Funnyman, activist, and supreme jazz aficionado Bill Cosby is bidding farewell to his 30-year gig as the host of the world-renowned Playboy Jazz Festival.  Cosby will take his leave after he emcees the event for the last time during the weekend of June 16 and 17 at the Los Angeles famed Hollywood Bowl venue.

The founder of the festival, Hugh Hefner of the Playboy Magazine fame, hired Cosby back in 1979 to host the festivities, which has entertained an estimated 750,000 people to well more than 500 hours of jazz.  Hefner refers to Cosby’s contributions to the event as “immeasurable.”

Cosby got the opportunity to premiere his own jazz group, The Cos of Good Music, at the event back in 1995.  The jazz group, which switches members from year to year, features musicians that Cosby cherry picks himself.  The veteran entertainer also gets to join the performers as a drummer or conductor.