Bill Fulton on keys or piano with Christopher Mason
Bill Fulton piano with Christopher Mason at Le Bilboquet was one of Fulton’s Southern California engagements with alto saxophonist Christopher Mason, this time at Le Bilboquet in Los Angeles.
In addition, the personnel names drummers Donald Dean and Raymond Pounds. Also, bassists Louis Spears and Lewis Large appear, along with other musicians. Meanwhile, Dean had deep roots in Los Angeles jazz and worked with artists including Les McCann. Similarly, Pounds brought extensive recording experience, including work with Stevie Wonder. Those names place the engagement among seasoned Southern California players. Their careers crossed jazz, R&B and studio work.
Le Bilboquet and the Los Angeles music scene
Meanwhile, Le Bilboquet occupied 133 N. La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. However, its run in 1990 proved brief. The restaurant replaced Bice Pomodoro at the same address and opened with a French-Mediterranean direction. A September 1990 Los Angeles Times report noted that Le Bilboquet offered live jazz. In fact, the entertainment included a saxophonist moving through the room. Although the restaurant attracted a fashionable crowd, it lasted less than two months.
By November 1990, the Times reported that Le Bilboquet had closed. As a result, that short lifespan sharply defines the period of Fulton’s appearances there. They belong to a brief chapter in Los Angeles nightlife. The address for Fulton’s engagement was 133 N La Cienega Blvd.
Jazz during Le Bilboquet’s brief run
In fact, Le Bilboquet’s short life makes these performances unusually easy to place in time. The restaurant opened in 1990 and attracted a fashionable clientele. Meanwhile, its French-influenced menu and live jazz drew attention. However, it closed before the end of that year. Therefore, Fulton’s dates with Mason came during a narrow window. The La Cienega room operated for less than two months.
Bill Fulton piano with Christopher Mason at Le Bilboquet remains part of Fulton’s broader history of live performances with Los Angeles-area musicians. Taken with Fulton’s other appearances from the period, the engagement captures one corner of the active Los Angeles live-music circuit in which he worked.
In addition, more appearances can be found in Fulton’s past events. For additional historical context, see Los Angeles Times coverage of Le Bilboquet.
Artist: Bill Fulton on keys or pianoDate/Time: September 13, 1990 12:00 am
Venue: Le Bilboquet - CLOSED
Address: 133 N La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90211
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