The 2014 Monterey Jazz Festival lineup includes some old friends, some new blood and plenty of musical surprises. So what else is new? The longest continuously running jazz festival on Planet Earth certainly didn’t get that way by being stodgy, boring or predictable. This year, Artistic Director Tim Jackson has put together a stellar three-day program, running September 19-21, … [Read more...] about Raising the Standards
Music
Simply Unforgettable
This year marks the fourth Monterey Jazz Festival appearance by superb pianist and sublime vocalist Diana Krall. She’s a busy and prolific performer: since her first festival appearance in 1997, she’s released nearly a dozen albums (selling more than 15 million worldwide), several DVDs, has garnered two Grammys and played all over the planet, and still finds time to raise young … [Read more...] about Simply Unforgettable
A True Jazz Medley
Although the 56th annual Monterey Jazz Festival roster features an impressive lineup of pre-eminent jazz instrumentalists— Wayne Shorter, David Sanborn, Steve Gadd, Dave Holland, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club—it’s perhaps the vocalists who will be the shining stars this time out. “There was no preconceived notion to present singers per se,” says MJF Creative Director Tim … [Read more...] about A True Jazz Medley
Rumble Seat Music
A few pounds of mahogany, maple and rosewood; some metal and plastic bits; a handful of simple electronic parts; a couple of ounces of nitrocellulose finish; several feet of steel wire. There are quite a few gizmos a clever, capable craftsman could bring to life with these basic materials. In the late 1950s, two groups of particularly accomplished artisans—one at Fender Musical … [Read more...] about Rumble Seat Music
The Good Life
His philosophies are simple: life is beautiful, it only gets better with age, and it's all about quality, not quantity. Legendary singer Tony Bennett embodies these principles. The nearly 86 year old is currently on an extensive European tour. He will play the Olympics and Royal Albert Hall, as well as make stops in at least a half-dozen foreign countries. He says there will be … [Read more...] about The Good Life