Green, D’Rivera Among Jazz Series Draws

The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, pianist Benny Green and Latin jazz saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera top the list of performers making their Orange County Performing Arts Center debuts during the center’s 2001-02 Jazz Club Series.

Other first-timers for the series, which begins Sept. 13, are singer Jane Monheit, who will perform Feb. 1-2, and the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra (April 5-6, 2002), led by one of the very few female composer-bandleaders in jazz.

Returning artists include veteran pianist Dave Brubeck (Sept. 13-15), singer Kevin Mahogany (Dec. 21-22) and vocalist Diana Krall, whose Dec. 8 holiday concert is offered as bonus to series subscribers.

Green will be joined for his Oct. 5-6 engagement by guitarist Russell Malone and bassist Christian McBride, both of whom have played the center before. The Clayton-Hamilton orchestra will be joined at its Nov. 24 appearance by a guest singer to be announced. D’Rivera plays May 3-4, 2002.

All concerts will be in the 299-seat Founders Hall, except those by Krall and the Clayton-Hamilton band, which will be in 3,000-seat Segerstrom Hall. Founders Hall performances will be at 7:30 and 9:30 each night, except for Brubeck, who will do a single show at 7:30 p.m. Segerstrom Hall concerts begin at 8 p.m. Series tickets are $304 for the 7:30 performances, $269 for the 9:30 shows.

Series renewal information is going out to current subscribers this week. New subscriptions will go on sale June 4. Tickets to individual performances will go on sale four to six weeks ahead of each show. Information: (714) 556-2787.