Gary Brumburgh & Kat Hopkins: Beatle Jazz: The Early Years

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Gary Brumburgh & Kat Hopkins

Beatle Jazz: The Early Years

The E-Spot Lounge, Studio City, CA, January 22, 2017

Reviewed by Mary Bogue for Cabaret Scenes

Gary Brumburgh & Kat Hopkins
Gary Brumburgh & Kat Hopkins

Gary Brumburgh and Kat Hopkins brought a completely modern twist to the early standards of the Beatles—Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Star—and their music from 1963-1966 which skyrocketed the British invasion to global recognition.

Brumburgh and Hopkins brought an A+ band to the stage and, together with genius arrangements by Dave Ferris, smashed expectations of what they knew to be ingrained truth. Their duet on “Can’t Buy Me Love” (McCartney) was straight-ahead jazz and their voices were a perfect yin and yang. Their interpretations of the evening’s classics continually surprised. The patter was informative and filled with newly discovered information about the songs.

Hopkins was in pure delight and in full, open voice for “I Saw Her Standing There”  (McCartney). Bass player Gabe Davis was simply swinging, while drummer Jack LeCompte was a force to acknowledge. Dori Amarillo contributed a nice solo on guitar.

As a fantastic shuffle, “Day Tripper” (Lennon & McCartney), Brumburgh showcased his beautiful scatting in a call and response with Davis. Brumburgh’s joy was contagious and one look around the audience signaled just how much. If you can imagine “A Hard Day’s Night” (Lennon) done as a bossa, then add impeccable timing and re-imagined phrasing. It was so unusual that it left many asking if he was going to record it.

By audience cheering, it seems that their version of “Eleanor Rigby” (McCartney) was the favorite, with Karen Hammack on keys was a huge payoff. A well-deserved encore of “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” (Lennon & McCartney) was superlative as Hopkins and Brumburgh brought the house down, leaving us wishing they could slip the groovy night on to a CD and play it all the way home.

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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.