Chris Dawson/Pat Senatore duo, Bill Cunliffe Quartet@Vibratto 03.13.10
By George W. Harris

Piano jazz is alive and well in the San Fernando Valley, thank you.
While most of the well-heeled people at Herb Alpert’s Vibratto
Restaurant were feasting on the haute cuisine, jazz fans were delivered
a sumptuous two course meal of jazz piano during the evening, with
Chris Dawson and Bill Cunliffe providing some of the most melodious
music in town.

Dawson, along with bassist Pat Senatore (who used to own a club himself
way back when), delivered warm, relaxed readings of “Easy Living” and
“Gentle Rain” that had the notes fall off the keys. The interplay
between the ivories and bass during the haunting “Laura” was as
intricate as an Egyptian table cloth, while Cedar Walton’s “Big Red”
grooved with a snapping vibrancy.

Grammy-winning pianist Bill Cunliffe followed suit with his rhythmic
quartet of Jimmy Branly/dr, Scott Breadman/perc and John Belzaguy
through a set of modern standards that sizzled like Tha Fajita dinner.
Cunliffe cleverly sewed together the samba “Wave” with Deep Purple’s
“Smoke On The Water” without dropping a stitch. The intricate yet fluid
take of Joe Henderson’s “Recordame” segued into “Un Poco Loco” as if it
were part of a latin suite, gliding like a roller blader through Venice
beach. Cunliffe’s solos are textbook perfect, mixing imaginative rabbit
trails with melodious improvs that could be songs in their own right.
Great night for food and music!