7.20.12 Josh Nelson Group featuring John Daversa + Larry Koonse with live sci-fi video art

“Josh is that rare young musician who has not only a wealth of study and experience under his belt (all but assuring him a prominent place in jazz music), but he also possesses those rarest of musical attributes: a touch, a tone, and a “sound” that are all identifiably his own.” - Peter Erskine

“A definite fresh sound by a guy who should be in everyone’s iPod.” - George Harris, All About Jazz

“Nelson distinguishes himself as a first-rate player and composer with a fresh, wholly personal take on the music.” - Bill Milkowski

Josh Nelson, born and raised in Southern California, maintains an active and creative schedule as a jazz pianist, composer, teacher, and recording artist. At 32 years old, he has already performed with some of the most respected names in jazz, including Natalie Cole, Anthony Wilson, Bob Hurst, Jeff Hamilton, Ralph Moore, Albert “Tootie”Heath, Seamus Blake, Matt Wilson, Sara Gazarek, Ernie Watts, Jack Sheldon, Tom Scott, Peter Erskine, Abe Laboriel, and Alex Acuna, to name a few. Josh has recorded for countless albums, films, and TV shows, but also makes time for his own projects: First Stories (1998), Anticipation (2004) and Let it Go (2007, Native Language Music) all garnered international critical claim. Josh’s latest album, I Hear a Rhapsody (2009), displays Josh’s musings on new original music, standard interpretations, and reinventions of pop tunes.

Compositions and performances of his have appeared on various prime-time and cable shows and films, including “Jack and Bobby”, “The Division”, “Lucky”, and “First Daughter”. He has also worked with film composer Michael Kamen, and actors Eric Idle, Clint Eastwood, and Jon Lovitz. Josh has earned many awards, scholarships, and accolades over the years, some of which include the Louis Armstrong Award and the John Philip Sousa Award. He was also one of 12 semi-finalists in the prestigious 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition.

Josh is also musical director for vocal talent Sara Gazarek, of which he penned the title track of her debut record, “Yours”. That record reached No. 10 on the Billboard Jazz Charts. Sara’s second studio album, Return to You (2006), also featured Josh’s singer/songwriter skills.

Currently, Josh continues his touring with legendary vocalist Natalie Cole. He is also always working on a new CD project, and is just happy to be alive and playing with wonderful musicians.

Josh Nelson website

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John Daversa is a versatile and respected performer, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, and educator. Coming from a musical family, Daversa took an immediate interest in music at an early age; first through piano and voice, and later with trumpet and EVI (Electric Valve Instrument).

By the age of 15, jazz had become part of John’s identity as he attended the Los Angeles Music Magnet, Hamilton High School Academy of the Arts, from 1989 to 1991. After high school, he attended UCLA studying with classical trumpet virtuosi Mario Guarneri and Malcolm McNab. Although John’s musical interests were firmly placed in jazz (playing trumpet and electric bass in the UCLA jazz bands), he pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in classical composition. During that time, John won the Herb Alpert Award, David Joel Miller Award, National Trumpet Competition, ITG Jazz Soloist Competition, and was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.

In 1996, he formed the John Daversa Progressive Big Band, which continues to perform regularly in the Los Angeles area. Over the past two years, the band has developed a following at the world famous Baked Potato, performing the last Sunday of every month. Daversa’s compositions and improvisations mirror a musical philosophy that aims to stretch boundaries, while maintaining a reverence for the jazz tradition.

From 2000-2003, John served as Musical Director for Holiday On Ice’s “In Concert”, a large-scale production show based in Europe. He has also toured North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia performing with various artists. He has performed on The Today Show, Late Nite with David Letterman, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Live 8 (Berlin), Hamburg Music Festival, Java Jazz Festival (Jakarta), Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreux Festival, and the Playboy Jazz Festival.

John has had the opportunity to arrange and/or compose for Fiona Apple (Extraordinary Machine, 2005), Eleisha Eagle (Lamplighter 2006), Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (Tribute to Burt Bacharach Live Show, 2005), and Pacific Serenades (Between the Thoughts, 2008) and James Tormé (Love For Sale, 2009).

In 2006, he produced Phil Crosby, Jr.’s Christmas album, Time For Christmas (Vingilot Records), and recently completed production for E1 Entertainment recording artist, James Tormé. John was the Musical Director for Warner Brothers recording artist Renee Olstead from 2004-2009.

Dr. Daversa earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from The University of California, Los Angeles, a Master of Fine Arts degree in Jazz Studies at California Institute of the Arts in 2006, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California. He is currently a faculty member at the USC Thornton School of Music.

John Daversa website

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Born into a musical family, Larry has been playing the guitar since he was seven years old. At the age of fifteen he recorded an album with his father, guitarist Dave Koonse, entitled “Dave and Larry Koonse; father and son jazz guitars.” In 1984, Larry was the first recipient of a BM in Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California.

Immediately after graduating from USC Larry toured extensively for six years as a member of the John Dankworth quartet, traveling all across the globe and backing up Cleo Laine. He is currently a member of Billy Child’s landmark chamber sextet which just released a CD entitled “Lyric” featuring Brian Blade and received a grammy nomination for instrumental jazz album of the year. He has also toured and recorded with Mel Torme, Terry Gibbs, Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Childs, John Patitucci, David Friesen, Karrin Allyson, Warne Marsh and was a featured performer with the Percy Faith Orchestra on a tour of Japan. At the invitation of Nelson Mandela and UNICEF, Larry traveled to South Africa to perform for the first annual SAMIX festival with the Steve Houghton quintet. He also performed with Gary Willis in Sao Paulo for a government sponsored concert at SESC Ipiranga. In his travels, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Academy of Music, Disney Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and has been a featured soloist with the L.A. Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and many other orchestras throughout the world. Larry has recorded with Cleo Laine, Al Hirt, Jimmy Rowles, Lee Konitz, Larry Goldings, Alan Broadbent, Ray Brown, Bill Perkins, Toots Thielemanns, Rod Stewart, Clay Jenkins, Linda Ronstadt, David Friesen, Bob Sheppard, Charlie Haden and many other jazz artists. His solo guitar work was featured throughout “Crazy”, a feature film chronicling the life of the great guitarist Hank Garland.

The founder of the Player’s School, the renown bassist Jeff Berlin, contacted Larry in 1995 to write a guitar curriculum which is currently used for their program. He was co-leader of the L.A. Jazz Quartet which released their fourth CD, “Conversation Piece” (NAXOS Records) in September, 2000. The quartet’s first three CD’s, “Astarte” (GOWI), “Look To The East” (NAXOS), and “Family Song” (NTR), have received critical acclaim for their originality and musical depth. Larry’s most recent recording, “Storybook” is now available through Jazz Compass (www.jazzcompass.com). He has two other releases on the Jazz Compass label: Americana ( a recording featuring Scott Colley on the bass) and Dialogues of the Heart (featuring his father Dave Koonse in a guitar duo setting). Larry has been a faculty member at the California Institute of the Arts since 1990.

Larry Koonse website

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hours
monday through saturday  |  Doors open at 8:00 pm.
Music starts around 9:00 pm.
closed  sundays

21 + over with ID  |  Under 21 can be accompanied by parent or legal guardian

subterranean parking entry from 2nd street.

no parking validation