Monterey Jazz Festival

Monterey Jazz Festival
50th Golden Celebration Poster (2007)
Genre	Jazz, Blues, Rock music
Dates	third weekend in September
Location(s)	Monterey, California, USA
Years active	1958 — Present
Website	Monterey Jazz Festival

Debuting on October 3, 1958, the Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF) is one of the longest consecutively running jazz festivals. It was co-founded by San Francisco jazz radio broadcaster Jimmy Lyons and his colleague, journalist Ralph J. Gleason. Since 1992, Tim Jackson has been general manager, and for fifteen years famed film director and actor Clint Eastwood has been on MJF's board of directors.

The festival is held annually on the 20-acre, oak-studded Monterey Fairgrounds, located at 2000 Fairground Road in Monterey, California, USA on the third full weekend in September, beginning on Friday. More than 500 top jazz artists perform on nine stages spread throughout the grounds, with more than 50 concert performances. In addition, the Monterey Jazz Festival features jazz conversations, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, clinics, and an international array of food, shopping and festivities spread throughout the 20-acre Monterey Fairgrounds.

"While jazz radio and major labels cut back on musical choice and commitment, the Monterey Jazz Festival has widened its scope by expanding the parameters of jazz, blues, and rock. . . . Happily, MJF is now as diverse and vibrant as Gleason and Lyons imagined it ever could be."

In 2006, the festival set an attendance record of more than 40,000, selling out all five major concerts on the main stage arena. Also, in 2007, more than 40,000 attended the 50th Golden Celebration.

Primary purpose

The Monterey Jazz Festival is not just about a three-day event. The primary purpose of the non-profit MJF is to fund jazz education programs throughout the United States. Every year, the festival and its associated activities raises hundreds of thousands of dollars, provides scholarships for promising young musicians to attend the Berklee School of Music, and features the nation’s most talented middle school, high school and college jazz musicians and vocalists opportunities to shine on the stages. Starting with a modest $35,000 scholarship fund in 1970, the Monterey Jazz Festival now invests over $500,000 annually for jazz education in a variety of different programs which are a model of arts education for the entire nation. Every Spring, the Monterey Jazz Festival invites the top student musicians from across the country and around the world to participate in the "Next Generation Festival". With the MJF National High School Jazz Competition, free concerts and clinics, as well as auditions for MJF's Next Generation Jazz Orchestra (which performs at MJF and in a North American and European tour).

Notable performers by year

"It's almost easier to say who was not there over the years than it is to say who was," says Bill Minor, a jazz expert and author of a Monterey Jazz Festival history. "When you're there, you get that sense of incredible history. [In one of my books], I talk about hearing these voices of the past. It's impossible to be there and not do that." Clark Terry holds the record with 20 paid gigs at MJF. Dave Brubeck was instrumental in getting city approval for the first festival in 1958. The founder and general manager of MJF for 35 years, Jimmy Lyons, brought Brubeck to Monterey to perform for the city council to persuade them to allow the festival to occur. He has performed at the Festival 14 times since then, which includes his appearance at the 2007 / 50th golden anniversary.

1958

The first festival included performers such as Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars, Dizzy Gillespie, Ernestine Anderson w/Gerald Wiggins, Cal Tjader Sextet, John Lewis, Shelly Manne, Art Farmer, Milt Jackson, Gerry Mulligan, Harry James Orchestra, Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Buddy DeFranco, Shelly Manne & His Men, Max Roach, Modern Jazz Quartet, Lizzie Miles, Benny Carter, and more.

"When Billie Holiday arrived at the Monterey grounds in 1958, Lady Day relaxed in the doorway of her dressing room wearing her fur coat and holding a tiny dog. "It's sure beautiful here," she sighed. During her performance, Billie wore a tight fitting skirt onstage and swayed uneasily from side to side, propped up by horn players Buddy DeFranco, Benny Carter, and Gerry Mulligan. She sang eleven songs, "Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own", "Willow Weep For Me", "When Your Lover Has Gone", "God Bless The Child", "I Only Have Eyes for You", "Good Morning Heartache", "Them There Eyes", "Billie's Blues", "What a Little Moonlight Can Do", "Trav'lin' Light", and "Lover, Come Back to Me". Holiday's October 5 performance would be her only MJF appearance. She died nine months later."

