2009 Playboy Jazz Festival

Valerie · February-25th-2009, 01:25 PM

it's scheduled for June 13 & 14 this year (a week earlier than usual). can't wait for the official line-up to be announced which will happen online after 4pm today and an ad will appear in this Sunday's L.A. Times Calendar, i believe. i've already heard that there will be appearances by musicians i really love so i'm excited.

Ron Thorne · February-25th-2009, 03:32 PM

I don't know if Patti and I will be able to repeat last year's hang at the Playboy Jazz Festival, but the Monterey Jazz Festival (September) may help make up for that loss if we can't.

If Monterey materializes, it will be the realization of a nearly lifelong dream.

Valerie · February-25th-2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

I don't know if Patti and I will be able to repeat last year's hang at the Playboy Jazz Festival, but the Monterey Jazz Festival (September) may help make up for that loss if we can't.

If Monterey materializes, it will be the realization of a nearly lifelong dream.

here's to both happening for you and my seeing you there!

p.s. waiting for my e-mail, Mr. T!

Ron Thorne · February-25th-2009, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valerie

here's to both happening for you and my seeing you there!

p.s. waiting for my e-mail, Mr. T!

Thanks, Valerie.

Patti and I had already planned to give you a call this evening if that's OK.

Valerie · February-25th-2009, 07:27 PM

Sat., June 13th, 2:30 - 11pm:

Neville Brothers

Kind of Blue @ 50, Remembering the Miles Davis Classic, w/ Jimmy Cobb, Wallace Roney, Vincent Herring, Javon Jackson, Larry Willis & Buster Williams

Summer Storm w/Norman Brown, Wayman Tisdale, Eric Darius, & Gail Johnson

Jon Faddis Quartet

Jack Sheldon Orchestra

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

Pete Escovedo Orchestra w/Sheila E., Peter Michael & Juan Escovedo

Esperanza Spalding

Cos of Good Music w/Dwayne Burno, Ndugu Chancler, Anat Cohen, Luis Conte, Tanya Darby & Geoffrey Keezer

New Orleans' New Birth Brass Band

L.A. County High School for the Arts Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jason Goldman

Sun., June 14th, 2:00 - 10:30pm:

Wayne Shorter Quartet w/Brian Blade, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez

Kenny G

Patti Austin

King Sunny Ade

Dave Holland Big Band

Monty Alexander's Jazz & Roots

Oscar Hernandez & the Conga Room All Stars

Anat Cohen Quartet

Quincy Jones presents Alfredo Rodriguez (23-year old Cuban jazz pianist)

No. Hollywood High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jonathan Kenton

Lois Gilbert · February-28th-2009, 05:10 PM

Jazz bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding and soul/funk outfit Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are among the seven acts making their debut appearance at the 2009 Playboy Jazz Festival. Now in its 31st year, the annual festival will be held June 13-14 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Back for his 28th year as master of ceremonies is Bill Cosby.

Among other festival performers announced during a press conference at Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion are the Wayne Shorter Quarter, Kenny G, Patti Austin, Jon Faddis, the Neville Brothers and the Pete Escovedo Orchestra (featuring his children Sheila E., Peter Michael and Juan). A special tribute to the 50th anniversary of Miles Davis' landmark, best-selling jazz album "Kind of Blue" is set for Saturday (June 13). Leading the salute is Jimmy Cobb, who is making his festival debut and is the only surviving member from the original recording.

Also making his festival debut is Quincy Jones' new protégé Alfredo Rodriguez. Jones first encountered the 23-year-old Cuban pianist/producer/musical director during a performance at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival. Rodriguez has since defected to the U.S. and was granted political asylum in 2008.

Describing Rodriguez as having the "potential to be one of the most prolific pianists of the 21st century," Jones also talked about his campaign to have the Obama administration establish a new cabinet post: secretary of the arts. He plans to travel to Washington, D.C. for a meeting on May 4 with petition signatures in hand. As of today (Feb. 26), the online petition site lists 237,162 signatures.

