JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STAR-BULLETIN.COM Pianist Les Peetz and vocalist Rachel Gonzales performed at Kapono's Monday with other members of Four Easy Pieces.

Peetz, Gonzales
work as jazz duo

They'll do folk, '60s tunes and
jazz at the Atherton Studio

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By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

Playing jazz is nice work when you can get it, and getting work these days means being flexible about when, where and how the jazz gets played. Pianist Les Peetz opened the month working the big stage at Kapono's on Monday with the other members of Four Easy Pieces -- vocalist Rachel Gonzales, drummer Lew Maddox and acoustic bassist Ernie Provencher.

This coming Monday, saxophonist David Choy and bassist Bruce Hamada take the stage at Kapono's and Peetz and Gonzales will be working as a duo at the Atherton Performing Arts Studio in a show they've dubbed "Jazz Gothic!"

"It's art for art's sake, intimate and experimental" is Peetz's description of the set he and Gonzales are preparing. "We're going to be doing a lot of jazz standards, but we're also going to be sticking in a lot of folk tunes and things from the '60s. Some originals, off-the-wall stuff and concert stuff."

Peetz and Gonzales are well known among discerning jazz fans here for the skillful way they successfully appropriate little-known songs from other types of music -- rock, pop, folk, or whatever -- and rework them into mainstream jazz. The quartet's current album, "Blues in White Satin," recorded at a 1998 Honolulu Academy of Arts performance, includes experimental arrangements of the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin," Gershwin's "Prelude No. 2," and a haunting version of "At the River" that reaffirmed Gonzales' status as the most underacknowledged female jazz singer in Hawaii. (The album is available only through Peetz or wherever the band is playing. Copies will be available when Peetz and Gonzales perform on Monday.)

KIPO presents 'Jazz Gothic!' With Les Peetz and Rachel Gonzales Where: Atherton Performing Arts Studio, 738 Kaheka St. (across from Daiei) When: 7:30 p.m. Monday Tickets: $15 general, $12.50 for HPR members, $10 students Call: 955-8821 Jazz Night at Kapono's Where: Kapono's, Aloha Tower Marketplace When: 7 to 10 p.m. Monday Admission: No cover; free validated self-parking with purchase, valet parking is $3 plus tip Call: 536-2161

"At Kapono's I'm covered by a rhythm section," Peetz said. "This Monday it's just me and Rachel, and it's really a buck-naked way of performing. Every good thing and every mistake is going to show."

True enough, but Peetz sounds like he welcomes an occasional "buck-naked" performance. It is certainly something for jazz fans to look forward to -- musically, anyway.

A "hana hou" gig at Kapono's would be great too.

Gonzales was excellent on Monday as the quartet restricted itself to songs Peetz defines as "within the jazz mainstream." The tight-knit instrumental trio (Peetz, Provencher and Maddox) proved a solid attraction on its own -- and got the chance to work as such by opening each set with a song or two before Gonzales joined them. Her scat singing added another "instrument" to the mix, and she lured several couples to the dance floor with "Summertime" and "Georgia On My Mind."

So when will the Four Easy Pieces be returning to Kapono's? Peetz isn't sure. "If they like us they'll have us back. If they don't, won't."

Judging from the size of the crowd that stayed for three hours of Monday night jazz this week -- and the number of items on the pupu menu that were sold out by 8:15 -- I'd guess that "they" did, and that Peetz and the other "Easies" will be back. Soon.

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