The violinist is adjusting his stance. He’s got the thing tuned already — the wha, whaaaa, wheeeeee of the string still ringing in the room. And now the drummer — this is a new cat, a fairly hefty fellow — is messing with the high hat, the snare, pumping his foot just to see what it all sounds like.
More Top Picks Best Affordable Rain Jackets For Men
Down time at the Velvet Lounge on Sunday night. But just for a minute or two until everybody sets their place. Thing is, tonight is jam night. Starts at 6 p.m. at 2128 1/2 S. Indiana Ave. (call 312-791-9050). The lounge is a smoky place with a long bar, lots of handwritten signs, everybody turned toward the stage in the back room. On Sunday jam nights, anybody can come, plug in, sit in, jostle a little elbow room on the square stage and make some noise. Anybody.
Except that, at the Velvet Lounge, you’d better be good.
Take the tall white kid with the floppy hair who’s hugging the big stand-up bass. He’s goooooooood. Up above him and his cohorts is the lounge’s trademark lopsided candelabra with its eight little lamps.
“It’s a John Coltrane night in here, isn’t it?” asks Dennis Winslett, the night’s host and founder. “It’s like he’s in the room or something, huh?”
Winslett plays the saxophone, starts rocking back and forth when he gets going to the point where you think he’s going to bend over and the horn’s going to touch the ground. He’s been playing this gig for three years. He’s got regular pals that come down, like the bass player — Josh Thurston Milagrim. The crowd here pays attention. Any little thing and they hoot, holler, offer testimony. Though not all of it is positive. They don’t boo here — there’s too much respect, the talent’s too big for that anyway — but sometimes the crowd rustles, turns away, starts whispering. Almost feels like the jazz greats on the posters are saying “Uh-uh.”
And that’s when Winslett moves to get a little boost of energy, a new drummer maybe. There, in the audience — Kobie Williams. After a little coaxing, Williams is strapped in to the drums like a pilot to a jet plane’s cockpit. And he’s going, going right away, rapid fire. The violinist — Samuel Williams, who’s damn good — just shakes his head and laughs, brings down his bow in surrender. Who can keep up with that?
– – –
Joanie Pallatto and King Fleming will debut their new CD — with liner notes by the Trib’s own Rick Kogan, a longtime Pallatto fan — Saturday at 9:30 p.m. at Andy’s, 11E. Hubbard St. Ten of the 14 songs on the CD — aptly titled “The King and I” — are original Fleming compositions, with Pallatto contributing lyrics to five.
Joining Fleming and Pallatto for the celebration will be King Fleming Trio veterans Clifford Griffin on bass and Bill Cochran on drums. Bobby Lewis will add his lyrical flugelhorn to the proceedings (he is a featured artist on the CD along with saxophonists Von Freeman and Rich Fudoli.) Call 312-642-6805 for details.
– – –
If you haven’t heard from the Stewed Tomatoes — that faboo all-gal group — in a while it’s because they’ve been storming the Midwest on a month-long tour, with 20 shows in 30 days. They should be back, exhausted and elated, November 4, at the Andersonville club Stargaze, 5419 N. Clark St. For more info, call 773-561-7363 or visit www.stewedtomatoes.com or http://www.mp3.com/stewedtomatoes to get some of their fine tunes.