Kamasi Washington, Leon Bridges Set For 2023 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Fest
Written by djfrosty on January 30, 2023
Kamasi Washington and Leon Bridges lead the lineup for the 2023 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, set for June 17-18.
Also confirmed on the bill is West Coast Get Down, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, Digable Planets, Poncho Sanchez, Aziza, Soul Rebels with Big Freedia, Samara Joy, Lionel Loueke and Gretchen Parlato, Boukman Eksperyans, Butcher Brown and many others.
The full lineup and single-day tickets will be available from Tuesday, March 14.
Hosted by Arsenio Hall and presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn., the two-day fest celebrates its 43rd year at the Hollywood Bowl.
Sax virtuoso Kamasi Washington, winner of the inaugural 2016 American Music Prize for his triple-CD odyssey, The Epic, is co-curator of the fest alongside legendary keyboardist Herbie Hancock, the LA Phil’s creative chair for jazz.
“I was thrilled when the LA Phil asked me to co-curate this festival with Kamasi and explore his extraordinary artistic vision,” comments Hancock, a 14-time Grammy Award winner. “Our celebration this year includes so many artists—both emerging and established—at defining moments in their musical journeys.”
Together, “we hope to create community and connection through the music we make and leave audiences feeling uplifted and inspired.” Hancock won’t perform at the fest; his next LA Phil concert is Sunday, April 2 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Adds Washington said, “Herbie is one of the greatest musicians to ever live and I am so grateful to be working with him on this special show. Herbie and I have been working with the LA Phil team to create a one-of-a-kind experience that we hope will leave the audience with excitement, joy, life, soul and most of all great music.”
Returning package holders can buy tickets now at hollywoodbowl.com. Two-day packages will be available from Feb. 7, with single tickets and groups sales available from March 14.