Santa Maria Sun / Art

Arts Briefs

Shelly Cone

Sorpresa! comes to Comcast

Santa Maria households can say 8hola! to a new 24-hour kids’ programming station for Hispanic children. 8Sorpresa! is America’s fastest-growing Spanish-language children’s network, and will be introduced on Comcast’s Hispanic digital tier. 8Sorpresa! is a 24/7 children’s cable network televised exclusively in Spanish.

The network is geared toward reaching the young Hispanic community with in-language and in-culture programming for children ages 2 to 17.

James Moody joins Solvang Jazz Festival

The Universal Guild for Jazz and Progressive Music recently announced that James Moody has been added to the lineup of international jazz artists at the 2008 Solvang Jazz Festival set, for Sept. 25 through 28. Moody will perform with Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and Barbara Morrison from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the Festival’s “Swingin’ the Groove” Big Band Bash and Dinner event at Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall.

James Moody is world renowned for his improvisational masterpiece, “Moody’s Mood for Love,” based on his saxophone solo on a 1952 recording of one of the most popular jazz standards of all time: “I’m in the Mood for Love.” He’s been the recipient of numerous honors from prestigious music, education, and cultural organizations.

Along with Moody, the Solvang Jazz Festival is bringing in artists from around the world, in a variety of jazz genres. This year’s lineup includes the Jean-Michel Pilc Trio and Frank Marocco, The Solvang Jazz Consortium with Joel Scott, the Monty Alexander Trio with special guest Dr. Lonnie Smith on the Hammond B3 Organ, featuring Hassan Shaku and Herlin Riley, and Dr. Bobby Rodriguez and his Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor Shelly Cone. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.