Photo gallery: George Lopez to host Playboy Jazz Festival

George Lopez was telling a crowd that had gathered under the large white tent at the Playboy mansion about a call from Bill Cosby, asking him to take over as host of the 35th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival.

The offer came with advice too.

Slipping into an uncanny impersonation, cadence and all, Lopez said: "Do not let the musicians in your dressing room `cause they'll eat your food and drink the drink.

"He also told me `You're going to smell something funny at night'."

The Playboy Jazz Festival announcement has always been a good time, and this year, with a new master of ceremonies and several world-premiere collaborations planned for the two-day festival June 15 and 16, it didn't disappoint.

A jazz sextet of students from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts kept the mood lively while guests nibbled fresh fruit, crudites and breadsticks and ordered from the open bar.

As wine corks popped, jazz icons - familiar faces and up-and-comers - started to appear from the stone-wall mansion.

Herbie Hancock and Jeffrey Osborne embraced for a crush of photographers.

Sheila E made a quick appearance but was gone by the ceremony's start.

And Quincy Jones, whose 80th birthday will be celebrated in a performance by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with guests Patti Austin and Hubert Laws, was surrounded by admirers the moment he sat down.

The 20-year-old saxophonist Grace Kelly, who makes her festival debut with her quintet and guest Phil Woods, was among them.

"He's a real inspiration to me," Kelly said.

During the announcement Jones got up to say a few words, waxing nostalgic about the old days and joking that he worked with fellow Chicagoan Hancock "since before electricity."

He took a similar jab at Cosby, who like Hugh Hefner was absent from the party.

But Lopez had things under control, keeping the audience laughing whenever he had the chance.

That, he said, is his job.

"Even if you do nothing you want to create an air of fun," Lopez said following the announcement as he stood by the pool contemplating Cosby's advice.

He only wishes he had recorded the 40 minute phone call, which came out of the blue.

"Him telling me every detail of the festival, where to get my `little table by the side of the stage, you know, take a bottle of wine or whatever you want' was, I mean - you don't expect somebody that you've admired your whole life to be as gracious and accommodating and as friendly and supportive as Bill Cosby has been to me," he said.

Cosby relinquished his role last summer after more than 30 years, but he'll be back this summer to assist Lopez in his new role as host.

"To get a new pope is exciting," Lopez said. "But this? This is replacing the pope of comedy."