1959

Notable headliners Count Basie Orchestra w/Joe Williams, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Jimmy Witherspoon, Woody Herman & the All Stars w/ Ernestine Anderson, Charlie Byrd & Zoot Sims, Lizzie Miles, Ornette Coleman & Orchestra, and more.

1960

Duke Ellington Orchestra, Jon Hendricks w/Miriam Makeba, Clarence Horatius "Big" Miller, Odetta, Jimmy Witherspoon, Louis Armstrong All-Stars, John Coltrane Quartet, Modern Jazz Quartet, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Ornette Coleman Quartet, Jimmy Rushing, Andre Previn Tio, and Helen Humes

1961

Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Dave Brubeck Quartet, John Coltrane Quartet w/Eric Dolphy & Wes Montgomery, Carmen McRae, George Shearing Quintet, Odetta, and Jimmy Rushing

1962

Louis Armstrong All-Stars, Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Carmen McRae, Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Stan Getz Quartet, Quincy Jones & the Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra

1963

Carmen McRae, Miles Davis Quintet, Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk Quartet, Jon Hendricks, Harry James Orchestra, Jimmy Witherspoon, The Andrews Sisters & the Gospel Song, and Helen Merrill, Joe Sullivan

1964

Duke Ellington Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Miles Davis Quintet w/Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter & Tony Williams, Gerry Mulligan, Thelonious Monk Quartet, Lou Rawls, Joe Williams, Woddy Herman, Art Farmer Quartet, and Big Mama Thornton

1965

Louis Armstrong All-Stars, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie Quintet with Mary Stallings, Cal Tjader Quintet, John Handy Quintet, Clark Terry, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Harry James New Swingin' Band w/Buddy Rich, Anita O'Day, Mary Lou Williams, and Ethel Ennis

1966

Duke Ellington Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Gerry Mulligan, Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Carmen McRae, Big Mama Thornton, Jefferson Airplane, Jimmy Rushing, and Muddy Waters Band

1967

10th Anniversary headliners T-Bone Walker, B. B. King, Richie Havens, the Clara Ward Singers, Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Modern Jazz Quartet, Ornette Coleman Quartet, Carmen McRae, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Richie Havens, and Big Brother & The Holding Company w/Janis Joplin

1968

Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Count Basie Orchestra, Oscar Peterson Trio, Modern Jazz Quartet, Cal Tjader Quintet, Mel Torme, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Billy Eckstine, Big Mama Thornton, and George Duke Trio w/Third Wave

1969

Miles Davis Quintet w/Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland & Jack DeJohnette, Thelonious Monk Quartet, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams, Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Roberta Flack & Her Trio, Sly and the Family Stone, and Buddy Rich Band

1970

Duke Ellington, Modern Jazz Quartet, Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Joe Williams, Johnny Otis Show w/Little Esther Phillips and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Woody Herman Orchestra, Buddy Rich Orchestra, Ivory Joe Hunter, Sonny Stitt & Gene Ammons

"Clint Eastwood filmed part of his "Play Misty for Me" movie at the festival in 1970, and used a lot of jazz in the film".

1971

Dave Brubeck Quartet, Oscar Peterson Trio, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Erroll Garner, Jimmy Witherspoon & Friends, John Handy, and Mary Lou Williams

1972

Modern Jazz Quartet, John Hendricks, Jimmy Witherspoon, Cal Tjader Quintet, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins Quartet, Joe Williams, Herbie Hancock Septet, Quincy Jones Orchestra, and Roberta Flack

"Roberta Flack put a spell on Monterey in '72, singing “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”

1973

Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Carmen McRae, Bo Diddley, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Pointer Sisters, Buddy Rich, Clark Terry, Jon Hendricks, Milt Jackson, and Max Roach

1974

Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Cal Tjader, Jon Hendricks, Mongo Santamaria, Clark Terry, Bo Diddley, Anita O'Day, Big Joe Turner, James Cotton Blues Band, and Jerome Richardson

1975

Dizzy Gillespie Quartet w/Cal Tjader, Etta James, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Betty Carter, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Sunnyland Slim

1976

Dizzy Gillespie, John Faddis,Clark Terry, Cal Tjader Quintet, Paul Desmond Quartet, Jimmy Witherspoon, Bill Berry Big Band, Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Band, Helen Humes,Heath Brothers, Eje Thelin Quartet, Gerald Wilson, Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band

