Live Music in Laguna Beach » office

July 22, 2009 with Latin Jazz Syndicate

office — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:23:18 +0000

Jazz Wednesdays: 6:00 -8:00 pm in lovely outdoor Rose Garden of Hotel Laguna, 425 So. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. Doors open 5:15 pm. Reservations for 8 or more by calling 949.715.9713 or email us (by day prior to concert). Cover $10/person. Special drinks and food available for purchase. Light jackets are advised near sundown.

Latin Jazz Syndicate

Led by trumpeter Bijon Watson, the Latin Jazz Syndicate was formed to explore the fusion of Latin and World rhythms with the vast collection of American jazz standards.

The Latin Jazz Syndicate features an all-star group of musicians that have performed or recorded with artists such as Tito Puente, The jazz On The Latin Side All-Stars, Luis Miguel, Dave Valentin, Poncho Sanchez, and Tito Nieves to name a few. The group’s infectious rhythms and boundless energy are showcased in its repertoire of contemporary arrangements and captivating original tunes.

The driving force behind the Latin Jazz Syndicate is trumpeter Bijon Watson, whose wide-ranging musical influences include extensive recording, touring, and/or performing experience with artists such as Harry Connick, Jr., Queen Latifah, Michael Buble, Mariah Carey, the Temptations, Natalie Cole, the critically-acclaimed Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and Prince (to name a few). Bijon can also be heard playing lead trumpet on two of the most recent albums by Jose Rizo’s Jazz On The Latin Side All-Stars, and on Luis Miguel’s holiday album; “Navidad”.

The other key element and driving force to the group’s success is keyboardist-arranger-composer Carlos Ordiano. Carlos has worked with Bijon on several projects for more than 12 years, and without Carlos’ fresh approach, innovative stylings, and authentic re-creation, the Latin Jazz Syndicate would not receive the extraordinary reception it has today.

The Latin Jazz Syndicate’s unique sonic flavors, along with the ensemble’s dedication to performing with unsurpassed passion and energy, combine to create an unforgettable musical experience. www.myspace.com/bijonwatson

August 5, 2009 with Jamie Shew Quartet

office — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:59:36 +0000

jamie Shew

Jazz Vocalist Jamie Shew Quartet with Roger Shew, bass, Mike Scott, guitar and Steve Barnes, drums

JAZZ WEDNESDAYS
LOVELY OUTDOOR ROSE GARDEN
OF HOTEL LAGUNA
425 SO. COAST HWY, LAGUNA BEACH

Concert is 6:00 -8:00 pm.
Doors open 5:15 pm.
Reservations for 8 or more by calling 949.715.9713 or email us

Jazz Wednesdays is pleased to present Jamie, Director of Vocal Jazz Studies at Fullerton College, who is an accomplished teacher, composer and arranger and performs regularly in the greater LA area.

Jazz Wednesdays are in the beautiful outdoor Rose Garden of the Hotel Laguna, 425 So. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Cover charge is $10 and an outstanding selection of drinks and food is available for purchase. Light jackets are suggested at sundown.

Doors open at 5:15 PM; reservations for groups of 8 or more by calling 949-715-9713 prior to the day of concert. For more information, visit www.lagunabeachlive.org.

June 10, 2009 with Frank Potenza Trio

office — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 09:44:01 +0000

JAZZ WEDNESDAYS: Frank Potenza Trio with special guest, Holly Hofmann, flute

and Joe Bagg, organ and Steve Barnes, drums

Frank Potenza Trio

frank potenza

OUTDOOR ROSE GARDEN
OF HOTEL LAGUNA
425 SO. COAST HWY, LAGUNA BEACH

Concert is 6:00 -8:00 pm.
Doors open 5:15 pm.
Reservations for 8 or more by calling 949.715.9713 or email us

Cover $10/person. Special drinks and food available for purchase.This is on the coast, so light jackets are advised near sundown.

Potenza is a protégé of the late Joe Pass and an active educator, composer, and performer with seven solo albums to his credit. In addition to his extensive freelance recording experience, he has performed in concert with Dizzy Gillespie, George Van Eps, Joe Pass, Bud Shank, Mose Allison, James Moody, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Jack McDuff, Red Holloway, and many others.

