Live Music in Laguna Beach » Other Concerts

CLAYTON-HAMILTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2010

office — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:35:54 +0000

CHJO

Laguna Beach. September 25, 2011. Laguna Beach Live! is proud to present the award winning Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, September 25th at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre. Named Best Big Band in America, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (CHJO) is an awesome machine that has flourished over the course of twenty one years under inspired and dedicated leadership. CHJO, co-led by bassist John Clayton, his brother, reed player, Jeff Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton, served as the resident jazz orchestra for the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl for several years and receives critical and commercial praise generated by their rousing live concert and festival performances and award winning recordings.

In addition to performing and recording on their own, they are in demand by people, like Quincy Jones, Diana Krall, Dee Dee Bridgewater, John Pizzarelli, Ernestine Anderson, and Dr. John. In 2004, CHJO was chosen to honor Tommy Lipuma at the Tri C Jazz Festival and performed with George Benson, Al Jarreau, Diana Krall, the Brecker Brothers, Little Jimmy Scott and others. At the Kennedy Center later on that same tour, CHJO performed with Liza Minelli, Dianne Reeves, Nancy Wilson, and Regina Carter.

The concert will be in the intimate Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach. Tickets are $35 and $30; Seniors (60 & above) are $30 and $25; Students 21 & under, $15. Buy online (www.lagunabeachlive.org), by phone (800-595-4849.

KJAZZ

Thursday, April 15, 2010

office — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:04:39 +0000

Brazilian music, samba & more in Laguna Beach on April 15

Laguna Beach Live! presents Leo Nobre and Nobresil at LB Woman’s Club
When some people think of Brazilian music, they think only of samba and the colorful dance parades of Carnaval. But the musical traditions of Brazil are as rich and varied as the cultures of Brazil’s teeming cities. So when a young man learns to love and play music in Rio de Janeiro, his learns to love and play a great variety of music.

Leo Nobre, one of those eclectic Rio-bred musicians, brings his love of music and band Nobresil to the Laguna Beach Women’s Club on Thursday, April 15 at 6pm. Part of the Inside World Music series presented by Laguna Beach Live!, the evening begins with a demo by Nobre of Brazilian rhythms, accompanied by samba instructor to get the crowd up and moving before the band uncorks its irresistible magic.

“There are only two types of music — good and bad,” writes Brazilian bass player Leo Nobre. “I like the good stuff: Bach, Villa-Lobos, Hermeto, Egberto Gismonti, Johny Alf, Jobim, Jaco, Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Pixinguinha, Duke Ellington, John Cage, Stravinski, Rachmaninoff…” and the list goes on.

Since he arrived in the USA as a student of classical string bass and composition, Leo Nobre’s career has expanded to include working with some of the greats in jazz and tropical music, including Sergio Mendes with whom he toured for five years. His bass has taken him to many of the world’s major jazz festivals – Montreaux, Copenhagen and Playboy Jazz, among others. Now based in Southern California, he has assembled Nobresil, a quintet with drums, percussion, voice, and keyboards/guitar. Leo Nobre’s music can be sampled online at http://www.myspace.com/leobassnobre.

Infectious rhythms, pleasing melodies, memories of warm nights on tropical beaches – Brazilian music engages the senses! At Nobresil’s April 15 concert the senses will be teased further, with a tasting of South American wines (adults over 21 only for the wine tasting, of course, but all ages are welcome at the dance).

Tickets are on sale now, $30 in advance; $15 for students under 21. $35/adult and $20 for students at the door, Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach, 286 St. Ann’s St. Buy tickets online at www.lagunabeachlive.org or call Laguna Beach Live! at (949) 715-9713.

September 26, 2009 Bill Holman Big Band

office — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:54:00 +0000

Laguna Beach Live! Presents National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master

holman

Bill Holman, selected for the Nation’s highest honor in jazz, will be performing on Saturday, September 26, 8 pm, at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre, presented by Laguna Beach Live! Holman‘s unique and complex arrangements have long been appreciated by musicians and critics alike, including Louie Bellson, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Doc Severinsen, and others. He is being recognized with a NEA Fellowship, the highest honor that our government bestows upon jazz musicians, in January 2010.

Bill Holman is known as the creative spirit of big band Jazz on the West Coast. His seventeen-piece band brings the hot sounds of Big Band, originating in the Swing Era, to the forward-leaning edge of contemporary Big Bands. Although a fine tenor saxophonist, Holman is best known for his writing and To date, Holman has received 14 Grammy nominations and won three Grammy Awards for Best Instrumental Arrangement in 1987 and 1997 and Best instrumental Composition in 1995. Holman has been voted Best Arranger by Jazz Times Reader’s Pools and Arranger of the Year by Downbeat Magazine Critics numerous times.

