Summer Jazz Swings Free in the Outdoors

On a sweltering summer evening, where else would you want to be than your friendly neighborhood park?

Imagine it.

Perched on a lawn chair you watch the kids fling linguine at each other while you work your way through a picnic dinner--soothed by the sounds of live jazz.

There are countless opportunities all over San Diego County to hear live jazz outdoors this summer, for free, generally in public parks, the largest of which is the TGIF Jazz series, now being presented by the city of Carlsbad arts office on nine consecutive Friday nights.

Tomorrow night in Coronado, Fattburger kicks off six Saturday evenings of jazz in the park by the ferry landing. At 6 this evening in Carlsbad’s Stagecoach Park, it’s San Diego flutist Holly Hofmann. Sunday at Fashion Valley shopping center, Yutaka plays his Brazilian-Asian-jazz blend. Sunday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m., the Chicago Six serves up traditional jazz at the oceanfront Scripps Park in La Jolla. And the list goes on (please see box).

Surprisingly, the sizable city of

San Diego has a relatively small public jazz program. The county’s small towns outstrip the inner city in summer outdoor jazz.

Not that the city didn’t have good intentions. A promising series in the amphitheater behind the downtown convention center was canceled in June after only a month of concerts. At their peak, these shows lured up to 1,000 people to hear top local bands, according to convention center Entertainment Coordinator Rob Huff.

“With the new fiscal year starting in July, we had budget constraints,” Huff said. “We had to rethink the money we were spending. We’ve received numerous letters protesting the cancellation. We’ll do it again next year. We’re looking for a sponsor; $40,000 would buy three months of jazz.”

Baritone saxophonist Ira B. Liss’s Big Band Jazz Machine, who played a convention center date before the series was scrapped, was hired to produce Carlsbad’s nine concerts on a budget of $6,000, and has assembled a lineup including flutist Hofmann, guitarist Peter Sprague, Latin/Afro-Cuban jazz band Afro Rumba and other local talent.

For Liss and other musicians, the summer concerts are something special.

“I think the outdoor concerts are beneficial because they give local musicians the chance to perform, and they give the public a chance to discover who’s out there without having to go to a night club and pay a cover charge.

“They also offer a valuable cultural experience to a cross section of people, from children to seniors, and every ethnic and demographic division thereof.”

Liss has intentionally slanted the Carlsbad summer series toward groups who play unique and original jazz rather than what’s popular with the masses.

“Not to take away from light jazz groups, because they all play music that is enjoyable to listen to, but I think it’s important to show the general public that jazz isn’t just one type of music that you hear on the radio. Jazz is the only original American music. It is wide and it has a variety of styles and takes in many different forms.”

Hence, Liss booked groups like Kokopelli, composed of such innovative local musicians as pianist Joe Garrison, trumpeter Bill Cabellero, saxman Dave Millard and saxophonist/flutist Turiya. All prefer plenty of room to improvise, and this can be risky in front of an audience which represents a cross section of a typical suburban neighborhood.

At last Friday night’s concert by Kokopelli at Calavera Hills Park, an audience of several hundred ranged from those who undoubtedly heard Benny Goodman in his heyday to others who probably think Madonna is an old lady. Despite the range of people, the audience appeared to like the Latin beat, applauding after the solos.

Not only do the free outdoor shows give the masses a chance to experience live jazz, but the musicians say they enjoy playing outside the dark, smoky night clubs.

“I’m really sort of a fan of nature, and I like being out there with it,” said North County guitarist Peter Sprague, who will work several outdoor dates this summer. “The real clincher is if the sound system is good. If so, then it feels good on-stage and the people love it. And the parks are kind of a holistic setting--kids, dogs, people, the elements that come together. Sometimes in clubs, you have to be dressed up or a certain age to be there.”

“My band is especially suited to outdoor gigs,” said percussionist Gene (Negro) Perry, leader of Afro Rumba. “That Latin beat outdoors, the drums--it’s like a call to the people.

“There’s always been three or four outdoor shows here, but as time goes on, there seem to be more and more. They bring people together. It’s a time to share the love of the music. That’s why I especially like the outdoor shows.”

What’s Ahead for Jazz Fans

If you too are ready for live jazz alfresco, here’s a list of some of the concerts ahead this summer:

Carlsbad TGIF Jazz:

Friday evenings, 6 to 8 p.m.

Stage Coach Park (3420 Camino de los Coches)

* July 20 Holly Hofmann Quartet

* July 27: Tami Thomas & Jazz-Ma-Tazz

* Aug. 3: Peter Sprague Trio

Magee Park (Carlsbad Blvd. and Beech St.)

* Aug. 10: Afro Rumba

* Aug. 17: Coast Highway

* Aug. 24: Big Band Jazz Machine.

Fashion Valley with KIFM:

Sunday afternoons, 1 to 3 p.m.

* July 22: Yutaka

* Aug. 12: Grant Geissman

* Aug. 26: Ottmar Liebert

San Diego Museum of Art Jazz After Work:

On the front steps of the museum in Balboa Park Thursday afternoons, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

* Aug. 2: Peter Sprague and Brazil jazz

* Aug. 9: Bob Hamilton Quartet

* Aug. 16: Jimmy Corsaro Quartet with vocalist Sharon Andrews

* Aug. 23: Holly Hofmann Quartet

* Aug. 30: Mundell Lowe Quartet with vocalist Betty Bennett

* September: Thursday night Jazz Under the Stars, series to be announced.

La Jolla Concerts by the Sea:

Scripps Park, next to La Jolla Cove Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

* July 22: Chicago Six

* Aug. 5: Danny Hale’s All-Star Big Band

* Sept. 2 Mellotones

Balboa Park Twilight Concert Series:

Organ Pavilion Wednesday nights, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

* Aug. 14: Finest City Jazz Band

* Aug. 23: San Diego Historical Dixieland Banjo Society

* Aug. 29: Jeff Jeffries Night Band

Del Mar Twilight Concert Series:

Powerhouse Park (On Ocean Boulevard at the beach, across from the Amtrak station)

* July 23: Peter Sprague

* Aug. 6: Burt Turetsky and friends

* Aug. 20: Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham

Lites Out Jazz at the Coronado Ferry Landing:

At the foot of B Avenue in Coronado

* July 21: Fattburger

* July 28: Brian Bromberg

* Aug. 4: Hank Easton’s East and West Band

* Aug. 11: Steve Bach

* Aug. 18: Ric Flauding

* Aug. 25: Tony Guerrero

Jazz Is Forever:

Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Outdoor music, culture and art celebration, presented by Project Fix It, sponsored by the California Lottery

Dennis V. Allen Park

Gateway Business Center, 3700 block of Market Street

Across from Mt. Hope Cemetery in Southeast San Diego

Featuring: Reel to Real, Forecast, Glenn Horiuchi, Charles McPherson and friends, Cecil Lytle, Carl Andersen and others.