Edmund Velasco Quintet©Glenn A. Mitchell

They are known as “EVQ,” Edmund Velasco Quintet.  They returned to Steamers after being away on other projects for quite a while and played better than ever this evening in late September ’07.

The quintet is made up of successful musicians, all with some significant career associations besides their fine playing with EVQ:  Mark Masseypiano; Kye Palmertrumpet; Jimmy Forddrums; Steve Venzbass;  and Velascotenor sax.  Massey has worked with many all-time notables. Palmer is now a regular on the Tonight Show. Ford has an expanding drum-making business and works with many greats. Venz is Director of Music Studies for L.A. Unified School District, and Velasco continues his long tenure working musically at Disneyland and also works as a terrific sideman with other important jazz projects. 

 It was a pleasure to hear their straight-ahead bebop, hard-driving jazz this evening.  I arrived a little late and they were already into a favorite blues theme titled “Turning Point,” composed by Palmer – a wonderful jazzy riff that the quintet created some well-defined individual solos on.   It is also on their second of three CDs: The Blues in Me.  Most of the night’s music was performed from these CDs, which included “The Underside” (composed by Velasco), “A Sad Case” (by Venz), “Revenge of the Red Band” and “Song for Wendy” (by Velasco), dedicated to his wife. The audience contained not only EVQ fans, but several family members as well.   Everyone enjoyed the quintet’s swinging jazz for the entire evening. 

Leader/composer Velasco had nifty composition called “Cat Walk.”  It featured Ford’s phenomenal intro and brushwork on the drums.  Palmer joined in and then led the quintet to a rousing four-beat swing with Massey and Ford giving incredible solos. They followed with a Lennon/McCartney tune, “Come Together,” where Venz played a vibrant bass solo towards the tune’s ending.    

During Velasco’s “The Underside,” Venz again delivered a remarkable bowing and pizzicato bass solo.  Ford played some groovy four-bar breaks.  This number showed off the quintet with solos from Massey, Palmer and Velasco. Before ending a set, Velasco played a number composed and dedicated to his daughter earlier in her growing up, “Lauren’s Lullaby,” a smoothly soft lullaby perfect for her.

This is a dynamite quintet!  They swing constantly.  Visit Edmund Velasco’s website: www.edmundvelasco.com .  I recommend all three of his CDs as “best choices.”   

Reprinted with permission from the L.A. Jazz Scene, November, 2007 issue.  Glenn A. Mitchell is a bassist and jazz reviewer in Los Angeles.