Ford Amphitheatre (Hollywood, CA)
The grand piano takes center stage as honoree Karen Hernandez, often compared to Ramsey Lewis, performs with a jazz string ensemble and roster of master instrumentalists, including bassist Nedra Wheeler, in the 9th annual Lady Jazz, Southern California's premier all-woman jazz showcase.
Event summary prepared by the Goldstar Editorial Team.
All dates for this event have expired.
The last event was Sunday August 31, 2008 / 6:00pm. (view all dates)
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I had a delightful evening, The Hostess La Quintta that introduced the program was excellent, by including all of her family members who traveled so far to be there said a whole lot about the performers.
Karen Hernandez was awsome, and so were all the other artists. I hope they will continue having more of these Lady Jazz shows. The Ford Theatre is such a wonderful arena to be in sharing nature while listing to beautiful music. What made it more special the audience appreciated and participated in the music. Thanks again for a wondeful evening at The Ford Theatre.
With all respect to the performers I'm giving this show nearly a failing grade for the pathetic and degrading spectacle put on by the organizer at the start of this show. This pompous jackass of a woman spent nearly thirty minutes on the stage touting "her" own accomplishments and sad story of working so hard to "make this happen" and touting her urgent need for money. It is unbelievable and beyond comprehension that the organizer of an event speaking to a "full house" that paid good money to see the performance proceeds to chastise the audience for not coming up with more money to support the players. To the players, if there's going to be 10th show next year, please keep this idiot of the stage.
The best striaight ahead Jazz I've heard in a long time... by men or woman. The creative new music written and arranged by Kaaren Hernandez, Corky Hale and Maria Martinez was out of sight. Nedra Wheeler is the best woman bassest I have every heard. If there is a recording of this concert I'd love to get a copy. I would love to see this group of musicians perform again and again.
Thanks for a wonderful evening of old fashion, down right entertaining jazz.
This was a lovely concert. And it was not a short one! The band played for almost three very high energy hours. Where we were seated, in the third from last row, we still had a good view and the sound was nicely balanced. The crowd around us, at least, was ecstatic most of the time.
great show!!!
All the performers put their all into this....I have gone for 5 years now. There is not a bad seat in the house.
Nedra Wheeler pictured in the advertisment was amazing.
Her bass playing was the highlight of the evening.
The organizer's heart seems to be in the right place but she clearly needs someone else to run the business of this event. The MC's need to get off script.
The 1241-seat outdoor Ford Amphitheatre is set against a backdrop of cypresses and chaparral in the Hollywood Hills. It is relatively intimate: no patron is more than 96 feet away from the stage. Music, dance, film, theatre and family events are presented during the summer months. The Ford Amphitheatre Season is a program of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
This year’s Lady of Jazz honoree, pianist Karen Hernandez, weaves Latin and blues riffs throughout the evening’s jazz repertoire. A Hammond B-3 Organ provides the genre’s rich, gospel undertones, delivered by vocalist and keyboardist La Carol Miles.
Featured jazz harpist and pianist Corky Hale will also take the stage for this all-female annual showcase of master jazz musicians, which includes bassist Nedra Wheeler, saxophonist Carol Chaikin, drummer Maria Martinez, percussionist Estaire Godinez, trumpeter Anne King, trombonist Alisha Marie Ard and members of the Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra. The co-hosts for the event are Jane Monreal of ABC7 and James Janisse, Los Angeles’s "Gentleman of Jazz."
The song list will include “Sister Sadie,” “Oh Happy Day,” “Life’s Too Short,” “Cherokee,” “Green Tomatoes,” “Riverside Drive,” “Over the Rainbow” and “I Did Not Know What Time It Was,” among others.
The event will be preceded by a limited art exhibit of select works created by Huichol Indian artists who live in the mountainous region of western-central Mexico. The exhibit, on the Ford Plaza, will open at 4:00pm.
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