"Music [should be] an educational fundamental like reading, writing and math," says Jones. "Music engages both intellect and emotion; it's a leveling influence. We have some of the most fascinating music history in the world and many kids don't know that."

Peterdubya · March-2nd-2009, 07:48 PM

I hope to be in attendance this year....
I love the crazy woman who always sits in front of me.

Valerie · March-2nd-2009, 09:32 PM

does the crazy guy who sits behind me like the line-up this year?!? tell your sane wife that i really look forward to seeing her!

Ron Thorne · March-2nd-2009, 09:57 PM

I also love the crazy woman who sat in front of Patti, Justin and me for most of the 2008 Playboy Jazz Festival, and was pleased to finally meet the man who usually sits behind her with his wife.

Valerie · March-2nd-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

I also love the crazy woman who sat in front of Patti, Justin and me for most of the 2008 Playboy Jazz Festival, and was pleased to finally meet the man who usually sits behind her with his wife.

glad that this "mutual admiration society" is incognito as well!!

Peterdubya · March-3rd-2009, 01:02 AM

Any line up with Wayne Shorter is okay with me.
I love the Dave Holland Big Band.
The Jimmy Cobb group (also playing Yoshi's) sounds great.
Faddis, Monty Alexander, Sharon Jones, the Escovedos....
There's enough there to keep me interested.....

Plus, it's usually a sunny, warm, fun weekend.

A perfect combination.

Valerie · March-3rd-2009, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peterdubya

Any line up with Wayne Shorter is okay with me.
I love the Dave Holland Big Band.
The Jimmy Cobb group (also playing Yoshi's) sounds great.
Faddis, Monty Alexander, Sharon Jones, the Escovedos....
There's enough there to keep me interested.....

Plus, it's usually a sunny, warm, fun weekend.

A perfect combination.

and what about Anat Cohen? i've loved what i've heard/seen of her.

actually, Jack Sheldon's Orchestra could be fun, or maybe just really corny!

and Cosby's band could be good (if he lets it)!!

what i always also appreciate is how easy it is to just get up and walk around, hang out with folks, etc., when the music isn't to our liking!

xoxo

Peterdubya · March-3rd-2009, 02:23 PM

Anat is fabulous, especially on clarinet.
I love the whole weekend.... can't wait.

GoodSpeak · June-12th-2009, 01:35 PM

I'll be there as per usual...I leave in about an hour.

And Scott Yanow, if you are reading this, we are in Section L2, Row 22, 101 +103. Be nice to see you again this year.

GoodSpeak · June-12th-2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valerie

Sat., June 13th, 2:30 - 11pm:

Neville Brothers

Kind of Blue @ 50, Remembering the Miles Davis Classic, w/ Jimmy Cobb, Wallace Roney, Vincent Herring, Javon Jackson, Larry Willis & Buster Williams

Summer Storm w/Norman Brown, Wayman Tisdale, Eric Darius, & Gail Johnson

Jon Faddis Quartet

Jack Sheldon Orchestra

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

Pete Escovedo Orchestra w/Sheila E., Peter Michael & Juan Escovedo

Esperanza Spalding

Cos of Good Music w/Dwayne Burno, Ndugu Chancler, Anat Cohen, Luis Conte, Tanya Darby & Geoffrey Keezer

New Orleans' New Birth Brass Band

L.A. County High School for the Arts Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jason Goldman

Sun., June 14th, 2:00 - 10:30pm:

Wayne Shorter Quartet w/Brian Blade, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez

Kenny G

Patti Austin

King Sunny Ade

Dave Holland Big Band

Monty Alexander's Jazz & Roots

Oscar Hernandez & the Conga Room All Stars

Anat Cohen Quartet

Quincy Jones presents Alfredo Rodriguez (23-year old Cuban jazz pianist)

No. Hollywood High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jonathan Kenton

Thanks for posting that.

Except for Kenny Whatshisname, a pretty good line-up this year, IMHO.

Looking forward to seeing Patti Austin and John Faddis again. Dave Holland's Big Band and Wayne Shorter figure to be be a real treat as well.

