Jeffrey Gimble: MixTape, Soul Sourced Jazz

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Jeffrey Gimble

MixTape, Soul Sourced Jazz

The E Spot, Studio City, CA, October 27, 2016

Reviewed by Mary Bogue for Cabaret Scenes

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jpg” alt=”Jeffrey Gimble” width=”212″ height=”212″ /> Jeffrey Gimble

With a packed house, Jeffrey Gimble took the stage with re-imagined arrangements and creative phrasing, showcasing an array of songs and genres that captured his heart and soul as he grew up. Said Gimble, “I was always hearing music, whether or not it was playing. I wondered what they would sound like all together. Voilà! MixTape.”

He opened with “Bye Bye Blackbird” (Mort Dixon/Ray Henderson), which found new wings with an innovative arrangement, in which he brought great energy, changing tempos and lyrics effortlessly, and breathing contemporary life into this 90-year-old song. With Gimble’s touch, it was fresh and exciting against a movie screen of old black-and-white images interspersed with live images of him at the microphone.

Pianist Josh Nelson gave a great assist, as Gimble pleased the crowd with his opening rubato and scatting style, moving easily through complicated charts on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” (Rodgers & Hart).

Scoring big with his humorous take on “Until You Come Back to Me” (Stevie Wonder/ Morris Broadnax/Clarence Paul), sung from the viewpoint of a desperate stalker, Alex Frank on bass found the funk, as drummer Dan Schnelle “tapped on the windowpane.” It was in this song that the audience members got to finally see Gimble open his eyes and sing to them. He was repaid with great applause.

Hauntingly tender and introspective on “You Must Believe In Spring” (Michel Legrand/ Alan & Marilyn Bergman) coupled with “By Myself” (Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz), Gimble was cerebral with closed eyes; but that could easily be fixed so that his loyal audience feels included. Taking six months to work on this lyric- and arrangement-heavy show, the payoff was great, especially on his encore, “Rainbow Child” (Angela Bofill), where he proved “I’ve got what it takes to be free.”

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Mary Bogue

Mary Bogue’s journey into the world of jazz began in 1981 when she was accepted by the Monterey Jazz Festival to cover the event as a writer. It was there that jazz tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate introduced her to the legendary vocalist Helen Humes. Their interview, later published in Jazz Dispatch and distributed at the Playboy Jazz Festival, marked the beginning of Bogue’s deep connection to jazz and storytelling. One unforgettable moment came when Humes introduced her to Count Basie, saying, “Bill, this is my friend Mary. Mary, this is Bill.” That simple introduction sparked a lifelong love for jazz and a passion for writing. Among her early interviews was a conversation with the legendary Les McCann, a connection that would come full circle years later when McCann joined Bogue on her debut album, Don’t Go to Strangers, released in 2012. The album, celebrated with a launch party hosted by KJZZ, gained national airplay and recognition. Her follow-up albums, Blue Smoke and One Night of Sin, further solidified her place in the jazz world. In 2015, Bogue was honored as a Living Legend of Jazz and recognized by the Duke Ellington Society, the United States Congress, the State of California, and the City of Los Angeles. Her cabaret career took off at the iconic Gardenia in Hollywood and continued in New York at the Metropolitan Room. That same year, she joined Cabaret Scenes Magazine as a reviewer of both cabaret shows and CDs, continuing to champion jazz and cabaret through both performance and the written word. In addition to her accomplishments in music and journalism, Mary is also an accomplished visual artist. She has designed album covers and created a wide range of artwork, including oil paintings of blues singers and expressive watercolors. Her visual work, much like her music, reflects her deep passion for the soul and spirit of jazz and blues.