George Lopez Returning as Host of the Playboy Jazz Festival

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

George Lopezis back at the helm…

The 58-year-old Mexican American comedian/actor will host the Playboy Jazz Festival when it returns to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on June 6-7.

It’ll be Lopez’s eighth anniversary as festival host.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association’s first wave of announced performers includes R&B/funk legends the Isley Brothers featuring Ronald and Ernie Isley, St. Paul and the Broken Bones; Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science; Musiq Soulchild; Femi Kuti & the Positive Force; The Crosscurrents Trio with Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain & Chris Potter; Bokanté; all-star female jazz group Artemis with Renee Rosnes, Anat Cohen, Ingrid Jensen, Allison Miller, Noriko Ueda and Nicole Glover; Cimafunk; Incognito; Lean on Me: José James Celebrates Bill Withers; Azar Lawrence with the Azar Lawrence Experience and Mr. Sipp “The Mississippi Blues Child.”

The full talent lineup for the 42nd annual Playboy Jazz Festival will be announced on February 18, along with the complete schedule for the Hollywood Bowl’s summer 2020 season.

Presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the seventh straight year, the Playboy Jazz Festival is produced by FestivalWest Inc.

Order forms for Bowl subscription-holders have been released with single tickets going on sale on February 18.

For more information, visit https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/concerts-and-events/playboy-jazz-festival/.

Lopez Returning as Host of This Year’s Playboy Jazz Festival

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

George Lopez is jazzed about his upcoming gig…

The 55-year-old Mexican American actor/comedian will host this year’s Playboy Jazz Festival, which will be presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association June 10-11 at the Hollywood Bowl.

It’ll be Lopez’s fifth consecutive year as host.

This year’s 39th Festival will feature a star-studded lineup that includes Gregory Porter, Corinne Bailey Rae, Kenny Garrett, Common and Keb’ Mo’ Band.

The full talent lineup will be revealed on March 7.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, March 7.

Click here for more information about the 2017 Playboy Jazz Festival.

Blacc to Serve as a Judge for the 2015 CLIO Music Awards

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Aloe Blacc is ready to be the judge and jury…

The 35-year-old Panamanian American singer-songwriter will form part of the voting panel of this year’s CLIO Music Awards, a prestigious international awards competition for marketing and advertising in the music industry. Now in its second year, the competition is accepting entries through April 3.

Blacc is quite familiar with the CLIOs; his single “The Man” earned a Clio Award last year, and he performed at the ceremony last year. He joins 22 other music insiders in the voting panel, including Tom Corson, president and COO of RCA Records; Sylvia Rhone, president of Epic Records; and Daniel Glass, founder and President of Glassnote Entertainment Group.

“CLIO Music is about honoring the incredible work of the people who propel the music business through creative efforts, from artist promotion to the expert ways in which music is integrated in advertising,” CLIO president Nicole Purcell said in a statement. “It’s the talent of these creative leaders that connects people to brands, motivates them to join causes and inspires them to expand their horizons through music.”

The new CLIO roles add onto an already-busy spring for Blacc; he’s set to perform at the Playboy Jazz Festival in early June.

Blacc to Perform at This Year’s Playboy Jazz Festival

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Aloe Blacc is a playboy…

The 35-year-old Panamanian American singer-songwriter has been selected as one of the headliners for the 37th annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

Taking place June 13-14, the two-day lineup includes appearances by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ledisi and Terence Blanchard.

Blacc, who has the most Shazamed song of all time, will perform on Saturday, June 13.

Other Latino/a artists/acts include Ozomatli and the Eddie Palmieri Afro-Caribbean Jazz Band.

In addition, the slate includes Jason Moran‘s Fats Waller Dance Party, Snarky Puppy and Blue Note 75th Anniversary Presents: Our Point of View featuring Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge, Kendrick Scott, Lionel Loueke, Marcus Strickland and Ambrose Akinmusire. The legacy of late jazz icon Gerald Wilson will be saluted by the Celebrating Gerald Wilson Orchestra under the direction of Wilson’s son Anthony.

