SAX PLAYER John Altman got his start at the tender age of 3, sharing a stage with Judy Garland, so when he starts reminiscing about the golden age of movies, people pay attention. For a special event called “Jazz Goes to the Movies,” presented by San Jose Jazz, Altman will drop a lot of names from his storied career, from Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan to Muddy Waters and Bob Marley. He even spent some quality time with Salman Rushdie—and helped Eric Idle pen “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”
Altman will also show off his jazz skills with help from pianist Mike Lang, bassist Putter Smith and drummer Frank De Vito. Speaking of the movies, Lang is the guy who doodled on the keyboard and produced the five-tone “Hello, we’re the aliens” riff from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
JAZZ GOES TO THE MOVIES with JOHN ALTMAN takes place Sunday (Jan. 31) at 2pm at the Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose. Tickets are $25/$30. (408.280.7475)
