Everyone Got A Pony At The 2014 Hollywood Bowl Summer Season Party! True Story!

Yes, it’s true. Everyone that attended the party to celebrate the Hollywood Bowl’s upcoming summer season got a pony. More on that later.

At 6 PM on Tuesday April 29th, an illustrious group of patrons, sponsors, donors, supporters, reporters, photographers and just folks gathered on the historic stage of The Hollywood Bowl to celebrate the upcoming season. Thanks to Lillian Matchett’s gracious invitation I was there.

I’d appeared on the hallowed stage in my former life as a stand up comic. I MC’d the 1000th episode of the original Arsenio Hall Show which took place at the Bowl.

In my current incarnation as a jazz photographer I’ve photographed dozens of performers at the Bowl.

On this night I was privileged to watch as historic physical change was announced and a dynamic, diverse artistic season was unveiled.

First, they’re replacing the Hollywood Bowl benches. Boy, if those benches could talk they’d probably say something like “Get off me.” #rimshotcymbal

Read about what’s planned for your behinds! 06. Hollywood Bowl Bench Seat Replacement

Second, the trees surrounding the Bowl will be artistically lit up! Fabulous nighttime atmosphere! 07. Hollywood Bowl Lighting Fact Sheet

Now for the schedule. In a word it’s PACKED. Where do you start? Well, with the venerable Playboy Jazz Festival June 14-15 and Opening Night at the Bowl June 21 during which the Go Go’s will be inducted into The Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame along with Kristen Chenowith. 02. HB 2014 ON Go-Go’s Confirmation alert

Conductor Dudamel was very excited about his special guest Ruben Blades who will perform on July 29 and ecstatic about the opera Pagliacci two days prior on July 27th. August showcases so much talent! Herbie Hancock,Yo-Yo Ma, Gladys Knight, Kool and the Gang, Frampton, John Williams and HITCHCOCK. So folks, please support The LA Phil and Hollywood Bowl as a patron if you can afford it, or maybe buy a group package, maybe just single tix or if you can’t attend make a donation. Reservations & info 213.972.3051 or buy online at http://LAPhil.com/Give

Back for it’s 15th season, Patina Hollywood fed guests of The LA Phil and once again rose to the occasion. Below are a few photos I shot at the event. It may be a cliche but a good time was had by all.

Oh… the pony…

It was a feel good ending to the party as everyone received courtesy of Hollywood Bowl sponsor Wells Fargo, Mollie The Legendary Wells Fargo Pony. In fact, she’s proofreading this story with me, Chris and the rest of the cats on the staff.

Legendary Wells Fargo Pony

Before The Fashionably Late Arrived

Liberace Where Art Thou?

Photo-Allan Warren

As a jazz photographer I get a chance to hear lots of musicians, mostly in night clubs. On a recent evening I looked forward to seeing a highly touted young jazz pianist in an upscale jazz “joint.” He took the stage clad in a horizontally stripped t-shirt and slacks.

I guess my first question is do performers have any obligation to dress for the occasion? A suit and tie or maybe a jacket, dress shirt and slacks?” Maybe I’m living in the past but could you possible imagine Nat King Cole, Count Basie or to take it to the extreme, Liberace, striding on stage in a t-shirt?

The second thing that struck me about this pianist is during the entire performance he didn’t once acknowledge the audience. Not a hello, a hi, how’s everyone doing, nothing, he literally said nothing. Not only that he didn’t even look at the audience, not even a peek. He was tremendously talented but he might as well have been performing alone in his bedroom.

The point I’m trying to make is doesn’t a performer have some obligation to the audience beyond their talent? To engage the audience in some way? The audience seemed to enjoy his playing but how much more would they have taken away from the experience if he had engaged them in some way, dressed to fit the venue demonstrating he appreciated them spending their money to see him perform?

Maybe I expect too much.

jazz posters
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jazz singer prints
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What Would Ansel Do?

The one photographer that most people can name off the top of their head is…

Ansel Adams.

So I pose the question, “In our digital age, to market and promote his photography art, what would Ansel do?”

I believe Mr. Adams would do what many smart photo artists are doing.

They’d market, promote, and sell their art on a website like this one.

Fine Art America http://FineArtAmerica.com

jazz photography acrylic prints
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jazz acrylic prints
jazz metal prints

It provides all the tools for a photographer to not only sell their photos but to create “shops” at other websites like Facebook where their photos can be purchased. Not only prints, but framed and matted, on canvas, even on aluminum.

Also,for a small fee an artist can also create a quality website where people can view their art, in my case jazz art. http://AllThatsJazz.com

In addition, the galleries, groups, community and blog features (like the one you’re reading right now) are valuable marketing tools.

So in my humble opinion, to promote, market, and sell his work, that’s what Ansel would do.

Source: Wikipedia – Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) was an American photographer and environmentalist best known for his black-and-white landscape photographs of the American West, especially Yosemite National Park.

With Fred Archer, Adams developed the Zone System as a way to determine proper exposure and adjust the contrast of the final print. The resulting clarity and depth characterized his photographs and the work of those to whom he taught the system. Adams primarily used large-format cameras despite their size, weight, setup time, and film cost, because their high resolution helped ensure sharpness in his images.

Adams founded the Group f/64 along with fellow photographers Willard Van Dyke and Edward Weston. Adams’s photographs are reproduced on calendars, posters, and in books, making his photographs widely distributed.

jazz art
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