The 46th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival is less than three weeks away and I am getting excited. This year’s lineup includes The Crusaders featuring Randy Crawford, Carla Cook, Mary Stallings, Herbie Hancock, Nnenna Freelon, Jason Moran, Soulive, Michael Camilo and Dena DeRose. I will post my personal must-see list right before the festival.
George Duke will be playing Kimball’s East this weekend. Hmmmm….I wonder if he will be playing his Dukie Stick!!!
Jazz on the River will be held on Saturday, 9/6 and Sunday, 9/7 at Johnson Beach on the Russian River in Guerneville, Ca. The lineup includes Al Jarreau, George Benson, Stanley Clarke, Brian Culbertson, Norman Brown, Ledisi, Joyce Cooling, Bobby Hutcherson/Cedar Walton Quartet, Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Benny Green & Russell Malone and Orquesta La Moderna Tradición.
The Soul Survivors featuring Les McCann, Ernie Watts, Cornell Dupree, Chuck Rainey, and Buddy Williams will be performing at Yoshi’s starting tomorrow thru Sunday. Next Thursday, 9/11 thru Sunday, 9/14, the Terence Blanchard Sextet will be there and on Monday, 9/15, Jason Moran & The Bandwagon will be there right before heading to Monterey. Hiroshima, Branford Marsalis Quartet, and Kurt Elling are scheduled for later in the month and Dianne Reeves will be there in October.
The San Francisco Jazz Festival runs from 10/23 thru 11/09. Etta James, Mary McPartland, McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland, Mavis Staples, René Marie, Ramsey Lewis, and Nancy Wilson are just a handful of the artists scheduled to perform during this wonderful music event. There will also be a preview concert with Herbie Hancock and Bobby Hutcherson on Saturday, 9/20. Check out the complete schedule for more details.
Me’Shell NdegéOcello and Soulive will be at The Fillmore on Sunday, 10/12 and Monday, 10/13.
Wow, you’ve been a busy man! I’ve missed you but the back to school schedule is kicking this momma’s big, behind. LOL! So hoping to get to Yoshi’s for Branford. Every time I read about all of the GREAT stuff coming up, I want to pack up my family and head North.