Straightahead jazz group Hip Pocket returns to live performances with a debut engagement at the Mission Tobacco Lounge in Riverside this Sunday, February 15th. Hip Pocket, featuring nine of the Inland Empire's most accomplished jazz musicians, is led by composer-arranger and Redlands resident Sandy Megas. This evening's performance starts at 6:00 PM (with no cover charge) and will feature musicians that have toured with the Grammy award-winning Brian Setzer Orchestra, legendary smooth jazz pianist David Benoit, and many other recognized artists. Hip Pocket, which has been described as "a perfect marriage of the full sound of a big band with the spontaneity of a combo," will be performing original material in addition to well-known standards and jazz classics. The group utilizes an atypical combination of four saxes, one trumpet and trombone plus a rhythm section of piano, bass and drums; this allows the band to deliver the full density of jazz harmony and orchestral color without the weight of the more traditional big band, all the while maintaining the soloists freedom to stretch and explore.

The Mission Tobacco Lounge is located at 3630 University Ave. in downtown Riverside (right next door to the well-known Lake Alice Trading Co.), and offers a full menu including reasonably priced sandwiches, burgers, and salads, with special dinner selections for this evening's performance to include steak, lemon chicken, and pasta alfredo. An "unbeatable" selection of domestic and micro brews and a large variety of premium wines are also available (this is a "21 and over only" venue, and for non smokers--smoking is not permitted in the performance area). Visit www.missiontobaccolounge.com, or call (951) 682-4427 for more details.

Having been together since 1991, Hip Pocket has played many of the major venues in the Inland Empire, including a very well-received performance at the Redlands Bowl last August, and has backed some of the true legends of jazz, including Bill Perkins, Frank Strazzeri, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, Gabe Baltazar, and others. Live recordings of the group can be heard on the "Sounds" page of www.redlandsjazz.com, and additional examples of the works of Sandy Megas are found at www.arrmegas.net. If you like straightahead, swinging jazz, this special free-admission event at the Mission Tobacco Lounge on Sunday, February 15th from 6:00-9:00 PM is a must!"