A 1992 Noon Concert Series
Journey with us back in time to 1992. In the heart of the iconic era of the 90s, Grand Performances emerged as a cultural haven, beckoning music and art enthusiasts to gather under the open sky for a series of unforgettable concerts that defined the essence of summer, and were a celebration of diverse musical genres.
This was also the year that the Watercourt opened and became a part of the show.
NOON CONCERT SERIES MAY 27 THROUGH OCT 23, 1992
MAY
27 Wednesday Spiral Court
The Phantom Company Lunches with Lloyd Webber
A Tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber
Members of the Los Angeles company of "The Phantom of the Opera" opens the 1992 Celebrations! season performing songs by Phantom composer Andrew Lloyd Webber in honor of their record breaking third year at the Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre.
JUNE
3 Wednesday Spiral Court
Soul Vibrations
Nicaraguan Reggae Band
Returning to the site of their first Los Angeles appearance, this Nicaraguan reggae band's music is influenced both by English speaking neighbors across the Caribbean Sea from their home in Blue Fields and the Spanish speaking majority of their country.
10 Wednesday Spiral Court
Armonia Azul
Salsa and Latin Jazz
Salsa and Latin Jazz will be featured when this exciting nine member band takes the stage. The band won the hearts of audiences here last season when they performed as part of the Artes de Mexico Festival activities at California Plaza.
17 Wednesday Spiral Court
Floyd Dixon
Legendary Jump Blues
Classical jazz will be featured when this highly regarded jump blues veteran and his four piece band return to California Plaza.
24 Wednesday Spiral Court
Ad Vielle Que Pourra
Traditional Music of French-Speaking Peoples
Music from France, Quebec, and our country's Cajun community will be performed on a museum's-worth of French folk instruments.
JULY
1 Wednesday Spiral Court
American Folk Jam
Bluegrass, Old Timey and...
A potpourri of traditional American music will be presented through the auspices of the AMAN Folk Ensem- ble when music director John Zeretzke leads our early celebration of Independence Day by bringing together an ensemble of banjo pickers, fiddle and guitar players and a few surprise artists to celebrate some of the folk music internationally identified with this country.
8 Wednesday Spiral Court
Lula Washington's Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Theatre
Modern Dance
California Plaza welcomes back this leadership company renown for its role in the American Black dance community for another exciting performance.
Watercourt Preview Week
13 Monday Water Stage
El Toro Marine Corps Band
Inaugural Performance in the Watercourt
Concert band music will be featured in the premier performance in the new Watercourt. A program from the popular and traditional concert repertoires will be presented.
14 Tuesday Marina Pavilion
Harmonica Fats and The Bernie Pearl Blues Band
Local Blues Greats
The great blues harmonica virtuoso, Harmonica Fats, returns to California Plaza with The Bernie Pearl Blues Band.
15 Wednesday Water Stage
Surprise Special
A Rousing Concert Tailored to the New Watercourt
Preview week features another performance planned to celebrate Downtown's newest, outdoor performing arts venue.
16 Thursday Marina Pavilion
The Bonedaddys
Wild, World Beat Leaders Return One of Los Angeles' most popular world beat bands returns to California Plaza as part of our Watercourt Preview Week.
17 Friday Water Stage
Huayucaltia
Top L.A. Latino World Beat Ensemble
A favorite with California Plaza audiences, this popular band returns for their fourth Celebrations! performance with a program that features contemporary music influenced by the folk traditions of the Andes.
22 Wednesday Spiral Court
Holly Near
Special Appearance by Internationally Renown Troubadour
In cooperation with the Music Center's Mark Taper Forum, international concert performer and activist shares her music with California Plaza audiences.
24 Friday Water Stage
Dr. Loco's Rockin' Jalapeño Band
Spicy Tex-Mex, Blues and Salsa
In cooperation with Plaza de la Raza, California Plaza is excited fo bring back one of the hottest Chicano bands playing on the West Coast.
29 Wednesday Spiral Court
Men's Dancing
Three Hot, Fun Presentations of Dances by Men
Three exciting examples of dances by men will be featured in this specially curated concert that will include modern dance and Afro-American "Step" dancing, a syncopated, group dance form performed in unison.
31 Friday Water Stage
The Persuasions
A Celebration of A Capella Singing
The famous recording group comes to Southern California as artists- in-residence at the California State Summer School for the Arts and joins us for a rare local appearance.
AUGUST
5 Wednesday Spiral Court
Bobby Matos Heritage Ensemble
Afro-Cuban and Latin American Contemporary Music
This well-known local ensemble mixes the influences of numerous Latin American cultures to create
a lively and entertaining program
sure to please audiences.
7 Friday Marina Pavilion
Country Western
All Time, Toe-Tapping Favorite
A program featuring one of the areas popular Country Western bands will present some of the music that thrills audiences from coast to coast.
12 Wednesday Spiral Court
Asian Dance
Traditional and Modern Approaches to Dance
California Plaza will present a program devoted to two different looks at dance presented by local artists rooted in Asian-American communities.