Potenza is a Professor and Chair of the Studio/Jazz Guitar Faculty at the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California. He holds a Bachelors degree from the Berklee College of Music in Boston Massachusetts, and a Master of Arts degree from California State University, Los Angeles.

Holly Hofmann clearly defines the jazz flute. Her robust tone is the result of a rich classical background. Critics have labeled Holly the most authoritative, swinging flutist in jazz today. In addition to performing throughout the world, she also composes, conducts clinics and workshops, and books a number of jazz concert series.

Doors open at 5:15 PM; reservations for groups of 8 or more by calling 949-715-9713. For more information, visit www.lagunabeachlive.org.

June 24, 2009 with Kristin Korb

office — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:03:32 +0000

Kristin Korb

JAZZ WEDNESDAYS with Kristin Korb Trio

Laguna Beach Live! is pleased to present the talented Kristin Korb, upright bass, who is known for her exuberant, rapid vocalese style and open spirit.

6:00 -8:00 pm in lovely outdoor Rose Garden of Hotel Laguna, 425 So. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. Doors open 5:15 pm. Reservations for 8 or more by calling 949.715.9713 or email us Cover $10/person. Special drinks and food available for purchase. Light jackets are advised near sundown.

“Imagine a player who sings in the tradition of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and plays the bass with the authority and swing of the great Ray brown.” This is Kristin Korb, swinging bassist and jazz singer. Born and raised in Montana, Kristin grew up in a musical family and her passion for music eventually led to a bachelor’s degree in music education from Eastern Montana College.

In the early 90’s, Kristin moved to San Diego to hone her bass skills with bass professor Bertram Turetzky, earned a master’s degree from the University of California at San Diego, and became one of the busiest bassists in San Diego. Her exuberant, rapid vocalese style and open spirit so impressed legendary jazz musician Ray Brown that he brought her to the attention of Telarc Jazz and recorded her debut album,Introducing Kristin Korb with the Ray Brown Trio.

Kristin taught jazz history, bass, and the vocal jazz ensemble until she relocated to Los Angeles to focus on her performing career. Recent performances include a presentation at the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, a tour of Japan, the Brandon Jazz Festival (Canada) and the Paradise Valley and West Coast Jazz Parties. She has been featured at the International Society of Bassists Conference and has recently been appointed to their Board of Directors.

The concert is in the beautiful outdoor Rose Garden of the Hotel Laguna, 425 So. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach. Cover charge is $10 and an outstanding selection of drinks and food is available for purchase. Doors open at 5:15 PM; reservations for groups of 8 or more by calling 949-715-9713. For more information, visit www.lagunabeachlive.org.

Christopher O’Riley

office — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 02:15:08 +0000

Christopher O’Riley, piano, 2005 Chamber Music Festival Mentor Musician
¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† An artist whose poetic gifts and captivating virtuosity have made him one of the most important and versatile pianists performing before the public today, Christopher O’Riley enjoys a thriving concert career. His singularly broad repertoire ranges from music of the English Renaissance and French Baroque periods to the new works of today’s leading composers to such non-classical forms as the tango and his interpretation of the music of the British rock band, Radiohead.
¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Recognition of his talent has been widespread. His honors include top prizes at the Van Cliburn, Leeds, Busoni and Montreal competitions, as well as an Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Andrew Wolf Memorial Chamber Music Prize. As an emerging young pianist, he enjoyed the sponsorship of Young Concert Artists, the Xerox/Affiliate Artists Program and the Pro Musicis Foundation.
¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Even as he explores new stylistic territory, Mr. O’Riley remains in demand for his unique interpretations of the standard piano literature. He is a favorite guest with the foremost orchestras in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Kansas City, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and St. Louis, among others. Mr. O’Riley is also the host of a nationally distributed radio program for Public Radio International, “From the Top,” which showcases the vibrant performances and personalities of young musicians.

Christopher O'Riley

¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Christopher O’Riley is the recipient of an Artist’s Diploma from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Russell Sherman.

