By Michael Swanger scenescribe@mchsi.com

Max Wellman will perform music from his new album, “Comes Love,” Saturday, May 30 from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Des Moines Social Club, 1408 Locust St. $5 for students and $10 for adults. He can also be seen each Friday, from 8 to 11 p.m. at Chuck’s Restaurant, 3610 6th Ave.

Young jazz singer Wellman ahead of class

Max Wellman is your typical 17-year-old in some regards. Last week, he graduated from Roosevelt High School, and like most of his classmates, he has lined up a summer job and is eagerly anticipating his first year of college in the fall. On the other hand, most high school graduates don’t have two years of professional performance under their belt, let alone a summer’s worth of gigs with which to promote their new album. Such is life for Des Moines’ youngest jazz crooner, whose classic style recalls jazz’s golden era, and is compared to that of Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Buble.

“As far as my age goes, I think it intrigues people that I chose to sing this style of music,” Wellman said. “But I’ve loved this music since I was a little kid, when my aunt first played an Ella Fitzgerald record for me. It’s what I want to do for a long time.”

Wellman will attend Butler University this fall to pursue vocal performance and jazz studies. But he credits his onstage lessons in Des Moines and the mentorship of local jazz pianist-singer Roxi Copland for helping mold him and his music and making him a mainstay on the local jazz scene. The two sing a duet, “Don’t Explain,” on Wellman’s debut full-length album, “Comes Love.” Copland, along with bassist Steve Charlson, drummer Joel Gettys and trumpeter Dave Rezek, is also a member of Wellman’s band.

“I’ve always viewed Roxi as a local idol. Ella may have been my first influence, but Roxi was my first real life inspiration. I owe a lot to her. She’s a fantastic performer and a great friend,” Wellman said. “It was a lot of fun recording that song with her.”

Of the 300-plus tunes in Wellman’s live repertoire, the young singer winnowed it down to a dozen songs for “Comes Love.” The independent album includes velvety interpretations of standards such as “Alright, Okay, You Win,” “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” as well as four originals compositions, such as “Smile Because I Love You” and “Let’s Stop Pretending.”

“I get asked about original music all the time,” Wellman said. “I just wanted to listen to what everyone else had to say before I decided to put my own stuff out.”

Being a good listener is a big part of being a good musician, which is why when Wellman decided to record a few jazz standards from the American Songbook on “Comes Love” he wanted to put his own stamp on the material without abandoning each song’s root.

“It’s a fine line when you’re continuing the legacy of a song and putting your own spin on it,” Wellman said. “You want to make it partly your own but you don’t want to lose what made it great in the first place. You can’t force it.”

Like his new album, Wellman’s love of jazz music and the local jazz scene comes naturally.

“I hope that the album opens people up to what’s going on in the local jazz community, because there are so many phenomenal players here,” Wellman said. “I want to remind people that this music is still relevant and applies to today’s world.”

Scene notes
Des Moines band Gilbe has released its new album “8 Track.” … The Community Jazz Center Big Band will perform Friday, May 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. Free admission. … Joe and Vicki Price play the el Bait Shop on Sunday, May 31 from 8 to 11 p.m. Free. … Metalcore band Drop Dead Gorgeous releases its new album, “The Hot N’ Heavy” on Tuesday, the day before it performs an all-ages show Wednesday, June 3 at 5 p.m. at the House of Bricks. $14. … Blues singer and former porn star Candye Kane returns to the Blues on Grand for a show on Wednesday, June 3 at 8 p.m. Admission is $10. Kane has rebounded from her battle with pancreatic cancer, lost weight and is recording a new album for Delta Groove tentatively titled “Super Hero,” which includes guitarist Kid Ramos, drummer Stephen Hodges and her son, drummer Evan Caleb, who plays in her touring band. … Latin music fans should check out a group of nine local jazz musicians who are performing for free on Wednesdays from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Star Bar, 2811 Ingersoll Ave. The group, led by guitarist-singer Alfredo Jimenez, performs three distinct sets of music, including choro (instrumental Brazilian music), Brazilian samba and bossa nova and Latin American salsa. … Saxophone player Bobby Keys, who for decades has recorded and toured with the Rolling Stones, plays the Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant in West Des Moines on June 10 from 8 to 11 p.m. … Five bands will compete in the finals of the 80/35 Wild Card Contest on June 10 at People’s Court. They include Blue Island Tribe, Ely Falls, Hanwell, Hollywood Burnout and the Honeybees. … Thriving Ivory plays People’s Court June 23 at 6 p.m. $12. … Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam play the House of Bricks on June 28 at 7 p.m. $12. … Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch? Lite 104.1 FM invites the first 2,000 residents to enjoy a free meal Friday, July 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nollen Plaza in downtown Des Moines. Free music by Midwestern Remedy and the Belin String Quartet also included. … Rusted Root plays People’s Court July 19. $20. … Metal bands Hatebreed, Chimaira, Winds of Plague, Dying Fetus and Toxic Holocaust play People’s Court Aug. 5 for an all-ages show at 6 p.m. $19. … The theme for the Des Moines Symphony’s 2009-10 season is “MUSIC that… INSPIRES.” The symphony’s 72nd season starts with a July 2 Yankee Doodle Pops concert at the State Capitol Grounds at 8:30 p.m. and concludes May 2, 2010, with its seventh masterworks performance, “MUSIC that GROOVES.” The season also includes the symphony’s first-ever collaboration with the Des Moines Big Band for a New Years Eve tribute to Frank Sinatra. Concerts will be held at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines and this year, Saturday’s shows will move up in start time to 7:30 p.m. Visit www.dmsymphony.org. … Finally, here’s one concert tour I’m glad isn’t coming to Des Moines this summer: 2009 U.S. Air Guitar Championships. CV

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