful first 6 months, and my birthday! I couldn’t conceptualize it fully though, so one of the artists suggested that they cover my songs.
I could be nonchalant about it, but, whoa! The idea touched me deeply.
The songs and artists are still being finalized, but I’m really excited to share this night with them and you all!
Of course, I’ll play a set of my own stuff, too, with a standard or two as a respectful nod to the tradition.
So please plan to come for the night, celebrate our intertwined communities of artists, family and friends.
Friday, August 4,
7:30 doors,
8:00 showtime, show goes until 10:30
$20 suggested donation (at the door or in advance @paypal.me/jasonluckett)
Lyd & Mo Photography Studio and Gallery
27 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena
#pasadena #livemusic #lydandmophotography #singersongwriter #friendssupportingfriends #jazz
On Friday, July 7, I have Celia Chavez, Ann Pattillo, and Phil Vieux joining me for “Jazz Night.”
Celia’s spent time globetrotting as a backup singer with artists including P!nk, Melody Gardot and Enrique Iglesias, to name a few. I met her through the community of musicians at Genghis Cohen years ago. She’s taken a brand new moniker, Babilonia, to launch her new EP, “If I Ever Think To Double Back.” It “braids together strands of music she’s lived and loved: from her parents’ jazz and soul records back in her hometown of Seattle, to the vibrant scene of New York City’s Lower East Side, to the songcraft capital of Laurel Canyon. Written during a painful two year break from her life partner, it’s a record of liberation against a backdrop of deep cultural change.”
I met Phil Vieux at The World Stage in Leimert Park in the 90s. He floored me. Like a time machine to the future. Check out his solo to “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise.”
He’s played with artists from Horace Silver and Tootie Heath to Ray Charles and Eddie Palmieri. And on the 7th, he’ll play a few tunes with me!
My newest friend on the bill is Ann Pattillo. My sister and I met her and her sister at a Kurt Elling show a couple years ago. She’s “a public school music teacher who loves singing jazz and all things Brazilian!” And she swings in a sort of Betty Carter way. I’m excited to accompany her for her set!
If you can join us, the vibe is kind of a house concert in a gorgeous photography gallery and studio. Bring whatever you like for refreshments and snacks, for yourself or to share. The suggested base donation is $20, all of which goes to the musicians. Mo offers his place to us for free.
Excited to have Celia Chavez (@celiachavezmuzik), Philippe Vieux (@sxphn17), and Ann Pattillo join me for First Fridays Jazz night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends, on July 7 at Lyd and Mo’s! [Facebook RSVP]
Lyd & Mo Photography Studio & Gallery (@lydandmo) Friday, July 7 at 8pm. 27 N. Mentor Ave. Pasadena, CA.
Jason Luckett, hosts and performs Doors: 7:30 Showtime: 8pm
Suggested donation: $20 at the door or online at PayPal.me/jasonluckett (100% goes to the musicians).
In Playhouse Village in the heart of Pasadena @eventlydandmo
Excited to have Celia Chavez (@celiachavezmuzik), Philippe Vieux (@sxphn17), and Ann Pattillo join me for First Fridays Jazz night w/ Jason Luckett & Friends, on July 7 at Lyd and Mo’s!
Jami Lula and I go back to the days when I was working retail on Melrose! I think it was my childhood friend, Ivan Knight (a drummer, with whom I played my first professional gig when I was 11!) who told me about this gifted singer from Detroit that he wanted to bring into our circle of musicians. I was puzzled and floored by him right away. He’d do this impromptu sort of Tom Waits gravelly narrative improvisation, then he’d sound like Bobby McFerrin, then something like Kurt Elling (before I knew Kurt Elling’s sound, of course…).
For a short time I was a part of the band, Anything Orange, with Jami, Ivan, and Lula’s bassist, Jeffrey Dean. But I had my own thing to do…. 🙂
Anything Orange, became Orange, then became Lula, I think, when Jami’s old Detroit pal, Gordie Germaine, joined on guitar.
In the interim, Jami would often join me on gigs, with Charlie Colin (later of Train) on upright, and the late “Professor” Dwight Baldwin on percussion. My favorite memory is of us not being able to get into our gig at the 8121 Club on Sunset. A lot of our audience was in same predicament, waiting in line, so we did a mini set right there on the street in front of the Coconut Teaszer! Sometimes you’d find us engaged in similar activities at Damiano’s on Fairfax after playing a gig at Café Largo. We also used to host a songwriters gathering at Highland Grounds around the fire pit on Sunday afternoons. And I can’t forget the fun times with Jami and David Zasloff, showing up in the oddest places, co-creating beauty!
