Agenda magazine is pleased to announce a much-awaited new print magazine! First, the Special Edition annuals, then the Fitness Couture Collector’s Issue . . . all Agenda magazine. We have downsized from 232 pages to a 114-page monthly glossy, published through KL Publishing Group, and presented to you this October just in time for Halloween.
Agenda October 2017, is the first monthly print issue from agendamag.com. It is a fashion and lifestyle series, spotlighting designers, runway, editorials, and fashion discussion with the focus on global fashion. Featured in this glossy magazine are designers and fashion runway from Sydney, Moscow, Paris, and Berlin.
Saturday, October 14, 2017, Bunny Brunel will be performing with his band CAB and preparing a special entree for the evening. most people only know Bunny as a world famous musician, not a gourmet chef, well-versed in French cuisine. But he graduated from l’Ecole Hôtelière de Nice and even served royalty before he became the internationally famous Bunny Brunel, the bass player. On Agenda magazine is a video of Bunny demonstrating his culinary skills as he prepares “Chicken a la Creme.”
The details for Saturday’s event are as follows:
Back Bay Bistro Welcomes Legendary Musician and French Gourmet Chef Bunny Brunel, for an evening of jazz and a dinner inspired by the South of France.
The dinner concert will feature an all-star band of highly acclaimed jazz performers, Bunny’s signature seafood main course with a curated wine pairing, and the panoramic view of the Newport Beach Back Bay.
Enjoy a 3-Course Dinner featuring Bunny’s Signature Dish – Dinner Package $75 Includes Reserved Floor Seating
Starter – Choice of
Pumpkin Spice Soup with Crème Fraiche or
Bistro Salad with Mixed Greens, Candied Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Feta, and Champagne Vinaigrette
Entrée – Choice of
Bunny Brunel Gambas À L’armoricaine
Jumbo Shrimp Sautéed in a Tomato Cognac Sauce served over Ratatouille
Coffee Crusted Prime New York
Served with Fresh Baby Arugula, Heirloom Tomatoes and Pointe Reyes Bleu Cheese
Polenta Portobello Stack
Pan Seared Vegan Polenta, Portobello Mushrooms, and Heirloom Tomato Stacks over Grilled Vegetables
Dessert – Choice of
Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée or
Chocolate Molten Cake
Bar seating: $20 Floor seating: $30 VIP Package: $50
(VIP includes signed CD by Bunny Brunel, band meet & greet and photo opportunity)
Note: Two Drink Minimum per person, unless dinner reservation made. Dinner reservations guarantee priority seating, in front of general admission seating and with priority stage viewing. Ticket prices do not include cost of dinner.
On behalf of Agenda magazine, we would like to extend a huge congratulations to contributing journalist (Arting Around) Sheryl Aronson for her honorable mention in Writer’s Digest.
“The depth of Sheryl’s interviews made it clear that she was deeply invested in each her journalistic subjects; her content is uniquely probing and always full of revelations.”-Kaylene Peoples, Publisher/EIC of Agenda Magazine
About the Honorable Mentions:
Both of Sheryl Aronson’s entries in the Feature Articles categories: Melissa Manchester…”STILL HAS THE HUNGER IN HER HEART AFTER FORTY-FIVE YEARS,” and “A LAND SO FOREIGN, YET FAMILIAR (MY TRAVELS TO NIGERIA)”
From Writer’s Digest . . .
Hello Sheryl!
Congratulations! Your entry, Melissa Manchester, Still Has the Hunger in Her Heart After Forty-Five Years, was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Magazine Feature Article category of the 86th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Among the ten competition categories, there were over 5,100 entries in total* this year-you should be extremely proud of your accomplishment!
Again, many congratulations from all of us on the Writer’s Digest team!
Hello Sheryl!
Congratulations! Your entry, A Land So Foreign, Yet Familiar, was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Magazine Feature Article category of the 86th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Among the ten competition categories, there were over 5,100 entries in total* this year-you should be extremely proud of your accomplishment!
The top 10 in each category will be listed in the November/December 2017 issue. The 86th Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection contains the Grand Prize manuscript as well as the First Place manuscripts in each category; it also lists the names and titles of works for the top 10 in each category, and lists the names of Honorable Mention winners.
Again, many congratulations from all of us on the Writer’s Digest team!
