Tom Culver: Tom Culver Saddles Up and Rides Again

  • Post author:
  • Post published:
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Tom Culver

Tom Culver Saddles Up and Rides Again

The Gardenia, West Hollywood, CA, September 20, 2025

Reviewed by Mary Bogue

Tom Culver

Tom Culver knows how to make an entrance, and this night he did it cowboy-style by sauntering up from the back of the house like a man with a story to tell. As pianist Karen Hernandez, bassist Michael Saucier, and drummer Sammy Cervantes set the stage, you could almost smell the campfire smoke curling in the distance. This was no tuxedo affair; Culver was decked out in a red-and-white cowboy shirt, and he repleaced his usual city-slicker elegance with a country-western twang that suited him just fine.

The audience knew they were in for a ride the moment he kicked things off with Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again.” From there, Culver and his top-drawer band moseyed through a trail of golden hits that spoke to love, loss, and life’s wide-open plains. “Stardust” (Hoagy Carmichael/Mitchell Parish) shimmered like a desert sky at dusk, “Funny How Time Slips Away” (Nelson) hit that sweet spot between heartbreak and nostalgia, and “For the Good Times” (Kris Kristofferson) lingered like the scent of whiskey in the air. When he sang his favorite, “Always on My Mind” (Wayne Carson/Johnny Christopher/Mark James), the audience leaned in as his voice carryed both grit and tenderness like a cowboy tipping his hat to an old flame. It was pure Tom Culver, through and through.

Then came a surprise guest vocalist Cindy White, who sang “Me & Bobby McGee” (Kristofferson) and delivered it with fire, freedom, and joy. Bassist Saucier took a turn at the mic, crooning a soulful “Georgia on My Mind” (Carmichael/Stuart Gorrell) that made us feel the warm southern breeze right there in the Gardenia.

By night’s end, there was no doubt: Tom Culver may have swapped his kimono for a cowboy shirt, but his showmanship remained pure class. He commanded the stage like a seasoned ranch hand running the best saloon in town. As the applause thundered, one thing was certain—it’ll be a long time before there’s a new sheriff in this cabaret town.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.