Newport Beach Jazz Series Opens with Sizzle

What a perfect setting for an evening of jazz under the stars! The sun’s setting over Newport Harbor. The palm trees are rustling in the soft summer breeze. The lush tropical grounds of the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach surround you. Friends are meeting for a pre-concert drink and couples are enjoying romantic dinners on the patio. The mood is mellow and relaxed…

The 2010 Newport Beach Jazz Series kicked off on June 25th for a 15-week run. The setting might be mellow but, if Friday night’s concert is any indication, there’ll be plenty of sizzle onstage. The series will have a more eclectic vibe this year—a little R&B, some contemporary jazz, new ethnic sounds and a couple of big bands—while still maintaining a strong smooth jazz line-up. Concert producer Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald (well-known to Coachella Valley jazz fans and radio listeners), is behind the changes. Friday night’s kick-off concert was a great example of the new flavor.

Max Weinberg, long-time drummer for Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band and bandleader for Late Night with Conan O’Brien, was on hand with his new 14-piece big band that will be touring the country this year. It’s fun to see an artist exploring different territory with a very talented group of musicians. The result was an evening of high energy, driving, big band jazz with a program that included lots of Count Basie, some Buddy Rich, a little Mancini and an achingly beautiful sax solo on Sinatra’s ballad “Only The Lonely.” Weinberg is a self-described rock drummer who has worked with some of the industry’s best. But he commented that “when you’re pushing 12 horns, it’s a whole different thing!” You could tell he was having a blast--and so was the audience. The venue has great sound and good sight lines and is intimate enough to enjoy the musicians and their artistry at close range. The audience was an appreciative one, enthusiastically recognizing individual musicians as they took stellar solo turns throughout the evening. It’s a great way to spend a beautiful summer evening in the OC!

Jazz Series concerts take place every Friday until October 1^st, with a special concert planned for July 4^th. Information about upcoming concerts and tickets is available at: www.SummerJazzSeries.com.

The Hyatt Regency Newport Beach (www.newportbeach.hyatt.com) is located at 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach. It offers a number of places you can get a pre or post-concert drink or dinner, from the Lobby Bar to the informal Sandbar Lounge, to Sol Restaurant that offers a full dinner menu and special Festival buffet. (Drinks are also available inside the concert venue itself.) The hotel is well-located to take advantage of all that Newport Beach (www.visitnewportbeach.com) has to offer and room packages are available if you plan to make a romantic weekend of it. (You can even invest in a “skybox”—rooms with balconies overlooking the concert venue—where you can stage your own dinner with friends or just the two of you.) For more information, visit www.newportbeach.hyatt.com or call (949) 729-1234. Beware of the $19 event self-parking. If you can snag a free spot on adjacent Back Bay Drive, you’ll have more to spend on making the rest of the evening sizzle!