*It’s official. The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival has found its groove! On the Father’s Day weekend of June 15-16, this 2024 edition found curators Kamasi Washington, Herbie Hancock, and the producers tapping into a perfectly paced lineup of talent that makes for an exquisite weekend playdate for friends, family, and lovers. The 80+ degree temperatures and cool breezes set the mood for afternoon into evening bliss. Most of the acts – Jazz or not – incorporated authentic Jazz into their sets, showing the festival the respect that it so richly deserves.
Kicking things off in high gear on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 sharp and with no introduction required were the USC Cardinal Divas & Drum Corp, firing up the crowd with fire and fierceness.
Festival host Arsenio Hall, now in his third year, has also found his rhythm, bringing enthusiasm to his band introductions, jokey jokes (his first of the day was advice about rationing your “edibles”), and gamely wrestling with the notecard scripts he was handed to read – often with verbiage he claimed they THOUGHT he couldn’t pronounce (hey, it’s a new day when “Sandy” isn’t there to edit dialogue and kick your clips).
The L.A. County High School For The Arts Jazz Ensemble was highly impressive. 13 singers showed off their deep harmony skills with luscious takes on “There Will Never Be Another You” (a cappella w vocal bass and percussion) and the sensual bosa nova chestnut “No More Blues (in English, Portuguese and scat sections). This was followed by instrumentals penned by members of the trumpet/guitar-led quintet. Always a groove to know that pure Jazz remains in good hands.
The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA Ensemble – a sextet of men and women of trumpet, alto sax, tenor sax, piano, bass, and drums also boldly featured band compositions. The opener sounded like a keen variation on Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay.” Fine accompaniment, interplay, and soloing abounded.
Next, singer-songwriter Alex Isley, daughter of guitarist-songwriter Ernie Isley of the legendary Isley Brothers, offered a soothing set of mellow material to great audience appreciation – her voice like the butter of butterfly… Her angelic tones floated effortless and heavenly over the chattering switch-hitting drums of her brother Jonathan Isley, plaintive sax solos and keyboard body massages. Highlights included “Still Wonder” (recorded with Robert Glasper), a mesmerizing modern take on Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight” (oh, yes, she did), “Mine” (recorded with Jack Dine), and “Show Me” (recorded with Terrace Martin on a full album of collaborations titled I Left My Heart in Ladera). Los Angeles resident Alexandra Isley was once a member of both ensembles that preceded her on stage this day (LACSUM and UCLA). She releases her music independently. It can be found on her website lovealexisley.com.
The most legendary Jazz man and senior at age 83 this year was the soul-stirring saxophonist Charles Lloyd, accompanied by the fine trio of Jason Moran on piano, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Brian Blade – emphasizing brand new material from their 2024 Blue Note Records release, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow. With his most previous California appearance being at the Monterey Jazz Festival last September, Lloyd made beautiful use of space in his playing, swinging and floating simultaneously.
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Saturday afternoons into evenings at the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival (as well as the previous Playboy Jazz Festival) are taken over by groovers from around the globe. This year, Ethiopian Jazz vibraphonist Mulatu Astatke chilled the space with ‘a whole vibe’ of moody flute-kissed waves for the ears.
He was followed by the ‘let’s get this party started not just right but most right’ of Afro-Cuban funkateer Cimafunk debuting a new single collaboration from previous Bowl Jazz sensation Big Freedia titled “Pretty,” denoted as a bridge between Havana and New Orleans…so you know that’s a happening.
Former Jazz Chairman for the L.A. Philharmonic, multi-Grammy winning bassist-band leader Christian McBride, brought his thrilling new band (he has many), Ursa Major, a quintet of writing/playing young lions and lionesses with which to be seriously contended. They are saxophonist Nicole Glover, guitarist Ely Perlman, pianist Mike King, and drummer Savannah Harris. Highlights of their searing real jazz set included a hip arrangement of “La Fiesta” by Chick Corea (in whose band McBride was honored to be a part of shortly before the prolific Jazz man’s sudden passing), “More Ears,” a tune composed by explosive drummer Harris featuring electrifying guitar by Perlman, and an intricate closer of James Brown Jazz Fusion that could only be the work of McBride entitled “Brouhaha!” McBride played acoustic and electric bass…and kicked much boo-tay on both.
I cannot say enough about how amazing singer-songwriter Andra Day performed in the prime-time evening slot. The Grammy and Golden Globe-winning multi-talent was adorned in an earthy and lovely ensemble with real flowers and her was exquisitely braided exuding a God-fearing Garden of Eden glamour that was to LIVE for. Opening with selections from her brand new 8-years-in-the-making sophomore album, CASSANDRA (Cherith), she teased with songs from opposite perspectives on love and relationships – pain to joy. A detour into Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady” wisely gave the crowd something familiar to bond with before she generously turned the stage over to her Musical Director, Charles Jones, who took the place to CHURCH with the spirited solo showcase “Where Would I Be Without You” (Andra gladly and humbly joined the background vocalists on this one). Next was a one-two core punch of emotionally profound pre-Juneteenth Black Jazz classics composed by women. First was the painful lynching reflection “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday who Day so masterfully portrayed in her award-winning turn “The United States Vs. Billie Holiday” to which she brought a hauntingly lived-in connection. She followed with a completely modern reworking of Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddamn” on which she rattled the arches of The Bowl with mighty head-upturned-to-the-sky cries and hollers. This also featured a fiery guitar solo and a detour into yet another gem from Erykah Badu (their voices so favor), “On and On.” One more powerful new number “Chasing” (about closure and on which she and her support singers sat at the foot of the stage to croon), led to her finale “Rise Up” which has become a deeply empowering anthem for many – personally and communally – tagged with the praise and worship of “God’s Been So Good To Me.” Without a doubt, Andra Day’s set will stand as among the festival’s finest hours from over the years.
