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Playboys Free Community Concert May 9th

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Artist Lineup for the Festival's 30th Birthday Bash

Longtime festival emcee Bill Cosby and associate producer Darlene Chan, along with Playboy founder and Playboy Jazz Festivals executive producer Hugh Hefner and president Dick Rosenzweig, hosted a press conference at the Playboy Mansion Wednesday afternoon to unveil the artist lineup for this years jazz festival at the Hollywood Bowl, June 15 and 16.

Saturday afternoon and evening's performers are Jarreau; Sanchez and band with special guest Eddie Floyd; the James Moody Quartet; Dr. John; Tower of Power; R n R featuring Rick Braun and Richard Elliot; Hiromi's Sonicbloom; Sherrie Maricle & The Diva Jazz Orchestra; COS of Good Music featuring Ambrose Akinmusire, Dwayne Burno, Ndugu Chancler, Benny Green, Billy Harper, Jerry Peters and David T. Walker; Robert Glasper; and the Hamilton High School Academy of Music Jazz Ensemble “A" under the direction of Dan Taguchi.

On Sunday afternoon and evening, Cosby will introduce Hancock with Dave Holland, Vinnie Colaiuta, Chris Potter and Lionel Loueke; Keb' Mo'; the Roy Hargrove Big Band; Guitars & Saxes featuring Gerald Albright, Jeff Golub, Jeff Lorber and Peter White; Bridgewater and Red Earth: A Malian Journey; Ivan Lins with special guest Oscar Castro-Neves; the Monk Legacy Septet featuring Ben Riley; Plena Libre; Ryan Shaw; and the View Park Prep Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Fernando Pullum.

The roster's diversity reflects the many styles of jazz, its generations of shared influences, and a bright future for America's only original musical art form.

Hefner confessed both surprise and gratitude that the festival has partied on for three decades. “We've enjoyed continual support from the community," he said. “In other words, to have sell-out crowds most of the years is remarkable. Before the Playboy Jazz Festival arrived in 1979, the notion was that you could not fill the Hollywood Bowl with jazz."

As emcee for many of those years, Cosby has a singular perspective. “Some fantastic musicians have played the Bowl, and I feel strongly that for my smiling moments, I was right there, 12 feet away from the innovators, the greats, male, female, and the new music that came in under the umbrella of jazz."

Playboy's Free Community Concerts

Leading up to the big birthday weekend at the Hollywood Bowl are three smaller community concerts, all free and open to the public.

Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers and Bobby Rodriguez' LatinJazz performed at the Beverly Hills Civic Center Sunday,May 4th.

This weekend The L.A. Multi-School Jazz Band under the direction of Reggie Andrews will play at the Bradley Senior Center in Watts 11 a.m. Friday,May 9.

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.

Lington, Yarbrough and Andrews attended the Wednesday press conference to represent the community concerts, which are part of the festival's outreach program to introduce new fans to jazz.

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.

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