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1996

Legendary star Tony Bennett makes his Playboy Jazz Festival debut: In his debut performance at the 1996 Playboy Jazz Festival, internationally acclaimed singing legend Tony Bennett proved he has not only bridged the generation gap, but as The New York Times put it, "He has demolished it. Bennett's vocal counterpoint in a surprise duet with world-renowned jazz singer Joe Williams clearly demonstrated why Bennett is a legendary star with multigenerational appeal."

Direct from Cuba, "Chucho" Valdes and Irakere make their festival debut in their first U.S. appearance since 1987: In their debut performance at the festival, "Chucho" Valdes and his band Irakere stole the show with their unique combination of Afro-Cuban rhythms. Their performance astonished critics and fans alike and brought the crowd to its feet for a rousing standing ovation. This was their first performance in the U.S. since 1987.

Trombonist J.J. Johnson is a big hit with critics and fans: The critically acclaimed J.J. Johnson, considered the most important jazz trombonist of our time, dazzled the audience with his technical prowess and innovative interpretation.

Gladys Knight rocks the audience in her festival debut: Gladys Knight, one of the most popular singers in R&B history, broke it up and had the crowd begging for more at her first performance at the Playboy Jazz Festival.

The Lalo Schifrin Big Band thrills audience with the "Gillespiana Suite" tribute to Dizzy Gillespie: The Lalo Schifrin Big Band thrilled the Playboy Jazz Festival audience with the first West Coast performance of Schifrin's tribute to Dizzy Gillespie, the "Gillespiana Suite," a five-movement concerto grosso written to honor the trumpet master. The piece was showcased by Schifrin and Gillespie's protégé, Jon Faddis, with an orchestra featuring Tom Scott, Paulinho DaCosta and Alex Acuna.

Russ Ferrante and the Yellowjackets presented the world musical premiere of Maya Angelou's "On the Pulse of Morning:" The world premiere of Russ Ferrante's musical version of Maya Angelou's poem "On the Pulse of Morning," recited originally at President Clinton's inauguration, was presented by the Yellowjackets, along with Dianne Reeves, Lori Perry and the Crenshaw High School Elite Choir.

Alex Theatre launches series of jazz concerts in association with Playboy Jazz Festival: In September, the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California launched a five-part series of jazz concerts in association with the Playboy Jazz Festival. Titled the "Playboy Jazz Festival in Concert" series, this new jazz venture's debut showcased Marcus Roberts with the Academy of the Ascension Orchestra in what the Los Angeles Times later termed the number one jazz event of the year in Southern California. Subsequent concerts in the series featured such jazz greats as George Shearing, the Charlie Haden Quartet West, Billy Taylor and Ramsey Lewis and Joshua Redman.

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