Five Reasons Why You Should Attend the Long Beach Jazz Festival

Business and Lifestyle, Jazz N LA, Travel — By Buddy Sampson on August 3, 2019 at 10:57 pm

 

By Buddy Sampson

The heat of late summer is bearing down on Rainbow Lagoon Park in Long Beach with the music of jazz circulating around the harbor. There are delicious smells of the many types of cuisine at the Park and many concert goers are attracted by the scenery, the people, the food and most of all, the music at an annual event at Rainbow Lagoon Park. Yes, we’re talking about The Long Beach Jazz Festival, which is one of Southern California’s best hangs of the year. But why should you attend The Long Beach Jazz Festival? These are five reasons why:

1. The music, the music, the music.

The Long Beach Jazz Festival, which started in the 1980’s, has had some of the most iconic jazz and R&B musicians in music history on its stages, including Cab Calloway, Ramsey Lewis, Stanley Clarke, Freddie Hubbard, The Crusaders, Les McCann, Larry Graham, Jon Lucien, Angela Bofill and many, many more. This year’s line up features Eric Benet, Sax To The Max, featuring Michael Lington, Paul Taylor and Vincent Ingala, David P. Stevens, Norman Brown, with special guest Angie Stone, Jazz in Pink featuring Gail Jhonson and Mariea Antoinette, The Jazz Classics featuring Patrice Rushen, Terrence Blanchard, Arturo Sandoval and more. For this reason alone, you’ve got to be there. And, in addition to the music on the main stage, they have music on another stage, The Jazztyme Stage (featuring Paul Russo and Sulpacio Jones among others) when the main acts aren’t performing. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention the music is awesome.

 

2. The Health and Wellness Pavilion

This year’s Long Beach Jazz Festival focuses on Health and Wellness. Their theme this year, “A Healthy Taste of Jazz,” will bring “jazz, health and wellness together “to please the senses and nourish the mind, body and soul.” According to the website, www.longbeachjazzfestival.com, “everyone who attends the Festival will come away with tools for leading a healthier way of living. They’ll feel energized, focused, de-stressed, and will enjoy an overall sense of profound pleasure.” Hmm, profound pleasure. That may be a great reason for anyone to attend!

3. The Food.

The Long Beach Jazz Festival has a plethora of food vendors for every palate imaginable. While you’re going to check out the music on the second stage, or you need refreshments or alcohol, there’s plenty of choice at the Long Beach Jazz Festival. Prepare for an orgasmic food experience.

4. You can bring your own picnic basket.

For those of us on a budget, you can bring your own picnic basket and food. Although they do have some restrictions, for those of us that ain’t ballin,’ or you just want to save some cash, or you like the taste of your own food (I know I love mine), you can bring your own poison, although bringing alcohol is prohibited. Coolers up to 20 quarts. Visit http://longbeachjazzfestival.com/festival-policy/ for all the minutiae. Sounds good to me.

5. The History of the Long Beach Jazz Festival and the Venue

The Long Beach Jazz Festival has been a family owned venture for years. Spearheaded by drummer/Entrepreneur Al Williams, in the 1980’s, he has passed the torch to his daughter Kimberly, who has made the event bigger and better. And, by the way, The Rainbow Lagoon Park is one of the most beautiful venues in California. So why wait? Attend the Long Beach Jazz Festival. For more information, visit www.longbeachjazzfestival.com.