1997 Ad

Latin Beat Magazine, August, 1997 by Rudy Mangual

Los Angeles' favorite annual jazz party, The Playboy Jazz Festival, celebrated its 19th season at the Hollywood Bowl on June 14 and 15. Considered to be one of the top jazz festivals on the planet, this year's presentation included the sounds of trumpeter Nicholas Payton and his Quintet, the Roy Haynes Quartet, tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, Bruce Hornsby, John Lee Hooker and his Coast to Coast Blues Band, the Joe Henderson Big Band, Los Van Van from Cuba, singer Chaka Khan, and Grover Washington, Jr. That was the Saturday lineup and despite the sold-out crowd, there were only a few highlights primarily belonging to John Lee Hooker's performance, Los Van Van's hell raising energy, and Grover Washington, Jr.

Los Van Van were the crowd-pleasers of the day, igniting the audience to conga lines and dancing in the aisles. No surprise there. They performed tried and true hits and some newer material. The sound was terrible for everyone, no surprise there either since this has been the case for quite some years now.

Sunday's performance began with pianist Mike Holober's Quintet playing bebop to the Bowl's early birds. The Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Ambassadors followed as the seats began filling. Then came The Meeting, featuring tenor-saxophonist Ernie Watts, keyboardist Patrice Rushen and drummer Ndugu Chancler.

Roy Hargrove's Crisol played some of the day's best jazz, thanks to the participation of his all-star cast: trombonist Frank Lacy, tenor-saxophonist David Sánchez, altoist Sherman Irby, both Russell Malone and Ed Cherry on guitars, and a monster rhythm section led by Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés. Flashbacks of a young Dizzy Gillespie immediately came to mind as Hargrove and Crisol cooked some of the tastiest Latin jazz heard anywhere.

The Count Basie Orchestra performed under the direction of Grover Mitchell and pleased the big band fans throughout their performance.

The Cos of Good Music III sextet took the stage armed with Keb Mo on guitar, cornetist Nat Adderley, Billy Drummond on drums, saxophonist David Sánchez, Reggie Workman on bass, and Cedar Walton on the piano, under the musical direction of the festival's Master of Ceremonies, Bill Cosby, for the third time in the history of this event. The set had its intriguing moments such as guest performances by jazz bagpipe player Rufus Harley (who stole the show) and conguero Poncho Sánchez.

The Count Basie Orchestra returned to the stage, this time backing the great master percussionist Tito Puente. With a little help from two of his drumming buddies and the vocals of songstress India, he shook up the crowd, performing selections from his CD Jazzin' which Tito Puente recorded with the Basie Orchestra. The climax was the closing Oye como va, which rocked the Hollywood Bowl and ignited a huge dance party.

Saxman Najee followed with his brand of contemporary jazz, putting on a somewhat colorful show and delighting the audience.

Diva Etta James kept Puente's momentum going with her amazing vocals and divine presence. Her set included songs like I Feel Like Breaking Up Someone's Home, Damn Your Eyes, and Love and Happiness, as well as creative scatting and improv choruses.

The festival closed with George Benson performing some of his numerous hits. Not playing enough of his guitar for my liking, he put together a strong performance with high-points on tunes like Breezin, Give Me The Night, On Broadway, and This Masquerade.

Backstage "charla" with the artists

Vocalist India

Rudy Mangual: I loved your interpretation of Fever with Tito Puente.

India: Yes, Fever is one of my favorite tunes from the Jazzin' repertoire.

RM: So what's happening with India besides your involvement with Tito Puente and the Count Basie Orchestra?

India: With my own band I am doing many different things. Our stage show includes Salsa, a bit of Latin jazz and some dance music. People like it because they get to see a different side of me and I enjoy it immensely. The band gets tighter by the day and we are sounding great. I have to thank my musical director Luisito Quintero from Venezuela, for his wonderful work in the rhythm section of the band and his overall talents. This young man has also helped me spiritually and professionally.

RM.: Of all the musical styles that you cultivate, which is your favorite?

India: Salsa is the rhythm that is in my blood. It's a blessing which all Puerto Ricans possess.

RM: Is India happy as a woman as well as an artist?

India: As a woman yes, and I'm striving every day to try to get to the next level in terms of my career and as a person. I used to be concerned about certain things before, about my weight, for instance, but I have come to realize that my heart is of bigger concern as well as my audience, my friends, my people.

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove

RM: Excellent performance with Crisol. How did you come about to form the band?

Roy Hargrove: About a year ago, Chucho Valdés invited me and my band to a jazz festival in Havana, Cuba.

RM: How was that festival?

RH: It was happening, I performed with my quintet and then with Irakere and Los Van Van.