Dear Jazz Lovers and friends,

One of my favorites is coming back this week! Dave Frishberg fans, don't miss this. Dave Tull is a great songwriter - you'll hear some hilarious tunes.

Thank you for supporting jazz...

July 10, 2025

7:30 pm

JAZZ AT THE MERC

presents the

 Dave Tull Trio

with

Gary Fukushima and Jonathan Richards

Listen and watch!

Dave Tull has long been known as one of the world’s finest jazz drummers. Over the last decades he has built a reputation as a gifted jazz singer and songwriter. Dave’s songs, often infused with humor, are written in the American songbook style – new standards waiting to be discovered! Dave’s newest CD, “Texting and Driving” was released in March of 2018 to rave reviews. Dave was featured on NPR in an interview with Weekend Edition’s Susan Stamberg, and “Texting and Driving” reached #5 on Billboard’s Jazz Album chart. Dave’s celebrated first CD, “I Just Want To Get Paid”, continues to get regular airplay many years after its release. Dave has led his trio three times at the Vail Jazz Festival and Jazz Series, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (with a two-hour broadcast on KKJZ), the Newport Beach Jazz Party, The Nash in Phoenix, The Arts Garage in Boca Raton FL, The Miami Jazz Coop in Coral Gables, FL, Jazz Showcase in Chicago, the Oregon Coast Jazz Party, and the “Jazz at Joe’s” concert series in Bend, OR.

      In 2016 Dave became the drummer for Barbra Streisand. He has played three tours with Streisand, and plays on her current CD, “Barbra - The Music..The Mem’ries..The Magic!”, currently on Netflix. Dave toured from 2000-2010 as drummer and lead vocalist for Chuck Mangione. Dave’s vocal on Mangione’s “The Children of Sanchez” and his bebop scat vocal on “Dizzymiles” were featured at the Playboy Jazz Festival at Hollywood Bowl and The Blue Note in New York City. Dave toured and recorded two CD’s with Maynard Ferguson, 1987-91.

      Dave plays drums on four of Michael Bublé’s CD’s including Bublé’s notable version of “Moondance”. Dave has played drums on the FOX TV show “Family Guy” and has backed Seth MacFarlane with The Ron Jones Big Band. Dave is the drummer on nine of Cheryl Bentyne’s (of the Manhattan Transfer) CD’s and has done six tours of Japan with Bentyne. Dave sings on two tracks of her CD “Moonlight Serenade” including a scat solo on the song “Tull Tales”, named after Dave! Dave wrote the vocalese lyric for Bentyne’s “All of You” for her 2009 Cole Porter Songbook CD. Dave has played with Jack Sheldon’s Quartet and Big Band since 1991 and is on Jack’s 2007 CD, “Listen Up”. Richie Cole has featured Dave on drums and vocals, and Cole has arranged two of Dave’s original songs for the band.

Gary Fukushima is a keyboardist and composer in Los Angeles, as well as a jazz journalist and monthly contributor to DownBeat Magazine. He has performed throughout the United States, South America, and Asia with Alphonso Johnson and Chester Thompson (Weather Report, Santana, Genesis), Japanese fusion star Senri Kawaguchi, and singer/songwriter Priscilla Ahn. He leads his own progressive electronic jazz group which released their debut EP, Preludes, Vol. 1, in 2019, with a full-length album set for release in 2025.

A native of Seattle, Washington, Gary relocated to Southern California in 2003 and is currently active in the Los Angeles music scene, having recorded and performed with Mike Stern, Ndugu Chancler, Walter Smith III, Katisse Buckingham, Anthony Wilson, Tina Raymond, John Daversa, Anthony Jackson, Clayton Cameron, Gilad Hekselman, Mark Ferber, Alan Ferber, Rickey Woodard, Nick Mancini, Hitomi Oba, Steve Cotter, Cathy Segal Garcia, Nolan Shaheed, Federico Ramos, Jeff Clayton, Mike O’Neill,Joe La Barbara, Larry Koonse, Matt Otto, Darek Oles, Ralph Alessi, Kathleen Grace, Peter Epstein, Abe Lagrimas, Jr., Ben Wendel, Roy McCurdy, and others.

He is on the faculties at California State University, Northridge, Pasadena City College, and the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, and he writes regularly about jazz, having his words published for Downbeat Magazine, LA Weekly, LA Jazz Scene, and other publications, having interviewed or profiled many jazz luminaries including Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redman, Pharoah Sanders, esperanza spalding, Brian Blade, Chick Corea, Abdullah Ibrahim, Brad Mehldau, Wadada Leo Smith, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Fred Hersch, Todd Sickafoose, Kenny Burrell, Vijay Iyer, Vince Mendoza, Theo Croker, Jenny Scheinman, Dan Tepfer, Mark de Clive-Lowe, and more.

Listen here on Gary's Website...

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jonathan Richards is an active member of the music industry as a bassist, composer and educator.

He is a graduate of the USC Thornton School of Music, where he studied with classical bass virtuoso Nico Abondolo and jazz legend John Clayton. He holds a Master’s Degree from Cal Arts and is also on faculty at Pasadena City College. As a touring and studio musician, he has had the privilege of working with an array of musical artists, including David Foster, Khalid, Toni Braxton, Joe LaBarbera, Steve Lehman, Snuffy Walden, and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. He has been featured on numerous recording projects for albums, television, and film. These include Beyoncé’s The Gift, Katharine McPhee’s PBS Soundstage Special, The American Music Awards, and scoring sessions for shows like "The Night Of" (HBO), "Mrs. America" (HULU), "Dear White People" (Netfilx), and many more. Jonathan is passionate about education and engaging with his students. He is excited to lead Occidental’s ensembles in many creative endeavors.

July 17 -

Angie Wells with Peter Smith, Rene Camacho and Clayton Cameron

July 24 -

Henry Franklin Quartet featuring Theo Saunders, Marvin "Smitty"Smith and Chuck Manning

July 31 -

Judy Wexler

August 7 -

Roy McCurdy with Bill Cunliffe, Mike Gurrola and Rickey Woodard

August 14 -

Al Williams Quintet

August 21 -

Mark Winkler

August 28 -

Joe Croyle with Doug MacDonald, Larry Holloway and Tim pleasant

September 4 -

Benn Clatworthy

September 11 -

Matt Gordy Sextet featuring Adam Hersh, Joel Hamilton, Ron Scott, Barclay Moffit and Ivan Malespin

September 18 -

Chuck Redd Quartet

September 25 -

Trevor Ware with Peter Smith, Scott Gilman, Lyndon Rochelle and Sydney Jacobs