By Dee Jae Cox
Imagine a hot 1920’s summer evening soiree, surrounded by breathtaking art and cool Jazz mixing the sweet sound of music with the heat of the night. On June 19th, “The Art of Jazz” was the event that set the desert on fire and no one allowed the heat to hold them back from having a good time. The Art of Jazz, was coordinated by Producer Patte Purcell and hosted by the Rebecca Fine Art Gallery, located at 68895 Perez Road, Cathedral City, and a member of the Perez Road Art District, which presents works from artists around the globe.
Rebecca Fine Art Gallery is owned by businessperson and art collector, Rebecca Pikus and featured the “This is Now” exhibit showcasing the works of 16 uniquely talented artists. Several rooms highlighted the various exhibits, as sweet jazz pulled attendees towards the back of the gallery.
The Coachella Valley Music Awards, produced annually by CV Weekly Publisher Tracy Dietlin and scheduled this year for July 23rd at the Palm Springs Riviera Hotel, was one of the sponsors for this event and some of their biggest award winners were featured performers for “The Art of Jazz,” including two time winner for “Best Jazz Vocalist” Slim Man, winner for “Best Jazz Instrumental” Alex Santana, and Inspirational Jazz/Blues artist Keisha D, Nominee for Best Jazz Vocalist. Also performing were Greg Vail, Tateng Katendig and Nathanial Scott.
Musical performances also featured Special Guest and Grammy Winner Ronnie King, a Multi-Platinum, Diamond Certified (more than 10 million units) Oscar and Grammy Nominated producer, composer, arranger, musician, humanitarian and CV Music Awards Winner for Best Producer and Pioneer Award recipient.
All of these incredible musicians made this an evening to remember.
The Art of Jazz was presented as a 420 Industry Party with 420 vendors and services available in the Gallery. It was an opportunity to mix and mingle and sample new products. THC beverage samples were also available to licensed medical marijuana patients.
Cannibas has long had an influence on Jazz dating back to 1920’s New Orleans when the Louisiana brothels brought in musicians (and inadvertently their cannabis) to entertain their clients.
California is a leader in today’s Cannabis (420) industry, which had previously legalized the medicinal use of the drug through proposition 215 in 1996, and in 2016 Proposition 64 (the Adult Use of Marijuana Act,) legalized the sale and distribution of cannabis in both a dry and concentrated form for personal use. Now California is one of eight states where recreational cannabis usage is legal.
Another exciting Sponsor of the event was Melissa Etheridge’s line of products including her “Know Label” Cannabis Wine. The website describes this wine as being made with premium grapes from the Arroyo Grande valley and infused with premium cannabis flower from the Santa Cruz Mountains.
A portion of the proceeds from the event benefited the Palm Springs Orchestra. The Orchestra, led by world-renowned Maestro, Dino Zonic, draws upon the unique qualities and characteristics of the desert community to showcase great works of orchestral music with uplifting performances set in beautiful settings beneath the stars, as well as within the valley’s numerous outstanding performance venues.
Palm Springs is a destination location; a desert oasis that features some of the greatest artists and works of art that can be found anywhere in the country. The Art of Jazz showcased a collaboration of several of the communities’ businesses and artists coming together to create an evening of pure pleasure. The Desert never felt so cool.
(This article was written by Dee Jae Cox and first appeared in The Hollywood Times 6/20/17 and has been edited for CV Weekly by Tracy Dietlin)