Jami grew into teaching at Musicians Institute Hollywood (MI), teaching voice and songwriting. I always enjoyed being a guest in his classes because I could feel the curiosity and passion that he’d stoked in his students, which fueled mine, while I tried to explain my process to these engaged minds.
Beyond teaching at MI, Jami became involved with Agape International Spiritual Center and other thinkers in the spiritual and human potential movement, where the full potential of his gifts really seemed to flourish. The ease with which his neo-bohemian improvisations flowed when I first met him, now made sense! The man can tap into spirit! I really admire and feel the uplifting power of the work he’s done over the past couple decades performing and speaking nationwide, and in his 10+ releases on Spirit in the House Records.
And until June 2, on the subject of Jami Lula, I’ll leave you with words from Agape’s Rev. Michael Beckwith:
“Jami Lula’s music is more than a shiver-inducing experience in sound, it is inspiration itself as an offering just to you. What I love about Jami’s improvisational textures is the intimacy he exudes through his personal intensity, which comes from a direct relationship with life, his love of it, and of humanity.”
– Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith
Lula is Jami Lula, vocals; Jeffrey Dean, bass; and Gordie Germaine, guitar. They play with Phil Parlapiano, and me (Jason Luckett) on Friday, June 2, 2023 @ Lyd & Mo’s Photography Studio in Pasadena.
My connection to Phil goes back to the days of his band, The Brothers Figaro, who played at Molly Malone’s regularly along with The Havalinas, Talkback, and my band. I was just talking to David Sutton, bassist for Talkback, who’s playing with Phil on the 2nd, about those days singing in that packed, smoke-filled pub, on a tiny stage near the dart board. Times have changed!
The Bros. Figaro were probably the most accomplished musicians in that roots world that most of us were engaging to a degree. It paid off in a bidding war to sign them, and then a great record on Geffen called, Gypsy Beat.
They went on to open for some of the bigger artists in the scene at the time. Then ended up in the backing band for the legend, John Prine! After 9 years with Prine, Phil worked with Rod Stewart(!) after being asked to play on his “Unplugged and Seated” album (I think along with another Molly’s and Genghis Cohen alum, Don Teschner). He followed this to play with Dave Koz (who’s longtime drummer is my lifelong friend, Stevo Theard) and co-wrote the Chanukah song “Eight Candles” with him.
I hadn’t been in touch with Phil much lately, but then Danette Christine, who played on the first First Fridays Jazz Night, mentioned that he might be playing with her that night. Looks like there’s a lot to catch up on. Here’s a bit from the end of his recent bio:
Parlapiano continues to work in the studio and live as a first call accordionist and keyboardist with the likes of Jon Bon Jovi, Carlene Carter, Lucinda Williams, Social Distortion, Elvis Costello, Tracy Chapman, The Chicks, Jonas Brothers, Iron Butterfly and others. You could see him in the TV shows Happily Divorced, The New Girl, Transparent and Lethal Weapon. Movie goers saw Parlapiano in the blockbuster film The Titanic as an accordion player during the memorable scene in the lower decks when Kate and Leo are dancing.
As of late, Phil’s work has been featured on the soundtrack to the Oscar winning film, The Shape of Water and the comedy Pitch Perfect 3.
I’ve always known Phil to be an extremely brilliant, singular and unique musician. So you’re in for a treat on June 2.
Please join us on the June 2, the first Friday in June for First Fridays Jazz Night w/Jason Luckett and friends, Phil Parlapiano (with David Sutton on bass) and a Lula reunion of Jami Lula, Jeffrey Dean, and Gordie Germaine. All of us go way back, so I know that, beyond the amazingness of the talent in the room, there will be a little extra camaraderie in the room! I can’t wait!
Notes:Another gathering of friends from years back! In the coming days I’ll post more info about this web of connection, but it’s long and luminous, and these guys are all astounding artists.
Here’s the line up for First Fridays Jazz Night, June 2, in Pasadena!
A Lula reunion! (@lulajami) Phil Parlapiano (@mrsqueeze1) w/David Sutton on bass And me! (@jasonluckett)
