Candlelight Concerts sponsored by Fever take place in over 100 cities around the world. Los Angeles has a variety of them taking place throughout the area. Many are performed in historical buildings such as The Biltmore Hotel downtown or venues like the Skirball Museum.
I attended one of them in Santa Monica.
A Tribute to Louie Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald
The Candlelight Concert I attended took place at the historic Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club on 4th Street. I have always loved the music of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald so I was excited to attend.
When I entered the main room at the Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club, the room was filled with glowing candles. It’s a relaxing environment which I savored as I waited for the concert to start.
Soon the room filled up with enthusiastic concertgoers.
The band was generically called the “Concertize Band.” Its band leader was a trumpet player who reminded me of Pee Wee Herman. Don’t ask me why. His hair was styled in a blond pompadour and he wore a shiny jacket with “cool” round sunglasses. His attempt at emulating the iconic Mr. Armstrong on the trumpet was impressive. His singing, on the other hand, was on the light side, but still fun.
Lee Mo, the band’s lead singer, was a powerful performer and master of skat. She hails from Philadelphia and was a delight to listen to as she expertly delivered songs like “Summertime” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, and “Le Vie en Rose.” It’s amazing to think that many of the songs were nearly 100 years old.
The musicians included an electric piano player, bass player, and drummer. Each shined in solos which the audience applauded and enjoyed. Although their names were mentioned by the band leader several times, I didn’t catch them all and wish they would have been listed in the program notes to be properly credited.
Candlelight Concerts
Candlelight Concerts spotlight a range of music styles so there is something for everyone. As I write this, there are tributes to Adele, Nirvana, Oscar Soundtracks, Hanz Zimmer, Coldplay, and Vivaldi among others.
All of the concerts last 60 minutes, which I appreciate. They aren’t too long and are very entertaining.
The Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club
Candlelight concerts are performed at iconic locations throughout the city and the Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club is one of them.
The club was founded in 1905 by a group of prominent city socialites. Its building was completed in 1914 and was designed in a classical revival style. One of its organizers was the wife of Santa Monica founder John P. Jones. I was impressed by its stained glass transom windows.
The club has hosted many balls, charity events, concerts, and bridge tournaments over the years. It was designated a historical landmark in 1991.
If you love music, you will enjoy Candlelight Concerts.
Book a concert in the Los Angeles area here.
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