Let the celebration begin! Leading up to the big birthday weekend at the Hollywood Bowl three smaller community concerts, all free and open to the public.
June 1st/ Warner Center
Michael Lington, Ernie Andrews, B-Side Players, Raya Yarbrough, and the Chatsworth High School Band under the direction of Larry Williams will take the stage 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, June 1 at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills.
Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers and Bobby Rodriguez' LatinJazz performed at the Beverly Hills Civic Center Sunday,May 4th. And the L.A. Multi-School Jazz Band under the direction of Reggie Andrews played at the Bradley Senior Center in Watts Friday,May 9.
Lington, Yarbrough and Andrews attended the press conference to represent the community concerts, which are part of the festival's outreach program to introduce new fans to jazz.
Playboy Jazz Cruise Announced
Bassist and bandleader Marcus Miller also spoke to the audience about the first Playboy Jazz Cruise, scheduled for Jan. 25 to Feb. 1, 2009.
The inaugural cruise will set sail from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. on Holland America's M/S Westerdam and visit the Caribbean ports of San Juan, Saint Barth's, Nevis, and the private island of Half Moon Cay.
Performers scheduled to join host Miller on board include Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Sanchez with Eddie Floyd, Keb' Mo', Moody, Hargrove, James Carter, Eldar, Roberta Gambarini, and the New Birth Brass Band.
For more information, call the Playboy Jazz Festival hotline at (310) 450-1173.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
