Playboy Jazz Festival

Valerie · February-23rd-2006, 12:32 PM

Saturday, June 17, 2006:
Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project
Branford Marsalis Quartet
Jamie Cullum
Benny Golson Quartet
The Golden Striker Trio featuring Ron Carter, Mulgrew Miller and Russell Malone
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra plus special guest Stefon Harris in a Tribute to Milt Jackson
Baaba Maal featuring Daande Lenol
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Hiromi
Cos of Good Music, featuring Walter Blanding Jr., Dwayne Burno, Ndugu Chancler, Gerald Clayton, Kevin Eubanks, Steve Turré
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jason Goldman
Master of Ceremonies: Bill Cosby

Sunday, June 18, 2006:
McCoy Tyner Trio with the Lula Washington Dance Theatre
Elvis Costello and the Impostors featuring the piano and songs of Allen Toussaint with his New Orleans Horn Section, The River In Reverse Tour 2006
Groovin' for Grover featuring Gerald Albright, Jeff Lorber, Kirk Whalum: A Celebration of the Music of Grover Washington Jr. (The Grover Washington Jr. Protect the Dream Foundation to benefit young musicians)
Ozomatli
Eddie Palmieri Afro-Carribbean Jazz All-Stars with special guests Regina Carter and David Sanchez
Chuck Mangione
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Eldar
Christian Scott
Lesa Terry and the Women's Jazz Orchestra of Los Angeles
Elder Edward Babb and the McCollough Sons of Thunder
Master of Ceremonies: Bill Cosby

Lois Gilbert · February-24th-2006, 01:49 AM

The lineup for the 2006 Playboy Jazz Festival will include Branford Marsalis, Jamie Cullum, Ozomatli, McCoy Tyner and Elvis Costello and the Imposters with Allen Toussaint. Bill Cosby will return as master of ceremonies for the 28th anniversary festival after last year's hiatus.

Along with Toussaint, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band is coming up from devastated New Orleans for the festival, which will be held June 17-18 at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl.

The Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra will feature vibraharpist Stefon Harris in a tribute to the late Milt Jackson. Eddie Palmieri will bring his Afro-Caribbean Jazz All Stars with special guests Regina Carter and David Sanchez.

Grover Washington Jr. will bring in Gerald Albright, Jeff Lorber and Kirk Whalum and the Golden Striker Trio will feature Ron Carter, Mulgrew Miller and Russell Malone. Other performers on the bill are pianist Eldar Djangirov, the Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project and the Benny Golson quartet.

This is from Billboard:
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/..._id=1002073830

what a disgraceful typo - don't you think?

Valerie · February-24th-2006, 02:51 PM

i know his widow is furious! very unfortunate that they left out, "tribute to . . ."!!

Lois Gilbert · March-8th-2006, 12:28 AM

Hefner Announces 2006 Playboy Jazz Fest
Staff and agencies
07 March, 2006

By JOHN ROGERS, 46 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - As a boy growing up in Chicago, Hugh Hefner says he fell in love early — and it wasn‘t with women.

"It‘s the music of my youth. It‘s the music I grew up with. It‘s the music of my dreams," Hefner, looking wistful, said as he stood in the backyard of his Los Angeles mansion as a swinging jazz combo played just a few feet away. The occasion was a recent news conference announcing plans for this June‘s 28th annual Playboy Jazz Festival.

Hefner did what he could to stay in the background while others announced a lineup of stars for the June 17-18 event at the Hollywood Bowl that is to include George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Chuck Mangione, Elvis Costello , Kevin Eubanks, Allen Toussaint , the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and numerous others. Then, after a brief photo op with some of the performers, he tried to slip hurriedly back into his lavish Playboy Mansion, the turreted stone edifice that visitors who arrive by car are advised to approach slowly as a sign warns them "Playmates at Play."

"It‘s a combination of music from many, many sources; a combination of Afro and Caribbean and Cuban sounds ... mixed in with particularly American sounds," he offered.

"And I‘m in favor of anything that breaks down the walls," said the creator of the swinging, free-love 1960s Playboy philosophy.

But when the band starts to play, he moves to the music. And when the Playboy Jazz Festival‘s veteran producer, George Wein, breaks into a song, Hefner grins, nods knowingly and sings along.

"When you‘re having fun, time flies," he adds with a wry smile.

