Bistango Brings Live Jazz To The Table
Bistango Restaurant announced this past week its partnership with the Saddleback College Jazz Studies department for the inauguration of Bistango’s En Plein Air Summer Jazz Series. Beginning June 28, guests can enjoy live jazz music by Saddleback students on Bistango’s open-air patio from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday.
“My father, John Ghoukassian, has always had a deep appreciation for art and music, and it has been an important part of Bistango’s story over the last 31 years,” said Bistango proprietor, Karyn Ghoukassian. “Bistango has served as an interesting and important platform where musicians and artists could express themselves, sharing their talent with the community, and we are excited to extend that same platform to these students, so they can also share their talent. Of course, we are happy to also have it provide an elevated experience to our diners as well.”
Joey Sellers, the director of jazz studies at Saddleback College, worked closely with his students to create combos and small ensembles, ranging from American standards to classical melodies, that the students will perform each week.
“My students are really looking forward to performing at Bistango over the coming weeks,” said Sellers. “This is the perfect opportunity for them to take what they’ve learned in our program and apply it beyond the classroom.”
While enjoying live jazz from Saddleback College students, Bistango guests can indulge in entrees ranging from mushroom crusted Alaskan halibut to pan roasted New Zealand lamb chops served with garlic mashed potatoes and topped with pearl onions port wine reduction. Additionally, Bistango offers a selection of wine from all around the world to pair perfectly with your meal.
Bistango Restaurant is located at 19100 Von Karman Avenue in Irvine in the iconic Atrium Building. For more information about Bistango, please visit www.bistango.com and follow along on Instagram (@bistango_irvine) and on Facebook.
About Bistango Restaurant
Entering its 31st year in 2018, Bistango personifies Orange County fine dining with its innovative menu, superb service and specially curated wine and cocktail lists. With a beautiful outdoor patio to hold events, special private dining areas, as well as its museum-quality art adorning its walls and hallways, Bistango has a diverse menu of outstanding international cuisine by Chef Javier Montoya, who rose up through the ranks under the tutelage of Bistango’s founding Austrian chef, Paul Gstrein. Bistango is a critically-acclaimed restaurant renowned well beyond the confines of Southern California, honored for its diverse menu of outstanding international cuisine and a wine list boasting 400 wines from around the world. Set in the airy lobby level of the iconic Atrium building in Irvine, Calif., the restaurant’s interior was conceived by owner John Ghoukassian and designed by internationally renowned, Venice-based architect, Michael Carapetian, creating the perfect gallery-style backdrop for the restaurant’s rotating art exhibitions. Not only beholden to visual artists, Bistango boasts live entertainment six nights a week, filling the air with music from a myriad of genres, from Latin Jazz and R&B to classics and contemporary covers. For more information about Bistango, please visit www.bistango.com and follow along on Instagram (@bistango_irvine) and on Facebook. Bistango is located at 19100 Von Karman Avenue in Irvine, Calif.
About the Saddleback College Jazz Studies Department
Jazz Studies at Saddleback College emphasizes creativity through improvisation and ensemble performance. Focusing on the historical, theoretical and intuitive aspects of this American music, Director Joey Sellers and an outstanding cadre of nationally recognized musicians comprise the jazz faculty. Curricula include Improvisation, Jazz Composition and Arranging, Jazz History Syllabus, Jazz History Audio, Jazz History Podcast, Jazz Piano, Saddleback Big Band, Jazz Lab Ensemble, and Combos.
For more information on Saddleback College’s Jazz Studies department, please visit their website at: www.saddleback.edu/fa/jazz-studies or contact Joey Sellers at (949) 582-4629.
