The Playboy branding is gone but the “Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival” is rebranded, triumphantly returning with a new name after a two-year absence due to the pandemic. The stellar two-day celebration marked its 42nd year of revelry over June 25-26, driven by top artists in jazz and more and hosted by an admittedly baked Arsenio Hall, who jokingly called it “the best-integrated picnic on the planet!” The weekend was SoCal perfect, with two sunny, hot afternoons transitioning into perfectly breezy evenings, as the fest rolled without a break from 3:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. both nights.
And we mean rolled, as the Bowl has a massive revolving stage, moving one band on as the previous one played off, so the music jammed straight through the day to night. The huge crowd kept on partying all along, fueled by the Bowl’s liberal policy regarding picnic fixins’– which is bring in whatever you want, except weapons. Corkscrews don’t count! People came armed to the teeth with giant coolers and more, filled with all types of food and booze that, as is the fest’s tradition, they shared liberally with those in their boxes or bench seats.
There were costumes galore and lots of headgear, including flashing rabbit ears (a throwback to the Playboy days), tiaras and blinking headbands, and Mardi Gras beads and beachballs sailed into the crowd. And, of course, there was dancing in the aisles, especially during the sets of the bands that strayed far from the classical jazz form (think The Roots, Femi Kuti & the Positive Force and Tower of Power).
The lineup of artists crossed genres and blew up the definition of “jazz festival.” There were several memorable performances; these were our favorites:
Veronica Swift used her dynamic voice to get the audience up and moving with the help of her outstanding band. Her performance ranged from Broadway musical numbers to rearranged covers of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” and The Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” Her booming vocals and impressive range were evident on versions of Peggy Lee’s “Big Spender” and Queen’s “Keep Yourself Alive.” Her show-closing rendition of Barbara Streisand’s Funny Girl song “Don’t Rain on My Parade” was a tour de force that matched her wild, bright-red, fringe-and-fishnets getup.
Fantastic Negrito played a few blues-inspired rock songs from his recently released album “White Jesus Black Problems.” Xavier Dphrepaulezz (whose stage name is Fantastic Negrito) showed off his distinctive vocals, compelling stage presence, and guitar playing while performing songs about his fascinating family history. Lead guitarist Tomas Salcedo played several scorching solos and the interplay between his guitar, Negrito, and keyboardist Bryan C. Simmons was riveting. Wedged among the compelling originals “Chocolate Samurai” and “An Honest Man” was a tease of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Near the end of the set, the crowd really appreciated his line, “you gotta turn the bullshit into good shit” during his song called “Bullshit Anthem.”
Cory Wong continues to impress with his fusion of jazz, rock, and funk. His band blasted off from their first notes and got the sunbaked masses on their feet. It was a shame the bass drum was turned so high in the mix that it’s distorted thumping almost ruined the set. Otherwise, Wong’s clean tone and occasional prog-rock forays were brilliantly supported by an exceptional five-piece horn section. “St. Paul” and “Team Sports” cooked up some heat with creative guitar solos and tight horn arrangements.
Wong introduced frequent collaborator and smooth jazz legend Dave Koz, who he described as “my mentor and friend.” Koz blasted a complicated, yet melodic sax solo during “Gratitude,” a song they recorded and released in 2021. Once Koz left, the band belted out super-tight, up-tempo versions of Wong songs “Jax,” “Bluebird” and “Assassin” before being spun off the stage. Arsenio Hall called Dave Koz out from the wings and thanked him for the sit-in. He then quipped, “There’s nothing like a summer night at the Hollywood Bowl.”
Jazz and hip hop vocalist José James brought his talented band to do a tribute to Bill Withers. The surprisingly effective set stunned the audience as James channeled Withers’ vocal style so closely it was eerie. Big Yuki’s virtuoso piano and keyboard accompaniment during the greatest hits set were especially enjoyable.
James sang fabulous versions of “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Grandma’s Hands” and “Kissing My Love,” but the biggest singalong occurred during the chorus for “Lean on Me.” Kori Withers, a professional vocalist who follows in her father Bill’s footsteps, came out to sing a sultry version of “Use Me” and did a nice duet with James during “Lovely Day” to close the show.
The Roots closed the first day of the festival and their infectious beats kept the crowd invigorated after a draining day of blazing sunshine and various indulgences. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson threw down serious drumbeats while Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter dished hip-hop lyrics. Cap’n Kirk Douglas on guitar, Michael Buckley on saxophone, Dave Guy on trumpet, and Damon “Tuba Gooding Jr.” Bryson on sousaphone bounded across the stage all set long.
The band broke out old songs like “The Pros” and “Get Busy.” They also selected interesting covers including a mashup of “Looking at the Front Door” by hip-hop group Main Source and Donald Byrd’s “Think Twice.” Kool and the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie” really got the crowd moving. The set proved once again their mastery of multiple styles including funk, hip hop, modern jazz, and soul.
Femi Kuti & the Positive Force played fabulous, afrobeat rhythms. Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti, professionally known as Femi, sang passionately and played alto saxophone while leading his amazing band. Their super high-energy set included great arrangements by the three additional horn players and wild, synchronized dance steps by three gyrating, dancing backup singers in traditional Nigerian garb.
Kuti’s songs are political, heartfelt, and emotional. “Stop the Hate,” “Too Much on My Mind” and “Look Around” all delivered a positive message wrapped in compelling rhythms. Just like Femi played in his father Fela’s band, Made Kuti, Femi’s son, plays sax in Positive Force. Father and son did an outstanding saxophone duet during “Na Their Way Be That.” Made Kuti took over lead vocals and blew another fine solo before Femi came back for a fiery “Water No Get Enemy” that wrapped up the spirited set.
Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott) played trumpet, a version of an African harp that he calls “Chief Adjuah’s bow” and sang with his stellar band. They played lots of African rhythms, but Adjuah described the band’s style as “stretch music as they definitely stretched musical boundaries.
Adjuah introduced “West of the West” by saying this song “features no one in particular,” but he was being modest as his trumpet solo was breathtaking. The rhythm section of Weedie Braimah on djembe, Luques Curtis on bass, Mizan Willis on percussion, and Ele’ Howell on drums drove the funky afrobeat style splendidly during the set. Adjuah closed the show by dedicating “Last Chieftan” to his grandfather, New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. The song mixed African rhythms and Mardi Gras beats wonderfully.
Tower of Power closed the festival with their usual precision and a soulful flourish. The Oakland-based band has been doing their thing for 54 years and they are still going strong. Original members Emilio Castillo on saxophone and Stephen “Doc” Kupka on baritone saxophone form the backbone of the tightest horn section anywhere. Adolfo Acosta on trumpet, drummer Dave Garibaldi, keyboardist Roger Smith, lead tenor sax Tom Politzer, and guitarist Jerry Cortez have also been with the band for years.
They chose several of their signature songs, like “Soul with a Capital S,” and “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of the Stream)” to showcase their phenomenal horn virtuosity. Mike Jerel took over lead vocals in 2022 and his powerfully passionate voice was on display at the Bowl. He also added spot-on trumpet and electronic keyboard playing to the mix. Bandleader Emilio Castillo took over vocals for their usual, always spectacular medley tribute to James Brown. The show and festival concluded with the horn-centric “What Is Hip” and the slow ballad “Still a Young Man.”
It was an energizing conclusion to two outstanding days of music and fun in SoCal’s most breathtaking venue, for as Arsenio said, there’s nothing quite like a summer night at the Hollywood Bowl – except for two days and nights of Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl.
Mathew Imaging/Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