Returning for a third consecutive year as host is comedian/actor George Lopez.

Additional information about the 2015 Playboy Jazz Festival is available at HollywoodBowl.com/PlayboyJazz.

Here’s the complete schedule:

PLAYBOY JAZZ FESTIVAL 2015
Saturday, June 13, 3-11 p.m.
Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and the Monk Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble
Eddie Palmieri Afro-Caribbean Jazz Band with special invited guests Ronnie Cuber, Alfredo De La Fe, Donald Harrison, Joe Locke
Aloe Blacc
Tower of Power
Jason Moran’s Fats Waller Dance Party
Celebrating Gerald Wilson Orchestra under the direction of Anthony Wilson
Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio
Morgan James
A Sacred Steel Love Supreme: The Campbell Brothers Present “A Love Supreme”
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Vocal Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Pat Bass

Sunday, June 14, 3-10:30 p.m.
Ledisi
Terence Blanchard E-Collective
Ozomatli
The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band under the direction of John Lee
Snarky Puppy
King Sunny Ade and his African Beats
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Blue Note 75th Anniversary Presents: Our Point of View featuring Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge, Kendrick Scott, Lionel Loueke, Marcus Strickland and Ambrose Akinmusire
The Jones Family Singers
The LAUSD/Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Big Band under the direction of Tony White and J.B. Dyas

Lopez to Emcee This Year’s Playboy Jazz Festival

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

George Lopez is the next jazz master… of sorts.

The 51-year-old Mexican American comedian/actor has been named the new master of ceremonies for the Playboy Jazz Festival, which will be taking place at the Hollywood Bowl on June 15-16.

This year’s lineup includes India.Arie, Sheila E., Trombone Shorty, Bob James/David Sanborn, George Duke with Jeffrey Osborne, Angelique Kidjo with Hugh Masekela and Taj Mahal.

The two-day fest, celebrating its 35th anniversary, will also present three world premieres. These include Naturally 7 with special guest Herbie Hancock; an 80th birthday salute to Quincy Jones by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with special guests Patti Austin and Hubert Laws; and jazz pianist Elew who, like India.Arie and Mahal, is making his first appearance at the festival. In addition, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet will perform a special tribute to the late Dave Brubeck.

Lopez takes over the emcee duties from Bill Cosby, who helmed the fest for more than 30 years. Described as the “perfect choice” to host by Playboy Jazz Festival’s president emeritus Richard Rosenzweig, Lopez called it a “most tremendous honor” to get the call from Cosby to be emcee.

He also noted that Cosby was giving him pointers like “don’t let the musicians in your dressing room because they will eat up all your food.”

Lopez later told Billboard.biz that he’s a longtime jazz fan. “To attend the show in this capacity is beyond whatever I could have imagined.” A guitar enthusiast, he noted that he’d also “love to play one song” with an act during the show. “That’s my goal.”

Sheila E. to Perform at the Playboy Jazz Festival

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

She’s worked with work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr… And, now Sheila E. is set to work with… Hugh Hefner?

Yes, the 54-year-old part-Mexican drummer, percussionist, singer and songwriter—who performed alongside Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez at the American Idol finale last May—will perform at this year’s Playboy Jazz Festival.

Other Latino artists set to perform at the festival include Afro-Cuban jazz drummer Francisco Mela, Latin rock band Ozomatli, Cuban pianist and composer Alfredo Rodriguez and Chilean cumbia band Chico Trujillo.

Legendary comedian Bill Cosby will serve as the festival’s master of ceremonies and introduce the 19 performing acts.

The 34th annual Playboy Jazz Festival will take place at the Hollywood Bowl on June 16 and 17.

Ticket information is available at Ticketmaster and the festival’s official site.

Tickets will also be available at the Hollywood Bowl box office starting May 5.

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