Jazz Sunday: The Jazz Bakers & Kevin Kanner Jazz
The Mint6010 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles 90035
Jazz Sunday at The Mint pairs The Jazz Bakers with Kevin Kanner Jazz. The Jazz Bakers come as a six-piece: Matt Lilley on saxophones, Dan West on keys, Matt Hornbeck on guitar, Dan Lutz on bass, Roger Johnson on percussion and Charles Ruggiero on drums. The evening is part of the club's Jazz Sunday series, whose rotating LA acts lead into Kevin Kanner's Sunday jam. Expect a set built largely from the Bakers' original material, with covers also drawn from Weather Report, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock.
The Jazz Bakers perform primarily around greater Los Angeles and Southern California. Their originals blend modern, alternative and straight-ahead jazz with Latin, blues and funk, while the event listing describes their songs as “upbeat and inspiring.” That same listing hears “a unique local sound reminiscent of the experimental days in Los Angeles circa 1970-1980,” and characterizes the band's performances as “unpredictable, spontaneous, and with tons of energy.” No information supplied here identifies collaborators or offers an independent critical assessment, but the repertoire and six-player lineup point to a band that leaves room for varied directions within the set.
A stage where Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Natalie Cole once broke, The Mint is a Mid-City club with a long-standing reputation for live music. The room holds about 300 standing guests with a few seats, offering a close view of the stage. The atmosphere is lively with a full bar, tapas-style food, and a dance floor. Shows run from 7 PM to 2 AM on weekends, with jazz, blues, and soul acts. The experience blends music and conversation, with early arrival recommended for the best seats. It's a place where musicians and fans gather, and the energy is strong.