Jazz in the Park

Inspired by ’60’s “Blue Note” style jazz, as well as by the music of Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaria, The Elliott Caine Quintet plays original compositions, as well as the works of Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, and more. Latin Beat Magazine describes Elliott Caine as “one of the West Coast’s finest trumpeters.” His original compositions have been heard on programs including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Late Night with David Letterman.

Violinist Susie Hansen and her musicians perform an infectious blend of salsa and Latin jazz that has the audiences smiling and dancing. Popular from the start, the Susie Hansen Latin Band mixes together infectious Latin rhythms with jazz improvising, vocals in both Spanish and English, recognizable standards and strong soloing from players.

Kira Morrison first started playing jazz with her classmates at Los Angeles College of Music in Pasadena, CA.  After Kira decided to form a jazz group, Kira & The Major 3 was born! Kira & The Major 3 are an LA-based jazz quartet with a repertoire of over 40 standards from American jazz, Brazilian jazz, and Afro-Cuban music.

Joe LoPiccolo is a guitarist and composer whose work is influenced by Classical, Jazz and World Music styles. Writer Dan O’Heron of the Pasadena Weekly states his music is “Soft spoken eloquence, fascinatingly improvised.” and “The music is comforting and visual, it takes you to a better place, a paradise found.”

Michael Haggins is a renowned recording and touring artist, bassist, and composer of the worldwide smash hit “Daybreak” featured in the hit NBC show Community. Michael has his own unique sound & style which The Los Angeles Times has referred to as being “a special brand of smooth funk.”

Jasmine Akahlia Tommaso was born in Rome, Italy into a musical family. Since her move to Los Angeles in 2011, she has appeared as a back-up vocalist on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and has made quite an impact on L.A.’s music scene, performing regularly in the city’s greatest jazz venues. Her latest album “Nelle Mie Corde” has received great praise in Italy and was recently awarded “record of the week” on the Italian jazz station “Rai3 Fahrenheit.”

Little Brazil was born with the idea of revisiting the defining moments of Brazilian music from a contemporary perspective. Samba, Choro, Baião and Bossa Nova are addressed in an acoustic set with vocal, nylon guitar, drums and percussion. The arrangements are well crafted and modern, all played by Brazilian musicians who live in Los Angeles, what makes the music stay true to its Brazilian identity.

Marcelo Bucater is a drummer/percussionist from Brazil based in Los Angeles since 2013. The quartet plays Bucater’s compositions bringing a variety of Brazilian rhythms, Jazz, and odd meters. Currently recording their first album, the different ethnicities of the members, including Peru, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA brings a unique sound to the group.

Javier Vergara is a saxophonist and flutist based in Los Angeles. Born in Mexico City into a musical family, Javier was drawn to jazz at an early age. As a teenager, he moved to Southern California and has been a fixture on the Los Angeles jazz scene ever since. As a working musician, Javier has traveled internationally from Turkey to Taiwan and crisscrossed the U.S. with tours, concerts and festivals.