Gerry Gibbs is a virtuoso drummer and a highly loquacious character, and when he and five members of his Thrasher Big Band moved to Los Angeles early this year, it put a sizable dent in the formidable San Antonio
jazz scene.
Not only had the Thrasher Big Band’s Wednesday night showcases at Luna Fine Music Club become essential experiences for post-modern-swing aficionados, but Gibbs’s various other band projects— not to mention his weekly radio show on KRTU — made him a ubiquitous presence in the local jazz community.
Before he moved away, Gibbs promised to return as often as possible to play gigs, and true to his word, he’s back this week with his Thrasher Big Band, to celebrate the release of Live At Luna, a CD recorded (as its title indicates) in performance at the SA jazz haven. Joining the big band, and its elaborate charts, will be the great Joan Carroll on vocals.
Gibbs will make the most of his return visit by playing another show at Luna, this one with the Bitches Brew Orchestra, a group devoted to playing arrangements from Miles Davis’s boundary-shattering 1970 album, Bitches Brew. This group will also have product at the ready, as they’ll use the gig to help sell their new CD, Faces Unknown.
The Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Big Band appears at Luna on Wednesday, December 6, and the Bitches Brew Orchestra performs there on Thursday, December 7. Luna is located at 6740 San Pedro. Call 804-2433 for more info.
— Gilbert Garcia
