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
Music
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
This Is Jazz
They're still talking about that September Saturday. The day Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews strode out onto the Jimmy Lyons stage with his band Orleans Avenue and proceeded to permanently and deeply carve his name into the tree trunk of Monterey Jazz Festival lore. "He absolutely owned the 2010 festival," says one longtime attendee. Guess what? He's gonna do it again. "I've … [Read more...] about This Is Jazz
Monterey Jazz Festival’s Full Circle
Jazz musicians are an eclectic lot: highly individualistic and nonconformist— dancing to their own drummers, so to speak. They sing in chorus, however, when it comes to educating young people in the language of their chosen musical genre. From its inception 54 years ago, the Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF) has funded programs designed to pass the torch onto the next generation of … [Read more...] about Monterey Jazz Festival’s Full Circle