The Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs has grown over the years to one of the “must” weekends for women. This year there were several simultaneous events between April 3-6 and we had the opportunity to attend the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival hosted by L&G Events and A Touch of Seduction Latin, hip-hop and ‘80s party and pool parties hosted by Ladies Touch Entertainment and Flawless Entertainment Events. The diversity of the attendees was a refreshing change from past events that we have attended.
Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival’s The Jazz + Blues = Soul Saturday April 15, was hosted by critically acclaimed singer, songwriter and producer and Festival Artistic Director Sweet Baby J’ai. From New York to Mississippi, the different sets explored the roots of traditional jazz and its down home counterpart, Da’ Blues. Grammy-nominated saxophonist and flautist Carol Chaikin lead a quartet that reminded us of the golden age of jazz when women musicians were fierce but few. Awarded “Best Female Blues Singer” by the Los Angeles Music Awards, the powerful vocalist Lady GG was joined by 2008 Los Angeles MIC Award for “Jazz & Blues Vocalist for the Year”, Marguaret Love, keyboardist Matilda Haywood, bassist Elizabeth Hangan, drummer Andrea Byrd and guitarist Kimberly “KC” Allison. For more info information about the annual festival, visit pswomensjazzfestival.com.
A Touch of Seduction pool party April 7 was held at The D Resort. DJ Irma Covarrubias, DJ Twolips and DJ Euphoric flawlessly mixed between hip-hop, Latin and ‘80s. There was a wet T-shirt contest, food, drinks and private cabanas. “It all started because Dinah has always catered more to the Anglo community leaving the minorities out. Many Latina women wanted to enjoy Dinah with Latin music, not to
mention there is also a big community that loves hip hop and ‘80s music. So we decided to bring another option to the women for Dinah weekend” said co-founder Maria Heras of Flawless Entertainment.
This was the first year that three events were produced and we’re looking forward to seeing it grow even further. For more information on their local events check out their Facebook pages.facebook.com/ladiestouchentertainment and facebook.com/pages/Club-Seduction/210250835744059
Red
Set in 1958, the play shows us parts of a critical point in the career of the abstract expressionist Mark Rothko. It also explores the larger story of the contemporary art world in that time. He has been commissioned to create a definitive work of art for the exclusive Four Seasons restaurant. He struggles with the end of the abstract era and beginning of realism. His neophyte assistant, Ken, presents a voice of a generation of artists that questions his theories, which threatens him. This results in numerous heated discussions between the student and the master. The piece gives us an honest look into an artist’s fears about his art and immortality. John Vickery (Rothko) and Jason Maddy (Ken) give strong performances. They have a rapport that shows onstage. We see and feel their relationship grow. This drama presents different dimensions of life and death, art and money, order and chaos and emotional needs of parents and their offspring. Red, written by John Logan and directed by Michael Arabian, runs through April 27 on Lyceum Stage in San Diego REP. To learn more about San Diego REPertory Theatre, visit www.sdrep.org.
