Playboy Puts Jazz Back in a Familiar Festival Lineup

The lineup for the 24th annual Playboy Jazz Festival, which takes place June 15-16 at the Hollywood Bowl, isn’t going to surprise anyone. The upside to the schedule is that it is more firmly within the jazz arena than has been the case in recent programs. The downside is that most of the acts have made Southland appearances in one venue or another within the past year.

But there’s no denying the high quality of the talent on the bill. The Saturday schedule is studded with major jazz artists: Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, Joe Lovano (with a salute to Enrico Caruso), Nnenna Freelon, Marcus Miller and a Charles Mingus 80th birthday tribute (performed by the Mingus Big Band). Etta James and the Roots Band add some blues seasoning, with Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers recalling the swing era. The day’s global jazz outreach segment is filled by Cuban flutist Maraca and his group Otra Vision.

The Sunday bill is a much more eclectic smorgasbord of choices. Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and Roy Hargrove reprise the celebration of John Coltrane and Miles Davis presented at USC last year. Patti Austin celebrates Ella Fitzgerald in what should be a highly spirited encounter with the Count Basie Orchestra (directed by Grover Mitchell), and bluesman Keb’ Mo’ does what Keb’ Mo’ does. Smooth jazz makes an appearance via sets by Lee Ritenour and Chris Botti, with Bill Cosby’s Cos of Good Music VII gathering such diverse talents as Ernie Andrews, Craig Handy, Monty Alexander and others.

The funk and soul of Carl Denson’s Tiny Universe should please the festival’s partygoers, with Tolu (with Justo Almario and Alex Acuna) demonstrating, as it always does, how salsa can swing. Finally, in Sunday’s global jazz outreach, the gypsy rhythms of Les Yeux Noirs will energize a completely different approach to foot-tapping improvisation.

Information on the Playboy Jazz Festival: (310) 449-4070.