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