Review: 2024 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival

The 2024 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival ushers in outdoor concert season. For me, summer has truly arrived when it is time for the jazz festival at the Bowl. The festival is not strictly jazz anymore. However it offers a delightful mix of music and vibes under the stars. In 2022, the name of the event was changed from the Playboy Jazz Festival. The 2024 HB Jazz Festival two-day celebration is curated by Kamasi Washington and Herbie Hancock and is hosted by comedian Arsenio Hall.

Kamasi Washington
Kamasi Washington lighting up the stage at the Hollywood Bowl; Photo by Fara Sosa; Courtesy of Los Angeles Phil Association

2024 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival

The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival has always been the town’s summer party. Everyone attends excited to be there once again, listening to a mix of new and established jazz related acts. Plus, the relaxed picnic-style vibe makes it a wonderful opportunity to socialize and enjoy the outdoors with fellow music lovers. The Hollywood Bowl is truly a jewel of Los Angeles and my personal favorite live music venue.

I was unfortunately not able to attend Saturday’s show. It would have been great to see and hear the godfather of Ethiopian jazz Mulatu Astatke, and Cimafunk, Christian McBride, Charles Lloyd etc.

Sunday’s Jazz Festival Line-Up

I did however treat myself to a Father’s Day gift by attending Sunday’s show. The line-up featured Anessa Strings, Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band, Baby Rose, Cory Henry, The Soul Rebels with special guest Seun Kuti, Robert Glasper with Yebba and Kamasi Washington. Sunday’s musical highlights started off with Aneesa Strings, a social media star who also happens to be an incredible bass player and singer. She made her Hollywood Bowl debut and wowed the crowd with her high energy and remarkable musicianship.

Next up was peerless drummer Brian Blade and his Fellowship Band. Blade has drummed up magic with Joni Mitchell, Wayne Shorter, Bob Dylan, Chick Corea. It was a delight to see the esteemed four-time Grammy Award-winner lead his stellar six-piece band with unusually sensitive and impeccably crafted drumming. 

Seun Kuti is the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. He has spent most of his life preserving and extending his father’s political and musical legacy as the leader of his father’s former band Egypt 80. But, at Sunday’s show, saxophonist Kuti was a special guest of The Soul Rebels, the renowned New Orleans-based brass ensemble. The collaboration produced an electrifying blend of afrobeat, jazz, funk, and hip hop that brought the Bowl crowd to their feet! 

2024 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival
Robert Glasper wowed the audience at the Bowl; Photo by Keith Block

Genre-busting Robert Glasper was the ideal artist to follow. Glasper’s R&B, neo-soul, and jazz arrangements have earned him five Grammy Awards as a solo artist and also two as the Robert Glasper Experiment. He was joined by Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Yebba for a set of sophisticated funky grooves that included the majestic “Over” from Glasper’s latest Black Radio III. That ended to wild applause from the crowd. 

Kamasi Washington

The show concluded with Los Angeles homegrown jazz guru Kamasi Washington who just released his third album Fearless Movement. It is always a treat to see Kamasi and his band live. Tonight’s show was even more special, since they have a new album to promote. Washington’s band featured the usual suspects – members of West Coast Get Down along with guest Thundercat. The band dazzled with a set that included jazz, hard bop, funk as well as hip-hop. It cemented their status as one of the best live jazz bands playing today!

I am so excited that this is just the start to a summer of music at the Hollywood Bowl. In fact, the Bowl officially opens Saturday June 23rd with a 100th celebration for Henry Mancini. There is something for everyone this summer at the Bowl and I hope you get a chance to enjoy it! You can find the schedule here.

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