He hopes performances by such New Orleans native sons as Branford Marsalis and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will bring attention to efforts to aid musicians still homeless months after the hurricane.

Organizers note that arguably every major jazz figure of his or her time has appeared at the Playboy Jazz Festival, from Count Basie to Benny Goodman, Etta James to Lionel Hampton, Bobby McFerrin to this year‘s 26-year-old Japanese wunderkind, Hiromi.

"We want to let people know we‘re back out there," Duke explains.

At the same time, the festival has branched out over the years to include far more than just traditional jazz.

Producer Wein notes that rocker Costello, for example, will be teaming with New Orleans fusion musician Allen Toussaint this year in a collaboration that was born of a recent benefit appearance on behalf of Katrina victims.

Also represented will be Senegal‘s Baaba Maal, whose music ranges from traditional African folk to international dance. Latin pianist Eddie Palmieri will lead the Afro-Caribbean Jazz All-Stars.

Such a potpourri represents a natural evolution for the festival, says Hefner, who adds that jazz itself continues to borrow from, and lend to, various musical styles.

"I think music changes, tastes change," he says sipping a Pepsi on ice. "But from the beginning, it doesn‘t matter what you call it. It‘s always good music."

http://www.localnewsleader.com/olber...news&id=153996

Peterdubya · June-12th-2006, 07:37 PM

It'll be 78 degrees and nice.

Valerie · June-12th-2006, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peterdubya

It'll be 78 degrees and nice.

and i have a very decent ticket for sale at face value in Section E, first row! clint hopson has been e-mailing me with blank messages so he may be first in line. can't get in touch with him though. peter, the seat is "spitting distance" from our seats but i only have one for saturday.

see you then.

xoxo

valerie

ticket was sold by 5pm! thanks.

Peterdubya · June-14th-2006, 02:47 PM

I'll see you there!!

John P. Cooper · June-21st-2006, 04:24 AM

So was it enjoyed? There was some minimal TV coverage out here.

Valerie · June-21st-2006, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John P. Cooper

So was it enjoyed? There was some minimal TV coverage out here.

i did enjoy myself - both days. that said, my enjoyment wasn't completely dependaet on the music! lots of friends and acquaintances were there, as well as my cousin who flew in from ny for the weekend and my niece and family who came in from atlanta. it was also my birthday celebration on sunday so there were lots of hugs and kisses shared and i even had gifts to carry home with me!

as far as the music was concerned, i guess you could say that there was "something for everybody"! my favorites sat. were: branford and benny golson's quartets, the trio with ron carter, mulgrew miller & russell malone; the clayton-hamilton orchestra (guys ranging in age from gerald clayton in his early 20's to snooky young in his late o80's!!) w/stefon harris's tribute to milt jackson; cosby group's tribute to hilton w/steve turre playing an unbelievable "all blues" on shells; and baaba mall and his dancers. could definitely have done without stanley clark/george duke except for stanley's classical solo on acoustic bass. jamie cullum is a good showman but not my "cup of tea" (he was actually jumping on top of the piano!!). hiromi was impressive and the spanish harlem orchestra kept my attention for a little while.

my faves on sun. were mccoy's trio with the lula washington dancers. very enjoyable but i was teary-eyed seeing the "diminished" mccoy. he's obviously fighting mightily whatever health issues he has. lesa terry's women's orchestra was fantastic. never had heard them before and look forward to another opportunity. loved terri lyne on drums but she was a special one-time guest, i think. eddie palmieri w/regina carter and david sanchez were wonderful. eldar and christian scott are obviously promising young stars on the rise. this was my first time seeing elvis costello and allen toussaint and i really enjoyed them. it was frustrating though not to be able to understand all the original lyrics to the tunes both of them have written and were performing. the sound at the bowl always sucks, i'm very sorry to say. the rest of the acts on sunday, i probably could have done without and we deliberately left as the "smooth jazz guys" came on. i think i read that they got a standing ovation! LOL! proof positive that "different strokes for different folks" still exists!!!

Peterdubya · June-21st-2006, 04:28 PM

I had a great time too, and not just because of the music.... It was kind of distracting in my seats because the woman in front of me seemed to know everyone in the Bowl, and they all came up to wish her a happy birthday!!!