1977

20th Anniversary headliners Cal Tjader, Joe Williams, Benny Carter, George Duke, Tito Puente Orchestra, Horace Silver Quintet, Gerald Wilson, and The Neville Brothers

1978

Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Burrell, The Hi-Lo's, Billy Cobham, Bob Dorough, Dexter Gordon Quartet, and Ruth Brown

1979

Diane Schuur, Joe Williams, Aaron Neville, Sonny Stitt, Richie Cole, Flora Purim, Red Mitchell, Scott Hamilton, Earl King, Stan Getz Quintet, Helen Humes, Woody Herman, The Buddy Rich Band, Woody Shaw Quintet, and James Booker

1980

Sarah Vaughan, Cal Tjader Quartet, Freddie Hubbard Quintet, Manhattan Transfer, Big Joe Turner, and Dave Brubeck Quartet

1981

Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan, Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Band, Tania Maria, Tito Puente & Latin Percussion Sextet w/Poncho Sanchez, and Cal Tjader

1982

25th Silver Anniversary headliners Carmen McRae, Cal Tjader Sextet, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Dizzy Gillespie Quartet, Ernestine Anderson, Tito Puente Latin Jazz Big Band, Poncho Sanchez & His Jazz Band, Gerald Wilson & the Orchestra, Mel Lewis Orchestra, Joe Williams, Woody Herman & Ira Sullivan Quintet, and Etta James Band

1983

Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams, Tania Maria, Wynton Marsalis Quintet, Mel Torme, Bobby McFerrin, Bo Diddley, Irma Thomas, and Bobby Hutcherson Percussion Ensemble, Jon Faddis Band, and the Buddy Rich Band

1984

Ernestine Anderson, Etta James, Tito Puente w/Dianne Reeves, Clark Terry, James Moody, Bobby McFerrin, Benny Carter, Richie Cole, Al Cohn, and Shelly Mann Trio

1985

Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams, Clark Terry, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Woody Herman & the Thudering Herd, Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Band, Modern Jazz Quartet, and the Gerald Wilson Orchestra

1986

Tito Puente Latin Jazz Big Band, Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet, Dianne Reeves, George Shearing, Bobby McFerrin, Rare Silk, Sue Raney, Etta James, John Lee Hooker & the Coast to Coast Blues Band, and Linda Hopkins

1987

30th Anniversary headliners Ray Charles, B.B. King, Etta James, Stéphane Grappelli, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, Modern Jazz Quartet, and Woody Herman Band

1988

Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Diane Schuur, Carla Thomas, Mongo Santamaria, Benny Carter, Clark Terry, Richie Cole, Queen Ida & the Bon Temps Zydeco Band

1989

Freddie Hubbard Quintet w/Bobby Hutcherson, Dizzy Gillespie, Kitty Margolis, Herbie Mann & Jasil Brazz, Madeline Eastman, Tania Maria, Etta James & the Root Band, Jimmy McCracklin

1990

Dianne Reeves, Joe Williams, Oscar Peterson, Ernestine Anderson, Rebecca Parris, Etta James, Kitty Margolis, Michel Petrucciani Group, Spyro Gyra, Stan Getz Sextet, Stanley Turrentine Quintet, and the Gerald Wilson Orchestra

1991

Count Basie Orchestra, Phil Woods Quintet, Modern Jazz Quintet, Diane Schuur, Chick Corea, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, Jon Hendricks & Company, Carol Sloane, and Jimmy McCracklin & the Linettes

1992

Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet, Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, George Duke, Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, Betty Carter, Kitty Margolis, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Modern Jazz Quartet, Yellowjackets, Roy Hargrove Quintet, George Duke

1993

Dianne Reeves, Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Ron Carter, Joe Williams, Rubén Blades, Madeline Eastman, McCoy Tyner Big Band w/Bobby Hutcherson, Charles Lloyd Quartet

1994

Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman & Prime Time, Max Roach & M'Broom, Shirley Horn Trio, Grover Washington, Jr., Etta James & the Roots Band, Nnenna Freelon, Terence Blanchard Quartet w/Jeanie Bryson, and Kyle Eastwood Quartet (Clint Eastwood's son)

1995

Bobby McFerrin, Madeline Eastman, Chick Corea Akoustic Quartet, Stephane Grappelli, Lee Ritenour/Dave Grusin All-Stars, Gene Harris Band, Rebecca Parris, Staple Singers, Charlie Hunter Trio, Lou Donaldson Quartet, Mary Stallings

1996

George Benson, Herbie Hancock Quartet w/Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove & Chucho Valdés, Faye Carol w/Kito Gamble Trio, Irma Thomas, Jessica Williams Trio, and Kyle Eastwood.

