All that jazz returns to Newport
For the weekend of Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day, the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa will celebrate the love of jazz.
The 15th annual Newport Beach Jazz Party will take place Feb. 12 to 15. The four nights will feature a Saturday and Sunday brunch and a Valentine’s jazz dinner on Saturday.
Among the acts scheduled to perform are the Four Freshmen, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Alan Bergman and the Ken Peplowski Quartet. There will also be tributes to influential jazz artists Buddy Rich and Benny Goodman.
Also featured will be 14-year-old trumpeter Geoff Gallante, who, at the age of 6 had already garnered guest soloist engagements with the Louisville Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra and Philadelphia Brass Quintet.
Geoff, who has been playing the cornet, trumpet and fluegelhorn for 10 years, has appeared on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno”, NBC’s “Today Show” and the CBS “Early Show.”
The high school freshman said he looks forward to playing jazz in a beautiful town.
“It’s very good for a student in jazz to play with people who play jazz better than you do,” Geoff said. “I’m really blessed to have these opportunities.”
He’ll be joining the ranks of Grammy- and Oscar-winning composer Johnny Mandel, who is known for his songs “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “A Time for Love” and “Suicide Is Painless.” On Sunday, the fourth concert of the night will be “Salute to the Great Composers and Arrangers.” Mandel will conduct his big band alongside Sammy Nestico, who is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie Orchestra. Joining the two will be John Clayton, whose album “The L.A. Treasures Project” has been nominated for a Grammy.
Clayton said he will play pieces from his touring days with Basie.
“It’s to respect the gentlemen playing the set,” he said of Nestico and Mandel. “I so honor and respect those guys because they’ve influenced me in my teenage years.”
Music, he said, is subjective, so the audience will have different interpretations of his sounds.
“Music is a chance to share my expression with others,” he said. “I hope they can connect.”
For a schedule and ticket prices, call (949) 759-5003 or visit newportbeachjazzparty.com.