LONG BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL

Southern California’s premiere music festival presenting the best in Jazz and Rhythm & Blues for the 21st year. The Long Beach Jazz Festival takes place the weekend of August 8, 9, and 10, 2008. Once again, the festival venue is the breath-taking seaside setting of Rainbow Lagoon Park on Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, California, where for two decades now thousands of faithful music fans have made the Long Beach Jazz Festival an annual family affair.

The smoothly soulful and classily jazzy singer KEM kicks off the 3-day festival Friday night, previewing material from his highly anticipated third project, Album III (his first in three years). Additionally, a special appearance by chef G. Garvin, the entertaining host of TV One’s popular cooking show, “Turn Up the Heat,” will share techniques and recipes from his new book "Dine in with G. Garvin" (slated for release the first week of October).

2008’s lineup also includes singer/composer Michael Franks - the master of poetically sensual and witty lyrics - tenor saxophone superstar Kirk Whalum and conga drum master Poncho Sanchez, a torchbearer of jazz and funk with tropical Latin flair. An amazing assemblage of soul-jazz legends will perform under the umbrella title “The Superstars of Jazz Fusion” starring vibraphonist Roy Ayers, keyboard wizard Lonnie Liston Smith, trumpeter Tom Browne, founding Jazz Crusaders trombonist Wayne Henderson and singer extraordinaire Miki Howard.

Female musicians are thoroughly represented by the piano artistry of frequent LBJF participant Keiko Matsui, the versatile spice of saxophonist/singer Mindi Abair, and the sweet, fleet-fingered guitar style of Joyce Cooling.

Old school soul music lovers will swoon for the sounds of West Coast vocal legends The Whispers and the Grammy Award-winning Commodores, while neo soul fans can check out the rousing and righteous sounds of acclaimed singer/songwriter Chrisette Michele, funk-soul-jazz party starter’s Down to the Bone, and modern soul-jazz stars Nick Colionne on guitar and Euge Groove on sax.

Tickets are available through Rainbow Promotions, LLC at (562) 424-0013, or online at Ticketmaster.com. VIP tickets are $150 per seat for Friday and $175 per seat /per day on Saturday and Sunday—includes dinner, wine service and access to mingle with jazz artists. Reserved box seat tickets are $60 per seat on Friday and $75 per seat/per day on Saturday and Sunday. General admission/lawn seating is $45 (prior to July 30) and $50 at the gate. For the Friday show, gates open at 5PM, with a show time of 7PM until 11:30PM. For the Saturday and Sunday shows, gates open at 11:00AM with show times of 12 NOON until 10:30PM.

For more information click to www.longbeachjazzfestival.com