Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Jazzing it up in California


Jazz, a complex and colorful musical form born in the US South has a long history in cities like Chicago, New Orleans and New York City, but more events related to jazz have been popping up in Southern California. Popular celebrations include the newer Angel City Jazz Festival, as well as older festivals like the Long Beach Jazz Festival, which has been running for more than 25 years. Plan a trip to California with a bus, coach bus, party bus, mini bus, passenger coach or school bus charter from Bus Charter California and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the Golden State.
The Long Beach Jazz Festival takes place on a selected weekend in late summer and includes a grand view of a lagoon as its backdrop. On Saturday and Sunday, show times begin at noon and end around 10:30 p.m.. In 2012, artists that performed at the festival for the entertainment of California charter bus guests included Dianne Reeves, Poncho Sanchez, Smooth Jazz and David Sanborn, along with a host of other musicians. The festival includes VIP seating and food.
Although the Angel City Jazz Festival is relatively unknown to charter bus visitors, it has fast become one of Los Angeles' most popular and respected local jazz festivals; the "Los Angeles Times" called it the best jazz festival in Los Angeles. This lively event takes place every fall at Los Angeles' Ford Amphitheatre, and in the past has included an impressive lineup of artists, such as Archie Shepp Quartet, Steve Coleman, Bobby Bradford and the Mark Dresser Quintet. The event includes both established and renowned artists, as well as emerging musicians.
Central Avenue Jazz Festival takes place every summer on South Los Angeles' Central Avenue at 42nd Street. As the festival's homepage states, "Central Avenue was the birthplace of west coast jazz," and the festival honors this tradition. It is the only major jazz festival in Southern California that is free; the festival includes live music, food booths and craft stations where charter bus visitors can sample and purchase to their heart’s content.
Charter bus visitors should make it a point to attend the annual West Los Angeles Jazz Festival, which takes place at Hotel Wilshire, and has a noble cause: It supports the city's homeless and disabled veterans and is presented by Homeland Homeless Inc. In the past, this festival has included artists such as Howard Hewett, the Sai Whatt Band, Hiroshima and Pete Escovedo.
If you’re a music lover, with a taste for jazz, plan a visit to attend one of the jazz festival listed with a charter bus from Bus Charter California. Bus Charter California is able to help you organize your charter bus trip with a minimum of fuss and bother, letting you enjoy California on your charter bus trip.