The 47th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival starts today! Here are a few last minute updates. See you there!
*New Information!
David “Fathead” Newman Stands In for Frank Wess
Frank Wess, scheduled to be one of the Festival’s Artists-In-Residence has taken ill. He will be replaced in all performances (with the exception of “Flutology”) and in the scheduled Conversation with Clark Terry, by David “Fathead” Newman, legendary sax and flute player, whose start was with Ray Charles Band in the early ’50’s.
*New Information!
Festival Partners with Monterey Institute of International Studies Fisher Graduate School of International Business in Festival Survey
The Monterey Jazz Festival will be working with MIIS students in Dr. Fredric Kropp’s marketing research class on a survey of fans. Both “Do-It-Yourself” surveys and one-on-one interviews will be conducted.
*New Information!
Festival hosts 500 Monterey County music students in free noontime concert, featuring Milton Fletcher, Jr. Trio, Thursday at Garden Stage.
Continuing a Festival tradition, the Monterey Jazz Festival will host a free concert for music students from all around Monterey County. MJF Jazz Education Programs star Milton Fletcher, Jr. performs with his trio (see below for more on Milton).
* Monterey Salutes Gillespie Roots with 2004 Commission
“A Mood for Dizzy†/ Terence Blanchard Sextet with Special Guests Jon Faddis, Slide Hampton, James Moody (Arena, Friday Night)
World premiere of The Monterey Jazz Festival’s 2004 Commissioned Work, created by Terence Blanchard, dedicated to longtime Festival star Dizzy Gillespie, featuring an all-star array of artists associated with both Gillespie and Monterey history.
* Artists-In-Residence Clark Terry, Regina Carter and Showcase Artist Jack DeJohnette Perform Throughout the Fairgrounds, Throughout the Festival Weekend
Legendary stars perform with a long list of artists throughout the weekend in a variety of groups (Arena and Grounds, Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Monterey Jazz Festival Artists-In-Residence Clark Terry, Regina Carter and Showcase Artist Jack DeJohnette will be performing all around the grounds, all throughout the weekend, including sets with High School All-Stars, and with artists ranging from Bobby McFerrin to Don Byron to Bill Charlap. Great opportunity for all fans to catch these legends of jazz in multiple settings, groupings and venues.
* Conversations with Clint Eastwood, Marian McPartland, Clark Terry David “Fathead” Newman, Bill Charlap
The Monterey Jazz Festival presents four jazz luminaries in these entertaining and enlightening chats with the artists (Dizzy’s Den, Saturday and Sunday).
Eastwood and McPartland discuss their favorite subject, “Piano Jazz†(Dizzy’s Den, 4:00 pm, Saturday); Clark Terry and David “Fathead” Newman add their stories to the Festival’s “Jazz Legends†Series with legendary producer Orrin Keepnews in the moderator’s seat (Dizzy’s Den, 4:00 pm, Sunday); Jazz Journalist Andrew Gilbert quizzes Bill Charlap on “The Great American Songbook†(Dizzy’s Den, 2:00 pm Saturday).
* Reprise of Festival’s Hot “New Grooves†Party
Last year’s “New Grooves†had fans dancing in Dizzy’s Den aisles
The Bad Plus and the Charlie Hunter Trio are featured artists in this year’s “New Groovesâ€, with the front of Dizzy’s Den cleared of chairs for the Party (Dizzy’s Den, 8:30 pm, Friday)
* A “Focus on Flutesâ€
The Monterey Jazz Festival salutes the flutes. “Focus on Flutes†features Kenny Stahl with special guest Paul Contos; John Calloway & Diaspora; and Flutology featuring Holly Hofmann, Aly Ryerson and Frank Wess (Night Club, 8:00 pm, Friday).
* A “Plethora of Pianos”
The Monterey Jazz Festival hosts a contingent of top piano artists throughout the weekend. Pianists performing throughout the weekend will include Marian McPartland (on the Arena/Lyons Stage with Lynne Arriale, Bill Charlap and Jason Moran), Jean Michel Pilc, Uri Caine (both performing in Starbucks Coffee House Gallery in addition to Lynne Arriale), and Milton Fletcher, who is a story in his own right (See below).
* Don Byron’s Ivey-Divey Trio
Monterey Jazz Festival favorite Don Byron returns with this tribute trio. Monterey will host the West Coast debut of Don Byron’s tribute to Lester Young. Inspired by the classic 1946 recording, the trio (with Jason Moran and Jack DeJohnette joining Byron) honors original trio members Lester Young, Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich.
* “Ladies of the Bay†Light Up Friday Night
Friday night’s Night Club showcases three stellar Bay Area vocalists. An evening with Claudia Villela/Ricardo Peixoto Group, Kitty Margolis and Paula West, in a Festival salute to these San Francisco Bay Area stars.
* Saturday’s Got The Blues
The Monterey Jazz Festival’s traditional Saturday offering of The Blues on both the Arena/Lyons Stage and the Garden Stage. Buddy Guy, Bettye LaVette, and the Jackie Greene Band perform on the Arena/Lyons Stage, with Bettye LaVette and Jackie Greene on the Garden Stage, as well as Charlie Musselwhite and Danny Caron’s Good Hands.
* A World of Jazz in Monterey
Jazz stars from around the world come to Monterey. Boban Markovic & The Serbian Jazz Orkestar, Lee Sara Special Big Band from Japan, E. S. T./Esbjorn Svensson Trio from Sweden, and a contingent of Russian jazz artists performing with the Brubeck Ensemble add an international flavor to the Festival.
* Milton Fletcher to Open Festival Weekend (Jazz education works!)
The Milton Fletcher, Jr. Trio opens the Festival, as this star of the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Jazz Education Programs proves jazz education works. Milton Fletcher has been a part of the Festival’s Jazz Education Programs since he was 13, when he auditioned for the High School All-Star Band. The first recipient of the Jimmy Lyons Scholarship (a full tuition, four-year scholarship given by Berklee College of Music and named in honor of Festival founder Lyons), Milton plays the Garden Stage with his own trio (6:30 pm, Friday) and with “Jazz Across America†(5:00 pm, Saturday). The Festival will feature more than a dozen of the country’s top student jazz groups performing throughout the weekend in various venues.