The Jazzcat

Slide Show

The Temple Bar, if you don’t know is a cool, hip, and funky joint in Santa Monica California that caters to those adventurers who seek pleasure from music. It is not specifically known as a jazz club, but all kinds of music is performed there. Way back in the day it used to be the location of another music venue call “At My Place” for those who can remember back that far.

As you all know, my main man for jazz on the radio here in Los Angeles is Mark Maxwell at KPFK.org and if he says that there is some good music to check out, you can be guaranteed that his word in bond!

I got to the Temple Bar just in time to catch a few of the tunes from a soul sistah on the jazz scene named “Waberi”. I have seen her many times as a supporter of the music but did not know that she could get down like that! There are so many people on the planet with such God given talent; it is a shame to not let the light shine. This goes for you as well! You may have a job, a family and many other responsibilities in order to exist but you cannot be true to yourself if you do not share with the world the talents that the Creator has bestowed upon you.

The earth moves upon creation and when music is personified and molded into imagery that you can see and hear simultaneously, a new drop of water is born into the pond of life that continues to reach out until you are caressed with it’s experience. Waberi’s approach to Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” arrived at its destination from entirely different directions like a flower that you love but don’t recognize until it is in full bloom. She also took the time out to give thanks, honor and praise to her wonderful daughter Sabah, who was celebrating her 17th birthday that evening.

Mother and daughter love is special to witness especially when it is jazz music is part of the festivities!

After Waberi’s performance and during the set up for Build an Ark, the energy of music does not stop. There was a DJ there that was rockin’ what some may call the oldies and others the hits of the 70’s 80’s and 90’s. These tunes of Stevie, James, Prince, Michael, Frankie, Rufus and so on not only make your atrophied muscles start moving limbs in directions that they have not been for twenty some odd years but, the memories that they stir up are always full of smiles of fun.

As the second set begins, musicians pack the stage with not just instruments but a united powerful intension to take sound and transform it into life. Through the call of love, heaven here on earth and above open their doors to each other and synchronize light, spirit, music and all the beautiful things that we are thankful for and create an environment filled with warm peaceful musical blessings. The prayers, chants, percussion, bells, shakers, flutes, horns, bass and heavenly sounds of harp strings reach out to a place within us that connects us all as one entity, one molecule, one life, one world.

How do you “Build an Ark”? It is not done by domination, by greed, or by the ideals of one being who stands to profit the most. It is a collective effort where all our welcome and encouraged to contribute to the life and well being of all humanity and this time through the healing powers of music. Carlos Ninos has assembled an array of fine musicians and singers who may not march two by two but still come together to dance and sing to a different drum allowing the light and love from above to descend down and bless our souls.

There is music that is intoxicating, inviting and controlling that tends to have its degree of power over you but, the music of “Build an Ark” is freeing, uplifting, encouraging and allows you to feel the power within yourself. The textures and colors of the music weave a fabric, a garment so wonderful to touch and feel as it caresses mind, body and spirit. The angels sing “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” and the emotions of our sorrows are activated, but as we feel pain we are soothed instantly by a comforting entity greater than all beings. 

God is the greatest entity and experiencing free music is an open conduit for all possible communications to be heard. So listen, hear, sing, experience, enjoy, give thanks, keep living, keep loving and do your part to make the world unite!
Happy New Year!!!

LeRoy Downs