This exciting concert is at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach. Tickets are $20-25 for adults and $10 for students, 21 and under and may be purchased online at www.lagunabeachlive.org or by phone at (800) 595-4TIX (4849). Funding from the lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach. Information number is 949-715-9713.

Bill Holman initially became well-known for his arrangements for Stan Kenton in the fifties, which helped advance the Kenton sound. He concentrated on studio work by the 1960s, but also wrote through the years for Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Gerry Mulligan, Count Basie, and Buddy Rich, among others. Holman wrote the charts for Natalie Cole’s best-selling Unforgettable album in 1991, and has conducted master classes at the major Schools of Music and Universities. In 2000, The Bill Holman Collection of scores and memorabilia was established at the Smithsonian and he has been given a number of honors, including the Golden Score Award in 2008 and an Honorary Doctorate from Elmhurst College in 2009.

Laguna Beach Music Festival, January 18-24, 2010

office — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:58:12 +0000

8th ANNUAL
LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL
January 18th -January 24th, 2010

Exploring the Art of Music in Film & Concert

Artistic Director – Paul Chihara, named Composer of The Year by the Classical Recording Foundation for 2008, is a prize winning and two- time Emmy nominated composer of concert works and scores for over 100 motion pictures and television series. His concert works have been performed in most major cities and arts centers in the U.S. and Europe.
Associate Director- Greg MacGillivray, a two-time Academy-award-nominated American IMAX film director and cinematorgrapher.
Featured Ensemble – Claremont Trio, First winners of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award and the only piano trio ever to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, they are widely regarded as the premier piano trio of their generation.
Artists- Maria Bachmann. Among Ms. Bachmann’s numerous competition victories are First Prizes at the Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna, the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York and the Pro Musicis Foundation Award. These distinctions were followed by acclaimed debuts with the St. Louis Symphony under Leonard Slatkin, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center with Robert Spano and with Marin Alsop conducting the Pacific Symphony in Los Angeles.
Claire Chase-Declared “indefatigable” by Time Out Chicago, flutist Claire Chase is First Prize Winner of the 2008 Concert Artists Guild Competition. A passionate performer, leader and innovator, she creatively links traditional, contemporary and experimental music with program choices that range from Bach and Brahms to Boulez, Saariaho, Zorn and beyond.
Donald Crockett, Composer -Donald Crockett was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2006, and has also received the Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a commission from the Barlow Endowment, an Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council, an Aaron Copland Award and the first Sylvia Goldstein Award from the Copland House, a Kennedy Center Friedheim Award, as well as many other grants and commissions.

This world-class Festival, established in 2003, brings music at its most exciting—up close and personal—to the charming seaside community of Laguna Beach. Dedicated to artistic excellence and innovation, the Festival presents traditional and contemporary classical music in an accessible and intimate style.
Enjoy Picturesque Laguna Beach: Located on the beautiful California Riviera in South Orange County, California, Laguna Beach is a picturesque seaside city with a village atmosphere. Known as The Art Colony, Laguna is home to a number of fine art galleries, a variety of stylish shops and great dining and accommodations that offer something for everyone.

Festival Headquarters at Hotel Laguna: the essence of early California, combined with the charm and elegance of Europe’s finest historical establishments.

Celebrate music: The week features a special Meet the Artists salon, several educational events open to the public, master classes for local students, and concludes with three inspired weekend concerts. Click here to visit the Music Festival website for more information.

September 13, 2009- Bluegrass & BBQ

office — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:48:30 +0000

Bearfoot

Enjoy a family afternoon of great music and delicious BBQ on the Magnolia Patio of Aliso Creek Inn, 31106 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, overlooking the first hole and Aliso Canyon. Concert is 5 to 7 pm and BBQ begins at 4 pm.

Tickets are $12/adult in advance and $15/at the door; children, 12 and under, are $7 advance and $10 at the door. BBQ is priced separately. Seating is general admission in theater style seating. A few tables are available and can be purchased for VIP tables of 4 for $110 and tables of 8 for $220. This includes a tax donation above the ticket price but does not include BBQ or drinks. To reserve, please leave a message at 949-715-9713.

