Playboy Festival Smorgasbord of Styles and Eras Pays Off

Over the years, producer George Wein has selected the performers for the Playboy Jazz Festival with a single idea in mind: Make sure there’s a little something for everyone.

This year’s festival, the 16th annual event, which will be held June 18-19 at the Hollywood Bowl, follows this predictable formula. Saxophonist Joshua Redman, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and drummer Elvin Jones are among those who should please mainstream fans, while Spyro Gyra and saxophonist David Sanborn will likely draw the ears of younger, contemporary jazz listeners. On the traditional jazz end, there’s clarinetist Pete Fountain, while King Sunny Ade and vibist-timbalero Tito Puente should excite the ears of World Beat and Latin fans.

This smorgasbord approach irks some, who say such programming waters down lineups by including non-jazz performers like Ade or bands that are less than critical favorites, like Spyro Gyra. Nonetheless, Wein stands solidly behind his philosophy.

“I think that the mixing of styles and eras on festivals has prolonged the longevity of jazz festivals in general, by exposing people to different groups,” he says. “People who like David Sanborn may like Elvin Jones. Or they may not. But more than exposure to groups, this diversity is public relations for the word jazz . When 17,000 people come each day for two days, then jazz is still an important element in society. And by keeping the word alive, we’re keeping the music alive.”

Yes, Wein admits, his Playboy lineup sells a lot of tickets. He proudly calls the festival, which has sold out almost every year of its existence, “the most successful two-day jazz event.” But Wein feels the party atmosphere that dominates the event is the real sign of success.

“People really have a good time. There’s a sense of joy, of happiness” in the audience, he says.

Here’s the complete lineup for the June 18 show, which runs from 2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.: Lionel Hampton and the Golden Men of Jazz, with Louie Bellson, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Al Grey, Junior Mance, Benny Golson and Pete Candoli; Wynton Marsalis; Spyro Gyra; Earl Klugh and Friends; Family Laws, featuring Hubert, Ronnie, Eloise and Debra Laws; Ramsey Lewis; Joshua Redman; Fourth World, with Flora Purim and Airto; and Cassandra Wilson.

The concert program for June 19 runs from 2 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and goes like this: David Sanborn, Tito Puente’s Golden Latin All-Stars with Mongo Santamaria, Dave Valentin, et al.; Joe Williams; Pete Fountain; King Sunny Ade; the Count Basie Orchestra, directed by Frank Foster; Marcus Roberts; and Russell Malone.

Bill Cosby, accompanied by his trademark stogie, will emcee.

The festival will be preceded by a number of free community events. On May 13, the Locke High School jazz band plays at 11 a.m. at the Watts Labor Action Community Center. Dan Siegel, Michael Wolff and the Nedra Wheeler Group perform on May 15, 2 p.m., at L.A. Valley College. On June 5, Santa Monica College hosts Boney James, Ernestine Anderson, Cecilia Noel and the Wild Clams and the B-Sharp Quartet. A band to be announced will perform June 17 at noon on the steps of Los Angeles’ City Hall, and that evening at 8 p.m., archivist Mark Cantor hosts a screening of jazz films at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

Tickets, priced between $10 and $27.50, are available from the Hollywood Bowl box office, (213) 850-2000. For general festival information, call (310) 449-4070 during normal business hours.

Back to His Roots: Saxophonist Ernie Watts readily admits he likes different kinds of music. He says he has just as much fun playing with bassist Charlie Haden’s mainstream-based Quartet West as he does in the contemporary jazz ensembles led by guitarist Lee Ritenour.

Despite his various stylistic stances, Watts, 48, has only a couple of really major influences: John Coltrane and Miles Davis, in the period when he led a quintet that featured Wayne Shorter. And it’s the mark of those stellar artists that shines through on Watts’ new recording, “Reaching Up” on JVC Records, an all-acoustic album that spotlights drummer Jack DeJohnette and pianist Mulgrew Miller.

“I’ve always been plugged into the energy of John’s and Miles’ playing, and I wanted to go back and get in touch with that energy and do some really spontaneous playing,” says Watts, who leads a quartet tonight and Saturday at Le Cafe in Sherman Oaks.