George Lopez has been chosen to host the 35th annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl.
The festival will be June 15 and 16. It was founded by Hugh Hefner and was first held in Chicago in 1959. The second festival did not occur until 1979 and was moved to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The event has been held there ever since. Prior to Lopez, Bill Cosby has been the emcee of most of the festivals since 1979. The musical event is broadcast live by the Southern California jazz public radio station KKJZ.
"I've had a lot of things to be proud of in my life. But nothing more, quite frankly, than the Jazz Festival," Hefner said.
The complete Playboy Jazz Festival lineup:
Saturday, June 15: 3 to 11 p.m.
George Duke with special guest Jeffrey Osborne
Naturally 7 with special guest Herbie Hancock
Angelique Kidjo with special guest Hugh Masekela
"Olé Coltrane" featuring Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Jazz Band with special guest James Carter
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band with special guest Lee Ritenour
Gregory Porter
Robert Glasper Experiment
Grace Kelly Quintet with special guest Phil Woods
Pedrito Martinez Group featuring Ariacne Trujillo
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jason Goldman
Sunday, June 16: 3 to 1:30 p.m.
Sheila E.
Bob James
David Sanborn featuring Steve Gadd and James Genus
India.Arie
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Celebrates Quincy Jones' 80th Birthday with special guests Patti Austin, and Hubert Laws
Taj Mahal and the Real Thing Tuba Band
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Brubeck Brothers Quartet — a Dave Brubeck Tribute
ELEW and the JazzAntiqua Dance Ensemble, Pat Taylor, Artistic Director
The LAUSD Beyond the Bell Jazz Band under the direction of Tony White and J.B. Dyas
Watch Sarah Vaughan perform "Send in the Clowns" at the 1982 Playboy Jazz Festival:
