Lovers of true combo jazz – that magical small group improvising that jazz was built upon – should not miss our evening dedicated to The Art of the Combo, Wednesday, September 5 at 8 p.m. at the Hollywood Bowl. Legendary jazz pianist George Shearing returns with his world-class quintet to the Bowl. The evening begins with veteran bandleader/bassist Ray Brown and his trio with their swinging, “classic” combo stylings and continues with a set by jazz guitarist and crooner John Pizzarelli, with his contemporary take on jazz. Media sponsor for the concert is KJAZ 1260 AM. Backbeat Live, a pre-concert discussion with John Clayton, takes place one hour prior to performance in the Patio.

Tickets ($1-75) are on sale now at the Hollywood Bowl box office, all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations) or online at www.hollywoodbowl.com. Groups of 10 or more can receive a 20% discount on single ticket prices; call 323/850-2050 for details. For general information or to request a brochure, please call 323/850-2000.

Composer and pianist George Shearing has performed since the late 1930s in a variety of bands and small groups, and his critically acclaimed quintet from 1949-1967 has become a classic sound. He has influenced several generations of jazz musicians with his performances and recordings over the years. Last year’s Reflections: The Best of George Shearing (Telarc Jazz) features his most popular performances from the last decade.

Singer and guitarist John Pizzarelli, son of the famous jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, is continuing the family tradition, first performing with his father in the 1980s and establishing a solo career and a trio in the 1990s. Pizzarelli’s singing, evident on Let There Be Love (Telarc), combines jazz and contemporary vocal styles for an up-to-date, “cool” feel. Ray Brown, who first arrived on the jazz scene in the mid-1940s, is known for his many years performing with Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson. Brown has produced and guided the careers of many jazz artists including Quincy Jones and Milt Jackson.

Boasting one of the most successful and prolific recording careers in jazz history, pianist and bandleader GEORGE SHEARING is still going strong at age 81. “The Shearing Sound” defines the great jazzman’s style and influences; a sound developed over Shearing’s long career, beginning in England in the 1930s. Latin jazz, bebop and cool jazz have served as the musical palette for George Shearing and his swinging sound. His most recent release, Reflections: The Best of George Shearing (Telarc) celebrates Shearing as the master of his craft. George Shearing last performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 1995.

Since 1983, vocalist and swing guitarist JOHN PIZZARELLI has been recording classic jazz standards and late-night ballads. Swing Journal named John “Jazz Vocalist of the Year” in 1999 and Kisses in the Rain, his 17th record and first for the Telarc Jazz label, has received critical praise for its sophisticated interpretation of classic jazz tunes. His most recent release Let There Be Love (Telarc) is another example of his fluid guitar work and smooth vocals. John Pizzarelli last performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 1999.

By age 20, bassist RAY BROWN was playing with Dizzy Gillespie’s big band and helping steer bebop to a more progressive and dynamic style. He married (and accompanied) Ella Fitzgerald in the late 1940s and early 1950s after which he joined the Oscar Peterson Trio (1951-66). Since then, Ray Bown has lived in Los Angeles, and has performed with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee among many others. His current trio, which includes Larry Fuller on piano and George Fludas on drums, rounds out the “huge and comfortable” Ray Brown sound. Ray Brown last performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 1999.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

Wednesday, September 5, 8 PM

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood

The Art of the Combo

GEORGE SHEARING QUINTET

THE JOHN PIZZARELLI TRIO

RAY BROWN TRIO

Media Sponsor: KJAZ 1260 AM

Backbeat Live, a pre-concert discussion with John Clayton, takes place one hour prior to performance in the Patio.

Tickets ($1-75) are on sale now at the Hollywood Bowl box office, all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations) or online at www.hollywoodbowl.com. Groups of 10 or more can receive a 20% discount on single ticket prices; call 323/850-2050 for details. For general information or to request a brochure, please call 323/850-2000.