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Scheps brings jazz versatility to Cafe de Mai
BY JOEL GEHRINGER / Lincoln Journal Star
Thursday, Oct 06, 2005 - 11:51:36 pm CDT
As a jazz musician, Rob Scheps knows how to be versatile. He’s played with the greats, like Gil Evans, Al Grey and George Russell, and he’s improvised with pick-up bands.
A jazz saxophonist and flautist, he’s played in classical symphonies and music festivals, and he’s also let loose in soul, funk and rock recordings. He’s even written compositions.
An Oregon native, he splits his time between the growing jazz environment of the Northwest and the hipster club scene of New York City, his adopted second home.
And through all of his experiences, he’s played almost every venue imaginable, including some of the country’s coolest clubs and grandest halls.
On Saturday, Scheps will come to Lincoln and prove his versatility once again when he plays a mix of standards, originals and surprises at the Cafe de Mai, 2535 O St., in a free jazz concert to celebrate the restaurant’s third anniversary.
Scheps said he’s played in restaurant settings before. On his last Midwest tour, he played in wine bars, jazz clubs, Greek restaurants and even a high school.
“Really, what it comes down to is, if they want your band and the music you’re playing and they’re going to pay you well and treat you well, it can be a great experience anywhere,” Scheps said.
At the Cafe de Mai, Scheps will be playing with his Kansas City-based Core-tet, one of his regional groups of musicians that includes pianist Roger Wilder, bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Tim Cambron.
“The Core-tet draws on a rotating core of players,” Scheps said. “I have a regular group in Kansas City, a regular group in Chicago and a regular group in Vancouver, so when I play, it’s not just a pick-up band.”
Scheps said he’s played with the musicians for years, but even now he likes to vary his tunes.
“We have a repertoire that goes over a long period of time,” Scheps said, “but the objective for me is to bring a little of my own music and have these guys learn it and view it with their own personal stamp.”
The concert by Scheps and his Core-tet is being sponsored by the Berman Music Foundation.
Butch Berman, founder of the group, said he hopes this show and future shows will help popularize jazz in Lincoln. While he mainly has booked jazz shows at P.O. Pears, he saw this as an opportunity to expand to different venues.
“I’ve probably done 20 shows at Pears,” he said. “But it’s still a volleyball and rock and roll bar.”
Berman is hoping a good turnout will lead to future shows outside of downtown.
“If it goes over once, they’ll do it again,” he said. “You have to keep your fingers crossed.”
Scheps, who played two shows for Berman at P.O. Pears in 2004, said he’s confident in Berman’s efforts to grow the Lincoln jazz community.
“I used to think all the hip people are in New York or Chicago or San Francisco, but that’s not true,” he said. “Everywhere we go, there’s people who have Coltrane in their house or listen to Al Green.
“Everywhere you go it can be hip, so you can expand an audience anywhere, including Lincoln, and you can quote me on this, Butch is definitely fighting the good fight for jazz in Lincoln.”
Reach Joel Gehringer at 473-7254 or jgehringer@journalstar.com.
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