Dolores Scozzesi: Here Comes the Sun

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Dolores Scozzesi

Here Comes the Sun

The E-Spot Lounge, Studio City, CA, April 22, 2016

Reviewed by Mary Bogue for Cabaret Scenes

Dolores-Scozzesi-Cabaret-Scenes-Magazine_212Dolores Scozzesi is the sun itself. From the moment she takes the stage, she shines. It’s as if all the planets have aligned to travel around her; incredible musicians falling into place and circling this enormous talent. Her up-tempo, crowd pleaser, “Here Comes the Sun” (George Harrison), was a gorgeous crack of dawn, a jazzy and innovative spin with Scozzesi a moving celebration surrendering to spirit.

She took us south of the Equator with her take on “You Fascinate Me So” (Carolyn Leigh/Cy Coleman), sharing a munificent Latin swing to warm her appreciative audience. Just as you cannot stop the sun from shining, nor can you stop her authentic movement in a change of energy to the Richie Havens-recorded “High Flying Bird” (Billy Edd Wheeler), with intuitive percussion support from Kevin Winard against Quinn Johnson’s soaring piano. Her gypsy spell of “It’s All Right with Me” (Cole Porter) captivated, and then she enlisted violinist Calabria Foti in a weave of a magic charm with Winard.

“Everything Must Change” (Benard Ighner) was in loving hands with her and guest vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia echoing the driving beat, and Johnson’s heavenly-bodied piano. And change it did, from “I’m in the Mood for Love” (Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields) as never heard before, to an emotional and breathtaking “Maria’s Eyes” (Andrei Konchalovski/Keith Carradine) with Dori Amarillio’s glowing guitar. Alberta Hunter’s “The Love I Have for You” burned, and “A Face Like Yours”/”I’ll Be Seeing You” (Victor Feldman & Tommy Wolf/ Sammy Fain & Irving Kahal), was a powerful tribute to her wildly successful director Mark Winkler’s late husband.

In concluding, Scozzesi scorched the evening, bequeathing a wildly driven “Night and Day” (Porter) and ,as every sunrise demands, offered “One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)” (Bob Dylan), leaving the full house hot and ready for more.

Dolores Scozzesi is already back to work, conjuring more sunshine to celebrate the music of Richie Havens.

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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.