The 2023 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival

Conguero Poncho Sanchez, a west coast legend and mainstay of all things Latin Jazz and Salsa, had the audience in the palms of his hands with freshly recorded new music from an upcoming album featuring arrangements by Francisco Torre.

- Tishika Parker

Ever the gentleman, Sanchez even shouted out his soundman as a member of the band. Versions of Hancock's "Watermelon Man" and Cal Tjader's "Soul Sauce" almost had the ladies coming out of their tops!

The 42nd Annual Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival (formerly known as the Playboy Jazz Festival) Kicks off this year with Arsenio Hall returning for his 2nd year with his enthusiasm and bright smile as the host.

First act of the day as the annual tradition was the LA County High School for the Arts Jazz Ensemble, led by Michael Powers, Director, and joined by LACHSA Vocal Jazz Ensemble. They were followed by performances from Jungle Fire, Gerald Clayton Quintet and The Azar Lawrence Experience.

The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA. comprised of outstanding up-andcoming jazz musicians hand-picked by both Hancock and Herb Alpert. Early on, singer Darynn Dean dressed in red, granddaughter of drummer Donald Dean (worldfamous for his tenure with Les McCann) was featured on a warmly unique arrangement of Burt Bacharach & Hal David's "I Say a Little Prayer" (first made famous by Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin). This arrangement found the group breaking up the phrases in a hip fresh way leading into killin' drum and bass phrases. Other set standouts were "Blues for B.M." dedicated to pianist Brad Mehldau in 7/8 time with great vocal scat, trumpet, and soprano sax solos, and Dean's "Black Woman," dedicated to the obvious with love, respect, and soulful inspiration.