Agenda magazine’s entertainment Blogger Sheryl Aronson has been writing for “Arting Around,” an entertainment Blog in a relatively new blogging section called Agenda Bloggers. Aronson had first contributed to Agenda‘s Special Edition print issue in 2016 with her ground-breaking interview with multi-Grammy-winner Teri Lynn Carrington, (a compilation of interviews and reviews as she followed Carrington’s career).
on the Main Stage were the veteran musicians of Ndugu Chancler, drummer, Bobby Lyle, keys, Alphonso Johnson, bass and Craig T. Copper, guitar.They were joined later by the vocalists, Bridgette Bryant, Will Wheaton and Sangindiva Shannon plus other backup singers.
This hour of music energized the audience with the strong, heavy chops of Chancler, Lyle, Johnson and Cooper.Each one of these musicians have been at their craft for over 30 years.Ndugu Chancler has played with Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Herbie Hancock, and Weather Report.He has Gold and Platinum albums as well as Grammy Awards.On the drums that afternoon, he roared with superlative rhythm.Alphonso Johnson has played with Weather Report, Sergio Mendes, the Grateful Dead and now teaches at Cal Arts and USC.His bass playing flowed and bounced with graceful plucking.Craig T. Cooper on guitar has played with Barry Manilow, The O’Jays and the Crusaders.He brandished the guitar strings with flavorful soulful chops.
Bobby Lyle presented a powerful presence on the keys during his set with Ndugu Chancler, Alphonso Johnson, and Craig T. Cooper at the 30th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival on Saturday, August 12, 2017. One could see the joy and passion on Lyle’s face during performance. He tickled the ivory of the electric keyboard, then switched over to the acoustic piano and maintaining a masterful technique on both.
A veteran of the music industry for 40 years, Bobby Lyle has amassed a prolific discography of jazz music. He has traveled all over the world performing musical directing for legends Bette Midler, Al Jarreau, Anita Baker, and more. He now heads his own ensembles and plans to head up his own jazz series in Houston titled Bobby Lyle Presents.
I caught up with Bobby Lyle backstage of the Long Beach Jazz Festival just after his performance.
On Saturday, August 12, 2017, Emmy-nominated keyboardist Bobby Lyle will be performing at 2:30 pm at the Long Beach Jazz Festival, along with Ndugu Chancler on drums, Alphonso Johnson on bass, Craig T. Cooper on guitar, and vocals by Bridgette Bryant.
“We have a great show in store you. See ya there!” -Bobby Lyle
For over 2 decades, the #LBJazzFest has been a trailblazer consistently refining the essence of a premier jazz festival beyond celebrated artists and mellow ambience. The Long Beach Jazz Festival experience is more than music, mingling, munching and marveling at merchandise. Attendees will enjoy marina breezes and a beautiful lagoon and park setting. The Vendor Pavilion offers a variety of freshly prepared foods and beverages plus unique clothing, art and accessories. A 2nd stage in the Pavilion features experts sharing knowledge about health and well-being—valuable information for creating healthy awareness of body, mind and soul. When the health speakers are not on stage, diverse musical groups provide listening entertainment.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2017
Boney James
Will Downing
Nathan East
Eric Darius 30 Years of Long Beach Jazz Featuring: Ndugu Chancler, Bobby Lyle, Craig T. Cooper, Alphonso Johnson, Bridgette Bryant
Jazz In P!nk
The idea was born quite a while back when Stanley and Italked about it some time ago. Because of busy schedules, it took us a very long time to finish – It took us five years, with getting all the different musicians to participate. A lot of overdubs were made possible thanks to the internet. Steve Bailey and Victor Wooten recorded their parts at their own studios and uploaded the tracks that I included in the mix. Others like Armand Sabal-Lecco recorded at my studio (Gigi’s Studio) where most of the album was recorded, but we also used Stanley’sstudio for most of his parts, as well as Billy Sheehan’s. Recording at those different studios also helped contribute to the extra time spent finishing up the project.
Bunny Brunel is featured in the June 2017 Issue.
Besides Josquin Des Prés and Hadrien Feraud, who reside in California, I guess that for all the French musicians involved everything was done through the internet?
That’s right! I wanted to have Marc Berteaux; he is a fantastic bass player that never got the attention that he deserves. He plays a long solo at the end of “Freedom Jazz Dance.”
I wanted to do something special for the city of my birth place “Nice” with the title “Bay of the Angels” that is the name of the the bay in the front of Nice. For this title, I asked some musicians from Nice to play, including Alex Perdigon (trombone), Eric Giausserand (trumpet), and the bassists Tony Bonfils, Fifi Chayeb, and Dominique Bertram; as well as the drummer Steve Ferrone, who used to live in Nice. We went to the classical conservatory together.
