Mark Winkler once told me he likes to open his shows with a familiar swinger, something he can be comfortable with, to get him relaxed and “in the zone.” It is a smart tactic that comes from a lifetime of performing, and Mark used it to good effect Sunday night at Catalina Jazz Club as he kicked off his “Evening of Song for Animal Rescue” with a sure-footed romp through “Old Devil Moon.” The night was off to a good start. Winkler didn’t falter as the veteran songwriter, entertainer and...

Smooth jazz is not my style of choice. That is not a put down. I’ve seen some very entertaining shows by established smooth jazz artists and always appreciate the high level of musicianship. Yuko Mabuchi has evolved to fully embrace the genre in recent years. In her Catalina Jazz Club show last night she performed her latest single, Paradiso, written by smooth jazz powerhouses Jeff Lorber and Claude Villani. Highly polished to a glossy sheen, the song moves with a kinetic energy over...

Herb Alpert’s Vibrato was the perfect venue for Sinne Eeg’s stylish James Bond Gala Wednesday night in Bel Air. The Bond movie music, which has been performed in Norway and Finland, made its stateside debut with guest vocalist Kenton Chen. Pianist Josh Nelson fronted a top shelf quintet consisting of Dan Schnelle, drums; Jon Hatamiya, trombone; Luca Alemanno, upright bass; and Mitch Foreman, keyboard. The evening opened appropriately with an instrumental, the James Bond Theme (From Dr....