Seaside Serenade

Jazz and gazpacho can be a lyrical--and palatable--combo, especially when served atop a 150-foot bluff overlooking the Pacific.

More than 650 guests of the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point were treated Sunday to alfresco dining and jazz-pop-soul-funk-driven rhythms.

Concert-goers close to the stage tapped their fingers on tropical table linens, keeping the beat to tunes such as “Captain Fever,” “Drive Time,” “I Went to Bat for You” and “Linus & Lucy,” performed by composer David Benoit and his four-man band.

The crowd ranged from the dressed to the almost undressed: Women in Rita Hayworth halters exposed bare shoulders, and men wore one-toe-in-the-sand ensembles--light-colored polos, khaki shorts and sandals.

With the sun blazing, you’d expect hats. Most were the straw variety. Some looked a little beaten, as if they’d been around the world; others appeared fresh from the milliner’s or haberdasher’s shop.

As with most concerts, a caste system was evident in the seating. But this one added a new twist.

The most luxurious views of the concert came from private balconies attached to fourth-floor hotel rooms. These rooms, on the elite--and expensive--concierge level, come with nonstop complimentary food and beverages.

For seating at ground level, there were three choices: up front, midway and in the back, standing on the lawn.

Another view became popular as the concert went on. Several folks strolled by the hotel and stopped near a fence not so far from the where Benoit played. They took in the sights and listened to the sounds, all for free.