Glad Ndugu Chancler is back...just wouldn't be the Playboy without him.

I'll be sure to wave to you Valerie. I'll be the one with the Hawaiian shirt

GoodSpeak · June-12th-2009, 01:51 PM

BTW...Rest in Peace, Wayman.

Ron Thorne · June-12th-2009, 02:34 PM

Wish I could be there again this year but it just wasn't in the cards.

We'll have family rolling into Anchorage soon, beginning with our youngest son, Justin (who was with us at PJF last year), and his wife coming for his 20th high school reunion. Yeow!

Enjoy, Valerie and all!

Valerie · June-12th-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

Wish I could be there again this year but it just wasn't in the cards.

We'll have family rolling into Anchorage soon, beginning with our youngest son, Justin (who was with us at PJF last year), and his wife coming for his 20th high school reunion. Yeow!

Enjoy, Valerie and all!

saw Scott Yanow and his lovely lady friend from Texas (who recently moved here!) at the Mark Cantor film event last night at LACMA. they asked about whether you would be at Playboy this year! told them about your recent Vancouver festival outing and your plans to hopefully be at Monterey. btw, the film event was absolutely astounding. hopefully there will be a "review" by Scott.

please give my very best to Justin!

Peterdubya · June-15th-2009, 02:58 PM

I heard there were some great moments....

Would have loved to see Keezer with Wayne Shorter!

any reviews?

Valerie · June-15th-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peterdubya

I heard there were some great moments....

Would have loved to see Keezer with Wayne Shorter!

any reviews?

unfortunately don't have time for a full-blown review right now but the highlights for me most definitely included Wayne w/ Geoff, et al., Anat Cohen's group and Dave Holland's Big Band. Geoff was amazing and i kind of hope we'll see more of him with Wayne!! needless to say, i hope Danilo recovers quickly but . . . btw, i heard Wayne was up two nights writing out music for Geoff!

aside from the above exciting groups, i enjoyed Monty Alexander, King Sunny Ade, Esperanza and Jimmy Cobb's group. Sharon Jones was fabulous but the music just ain't my thang. same was true for Patti Austin.

the sound sucked big-time for most of the acts (per usual!)

i left Sat. before Summer Storm and Sun. before Kenny G (causing me to miss the Neville Bros. and Oscar Hernandez, but i don't regret my decision!

definitely missed you and Chelsea!

GoodSpeak · June-15th-2009, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peterdubya

I heard there were some great moments....

Would have loved to see Keezer with Wayne Shorter!

any reviews?

Saturday:

I saw Scott Yanow and his Gal Pal. Always a pleasure. They seem very happy and [since I first introduced them to each other some four or so Playboys ago] I'd like to think I had a just little something to do with that.

Jon Faddis was superb, as per usual. Pete Escovedo and Family were great! Esperanza Spalding put on a good show as did the Cos of Good Faith [Ndugu!!!]. What caught me by surprise was the so-called Kind of Blue @ 50. It was a look-alike band but they had the Miles thang down to a science. Just plain good music. Jimmy Cobb was unbelievably good. But after a heavy dose of Norman Brown doing his George Benson schtick, the Neville Brothers drove us from the concert toward the taxi stand.

Sunday:

Wayne Shorter was in rare form, but too much EAI for my tastes. Dave Holland was just plain awesome. Patti Austin insulted the men in the audience with her "put down your crack pipe" comment; I mean, WTF is that? Alfredo Rodriguez stole to show, IMHO. A Cuban refugee/expatriate who defected from Cuba to play his music. Oscar Hernandez was an excellent Afro-Cuban finish to the show.

Kenny Whatshisname was pure ear pabulum torture. He just plain sucked-up and pandered to lonely middle-aged women in the K-Wave 94.7 demographic all night long. It was nothing short of embarrassing....especially with those idiotic "definitions" he posted on the video screens. I'd rather listen to a kid learning how to play the violin for the very first time and at full volume. Ugh. Made me want to run screaming into the nearest block wall.

Having said all that, I have to wonder out loud if the Playboy folks [since they are up for sale] aren't going more toward a retro-pop music festival rather than a Jazz festival.

