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BETTY BRYANT   Siren of Second Street

by judi jordan
photography jeff dunas
hair/makeup liza mae

This article was originally published in the June 2000 issue of
Venice - Los Angeles Arts & Entertainment Magazine,
and is published here with their permission.

"Scotch on the rocks, vodka straight up, or iced lemonade...name your poison at the piano bar. Snuggle into a cozy ringside club chair and let Betty Bryant steal your heart. For forty-five minutes your ears will be tickled, your heart will dance, and your feet may find a will of their own, for Betty Bryant is an enchantress.

Until August, when she leaves for gigs in Japan, Bryant is weaving her spell in Santa Monica at Bob Burns Restaurant, at Second Street and Wilshire. Accompanied by Tomas Gargano, a gregarious, passionate bass player, Bryant is having so much fun that the term "playing music" takes on a whole new meaning. The duo embody a respectful alchemy, the kind you experience with true musicians, and their joy is infectious.

With Betty tickling the ivories and Tomas caressing his stand up, they trip the light fantastic through baroque, jazz, and boogie woogie riffs. But when Bryant finally sings "He May Be Your Man" with a sweetness reminiscent of Ella, splashed with a whisper of Carmen McRae, and a sliver of Shirley Bassey, there are not words to adequately describe the feeling this writer felt. Sophisticated, smooth, and exciting all at once, Bryant is a singer of the first order. Her cool, jovial manner and "seen-it-all-and-boy-was-it-fun" attitude ooze with ease. Her smile's as sweet as Tupelo honey but the wicked twinkle in her eye tells you she knows about life.

A set with Betty will have you believing in love again (or at least in sweet, delicious sin!). Sink back in that chair, sip your drink (with Betty singing, even water is intoxicating), and close your eyes while she croons "I Thought About You." Pure pleasure. Next thing you know, you've landed in a fragrant Mississippi kitchen, grubbing on butter- soaked grits and fatback with the hip-twitch-ing, honky tonk-bluesy "Grease In My Gravy." Then-wham! You're floating in the back of a stretch limo cruising down Sunset Boulevard with "When Did You Leave Heaven." Diversity is Miss Bryant's calling card. So is laughter. At seventy years of age, it's obvious that music has kept Betty Bryant very young indeed. And very happy. Her new CD is appropriately entitled Come Laugh With Me.

Venice: The message of your new CD is...
Betty Bryant: It's about fun.

Where did this all begin?
My first musical engagement was in Topeka, Kansas. I went to college there; I was born in Kansas City. I went to Washburn University. I didn't study music, I studied fine arts. I was a very rebellious kid, what- ever my parents didn't want me to do- that's what I did. The first professional job I did was on a radio station following the baseball games. They put me on opposite 'Lonesome Gal,' a woman who had this real sexy voice. I interspersed live music with records. At that time I only knew classical music; I could play "St. Louis Blues" and about half of "Body And Soul." And from there I started learning very fast. I joined a band in Topeka-Buddy Brown's Band. In those days I was cute and skinny. Buddy had gigs around Topeka, and I became a standup singer. I just lucked out.

You travel light, and quick
I play in Tokyo three months out of the year. At a place called Tableaux's Lounge. My boss in Tokyo is a wonderful man, I adore him. He also owns a place around here, Monsoon (Cafe on the Third Street Promenade) and La Boheme (on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood). He was looking for somebody when he first opened Tableaux's, so I sent over a cd.

You are in such good shape. How do you stay that way?
I'm a very happy person, I'm overly happy. (laughs) I'm a "Little Mary Sunshine." I think I'm disgusting to a lot of people. I just have a very good life. Everybody has problems, but I seem to get through them and move on. I haven't had anything that held me down or held me back.

What about marriage?
I've had several...four! I am not good at marriage. I don't do well at it, and I'm happy not being married. I'm great on honeymoons and lousy at marriage. I hear you. (Laughs) So that is a major character flaw. I don't stand by my man. (mutual laughter)

That's funny because I would think that with your temperment you'd be so easy to get along with.
I'm awful. My last husband made a statement that really hit home, I thought, he's right, he said it didn't matter whether I was with anyone or not, that I was still alone. He's right. I'm a loner, and I like it that way.

Do you have any regrets?
No, I think regrets are a waste of time. I've had very nice husbands; I would never put them down. We're all friends, I just can't live with them. I have a wonderful son, he's 36, a computer consultant. His name is Adam Marino, his dad was Hawaiian.

You manage to enjoy your life. How do you do that?
Some people may say I'm in denial, but I don't deal with bad things, I just have a good time. Even in the 50's when we'd all go trooping into a coffee shop-I had a lot of white friends-we'd order something and they'd say well, we can't serve her! Well, we'd all walk out and then we'd break up laughing.

How do you feel about the difference between then and now?
I feel that there has been a lot of progress. I have seen a lot of history and have been able to enjoy myself along the way.

Some examples?
When they had the segregated clubs, there were black clubs that had the greatest music in the world. Once everything was integrated, those clubs disappeared.

Because?
Everything became integrated, so, the people who went to those clubs started going to where anything was integrated; and it also meant that a lot of black music went into concerts, or whatever. By the mid 60s the whole black club scene disappeared.

Influences, favorite musicians?
I always list Jay McShann as my very favorite piano player, and when I was a little girl and still taking classical music, he used to walk tenths; actually, he still does. He's still alive. I would stretch my little fingers and by the time I was twelve, I could walk the tenth. Right now I have a big groove, because of the stretch.

I noticed that reach-it's amazing. You've been playing for a long time.
Started at four or five years old. There was a piano that got passed down from my maternal grandmother...a wonderful Chickering grand. My maternal grandfather gave it to my grandmother on their first wedding anniversary, and that was also my mother's birthday, so they gave it to my mother and I sort of inherited it. It was a wonderful piano.

Passed down from generation to generation. Was your mother a great player, too?
(Laughing) No. Nobody could play it except me. My grandmother couldn't play it either.

OK, so passed down and skipped over from generation to generation...it was obviously meant for you. And they encouraged you.
How about forced me...

That's interesting, forced you. These non-musicians noticed that you had talent.
I didn't want to take piano; my teachers told them I was talented. Every year I'd learn a few pieces for recital . . .it was the beginning.

And now . . .
It's still the beginning. (that laugh) Every day is the beginning. •

If you should happen to be strolling in Santa Monica one fine midsummer's eve and inexplicably find yourself on the southeast corner of Second and Wilshire, beware! A siren song floating on the sea mist may wrap itself around your unsuspecting heart and lure you onto the rocks.

Betty Bryant is playing at Bob Burns every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights through mid-August. Sets (45 minutes) begin at 8pm and continue till closing. Reservations: 310/393-6777.

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