Lady Jazz in the Key of Grand set for Aug. 31 at the Ford

WHO: The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre and Instrumental Women, La Quetta M. Shamblee, Founder and Executive Director; Phyllis Battle, Artistic Director and Co-Music Director; and Carol Chaikin, Co-Musical Director, present The Ninth Annual Lady Jazz Concert, “LADY JAZZ IN THE KEY OF GRAND.”

WHAT: This year’s honoree, pianist Karen Hernandez, weaves Latin and Blues riffs throughout the evening’s jazz repertoire. A Hammond B-3 Organ provides the genre’s rich, Gospel undertones delivered by vocalist and keyboardist, La Carol Miles.

Featured jazz harpist and pianist, Corky Hale, takes the stage for this all-female annual showcase of master jazz musicians, which will also include bassist, Nedra Wheeler, saxophonist Carol Chaikin, drummer Maria Martinez, percussionist Estaire Godinez, trumpeter Anne King, trombonist Alisha Marie Ard and Members of the Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra.

Co-Hosts for the event are Jane Monreal of ABC7 and James Janisse, Los Angeles’s Gentleman of Jazz. Event Sponsors include: ABC7, KPFK-FM, Mountain View-Observer, Carnivo Liqueur, Armory Center for the Arts, L.A. Watts Times, UCLA in LA and THE Magazine.

The Song List will include: “Sister Sadie,” “Oh Happy Day,” “Life’s Too Short,” “Cherokee,” “Green Tomatoes,” “Riverside Drive,” “Over The Rainbow” and “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” among others. The event will be preceded by a limited Art Exhibit of select works created by Huichol Indian artists who live in the mountainous region of western, central Mexico. The exhibit, on the Ford Plaza, will open at 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Boulevard East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off of the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios. Grounds open two hours before show time for picnicking.

WHEN: Saturday, August 31, 2008 at 6:00 p.m.

HOW: Tickets are $35 and $25 each for General Admission. Children 12 and under are $12 each. To buy tickets call the Box Office at 323 GO 1-FORD (323-461-3673) or buy online at www.fordtheatres.org
Groups of 8 – 15 save 10% on the regular ticket price; Groups of 16 or more save 20%. For Group Sales please call 323-769-2147.

For further information about Instrumental Womenâ, please visit www.instrumentalwomen.com

The Ford Amphitheatre grounds open two hours before show time for picnicking. The Ford offers a number of dining options: a variety of food and beverages is available on site and box dinners for evening events may be ordered in advance. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food and drink.

The Ford is disabled accessible. Portable wireless listening devices are available upon request.

On-site stacked parking costs $5 per vehicle for evening shows and FREE non-stacked parking serviced by a FREE shuttle to the Ford, is available at the Universal City Metro Station lot at Lankershim Boulevard and Campo de Cahuenga. The shuttle, which cycles every 15-20 minutes, stops in the “kiss and ride” area.