1997

Diana Krall Trio, Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Sonny Rollins, David Sanborn Group, Myra Melford Trio, Otis Rush, Arturo Sandoval, Koko Taylor & Her Blues Machine, and Charlie Hunter Quartet.

"The 40th Annual MJF was the year Diana Krall debuted and conquered the entire festival . . . She sang "Peel Me a Grape," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Frim Fram Sauce," and "I Miss You So," the crowd gave her a standing ovation."

1998

Dee Dee Bridgewater w/MJF High School All-Star Big Band, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, Bobby Hutcherson Quartet, Tower of Power, and Al Jarreau

1999

Diana Krall, Terence Blanchard Sextet, Kyle Eastwood, Chris Potter, Joshua Redman, Lew Tabackin, Russell Maline, Clark Terry, Regina Carter, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Ben Riley, The Manhattan Transfer, Ruth Brown, and Bobby "Blue" Bland

2000

Wayne Shorter Group, Pat Metheny Trio, Dianne Reeves, Mimi Fox Trio, Richard Bona, Rubén Blades, featuring Editus, Lou Rawls-Les McCann Reunion, and Michael McDonald

2001

Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet, Taj Mahal, Jimmy Smith, Roberta Gambarini, Jane Monheit, Ravi Coltrane Quartet, McCoy Tyner Trio, Dave Holland Big Band, Regina Carter, and Deborah Coleman

2002

Nancy Wilson & Ramsey Lewis, Etta James & the Root Band, Marcia Ball, Paula West, Big Time Sarah, Dave Brubeck & Sons, and Lizz Wright

2003

Nnenna Freelon, Herbie Hancock Quartet w/Bobby Hutcherson, The Crusaders, and Mary Stallings

2004

Terence Blanchard Sextet, Bobby McFerrin, Take 6, Regina Carter Quintet, Marian McPartland Trio w/Lynne Arriale, Chaka Khan, Buddy Guy, and Bettye LaVette

2005

Tony Bennett, Sonny Rollins, Branford Marsalis Quartet, Mavis Staples, Kyle Eastwood, Larry Carlton & the Sapphire Blues Band w/special guest Ledisi, and New Orleans Jazz Vipers

2006

Oscar Peterson Trio w/Hank Jones & Clint Eastwood, Dianne Reeves, The Yellowjackets, Oscar Peterson, Bonnie Raitt, Hank Jones, the Charles Lloyd Quartet, Dave Brubeck, McCoy Tyner with Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Hargrove, Robert Lowery, Virgil Thrasher, Hank Jones with vocalist Roberta Gambarini, youthful piano phenom Eldar Djangirov, Ben Monder's Trio, and Tierney Sutton with her all star trio, anchored by pianist Christian Jacob, and more

2007

50th Golden Celebration, presented Diana Krall, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Dave Brubeck w/Jim Hall, Gerald Wilson, Ernestine Anderson, John McLaughlin, Dave Holland, Kenny Burrell Quartet, Otis Taylor Band w/Cassie Taylor, Rashied Ali Quintet, Issac Delgado, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Los Lobos, James Moody, Vinnie Esparza, Sean Jones, Christian Scott, Cyrus Chestnut, and Terence Blanchard Quartet

Building on the exciting and unprecedented legacy of fifty years of historic jazz presentation, the Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Band will tour on 54-date, 10-week tour of the United States starting January 8, 2008. The band features jazz singer Nnenna Freelon, with trumpeter Terence Blanchard, pianist Benny Green, saxophonist James Moody, bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Kendrick Scott.

References

• Minor, William. Monterey Jazz Festival: Forty Legendary Years (October 1997), Angel City Press - ISBN 1883318408
• Zimmerman, Keith and Kent. The Art of Jazz: Monterey Jazz Festival/50 Years (July 2007), Angel City Press - ISBN 0979403707

External links

• Monterey Jazz Festival official website
• 50th Monterey Jazz Festival Sets Record