Today's Jazz Events

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Herbie Hancock's star-studded 70th birthday show highlights the week in L.A. jazz, which also features the Sweet & Hot Music Festival and club dates from Virgil Donati, Sony Holland, Les Hooper, Howard Alden and Shogun Warrior. Read more in this week's About & Out by Tom Meek.

"For me, more composing happens during editing than at the first sitting." Jazz fans who are not themselves musicians may give little thought to how new compositions and arrangements are created. In his latest post, pianist Louis Durra shares some details of his creative process, which he is continually refining.

The 15th Annual Sweet & Hot Music Festival takes place at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel over the Labor Day weekend, Friday, September 3rd through Monday, September 6th. Featuring the swing, blues, jazz and big band sounds of the 1920s through the 1950s, this year's festival includes over 200 musicians, 20 bands, 8 venues, 4 dance floors and 180 scheduled events. Headliners include Herb Jeffries, Ernestine Anderson, Jack Sheldon, The Mills Brothers, Yve Evans and many others. For more information, call (909) 983-0106 or click www.sweethot.org.

The 2nd Annual LA Vida Music Festival will be held at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on Sunday, September 5th, beginning at 7 pm. The festival combines an exciting blend of music influenced by diverse Latin cultures. Once again, LA Vida will be headlined by the Louie Cruz Beltran Latin Jazz Ensemble with this year's special guest star, Grammy® Award winning percussionist Poncho Sanchez. Also scheduled to appear is Real Tango, an featuring famed dancers Sandor & Parissa. The Grammy ® Award winning Mariachi Divas will open the show, and returning by popular demand in a special tribute to Brazilian Independence Day are the Robert Kyle Brazilian Quartet and the high energy percussion group Chalo Eduardo and the Brazilian Beat. Comedian Mike Marino will be Master of Ceremonies. Tickets are available online at www.FordTheaters.org or by calling The Ford Box Office at 323.461.3673. 

Over the past three decades, Janis Siegel -- nine-time Grammy winner and a seventeen-time Grammy nominee -- has achieved recognition as part of the world's best-known vocalese group, The Manhattan Transfer. At the same time, Siegel has sustained a solo career including a half dozen solo albums and numerous collaborative projects. Siegel will be appearing at Vitello's Jazz Supper Club in Studio City -- one night only -- on Friday, September 10th, with shows at 8 and 10 pm. Appearing with her will be Alan Pasqua (piano) Darek Oles (bass) and Steve Hass (drums &percussion). Tickets are available at www.ticketweb.com or 818-769-0905. 

Jazz and blues singer Barbara Morrison will be celebrating her birthday with an afternoon picnic and concert from 3-7 pm in Leimert Park, 4305 Degnan Blvd. Morrison, whose vocal range is matched by an equally wide range of styles, will be backed by the 18-piece Frank Capp Juggernaut Big Band. She promises celebrity guests and a good time for all. No alcohol, please. Tickets are $35 in advance and $50 at the door. For more information, call 310-330-0178 or visit www.barbaramorrison.com.

Two formidable young vocalists, Sara Gazarek and Sachal Vasandani, will open the new jazz season at Orange County Performing Arts Center's Samueli Theater in Costa Mesa Friday and Saturday, September 24th and 25th. These two young singers have been producing music that is fresh and original while also honoring the rich jazz tradition. Recently, Vasandani won the 2010 DownBeat Critics Poll for best Male Jazz Vocals in the Rising Star category. And Gazarek was voted one of the Best New Artists in the JazzTimes Readers Poll. Tickets are available at the Center box office or by calling 714-556-2787.