The Roots of Jazz w/ GORDON GOODWIN on SPECTRUM NEWS TV

June 17, 2022 by 1888media

“Los Angeles is home to many artistic movements, and jazz (believe it or not) is no exception,” leads the intro from Spectrum News 1 TV for a SoCal Scene Arts & Entertainment segment featuring the storied life and career of Grammy/Emmy Award winning composer/arranger Gordon Goodwin, who’s been nominated for 21 Grammys over his five decades in music.

During the candid conversation, Spectrum News correspondent Loureen Ayyoub chats with Gordon, and his equally talented wife Vangie (Gunn), who’s vocals grace blockbuster films such as the record-shattering Spiderman: No Way Home, about the roots of jazz in Southern California, and being asked to perform at the inaugural Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, which takes place the weekend of June 25-26.

Their Sunday sunset set marks a return engagement for Goodwin and his 18-pc Big Phat Band, who are playing for the fourth time. Gunn will be making her Hollywood Bowl debut.

They’re among a stacked all-star lineup that includes The Roots, Gregory Porter, Tower of Power, Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), Cory Wong, Veronica Swift, and Fantastic Negrito. Arsenio Hall is the MC.

Gordon also discusses his acting debut in the recently released feature film “Knights of Swing,” which chronicles the against-all-odds, coming-of-age journey of a high school jazz band in Southern California in 1947. Goodwin plays “Mr. Hughes,” who oversees the California Battle of the Bands (the 40s equivalent of America’s Got Talent). He and Vangie then do an impromptu preview of a few numbers from their upcoming HBJF set.

Check out the full interview (+ incredible living room performance) and be sure to tune into “The SoCal Scene” every Thursday (at 9pm PST) on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News app.