Jazz

Paul Clinton GLENDALE -- Not long after the Japanese surrendered to end World War II in September, 1945, the city's streets were swinging with the sounds of jazz. With 82,000 residents, Glendale joined Hollywood, Central Avenue in Los Angeles and other regional hot spots as a major destination for those who wanted to hear big band in the years following the war. Cozy clubs thick with smoke popped up on the landscape. Before long, the Silver Slipper, Melody Room, Round Robin and Pike's Verdugo were all offering up hot jazz played by cool cats.

For many, jazz is an acquired taste; rather like black olives. For local 16-year-old Mike Gurrola, jazz seems to be in his blood. Gurrola began his musical adventure at the tender age of 6 while taking violin lessons. At Rosemont Middle School, Gurrola joined the school orchestra as a violin player. One day, his music teacher, Rod Yonkers, said he needed a bass player and Gurrola volunteered. "I was about 12 or 13 years old — I can’t remember," Gurrola said.

Glendale High School Music Department students are busy this week rehearsing for their annual Festival Concert, which will be 7 p.m. Friday in the school's auditorium, 1440 E. Broadway. The performance is open to the public. A donation of $3 for adults is requested. Funds raised at the performance will go toward instrument repair, Instrumental Music Director Amy Rangel said. The festival will include performances by the school's jazz band, string orchestra, concert band and symphonic orchestra.

The following education programs will be broadcast on Charter Cable 15. For more information, call 241-3111, Ext. 218. TODAY 7 a.m. - Glendale Unified School District Calendar 6 p.m. - GUSD Calendar 7 p.m. - GUSD Issues: PTA, Strong Support for Learning 8 p.m. - GUSD Hoover Jazz Then and Now 9 p.m. - GUSD Character & Ethics Panel No. 3 TUESDAY 7 a.m. - GUSD Calendar 6 p.m. - GUSD Calendar ...

Night painting to be demonstrated MONTROSE -- Thomas Van Stein, who paints landscapes illuminated by the moon or streetlights, will be the demonstrating artist for the Verdugo Hills Art Assn. meeting at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the community room at Citibank, 2350 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Van Stein will also give a workshop from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday. Participants will meet at Citibank before going out onto the sidewalks to paint. The workshop cost is $45, $50 for nonmembers.

Thief breaks into parking meters NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Someone broke into 83 parking meters at a local park, making off with about $400, police said. The break-ins were discovered late Tuesday at Verdugo Park. There were no signs of forced entry, and police said someone apparently opened the meters using some kind of key or pick. The theft was discovered when workers came to collect the money. Police said they did not know when the money was taken.

Nairobi Trio to play Jazz under the oaks LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- The Nairobi Trio, a six-piece band that plays hard-bop jazz classics from the 1950s and '60s, will provide the latest installment of Descanso Gardens' Under the Oaks Concert Series on Sunday. The jazz band will play from 2 to 3 p.m. at the gardens' Under the Oaks Theater, 1418 Descanso Drive. Admission is $6, $4 for students and seniors, $1.50 for children younger than 12 and free for children younger than 5. For more information, call 949-4200.

The News-Press visited Craig Kupka's jazz class and asked students, "Who's your favorite musician and why?" "He's not a bass player, but Tom York, the lead singer of Radiohead. He's a big influence on me, from a strong songwriting standpoint. He makes my experience in high school a little more tolerable." Tim Jordan, 17 "[Trumpet player] Dave Miles. I just think the spirit he had was great. I don't even play the trumpet, but he played it with feeling."

Big Band Swing Dance tomorrow Crescenta Valley High School Jazz Band is holding a Big Band Swing Dance from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 23. The dance is being held at the school’s cafeteria at 2900 Community Ave. in La Crescenta (entrance at Glenwood and Prospect Avenues). The admission price is $10 per person ($5 per person with CVHS ASB card — dinner not included). Live music provided by the award-winning CVHS jazz band and free swing dance lessons will be available.

On Saturday, Oct. 21, at 2 p.m. jazz historian and LA. Jazz Scene Journalist John R. Tumpak will give a talk entitled " Remembering Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey ." Tumpak will play the hit songs and discuss the colorful lives of Big Band Era legends Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey who were celebrated in the 100th anniversary of their births in 2004 and 2005. He will also show rare film clips performing in the movies and on television. Song selections will in include vocal Eberty, Helen O'Connell, Connie Haines, Jo Stafford, and the Pied Pipers The complex and often contentious relationship between the two brothers will be addressed in depth.