My impressions were similar to Valerie's.... Branford was great, Ron Carter great, but too quiet and hard to hear over the crowd. I am a big Baaba Maal fan, but thought his show got swallowed up in the Bowl. The Cosby band was nice, Jamie Cullum was a big hit,, and his show was very entertaining. Not really my bag, but he was a hit. I loved Spanish Harlem, they are the ultimate salsa band. Also loved hearing Stefon play with CHJO. Great to hear him play like Bags.

Sunday, I thought McCollough Sons of Thunder were great. A trombone oriented Gospel group. Ozomatli did a great set, again, not my favorite style, but they are versatile and pretty cool. I loved Eddie Palmeiri too, great group.

But the bestt thing of all was sort of hanging vicariously with Valerie.....

Pete C · June-21st-2006, 04:32 PM

How come Juggs doesn't sponsor a festival?

jazzy mary · June-21st-2006, 04:38 PM

Val!! Happy belated B-day!! Sounds like you had a fun time!! Thanks for the review.

Mike Schwartz · June-21st-2006, 08:10 PM

A belated happy BD Sis'!

Valerie · June-21st-2006, 10:44 PM

thanks so much for your birthday wishes, mary and mike! wish both of you had been at the festival!

peter, i definitely enjoyed seeing you, your wife and brother-in-law! look forward to seeing you again in september at monterey, if not before.

forgot to mention one of the highlights of the festival and that was "introducing" my cousin to elvis costello (who i had never met before!). my cousin, mike, has been a fan of elvis's for about 20 years and his "dream" has been to meet him (it almost happened twice before). I even took a picture of them together in elvis's dressing-room so mike was thrilled!

i also spoke with allen toussaint who is such a sweetie (as JM would say!). he's so shy and humble and soft-spoken. quite refreshing! and it turned out that he knew my drummer friend who passed away last year. so it was nice to talk about dear Soko, who was my buddy for 35 years.

hornplayer · June-22nd-2006, 11:55 AM

Quote:

it was also my birthday celebration on sunday so there were lots of hugs and kisses shared and i even had gifts to carry home with me!

I've got egg on my face!

sorry, your day slipped right past me! Glad you had such a wonderful day. I was there in my dreams.....

GoodSpeak · June-22nd-2006, 03:55 PM

I was there, too.

Personally, I think Stanley Clark stole the show on Saturday. Branford Marsalis and the Sapnish Harlem Orchestra would be close seconds IMHO.

We all went to church on Sunday with Elder Edward Babb and the The Sons of Thunder....it was cool how he unashamedly preached to us.

Sunday's conch shell solo by Steve Turre was a real show stopper as was the Jazz harpist in the Women's Jazz Orchestra of LA.

Elvis Costello was a bit of a disappointment to me. The political statements were just plain out of place. But it was nice to see Chuck Mangione out of rehab and playing again. I also hoped there would be some mention of Jackie McLean's passing...not sure why he was overlooked.

All in all, I had a great time again this year!

Valerie · June-22nd-2006, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hornplayer

I've got egg on my face!

sorry, your day slipped right past me! Glad you had such a wonderful day. I was there in my dreams.....

no need for the egg, honey! it would have been much nicer if you had been there in reality! we could have really "talked it over," if you catch my drift!! LOL!

xoxo

GoodSpeak · June-24th-2006, 09:56 PM

Yeah.

I catch your drift.

Thanks for the box seats back then, Happy B-Day and I hope you can move on past any issues relative to moi.

One can only hope.

Peterdubya · June-26th-2006, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

....We all went to church on Sunday with Elder Edward Babb and the The Sons of Thunder....it was cool how he unashamedly preached to us.

....Elvis Costello was a bit of a disappointment to me. The political statements were just plain out of place.

So, Religious statements: GOOD..... Politics: Bad?

John P. Cooper · June-26th-2006, 02:17 PM

...the plot thickens...

Valerie · June-26th-2006, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

Yeah.

I catch your drift.

Thanks for the box seats back then, Happy B-Day and I hope you can move on past any issues relative to moi.

One can only hope.

i have no idea what your first two sentences are referring to or what you have to do with my comments to hornplayer.

just to clarify, i never gave you box seats but just offered to let you sit in one for part of one day. thank you for your birthday wishes. in terms of "moving on past any issues," i don't think this is an appropriate place for any comments in that regard.