Bill Fulton Band at Playboy Jazz Festival Review by Gloria Ellis JazzReview.com 2005

5/28/05 5:56pmGloria Ellis, jazzreview.comPasadena Summer Fest proves to be one of the best free three day jazz festival in Southern California. On Memorial Day weekend, May 28 thru May 30, 2005, many fans gathered in the spacious Rose Bowl for a great weekend of jazz. There was plenty of room, great food, lots to drink, and many arts and crafts.The Pasadena Summer Fest continues to grow with each passing year. Children, parents, and grandparents alike enjoy all the festivities on the grounds of the Rose Bowl. Family Fun Zone, Sports Zone, and Art Fest are back again this year with rides, music, art, and sports personalities.Free jazz for everyone from 11:00am to 8:00pm with a great lineup for the entire weekend — John Muir High School Jazz Band started things off, next Trio-Gonzalo with his swing jazz style, and then The Hi Fi Quintet performed some great jazz for the fans. Oskar Cartaya & Enclave also gave the audience a taste of real jazz funk.Victor Fields and Clairdee, (each great jazz vocalist in their own right) what a treat to have them both on stage at once! Then there was Henry Franklin, a well-known jazz bassist with a flare for style. Smooth Jazz saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa & the Coastal Access Band closed out the first day with a bit of tasteful smoothness that the audience loved and appreciated.For the second day of the jazz festival, Chatsworth High School Jazz Band performed first with some wonderful tunes, followed by CJS Quintet bringing to the stage be-bop and straight -ahead jazz. Another marvelous artist was upright jazz bassist Kristin Korb. A change of pace came from Odara, an African – Cuban Folklore group, lead by Lazaro Galarraga and Guillermo Cespedes. Keyboardist Bill Fulton and his band brought us back to jazz. Sunday closed out with alto/soprano saxophonist Ronnie Laws and his artistic jazz fusion.The last and final day of this free and amazing festival starts with Eagle Rock High School Jazz Band and rolls right along with Luis Conte master percussion performing is such styles as Afro-Latin, Latin, and Afro-Cuban. Sandy Graham pleased the audience with her wondrous vocals while jazz pianist, Taylor Eigsti, dazzled the audience with his style of play. Tenor saxophonist Rickey Woodard had the fans dancing in the aisles as he intrigued his fans with a great performance. Once again, the time has come, the show must end, and all too soon, Smooth Jazz guitarist/vocalist Steve Oliver closed out the three-day weekend with a bang!