California Quartet

office — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:44:12 +0000

¬†California Quartet. Violinists Bridget Dolkas and Maia Jasper, violist Christine Grossman and cellist Erin Breene. Since its formation in the millennium year 2000, the California Quartet has emerged as one of the most promising young chamber ensembles of the United States. Audience response to the CQ is always positively tremendous. In particular, the quartet is noted for their spirited musicality, lyric and soulful playing ability, charismatic onstage demeanor, and interactive ensemble style.
¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† For the summer of 2005, the quartet has been invited to attend the Shouse Institute at the Great Lakes Music Festival, the Lake Tahoe Music Festival Academy, The Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Seminar, and the Banff Art Centre Chamber Music Seminar. Last summer, the quartet participated in the Juilliard Quartet Seminar in New York, the Lake Tahoe Music Festival Academy, and the Banff Short-term Career Residency Programymphony, Desert Symphony, William Hall Master Chorale, Irvine Camerata and many other regional organizations

Luther Hughes & the Cannonball-Coltrane project

office — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 17:22:23 +0000

Luther Hughes & the Cannonball-Coltrane project

Luther Hughes and the Cannonball-Coltrane project: “A gathering of top-flight musicians. A novel idea and a worthy tribute,” wrote Orange County Register jazz music columnist Steve Eddy. The Project encompasses original compositions written by band members that were inspired by the music of Cannonball and Coltrane–individually or collectively–as well as new arrangements of some classic jazz standards as they might have been played had Coltrane and Cannonball continued their collaboration. “You have established a new criteria and standard for jazz presentation with definition and clarity that is remarkable,” said Howard Rumsey, legendary jazz impresario and bassist.

Mary Palchak, flute & Isamu Nakashio, guitar, November 4, 2007

office — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 19:30:09 +0000

November 4, 2007, 3:00 – 4:30 PM First Sundays Free
California Concert Artists, Mary Palchak, flute & Isamu Nakashio, guitar perform the music of Toru Takemitsu, Robert Beaser, Mauro Giuliani, Astor Piazzolla, and others.

Mary Palchak

Sponsored by The Laguna Beach Board of Realtors Charitable Assistance Fund.
Come early to enjoy the exhibit in the College Art Gallery, “Drawing & Painting Exhibition, Plein Air Paintings from The Irvine Museum.” Gallery opens at 2:00 p.m.
Laguna College of Art & Design, 2222 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach.

First Sundays, a free afternoon of music and art is supported by the Laguna College of Art & Design, lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach and contributions from the audience.

Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings

office — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 19:05:01 +0000

October 13, 8:00 pm¬†Reserved seats: Adults:$25 and $20; Students (21 & under): $10
¬†Location¬† Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach¬†”A cutting edge string quartet …wildly virtuosic.” ‚ÄîLOS ANGELES TIMES
“Darol Anger is to fiddle what Bela Fleck is to banjo ‚Äî a stylistic adventurer.¬†
With his group the Republic of Strings, he interprets everything from Ornette Coleman¬†
to Aretha Franklin to Swedish modern-folk.” ‚ÄîMINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
This concert is supported by the lodging establishments and the City of Laguna Beach
and Citizens Business Bank

Darol Anger & The Republic of Strings

office — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:06:34 +0000

Darol Anger & The Republic of Strings. Somewhere beyond or behind all musical borders lies a creative terrain where bluegrass, jazz, classical, pop, and various world musics mingle, played by musicians who care more for inspiration than they do for genre. If that place has a name, it’s surely the Republic of Strings, for no one knows its contours better than veterans Darol Anger, Scott Nygaard, and a wave of young brilliant string players. They have created the visionary musical landscape of Generation Nation, the group’s second album for Compass Records.
Drawing from an array of sources that includes Ornette Coleman, Scandinavian string bands, Aretha Franklin and the quartet’s own members, the Republic of Strings documents a unique intergenerational exchange. Compelling musical textures, elegant solos and vocals all emanate from a startlingly diverse group of guests. “There’s a lot of respect and love going on among the players,” says Anger, “and I think it comes out in the music.” One listen proves that he’s exactly right.