Buy online by going to Home page or send a check and self-addressed envelope to PO Box 9336, Laguna Beach, Ca 92652

Bearfoot brings airy Northern ballads that are tempered by back-alley Southern blues, while jazz stomp meets Appalachian breakdown, and the whole fused with a signature sexy bluegrass passion. Boasting five distinctive lead voices, this young group from Anchorage Alaska showcases a remarkable breadth of rich, original songs and their arrangements soar with smoky, spacious lyricism.

Bluegrass music from Alaska. It may sound like a bit of a non sequitur but Bearfoot, a band from Anchorage, is proving that the two aren’t as unrelated as you might think. Comprised of Kate Hamre (acoustic bass), Mike Mickelson (guitar), Jason Norris (mandolin), Angela Oudean (fiddle), and newest member Odessa Jorgensen (vocals/fiddle), Bearfoot’s rise from über talented music camp counselors to an established national touring band has been nothing short of meteoric.

The original band name was “Bearfoot Bluegrass” but as the band evolved, they dropped “bluegrass” from the name. “We were never really a traditional bluegrass band because there was no one our age who played banjo in Alaska,” says Mickelson with a laugh. Bearfoot has adopted the Americana moniker to describe their music but haven’t left their bluegrass roots behind. “Even if it’s not a bluegrass song, it’s not too hard to see where it all came from,” Norris points out. “You can definitely tell that we play bluegrass by how we structure our phrasing, our instruments, and how our harmonies are set up.”

INSIDE WORLD MUSIC & Wine Tasting

office — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:46:06 +0000

adonis-puentes

INSIDE WORLD MUSIC & Wine Tasting

MAY 14, 2009, 6 TO 8 PM

Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach, 286 St. Ann’s (at Glennerye), Laguna Beach

Enjoy a concert by Cuban Sonero sensation Adonis Puentes and his Afro Cuban Band

Plus onstage interview and opportunity for audience interaction

Plus tastings of wine from Chile and Argentina presented by California Taste (5:30 start)

“Nobody does it better than Adonis Puentes.” Jim McElroy, JazzReview.com

Adults: $30 advance; $35 at the door
Students, under 21 w/ ID: $20 advance; $25 door
General Admission; Seating is limited

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band on October 11, 2008

office — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:22:41 +0000

bigphatband

The Big Phat Band, a two-time Grammy-nominated 18-piece jazz ensemble and one of the top big bands in jazz today, celebrates and personifies the best of the big band tradition with a very contemporary and original sound.

While using a similar instrumentation to the traditional big bands of the 1930s and 40s, the Big Phat Band has a highly modern-day sound, highlighted by driving rhythms and extreme virtuosity.

The Band is led by Gordon Goodwin who composes most, and arranges all of the group’s performance pieces, as well as playing piano and occasionally tenor saxophone, and who is a three-time Emmy Award winner, an eight-time Grammy nominee, and recent winner of a 48th annual Grammy award for Best Instrumental Arrangement.

Through the writing genius of Gordon Goodwin, SRO audiences have enjoyed one of the most craftsman-like hard swinging large jazz ensembles comprised of L.A.’s finest musicians. Gordon’s witty and insightful arrangements propel the listener on a journey through a myriad of styles: Latin, blues, swing, classical, hard-hitting jazz, and even an homage to Looney Tunes (!).

Concert is 8:00 pm in Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach.
Tickets are $25-30/adult and $10/student 21 & under.Buy Tickets Now

More…
• Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band made their Hollywood Bowl debut in June 2005 as headliners in the Playboy Jazz Festival.
• The Big Phat Band made its debut appearance on national TV on NBC’s “The Other Half,” hosted by Dick Clark.
• “Swingin’ For The Fences” secured a prestigious spot on Air Force One’s onboard entertainment system.
• The Big Phat Band has garnered excellent critical reviews and praise for its many appearances nationally and in the Los Angeles area.
• Members of the Big Phat Band have performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Madonna, Celine Dion, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Diana Krall, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles, Paul McCartney, Toni Braxton, Christina Aguilera, Diana Ross, Supertramp, Patti Austin, Brian Setzer, Paul Anka, and can be heard on many Motion Picture soundtracks including “The Incredibles,” “Coach Carter,” “Sideways,” “The Majestic,” “Analyze This,” “Remember The Titans,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” “Armageddon,” “Ace Ventura, Pet Detective,” “Enemy of the State” and many more.

Members of the Big Phat Band have distinguished themselves as recording artists and soloists in the jazz field, including Eric Marienthal, Wayne Bergeron (also a Grammy nominee), Andy Martin, Bob Summers, Luis Conte, Bernie Dresel, and Grant Geissman.