This past Saturday, LA’s underground jazz legend Garrett Saracho made a triumphant return to the stage. The show, co-presented by Jazz Is Dead, was so much more than just a revisiting of his 1973 lost classic En Medio. It was also the live debut of his newly recorded material and a demonstration of Saracho’s full range as a band leader and showman.

Over the course of two unforgettable sets, Saracho dazzled on the piano, charmed the crowd with his banter, and performed arrangements that highlighted the collective and individual talents of his six-piece jazz band. Saracho’s work is remarkable for its intricate, layered melodies, driving Latin-tinged rhythms, and soaring piano and sax solos. We witnessed it all - literally for the first time ever - due to the fact that he was never able to tour with En Medio back in the day.

>>Fun fact that we learned from his gracious manager Wolfgang: En Medio was recorded in just 16 hours!

This was a show 50 years in the making, and Garrett made the absolute most of this rare, late career opportunity. His gratitude throughout the night was infectious.

In the second set, Saracho mixed things up by bringing out tap dancer Joseph Wiggins, salsa dancers Evie (Evie Dance Studio, Pomona) & Omar, and jazz vocalist Mark Prudeaux. Their presence and mastery of their craft harkened back to the lively clubs and bright marquees of LA’s golden era of jazz, from Broadway to Leimert Park. Connecting the historical dots further was our opener, DJ Sacred. His jazz sets spanned multiple styles and eras, but maintained a consistent gravitas and tension.

In sum, California Plaza felt cinematic and romantic all evening long, with a large yet fully engaged crowd of jazz lovers soaking it all in.

Check out our archive of performances on our YouTube page!