If that happens...I'm done.

Valerie · June-15th-2009, 10:37 PM

just for the record, i didn't much care for Alfredo Rodriguez. he was all technique and no soul. very theatrical/show-biz. hopefully he'll achieve a better balance with some age under his belt.

Playboy folks "up for sale"? what are you talking about?

Ron Thorne · June-15th-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

I saw Scott Yanow and his Gal Pal. Always a pleasure.

Since you had "a just little something to do with that", what's her name?

Quote:

Wayne Shorter was in rare form, but too much EAI for my tastes.

Please explain.

GoodSpeak · June-15th-2009, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valerie

just for the record, i didn't much care for Alfredo Rodriguez. he was all technique and no soul. very theatrical/show-biz. hopefully he'll achieve a better balance with some age under his belt.

Playboy folks "up for sale"? what are you talking about?

Alfredo Rodriguez was as musically intelligent as any prodigy I have ever seen play. Maybe his performance wasn't geared toward entertainment in the pedestrian sense, but it was as academically solid as a rock.

Hef is out of the control picture and his daughter has retired.

I have it upon credible local information that the magazine is on the sales block.

How far behind can the Playboy Jazz Festival be?

GoodSpeak · June-15th-2009, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

Since you had "a just little something to do with that", what's her name?

Your point?

I am not at liberty to divulge more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

Please explain.

Since you weren't there, Ron...it would serve no purpose.

Ron Thorne · June-16th-2009, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

Your point?

jaz4life is her ID here....I am not at liberty to divulge more.

My point was that "gal pal" is not the way most women like to be referenced, so I thought you might like to mention her by her first name. That's all.

Quote:

Since you weren't there, Ron...it would serve no purpose.

I'm very interested to know why Wayne Shorter and EAI were in the same sentence. It doesn't matter that I wasn't present yesterday. But, I wish I had been.

GoodSpeak · June-16th-2009, 12:25 AM

"Gal Pal" is a fun term of endearment. No harm is meant by that.

As to the rest: It would appear you are looking for something to catch me on.

I'm not interested.

Out.

Ron Thorne · June-16th-2009, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

"Gal Pal" is a fun term of endearment. No harm is meant by that.

Oh.

Quote:

As to the rest: It would appear you are looking for something to catch me on.

No, just interested in knowing what you heard Wayne play which caused you to connect him with EAI.

Valerie · June-16th-2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

Oh.

No, just interested in knowing what you heard Wayne play which caused you to connect him with EAI.

i know you know by now, Ron, that it's a lesson in frustration to attempt this kind of basic interaction!! he never gets it.

here's a little more on Wayne's set from the L.A. Times:

"Scheduled for a somewhat surprising afrernoon appearance, the Wayne Shorter Quartet earned a rousing ovation, in part inspired by Cosby drawing a favorable parallel to the Lakers' attempt to close out the championship while Shorter was playing. Given the time and the place, it was easy to wonder whether Shorter would attempt to replicate the free-flowing performance of his 75th birthday concert in December at Disney Hall, a free-flowing and uncompromising affair that demanded careful listening. No need. Even with Geoffrey Keezer stepping in for the injured Danilo Perez on piano, Shorter's current quartet simply might not know how to lay off the throttle.

"While Sunday's set might have included a more consistent groove that occasionally hinted toward his past work, Shorter still opted to take the Bowl's crowd as far out as possible, buoyed by the polyrhythmic high-wire act of bassist John Patitucci and cannon-armed drummer Brian Blade.

"Though it was admittedly disconcerting to turn to see candy-colored beach balls bounding among the Bowl's upper sections during Shorter's advanturous set, railing against such festival trappings misses the point. With a near-capacity crowd ready for a seriously great time, Shorter and so many others stood tall with seriously great music."

Peterdubya · June-16th-2009, 12:33 PM

Having seen the Shorter Quartet many times, I'd assume that they took it to the limits and went 'out' during the set.... Damn, I would love to have seen/heard it.... especially with Keezer.