Home » Jazz Articles » Live Review » Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel 5: Phoenix, AZ, May 1, 2013

Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel 5: Phoenix, AZ, May 1, 2013

By Patricia Myers
May 18, 2013
View read count

Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel 5
Musical Instrument Museum
Phoenix, AZ
May 1, 2013

Octogenarian bandleader Doc Severinsen has somehow added new fire to his legendary power and vibrancy in a sizzling coalition that melds Latin gusto with jazz zest. The trumpeter, who will be 86 on July 7, 2013, delivered pyrotechnical proficiency and sustained ending-phrase notes as strongly as his younger horn players.

The San Miguel 5 is Severinsen's second alliance with virtuoso Mexican guitarist Gil Gutierrez, enriched by Cuban percussionist

Jimmy Branly

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Branly and westerners Charlie Bisharat on violin and

Kevin Thomas

" data-original-title="" title="">Kevin Thomas on acoustic bass. The quintet performed a hybrid repertoire ranging from

The Beatles

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">The Beatles and

Django Reinhardt

guitar
1910 - 1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Django Reinhardt to a Middle Eastern-themed chart and a tango. Gutierrez's incredibly dexterous guitar moves were matched by Bisharat's dazzling violin work, buoyed by Severinsen's crystal-clear delivery.

Meshing styles and cultures, the quintet's rendition of Reinhardt's "Minor Swing" featured a "Sing, Sing, Sing" intro, with Branly replicating

Gene Krupa

drums
1909 - 1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Gene Krupa moves on tom-toms and cowbell. The Beatles' lovely "Blackbird" was refreshed in a Latin mode via Severinsen's silky fluency and Gutierrez's remarkable agility. Bisharat unleashed his ferocious chops in contrast with muted trumpet components for a tango by the late Argentinean composer

Astor Piazzolla

bandoneon
1921 - 1992

" data-original-title="" title="">Astor Piazzolla.

An original, "Omar's Harem," was marked by minor segues of violin against trumpet smears, Branly delivering rhythmic punctuation on caj��n (drum box). Branly then left his kit to hand-drum on Gutierrez's guitar, generating strong audience response.

Severinsen played much of the concert seated, standing to deliver his longer solos. The vivacious leader's energy level was undiminished during the band's second hour-long concert of the evening, despite spending most of the break between shows signing CDs and chatting with patrons. Still favoring the flashy fashions of his 30 years with the Tonight Show band, he chose purple leather pants and a neon-orange shirt beneath a wildly patterned sport coat.

This ensemble is the second created by Gutierrez and Severinsen since the trumpeter retired in 2006 to San Miguel de Allende, in central Mexico; the first, trio El Ritmo de la Vida (The Rhythm of Life), also recorded and toured.

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Brooklyn Babylon
< Previous

All of Them Witches
Next >

Doc Severinsen Concerts

Jan 1 Sat

Doc Severinsen

Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.