14 Friday Water Stage
Los Angeles Opera
A Program of Opera and Music Theatre Highlights
Members of the Music Center's resident opera return with a program of arias and duets from the com- pany's repertoire and the repertoire of the American musical theatre.
19 Wednesday Spiral Court
Nuclear Whales
Classic Jazz by a Saxophone Sextet
An eclectic program will be pre- sented by this all-saxophone ensemble that features the world's largest (6 feet 8 inches) and smallest (18 inches) saxophones.
21 Friday Marina Pavilion
Zenshuji Zendeko
Japanese Taiko Drumming Youth Ensemble
Taiko drumming has become synon- ymous with Japanese traditions and this ensemble of youngsters is not only keeping the tradition alive, but representing our community internationally as well.
26 Wednesday Spiral Court
Antonio Zapeda
Pre-Columbian Mexican Music
Drawing upon a collection of over 400 pre-Columbian instruments, Zapeda is recognized as the fore- most authority on Mezo-American music. A variety of whistles, rattles and drums will remind us of the rich cultures that existed in the western hemisphere prior to Columbus' voyages.
28 Friday Water Stage
African Marketplace Special
A Celebration from the African Diaspora
Artists from this major Los Angeles festival will appear at California Plaza.
SEPTEMBER
2 Wednesday Spiral Court
Latins Anonymous Popular
Local Comics
This humorous and clever ensemble has been entertaining local audiences with their intelligent and irreverent look at their community.
4 Friday Marina Pavilion
Rafael Aragon & Agustin Molino
Spanish World Beat
Guitar duo Aragon and Molino lead this exciting addition to the Los Angeles music scene in their premier performance at California Plaza.
9 Wednesday Spiral Court
The Acousticats
Acoustic Music Based in the American Tradition
This local, five piece band will present a spirited performance of Appalachian country music featuring fine fiddling, guitar playing and some singing.
11 Friday Marina Pavilion
Baroque Jazz Quartet
Great American Jazz
The BJQ has been playing locally longer than some musicians have been alive, introducing new audiences to the excitement of this great American music form.
16 Wednesday Spiral Court
World Beat Special
Pop Music from Foreign Lands
The influences of American pop and the traditional folk music blend to create unique sounds that are sweeping the world.
18 Friday Water Stage
Mariachi La Fonda
Music from Mexico in Honor of El Grito
No music is more closely identified with Mexico than the mariachi, and no mariachi musicians are more highly regarded than those directed by Nati Cano.
23 Wednesday Spiral Court
Dvoika
Mandolin and Guitar Duo Emanuil Sheynkman and Richard Patterson
Two respected artists from opposite sides of the globe, collaborate to present a exquisite program of Spanish masterpieces, lyrical Italian suites, Russian classical and folk pieces, and even American favorites.
25 Friday Water Stage
Ciro Hurtado
South American World Beat Music
This popular Peruvian guitarist and his ensemble return with a program of original compositions rooted in the traditional music of the Andes.
30 Wednesday Spiral Court
AMAN Folk Ensemble
International Music and Dance
America's foremost multi-ethnic dance and music company is Los Angeles' own AMAN. Known for gorgeous costumes, energetic dancing and incredible musicians, the program will present the tradi- tional arts of a number of different countries.
OCTOBER
2 Friday Marina Pavilion
Trio Lyrica
Young Canadian String Trio
A program of chamber music will be presented by this ensemble as part of their visit to Los Angeles under the auspices of the Dame Myra Hess series, which will present them on "Sundays At Four" (KUSC), in cooperation with the City's Cultural Affairs Department.
7 Wednesday Spiral Court
Ranga Dance Ensemble
Dance from Sri Lanka
California Plaza's audiences will have an opportunity to see this fascinating company during their visit to Los Angeles as part of the Craft and Folk Art Museum's Mask Festival. Both classical and folk dances will be presented.
9 Friday Water Stage
Inner City Cultural Center Arts from leading LA Cultural Center
One of Los Angeles' foremost community cultural centers will curate two programs for our audi- ences. The first will feature music.
14 Wednesday Spiral Court
Filipino Dance
Folk Dances from the Other Side of the Pacific
Dances performed by members of Los Angeles' largest Asian community demonstrate the diverse cultural influences on the many islands of the Philippines.
16 Friday Marina Pavilion
Pop Music
Review Swing and Then Some
An audience pleasing program of contemporary popular music will once again thrill California Plaza with favorite sounds from the current music scene.
21 Wednesday Spiral Court
Inner City Cultural Center Arts from leading LA Cultural Center
One of Los Angeles' foremost community cultural centers will curate two programs for our audiences. This second program will feature spoken word performances.
23 Friday Water Stage
Voters' Cabaret
A Program about Democracy in America
Famous songs and monologues celebrate America's greatest treasure our democratic heritage. Performers from stage and screen will be featured.
California Plaza in the Evenings
Dance, Music, Theatre, Play Readings
This July and August the excitement continues in the evenings on Thursdays (in conjunction with the Museum of Contemporary Art's Free Thursday Evening Admission Program), Fridays and Saturdays. Call California Plaza's Events Line for details: 213.687.2159