Pete Christlieb

"What are you going to do when 'The Tonight Show' is over?" That's what a lot of people are asking Pete Christlieb these days, and he's got answers: "I'm going to work on my house, travel a bit and play some jazz," says the saxophonist, who has been a member of Doc Severinsen's orchestra since 1972, when "The Tonight Show" moved from New York to Los Angeles.

Talk to bassist John Leitham long enough, and the conversation is apt to turn to Civil War history. Talk to saxophonist Pete Christlieb, and inevitably you'll be discussing drag racing. Here's Leitham: "One of the heroes of Gettysburg was Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a college professor who joined the Union Army and was one of its most courageous and decorated soldiers. Turns out he played bass." From Christlieb: "You don't hear much jazz at drag races.

Talk to bassist John Leitham long enough, and the conversation is apt to turn to Civil War history. Talk to saxophonist Pete Christlieb, and inevitably you'll be discussing drag racing. Here's Leitham: "One of the heroes of Gettysburg was Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a college professor who joined the Union Army and was one of its most courageous and decorated soldiers. Turns out he played bass." From Christlieb: "You don't hear much jazz at drag races.

The two fine mainstream sax men--both Los Angeles-area residents--are spotlighted here in a program recorded live in 1990 at a Portland, Ore., club. The date, which sports pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Donald Bailey, sparkles with the spontaneity of unrehearsed, jam-session-style jazz. Both players have sumptuous sounds--Cooper's could be called elegant and is more weighty, while Christlieb's gleams like a shining golden ball held to the light.

At best, things were a bit difficult to figure out Friday evening at the Wiltern Theater as "Jazzvisions," a jazz video series by Jack Lewis and Lorimar-Telepictures, concluded taping with a program promising the "Jazz Souls" of George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" and the Roaring '20s as conceived by arranger Bill Potts. Featuring a 21-man all-star band conducted by composer Johnny Mandel, the program provided plenty of "Porgy and Bess" and nothing of the Roaring '20s.

Call it an urban prejudice, but it's difficult to imagine a rural town, replete with roadside signs touting its local honey, being even hospitable to jazz and its proponents. Yet nestled in the picturesque setting of the Ojai Valley, the folks at the 12th annual "Jazz at Ojai" festival Saturday were not only hospitable, but were warmly enthusiastic as well.

The two fine mainstream sax men--both Los Angeles-area residents--are spotlighted here in a program recorded live in 1990 at a Portland, Ore., club. The date, which sports pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Donald Bailey, sparkles with the spontaneity of unrehearsed, jam-session-style jazz. Both players have sumptuous sounds--Cooper's could be called elegant and is more weighty, while Christlieb's gleams like a shining golden ball held to the light.

"Bringing two jazz families together" is the way producer Betty Berry describes this weekend's International Jazz Party at the Westside Room of the Century Plaza Hotel. Among the Los Angeles jazz artists appearing will be saxophonists Ricky Woodard and Pete Christlieb, trumpeter Snooky Young, trombonist Carl Fontana and singer Sue Raney and the Bill Berry L.A. Band. Also performing, and occasionally working with the L.A. players, will be Japanese clarinetist Eiji Kitamura and his quintet.

* * * ANITA O'DAY "Rules of the Road" Pablo After many years confined mainly to small-group sessions on independent labels, O'Day returns to the major leagues on a big-band date with arranger Buddy Bragman, who worked with her in the 1950s and here leads what is in fact Jack Sheldon's L.A. orchestra.

There's never much doubt about what to expect in a performance by Louis Bellson's big band. The veteran drummer's ensembles are classic examples of hard-swinging, rich-textured, brass-and percussion-driven, larger-than-life jazz. Bellson brought his 17-piece congregation to Catalina Bar & Grill on Tuesday for a too-brief, two-night run.

"What are you going to do when 'The Tonight Show' is over?" That's what a lot of people are asking Pete Christlieb these days, and he's got answers: "I'm going to work on my house, travel a bit and play some jazz," says the saxophonist, who has been a member of Doc Severinsen's orchestra since 1972, when "The Tonight Show" moved from New York to Los Angeles.

Call it an urban prejudice, but it's difficult to imagine a rural town, replete with roadside signs touting its local honey, being even hospitable to jazz and its proponents. Yet nestled in the picturesque setting of the Ojai Valley, the folks at the 12th annual "Jazz at Ojai" festival Saturday were not only hospitable, but were warmly enthusiastic as well.

At best, things were a bit difficult to figure out Friday evening at the Wiltern Theater as "Jazzvisions," a jazz video series by Jack Lewis and Lorimar-Telepictures, concluded taping with a program promising the "Jazz Souls" of George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" and the Roaring '20s as conceived by arranger Bill Potts. Featuring a 21-man all-star band conducted by composer Johnny Mandel, the program provided plenty of "Porgy and Bess" and nothing of the Roaring '20s.

Because most of Louie Bellson's Los Angeles appearances are made at the helm of a full orchestra, his six-day stand this week at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood is something special, with the virtuosic drummer leading an all-star quintet. For his front line he wisely chose Pete Christlieb, whose tenor saxophone has been a vocal point of the larger Bellson groups since 1967, and trumpeter Conte Candoli, who like Christlieb is moonlighting from the "Tonight Show."

The legend and reputation of the late Maury Stein--Vine Street, Hollywood, longtime purveyor of musical instruments--is global ("Touching All Basses," by Dave Gardetta, So SoCal, Oct. 20). As an example, 15 years ago, I was working with Stan Getz at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco. Maury was coming up from L.A. to visit with us. I mentioned this to the club owner, who had never met Maury, and he beamed: "Wonderful--my favorite person." The article mentioned me as having been Frank Sinatra's pianist for many years.