Annual music festival in California since 1958 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Monterey Jazz Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Monterey, California, United States. It debuted on October 3, 1958, championed by Dave Brubeck[2] and co-founded by jazz and popular music critic Ralph J. Gleason[3] and jazz disc jockey Jimmy Lyons.[2]
| Monterey Jazz Festival | |
|---|---|
50th Golden Celebration Poster (2007) | |
| Genre | Jazz, blues, rock |
| Location(s) | Monterey, California, US |
| Coordinates | 36°35′40″N 121°51′46″W |
| Years active | 1958–present[a] |
| Website | montereyjazzfestival |
The festival is held annually on the 20-acre (8 ha), oak-studded Monterey County Fairgrounds, located at 2004 Fairground Road in Monterey, on the third full weekend in September, beginning on Friday. Five hundred top jazz artists perform on nine stages spread throughout the grounds, with 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 fairgrounds.
From 1992 to 2010, Tim Jackson was general manager and artistic director, and in 2010, Chris Doss became the managing director, and Jackson became the artistic director. In 2014, Colleen Bailey became the managing director. Since 1992, Clint Eastwood has been on MJF's board of directors. Kent and Keith Zimmerman describe the festival as having expanded in recent years: "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 Lyons imagined it ever could be."[4] The 66th festival in 2023 was Tim Jackson's last year as artistic director. Darin Atwater is the current artistic director of the festival.
In 2006, the festival set an attendance record of 40,000, selling out all five major concerts on the main stage arena,[5] and in 2007, 40,000 attended the 50th Golden Celebration.[6]
Since there was no festival in 2020, the 63rd was deferred to 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic caused officials to cancel it.
The Monterey Jazz Festival is a nonprofit organization. It has donated its proceeds to musical education since its inception in 1958. The festival's scholarship program started with a $35,000 scholarship fund in 1970. As of 2012, the festival invests $600,000 annually for jazz education. Every spring, the Monterey Jazz Festival invites student musicians from across the country and around the world to participate in the "Next Generation Festival".[7]
Paul Contos has served as saxophone clinician with The Monterey Jazz Festival for 30 yrs, as Director of the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra & Monterey County All-Stars for 20 yrs, and as Education Director for the Monterey Jazz Festival (2011-2019) and in 2015 was awarded the Champion of the Arts: Educator Award by the Monterey Arts Council.[8]
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 performed at the Festival 14 times which included his appearance at the 2007 / 50th golden anniversary.[2]
The Monterey Pop Festival was held at the fairgrounds in 1967 for three days in mid-June, part of the Summer of Love.
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2023
Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, John Handy, Terrence Blanchard, Christian McBride, John Scofield, Thundercat, Snarky Puppy, Kendrick Scott, Chris Potter, Reuben Rogers, Terri Lyne Carrington, Marcus Strickland, Ben Wendel, Lakecia Benjamin, Turtle Island Quartet, Oscar Seaton Jr., Lionel Loueke, Jaylen Petinaud, Diane Reeves, Billy Childs, Sean Jones, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, Louis Cato, Charles Haynes, Justin Brown, Marcus Gilmore, Ambrose Akinmusire, Donny McCaslin, Gretchen Parlato, Kait Dunton, Scary Goldings, Chris Cain, Sullivan Fortner, Jeremy Pelt, Lew Tabackin, Peter Washington, Connie Han, Bill Wysaske, Isaiah Sharkey, Oumou Sangaré, Jamie Cullum, Samara Joy, Evan Sherman, Benny Green, Yasushi Nakamura, Clarence Penn, Ben Flocks, Azar Lawrence, Josh Evans, James Francies, Taylor Eigisti
2024
Stanley Clarke, Robert Glasper, Joshua Redman, Mavis Staples, Keyon Harrold, Chris Potter, Kendrick Scott, Matt Brewer, Mumu Fresh, Chief Adjuah, Jose James, Gerald Clayton, Samara Joy, Don Was, Blind Boys of Alabama, Herlin Riley, Jason Marsalis, Bobby Rush, Gabrielle Cavassa, Phillip Norris, Cory Henry, Somi, Jason Moran, Nasheet Waits, Marcus Gilmore, Elé Howell, Ryoma Takenaga, Joel Ross, Marquis Hill, Orrin Evans, Brandee Younger, Nazir Ebo, Paul Cornish
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