More of an event than a concert, the Playboy Jazz Festival draws a crowd at least half comprising people who probably don't even listen to jazz at home and haven't a clue who some of the people on the bill are. For many, emcee Bill Cosby is as big a draw as any of the acts. As far as populist entertainment goes, Playboy Jazz is well worth the cash. 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. But nobody ever notices any of this tripe.
Fans just dig that sing-along chorus and the supposed depth in all that mumbo jumbo.
But any record that suggests, without irony, that Mick Jagger is in league with Satan can't be taken seriously. The Coach House likes to remind its patrons that there's a two-drink minimum for all shows. With Mark Wood and Jay Nixon. There was a time when the East Coast reigned over hip-hop, when the Fresh Fests, as well as most of the early rap stadium tours, almost exclusively featured East Coast acts. In fact, it was like that for a long time, with New York dominating no matter what happened out here.