Jazz great Sonny Rollins is gearing up for an ambitious touring season which will take him from the West Coast (April 3 at UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall and April 5 at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Southern California)then East for appearances at Kennedy Center, April 18, and Morristown, N.J., April 26. In May he will play in Japan, Korea and Singapore. After resting in June, his sextet will travel to France and Italy in July, returning in August to play three U.S. Festivals. Cat …

Bobby McFerrin, master of all music, a man whose career embraces, jazz, pop and classical, has one busy schedule coming up in 2008. This world famous vocal innovator and improviser, who added classical to his repertoire in the nineties, begins the year in Southern California with a concert at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Jan 10-12, with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, conducting Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, "Italian," and vocally taking part in Vivald …

A new record was set for the 50th Monterey Jazz Festival with 45,000 tickets sold for the three days all this in spite of rain which came midway Friday evening. The brief showers didn’t dampen spirits here. Those wanting shelter came into one the several inside venues, including the large Jazz Theater where the concert was televised, joining those who didn't have tickets for the outside Jimmy Lyons Stage. On the stellar program were stars who participated in the first-ever festival in 1958

What could be groovier, sitting back, sailing on the sparkling blue Balboa Bay in Newport, listening to jazz from some of the world’s best players. Making it even better feasting on delicious food from sumptuous buffet tables nearby. Well, that’s the scene during the Sunday Jazz Brunch, a highlight of each Labor Day Weekend West Coast Jazz Party, now in its 13th year at the Irvine Marriott Hotel in Orange County, CA. The cruise is on board the Hornblower Entertainer, which sailed this year fr

Great jazz was seen and heard this last President’s Weekend at the 7th annual Newport Beach Jazz Party before sell-out crowds. As well, since these four-day events began, the music seemed better than ever this year. Thursday night through Sunday night, there were performances virtually every hour of the day breakfast jazz brunches, afternoon Pool Stage sessions and, of course, evening concerts in the Grand Pacific Ballroom And, if that were not enough for afficionados to get their fill, every