Why two versions for that title?
Stanley wanted to have a shorter version for radio air play.
You co-wrote a title with Victor Wooten and Stanley. How did you do that?
If we take the first title “Nothing But The Bass,” which is a play on words on “Nothing but the best,” Stanley came up with some chords on the piano that I took and made the title using each of the different parts and solos sections. My daughter Gigi helped me with the melody of the bridge, that is why her name is mentioned in the credits.
On “Bass Ball” we also found a new version of “For You To Play” that was originally record on the album of the same title back in 1994.
That’s right, this tune was composed by my ex-wife Nicol Mecerova, an opera singer that made the melody of “For Me to Play.” Because I composed it on the Piccolo Bass Synth, I thought that it would be great to record it again with Stanley on the piccolo [bass] as well. He overdubbed the melody on the upright bass with the arco, and played a great solo with it.
My piccolo bass is a 5 string tuned E-A-D-G-C, it’s great to play chords.
Aren’t you afraid that people will say: It’s a bass player album for bass Players?
No, on the contrary; this ISa Bass player album for bass players! That is why we called it “Bass Ball.” There are going to be a Bass Ball 2 and 3 because there are more bass players that need to be presented to the public.
We are happy to hear that. You are doing a great job producing this. Nobody will complain!
This type of album helps connect the new generation of talent with the already established talent. I think that this is very important. I remember when I discovered Eddie Gomez on the live recording of Bill Evans at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, he showed me that I was in the right direction and that it was possible to do what I wanted to do. After that, there were many more for example such as Stanley Clarke who was with the original band Return To Forever; and also . . . it was Jaco Pastorius that offered me the challenge of playing melodies.
It looks like you play a lot of fretless on this album?
I do play fretless most of the time. If I don’t slide it sounds like a fretted bass but I do play my 4-string fretted on Gigi, for example.
Yes, lets talk about equipment. You left Carvin to play ESP now?
Carvin makes fantastic instruments but the problem is that they only sell in the US, they do not really distribute around the world; and they never copied my original design that I made for Gibson in 1986. By the way, my longtime student Kyle Eastwood has 3 or 4 of those Bunny Brunel Gibsons.
ESP, on contrary, agreed to make my basses exactly the way I designed them. They are making a 5-string fretted, a 5-string Fretless, and a 4-string Fretted. All the ESP basses I designed have Aguilar pickups and electronics. I do not have any 6-string basses. I don’t like the sound of the hi C. I’d rather go up on the G string to play the high notes; the sound is better.
And for the amplification?
In the studio I use the ART preamp for my mixing board; and on stage I use an EDEN Amp system. I used to have a lot of effects a long time ago, but now I only use Digitech pedals such as PB 200 and for intimate venues PB80.
Bunny Brunel Featured In the French Magazine “Bassiste” June 2017 Issue #72
Did you plan to tour to advertise the album?
We are giving some concerts this summer. But we are thinking of getting to different place with a rhythm section, and inviting some bass players who are in the area to join us.
Interesting. Do you have any plans with the group CAB with Tony MacAlpine and Dennis Chambers?
Not right now, but I started recording an album with Patrick Moraz and Virgil Donati for a new group called “INOW.”I am very excited about the project. Patrick’s music is complicated, but very beautiful.
It’s reminiscent of when it all started for me. Remember . . . it is because of Patrick Moraz that I ended up with Chick Corea in 1978 when I was playing at the Ronnie Scott Club in London with Tania Maria and André Ceccarelli.
You’ve been really involved in writing a lot of books and videos, teaching the bass. What are you doing now?
I always give lessons, and because of the internet I can give lessons to anybody anywhere in the world now, using Skype. I am in the process of developing an app [for bass lessons] for smart phones and tablets
On July 18th, at Vitello’s Night Club in Studio City, Clifford Bell presented the musical show “Revolution,” which was hosted by Pop Culture Hero Coalition Founder, Chase Masterson.The monies collected for this evening’s entertainment would go toward the organization, Pop Culture Hero Coalition.The vocalists performing for the event were: Chase Masterson, Kirsten Holly Smith, Keith Borden, Mandy Kemp, Justin Charles Cowden, Kaylene Peoples, Patricia Whitman, Mary Pat Bowe, and Clifford Bell.
