Long Beach Jazz Festival celebrates 25 years of Jazz and Beyond

Jazz, R&B and Neo-Soul Featured Performances at the 3-Day Anniversary Extravaganza

Long Beach, CA (BlackNews.com) — Some of the world’s most celebrated international Jazz and R&B artists will perform at the 25th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival, August 10-12, 2012. The star-studded line-up includes: The Dream Tour featuring David Sanborn and Brian Culbertson, Jonathan Butler, Poncho Sanchez, Dianne Reeves, Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers, Keith Sweat, Chrisette Michele and more. The 3-Day anniversary extravaganza will take place at the Rainbow Lagoon Park in Long Beach, California.

This year’s milestone event is presented by US Bank, celebrating the theme “Jazz and Beyond!” and features performances by iconic Jazz artists and chart-topping R&B and Neo-Soul singers. The event includes VIP seating in a cool outdoor setting with an array of cuisine options, art and much more. The festival has also added a second stage in the pavilion for their anniversary celebration. This year’s headliners include Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers, The Dream Tour featuring David Sanborn and Brian Culbertson, and Soul of Summer featuring, Jonathan Butler, Warren Hill & Maysa.

Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers will headline this year’s opening night festivities setting the bar high for the rest of the 25th Anniversary performances. For over half a decade, The Isley Brothers have continued to enjoy one of the longest, most influential and diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music. Grammy Award winning Latin Jazz bandleader Poncho Sanchez, known beyond his vocal and conga skills, will grace the stage Saturday with his renowned band. Soul of Summer featuring, Smooth Jazz greats Jonathan Butler, Warren Hill & Maysa will close out the festival Saturday night. The Dream Tour featuring legendary saxophonist David Sanborn and Contemporary Jazz favorite multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson will round out the final night of the 25th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival.

Poncho Sanchez performed at the inaugural Long Beach Jazz Festival in 1987 and said, “I am looking forward to performing once again and to be part of The 25th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival: Jazz and Beyond with my band Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band… The Long Beach Jazz Festival is one of my favorite all time festivals.”

For more than a quarter century, the Long Beach Jazz Festival has been attended by more than hundreds of thousands of music lovers from all around the word and is one of the longest running Jazz festivals in the western United States. “In 1978 while sitting with some friends at my club (Jazz Safari), we started talking about putting together a show that would feature several Jazz artists like the one in Rhode Island. That idea birthed the first Southern California Jazz fest. The name at that time was the Queen Mary Jazz Festival; It was done on the Queen Mary. We produced it for several years before losing our lease to Wrather Corp. At that time we moved to Rainbow Lagoon Park. I never envisioned the success lasting this long. It seems as if the festival is entering its fiftht year not the 25th year. This year promises to be a great one, with some surprise guests as well as this great line-up,” says Jazz musician and Long Beach Jazz Festival Founder Al Williams.
Festival Schedule:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 (Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and show begins at 7:00 p.m.)
The Blackbyrds
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
Eric Darius

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012 (Gates open at 11:00 a.m. and the show begins at 12:00 p.m.)
Soul of Summer featuring, Jonathan Butler, Warren Hill & Maysa
Poncho Sanchez
Kirk Whalum
Diane Reeves
Leela James
Shilts

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12, 2012 (Gates open at 11:00 a.m. and the show begins at 12:00 p.m.)
The Dream Tour featuring David Sanborn and Brian Culbertson
Keith Sweat
Larry Graham & Graham Central Station
Rick Braun & Richard Elliot
Chrisette Michele
Al Williams & Friends
Jazz Search Winner
US Bank presents the 25th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival and sponsors include: Budweiser, Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, Long Beach Press Telegram, Long Beach Hilton, 94.7 The Wave, KJAZZ 88.1, and KJLH 102.3. The Long Beach Jazz Festival is produced by Rainbow Promotions, LLC, for ticket and event details visit www.longbeachjazzfestival.com.

Photo Caption: Ron Isley & The Isley Brothers