Saturday was closed out with a reunion of the `90s Hip Hop-R&B quartet Jodeci consisting of two sets of brothers: K-Ci & JoJo Hailey and DeVante & Dalvin DeGroat. A bombastic overture led into the members making an entrance from stage right doing “Come and Talk to Me” and “Stay.” It was clear that support vocals on tape were being utilized and what could be heard of the live vocals was average at best. All this mattered little to female fans who squealed their lyrics for them. Soul wailer K-Ci clearly carried the show, warming up fast for the hits string of “Love U 4 Life” and “Forever My Lady,” followed by K-Ci walking through the crowd singing Bobby Womack’s `80s Soul gem “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” (which K-Ci re-recorded solo for the 1994 soundtrack to “Jason’s Lyric”) then “Cry For You.” With little to no ‘choreography,’ there wasn’t much for the others to do but pace the stage – Dalvin spreading good cheer and producer DeVante half-conducting the Funk Mafia Band (which did not need his direction – they were killin’). JoJo finally came to life on the sexy “Feenin’” which led into crowd-favorite “Freek `n You.” By the time Jodeci closed with “Get On Up” (amped by some hype guitar), DeVante had departed the stage completely. In spite of all, the curious that came specifically to see them seemed satisfied…and the day came to an upbeat close.
*******
Sunday at the 2024 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival as always began with stellar and promising groups of youth beginning with the LAUSD Beyond The Bell All-City Jazz Band (a collective of outstanding players from different area schools) followed by an encore performance from Saturday’s The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA.
Next, we got some female low-end theory from singer/bassist Aneesa Strings who delivered a scintillating cascade of soul-jazz fusion that was sometimes spiritual while other times sensual. She sang while playing either upright acoustic or electric bass and was a big hit with the early birds – especially the females.
Drummer Brian Blade was also a returnee from Saturday when he played with the great Charles Lloyd. On Sunday, he led his group The Fellowship Band from behind his drum kit, conjuring an outer space meets the South atmospheric afternoon soundtrack of vibration. The band was renowned producer Daniel Lanois on guitar and pedal steel guitar, Jon Cowherd on keys, Melvin Buter on tenor and soprano saxes, Myron Walden on alto sax and bass clarinet, and Roland Guerin on bass.
North Carolina-raised neo-soul singer-songwriter Baby Rose (Jasmine Rose Wilson) gave fans a mellow set of southern soul-styled R&B. One decade into her career now, she is known to a growing fan base for touring with Ari Lennox and her song “Lowkey Happy” being featured in the edgy cable tv series “Insecure.” While not as immediately distinctive as the ladies of Saturday’s jazz festival, she possesses a strong presence on stage and a powerful set of pipes.
The Soul Rebels brought some Nawlins by way of Nigeria groove to the Bowl with inventive, layered, and overlapping beats wedded to some next-level horn arrangements. They were joined by Seun Kuti, son of the legendary Fela Kuti (part of the day’s loose Father’s day theme). The ensemble fully delighted the audience with upbeat covers of well-known songs ranging from Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved” to Ronnie Laws’ “Always There” and The Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark” paired with west coast rapper Ice Cube’s “Today Was a Good Day” (which sampled “Footsteps…”) The latter included the tuba player recreating the late Marvin Isley’s bass part and sounding just like an electric bass. Uncanny.
Keyboardist Cory Henry spun around next and walloped all the funkateers in the house immediately with a rousing rock through Funkadelic’s early years throwdown “Good To Your Ear Hole” then went straight into Prince and The Revolution’s “America” to resounding response. Later, the group shared a beautiful moment with two generations of beautiful Black Girl dancers/gymnasts for “Get Lifted.” They closed with the foot-stomper “Wish I Never Met Her (Walk On By)” – featuring some serious guitar solo fire!
Next up was the ubiquitous and inescapable Robert Glasper. The multi-Grammy-winning keyboard wizard/producer/collaboration king opened by singing a couple of songs himself highlighted by “I’m a Reasonable Man.” This led to him showcasing singer-songwriter Yebba for several numbers including her old west soundtrack-sounding hit “Boomerang” (including a mental debate about whether to shoot a cheating lover in the stomach or the head) and a very slick cover of Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be.” However, all of this was softened considerably by the sweet moment when Glasper’s daughter Lola ran on stage to sit on Daddy’s lap while he played. Touchingly, he was wearing a t-shirt with a cartoon of the two of them that read ‘Just a Dad and His Girl.’
Saxophonist/Band Leader/West Coast Get Down Movement Starter Kamasi Washington – the local hero co-responsible for putting together the entire festival, closed out the weekend with the opening song/prayer “Lesanu” (featuring singer Patrice Wynne) followed by a string of epic and inspiring works. The first was a way out cover of funk master Roger Troutman’s “Computer Love” featuring keyboardist Brandon Coleman, “Asha The First” featuring pianist Cameron Graves, and “The Road to Self” featuring bassist Miles Mosley. Bringing the Father’s Day theme to a soulful conclusion, Kamasi did two numbers: “Together” (inspired by the first melody his daughter created on the family piano) and a cover of the club hit “Get Lit” featuring Kamasi’s ‘Pops’ Rickey Washington.
As far as this writer is concerned, next year’s Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival can’t come soon enough.
A. Scott Galloway
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