viewfromaloft

This week in Jazz around Little Tokyo and the Arts District

Not too long ago, Downtown's jazz scene appeared trapped and contained as background music in a hotel bar lounge, or an event within the hallowed temple of Walt Disney Music Hall. Now Downtown Los Angeles is becoming a destination for jazz musicians around the nation, a trend beginning to get the attention of jazz aficionados.  Little Tokyo’s Blue Whale Bar and the Arts District’s Café Metropol get a lot credit for that by dedicating their intimate venues to straight jazz, no DJ or Karake chasers. After the jump is a quick list for you emerging jazz cats wantin' to be hip to the B-Whale and Cafe-Met this weekend.

 

'I call it home'

DELIVERING DOWNTOWN: Oscar Arce approached VFaL with an idea for a new project and asked for a few ideas that talk about how Downtown is changing. With the increased attendance at the Downtown Art Walk seen in April, I suggested that Gallery Row on the next second Thursday of the month would be a good place for him to begin. Together we explored some of the people and places around what's been called the epicenter of the monthly art walk. At the end of the night, Tom Gilmore walked by and we took some of his time to ask him about the growth of Downtown Art Walk, and if there was any news about the corner of 5th and Main  where a former Kings Market is being planned to converted  to become administrative offices and a clinic by the County of Los Angeles for “Project 50.”

And yes, while thinking the energetic Oscar would make a good host, somehow I went from producing this segment to being at the microphone.  Either way, it's a slice of downtown.
Filmed by Christopher Brown
Second Unit: Oscar Arce
Production Assistant: Pamela Rouse
Produced by Transflux Films

The Tramp and the Cop

NO TRUTH TO MY RUMOR: In Downtown Los Angeles, a man with a cane found himself detained by local police after he was seen “walking funny" on Broadway, according to witnesses standing in line to enter the Los Angeles Theatre.

The historic theater was the venue for a public assembly when the disorderly male was seen tipping his hat to female attendees, then attempted to enter the lobby without a ticket several times.

He would only identify himself as "a tramp" and remained silent during questioning by LAPD's keystone police authority.

The alleged tramp was soon released and later welcomed into the theater. 

No further incidents were reported.

Pictured: Ruben Fernandez and LAPD Commander Andy Smith before Angeles Theater press conference introducing "Bringing Back Broadway". In January 1931 the Los Angeles Theatre opened with Charles Chaplin's  City Lights.  Fernandez was hired by Bringing Back Broadway to entertainin the crowd on the sidewalk when officer Andy Smith jumped in for the photo op. The photo was caught in a matter of 15 seconds.  photo/viewfromaloft