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Arts & Entertainment

1st Fridays Jazz at Joe's with Corey's Dixiebop Quartet

Joe’s Restaurant, Abbot Kinney’s original fine dining experience where farmer’s market ingredients meet California-French cuisine in a comfortable neighborhood atmosphere in Venice Beach, is pleased to present a monthly jazz series to coincide with the First Friday’s Art Walks. Mohr Music presents the First Fridays Jazz Series at Joe’s featuring instrumental and vocal artists, internationally recognized players as well as great local talent, signed and unsigned, playing on the heated patio.

The July 6 First Fridays Jazz Series installment kicks off at 7pm with trumpet player Corey Gemme and his Dixiebop Quartet with vibraphonist Larry Wright, Vinnie Armstrong on piano and Jack LeCompte on drums. The band is true to Corey's vision and they cover a lot of stylistic ground. Corey's Dixiebop Quartet was featured in 2011 as part of the First Fridays at Joe's series and they are coming back July 6, this time with guest vocalist, Carl Tassi.


Corey Gemme, a native of Los Angeles, picked up the trumpet at age 10, inspired by Louis Armstrong, Red Nichols, Harry James, Charlie Shavers, Bunny Berrigan, and Bix Beiderbecke. Corey has since performed with many classic jazz groups including the Hot Frogs, Conrad Janis and the Beverly Hills Unlisted Jazz Band, Janet Carroll, Johnny Crawford, Dean Mora's Modern Rhythmists, The Black Swan Jazz Band, Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band, The Reynolds Brothers', The High Sierra Jazz Band, The Titan Hot Seven, Banu Gibson, his own large ensemble, The Wabash Wailers and his small group, Corey's Dixiebop Quartet. 

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Corey performs throughout the US, Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe. He has appeared as a featured guest at the Sancy Snow Festival in France and is regularly featured at the Sweet and Hot Jazz festival in Los Angeles. He is steeped in classic jazz and knows the genre like no other. His playing captures the purity of early 20th century jazz as truly as any classic jazz artist. Corey's Dixiebop Quartet blends styles of an important and wide historical window of American music. They pay tribute to the evolution of jazz from the turn of the century, up to the swing era with a hint of bebop. Yet, their performances are inspired, living jazz, not a stagnant replication of the past. Corey is, first and foremost, a coronet/trumpet specialist, but with this ensemble he also plays clarinet and trombone. The group includes vibraphonist Larry Wright, Vinnie Armstrong on piano and noted drummer Jack LeCompte who has played with Stevie Wonder, Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, and Natalie Cole.

Carl Tassi began his musical career at age eleven, in San Jose, California. During his high-school years he purchased a recording by Coleman Hawkins and was never the same, his interest in jazz was inspired. After graduating from San Francisco State University with a degree in music, he found himself in the height of the historical San Francisco rock scene. He performed throughout the Bay Area, leading his own improvisational jazz group called The Free Thing and freelanced as a session and touring musician. He toured with David LaFlamme (“It's A Beautiful Day”), recorded for Amherst Records, even tracked on a session with fellow session musician, Jerry Garcia. Carl moved to Los Angeles to pursue his passion for jazz. His most recent recording under his own name is Waiting For The Bread (Royola Records). Popular Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez said of Tassi, “There's this cat, Carl Tassi...so West Coast cool, a little bit of Mose Allison with Chet Baker and Annie Ross mixed in.” Carl will sing a couple of songs during each set with Corey's Dixiebop Quartet, fitting into their classic stlyle while nudging them with his modern flair.

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Joe's Restaurant is located at 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice, CA 90291. Reservations are made by calling 310-399-5811 and are strongly recommended as patio seating is limited. The music begins at 7pm and ends at 11pm. The artists will play three or four sets. There is no cover charge for the music, but dinner orders are required for table seating. Joe's will give a complimentary glass of wine, with dinner, for 6-7pm reservations. There is valet parking, a paid parking lot, and street parking.

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