The musical performances from the singers and the band peppered the audience with inspirational songs that lifted one’s spirit.Chase Masterson looked stunning in a twilight blue gown as she interweaved herself from announcing acts, sharing encouraging stories of people overcoming bullying, to singing a few numbers as well.Doing a campy version of “The Swinger,” Chase projected the aura of a torch singer from old.Her golden voice pierced the hearts of us all when she crooned the tune, “Pure Imagination.”Using her dramatic flair, Chase enchanted the entire room.
Chase Masterson (Photo by: Sheryl Aronson)
Founded in 2013, they are a 501(c)(3) non-profit that takes a stand against bullying, racism, misogyny, cyber-bullying, LGBT-bullying, and other forms of hate-using with the phenomenal popularity of media to bring justice and healing.
The Coalition’s work features global experts and advocates, including representatives from the United Nations, the Anti-Defamation League, the NOH8 Campaign, Justice League New York, and other major organizations; we also work with clinical psychologists who specialize in using pop culture stories in restorative justice and in therapy for victims of bullying and injustice.
“REVOLUTION: A Benefit for the POP CULTURE HERO COALITION”
Musical Director DAVID SCOTT COHEN on piano, AL GARCIA on bass and TOM BOWE on drums
SUNDAY, JULY 16 at 8pm at UPSTAIRS AT VITELLO’S (Formerly “The E Spot Lounge”)
REVOLUTION: A BENEFIT FOR THE POP CULTURE HERO COALITION
Hosted by CHASE MASTERSON
Featuring KEITH BORDEN, JUSTIN CHARLES COWDEN & LEXI MARMAN COWDEN, KAYLENE PEOPLES, PATRICIA WHITEMAN, and new additions KIRSTEN HOLLY SMITH (from the hit show Forever Dusty), MANDY KEMP, and MARY PAT BOWE. (Unfortunately Dion Khan is unavailable for this performance.)
Bunny Brunel Featured In the French Magazine “Bassiste” June 2017 Issue #72
Bunny Brunel has been making news his whole life, but lately, has been featured in several bass magazines for his brilliant CD Bass Ball, which he co-produced with friend and fellow bass player Stanley Clarke. Brunel was recently featured in Bass Player Magazine June 2017 and Bassiste Magazine in France. The album Bass Ballwas released earlier this year and has made a huge impression on the bass player community by being the first of its kind. Never before has a CD featured so many celebrated bass players both here in the US and abroad (Bunny’s home country France). Check out the issue available in print and digitally: http://bassistemagazine.com/produit/numero-72/
“C’est aussi plutôt relevé du côté français, à commencer par le nouveau coup d’éclat de l’étonnant Bunny Brunel. En effet, associé avec rien moins que l’immense Stanley Clarke, le Niçois exilé à Los Angeles, vient de faire paraître Bass Ball, un album exceptionnel sur lequel on retrouve le gratin de la basse internationale dont un bon paquet de Français.”
Bunny Brunel Featured In the French Magazine “Bassiste” June 2017 Issue #72
Saturday, October 14, 2017, Bunny Brunel will be performing with his band CAB and preparing a special entree for the evening. most people only know Bunny as a world famous musician, not a gourmet chef, well-versed in French cuisine. But he graduated from l’Ecole Hôtelière de Nice and even served royalty before he became the internationally famous Bunny Brunel, the bass player. On Agenda magazine is a video of Bunny demonstrating his culinary skills as he prepares “
The dinner concert will feature an all-star band of highly acclaimed jazz performers, Bunny’s signature seafood main course with a curated wine pairing, and the panoramic view of the Newport Beach Back Bay.
Congratulations! Your entry, Melissa Manchester, Still Has the Hunger in Her Heart After Forty-Five Years, was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Magazine Feature Article c
Agenda magazine’s entertainment Blogger Sheryl Aronson has been writing for “Arting Around,” an entertainment Blog in a relatively new blogging section called Agenda Bloggers. Aronson had first contributed to Agenda‘s Special Edition print issue in 2016 with her ground-breaking interview with multi-Grammy-winner Teri Lynn Carrington, (
For over 2 decades, the #LBJazzFest has been a trailblazer consistently refining the essence of a premier jazz festival beyond celebrated artists and mellow ambience. The Long Beach Jazz Festival experience is more than music, mingling, munching and marveling at merchandise. Attendees will enjoy marina breezes and a beautiful lagoon and park setting. The Vendor Pavilion offers a variety of freshly prepared foods and beverages plus unique clothing, art and accessories. A 2nd stage in the Pavilion features experts sharing knowledge about health and well-being—valuable information for creating healthy awareness of body, mind and soul. When the health speakers are not on stage, diverse musical groups provide listening entertainment.
