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’m super excited to announce that “Document:Freedom:Spring (Live!)” was released on Friday, October 21, 2022! This is exclusively available on Bandcamp.
To celebrate, I’m also releasing reissues of my entire 2000s catalog there, for $7+ each. The great thing about Bandcamp is that you can download lossless and hi-res files all for the same price, plus, you can also “name your price” to generously support artists further. Even cooler, on Bandcamp Fridays (the first Friday of every month), the full amount of your purchase goes to the artist.
But enough about where you can buy it, you probably want to know about it! The album’s “liner notes” detail the magic of re-opening The Warner Grand Annex with my “Roots & Rambles” show after lockdown in June of 2021. The quick version is that they had a piano, I fell in love with the idea of playing it, so I did — for the first time in my adult life ever in a show! This led to a retrospective night of joy with an introduction of nine songs never recorded until now. And, only the last song of the night — an unplanned encore — is played in an arrangement that’s something I’ve done before.
For all of us, it was a beautiful night of hope! We were elated and a little bit surprised to be in a theater together. Covid rates were low, vaccine rates were high, variants were in the distance. I felt so free to have three different stations to play three different guitars…and a piano that night! It felt like a rebirth, as does today, being able to share this music with you. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Here are a couple thoughts from others:
“The word that leaps to my mind is “generosity.” This recording absolutely drips with it. Generosity of spirit. Generosity of artistry. You feel the artist’s presence.
Over the course of 15 remarkable songs, Jason Luckett invites us into his musical world, receiving all with warmth, humor and boundless energy and invention.”
— Todd Lawrence (aka Milo Binder)
“I have been a fan of Jason’s for many years and have watched him perform live many times, and I know this much about him: Live music is his happy place. He loves playing in front of people, playing off of and interacting with a crowd with a guitar in his hand, or his fingers hovering above a piano and keyboard. This here live album is classic Jason Luckett, at the height of his powers, playing to a room full of happy Lucketteers! His positivity, his love for his craft, is all present and accounted for in this show. I loved listening to and watching it as much as I am sure all of you will. Realize it!”
You can buy everything now and you can access the liner notes for free there, too.
The full concert video comes next month. But, with this album, thanks to Raymond Moore‘s carefully detailed mastering, the picture you can create in your head is so vivid, and that’s really the way I like to see music. Put it in your headphones and be transported. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen Bill Withers live at Carnegie Hall in my mind since 1973, but I hope you’ll join us at the Grand Annex many times in the years to come.
I hope to see you all again, in real life, on the road soon!
Peace and Love,
J
Song List: Stir It Up (piano version) Home (piano) Reimagine (piano) Faithful (dreadnought acoustic guitar) Looking at a Photo of Sonny Rollins (dreadnought) My Return (nylon) Stack of 45s (electric) Bad Man You Want (electric) The Passage of Time (dreadnought) This Love (nylon) Magic Trumps Reason (electric) Our Moment in the Sun (electric) Daydream (piano) Summer Nights Are Ours To Seed (piano) Miracle (dreadnought)
