The Studio Cafe Reunion Band
Private Party
Los Angeles, California
2011 04-22

Genre: Straight Ahead Jazz
Audience Tape: A
Mikes: Schoeps mk4 > Actives > NBox >
Recorder: Edirol Ohr (24b)
Transfer: Goldwave (Volume Boost, 2db Compression > Volume Boost > Dither to 16b) > Media Monkey (Flac Transfer L8)
Recorded by Scooter123
Location: At the Bar
Tapers Trade List: http://db.etree.org/mylibbydog

Tapers Notes:

The Studio Cafe was a hang out for LA jazz greats, before they were great,
an Orange County version of the Baked Potato.

It was a dumpy little beach bar in Balboa, California, with an owner, Bruce
Davidson, that loved jazz and surfing. This was a rough bar where the
customers were stoners, beach bums, and surfers. You'd find marijuana and
coke in abundance. Bruce's signature drink was the "Adios Mother-Fucker,"
a bluish drink basically made "from everything on the left side of the bar."
That drink would knock you on your ass in about 15 minutes.

The house band in the late 70's early 80's was the "Studio Cafe Band" which
featured Eric Marienthal and some of his mates.

My favorite story of the place was when a drunk who didn't like what Eric
Marienthal was playing at the time, who then poured a bottle of Heinenken
into his sax. Bruce then put up a railing around the stage, and the place
reminded me of the bar in the Blues Brothers' movie, you know, the one
with the wire cage around it, with fights breaking out right and left. And
there were fights there and passed out drunks.

In any event, this dump had some the best jazz in California go in and out of
the place, for about 10 years.

This gig was 4 hour private party and reunion of the original band members.
I doubt anyone would give a shit about this upload unless they were West Coast
jazz fans, but for grins, here it goes. I've only uploaded the last set, as a
favor for a friend. There was much banter and story telling between each song,
up to several minutes, which no one would care to listen to unless you knew the
people, so that banter was deleted. If you have a problem with that, better pass
on this upload.

Since the good old days of the Studio Cafe, Eric has a dozen CDs to his credit;
Dave is the musical director for George Benson; Jeff plays(ed) bass with
Herbie Hancock, and Paul has more or less retired, but toured with Ray Charles
in the day. Eric joins Harvey Mason next month for a European tour with DIG,
Deep Inner Groove.


Set List:

I did't bother.


1. Don't Know
2. Don't Know
3. Don't Know
4. If I Only Knew
5. St. Tropez, Perhaps?
6. Charlie Parker Tune

TT: 1:01

Personnel:

Eric Marienthal, Alto Sax
Dave Witham, Piano
Jeff Littleton, Bass
Paul Kreibich, Drums

As always, I don't care what you do with these files once you download it. They are
yours now. You can thank me by uploading some jazz or doing a trade so I can upload
some new obscure stuff.