LAUSD Band, James Brown Tribute Set For Playboy Jazz Festival
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Comedian and jazz aficionado Bill Cosby will once again perform emcee duties at the 33rd Annual Playboy Jazz Festival.
The line-up announced on the East Lawn of the Playboy Mansion will include The Roots with special guest Terence Blanchard, The LAUSD All City HS Big Band directed by Tony White and J.B. Dyas, and "Still Black, Still Proud": An African Tribute to James Brown Featuring Pee Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley, and Vusi Mahlasela.
Despite a couple of booking conflicts in the past, Cosby tells KFWB's Penny Griego and Phil Hulett that his lifelong passion for the all-American musical tradition is something that brings him back every year.
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Sponsored by Playboy Enterprises, the annual event featuring popular jazz artists both established and up-and-coming was founded by Hugh Hefner and first held at the Chicago Stadium in 1959.
After a 20-year hiatus, the festival made its return in 1979 after moving to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, where it has been held ever since.
For the complete line-up info, visit the official Playboy Jazz Festival website.
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