The Elliott Caine Quintet is one of the more ubiquitous local jazz bands. It plays the hard-driving bop that was emblematic of the Blue Note and Prestige labels of the 1950s and ’60s. The Caine band honors the classic sound but injects individuality whenever it hits the bandstand.

As bassist Bill Markus explains, the music and the Quintet are a labor of love, but worthy of the commitment. “Not many bands can afford to play for the money that we make at Colombo’s,” referring to their Eagle Rock restaurant showcase. “But we stay because we love the music. We all play in different bands,” he notes, from a break at a West Hollywood sound check.

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