By Daily Press staff
While the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium may be filled with the world’s most beautiful cats at the LA Cat Show this Sunday, the really cool cats will be just up the street at the final free Jazz on the Lawn concert at Santa Monica City Hall. Starting at 5 p.m., the Mad Alsacians will perform jazz classics with a French flair.
The trio combines the musical tones of guitar, bass and accordion to perform a soulful repertoire consisting of timeless selections from the Hot Club era of Paris. Director Jean-Paul Monsché moved to Paris at 19-years-old to further his musical development, study jazz and support himself with his piano playing.
Joining The Mad Alsacians will be vocalist Jessica Vautor. Born on the beautiful island of Martinique in the French West Indies, Vautor was singing with her father’s jazz band at age 12. After studying in Paris and winning a first prize in jazz composition at the International Jazz Festival of Martinique, she arrived in Los Angeles in 1998 where she has been performing with many of the region’s top musicians ever since.
While the cool cats stretch out and groove to the sounds on the north lawn, local artist Marcus Kuiland Nazario of Participant/Observer Creative Services will lead concert-goers in games of crazy croquet on the south lawn. Kuiland-Nazario has recruited many local artists to work their magic on the traditional tools of croquet resulting in a set of wacky wickets designed by Cindy De Santis, Peter Schroff, Phranc and Kuiland-Nazario himself.
Jazz on the Lawn is funded by the city of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division with support from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the Recording Industries Music Performance Fund. Get ‘Served’ at SM playhouse
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 25, 2006. Read the original PDF.