50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival - Sept. 21-23

[Lois Gilbert]

50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Expands Grounds, Adds New Venue, Offers Golden Marketing Opportunities

50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Expands Grounds, Adds New Venue, Offers Golden Marketing Opportunities


Newly Created “Lyons Lane” to Lead Fans through MJF History to the Future of Jazz in New DJ Performance Venue, “the lAUnge”


Festival Creates Village Setting for Partners to Join in Celebration of 50th MJF


Monterey, California: Noting that “It takes a village to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” the Monterey Jazz Festival has announced the expansion of their grounds, including the addition of multiple opportunities for marketing partners, and the debut of a new venue featuring DJ's spinning hip-hop/re-mix/jazz/dance music.


The new village-like area will be named “Lyons Lane” in honor of Festival founder Jimmy Lyons. Located next to the Festival's Arena entrance, Lyons Lane will lead fans down a pathway of Monterey Jazz Festival history, saluting the fabled event's storied past, allowing fans to interact with partners all along the way, and leading to the music's future in a newly created venue named “the lAUnge”.


“This is the most exciting marketing development I've seen in my 25 years with the Monterey Jazz Festival,” noted MJF Marketing Director, Paul S. Fingerote. “We're literally creating a village for fans and partners to celebrate our past and sample our future. This will be an ideal opportunity for partners to associate their products and services with the quality, longevity and loyalty offered by our brand, the Monterey Jazz Festival.”


Fingerote, who helped introduce MJF to sponsorships in 1981, noted that the new area will be ideal for partners interested in sampling opportunities, partners offering gold-related products and services, as well as partners offering an interactive and a future-oriented presence. “We're looking for partners who will help make Lyons Lane the place to be at our 50th,” he said. “This will be hottest spot in Monterey.”


The concept for the new area stemmed from “a confluence of three great ideas, a kind of perfect jazz storm,” noted Fingerote.


“It all started with the MJF staff who will be producing the 50th wanting to leave a legacy for future fans at Monterey. That was coupled with a real need for added space on the Festival grounds. The final element came up in a conversation I had at the 49th MJF with my 22 year-old daughter, Rachel, who said to me, 'Dad, you need a place where people my age can meet, maybe have a drink, dance, and enjoy jazz.'”


The three ideas all came together at the Festival's monthly board meeting in November, where the new area/venue was unanimously approved by the MJF Board of Directors.


Lyons Lane will be located next to the entrance and exit for the 6,500-seat Arena/Lyons Stage, on the east side of the 20-acre, oak-studded site the Festival has occupied since its inception in 1958. Marquee lights will welcome fans to Lyons Lane, who--as they stroll along the pathway--will find a decade-by-decade history of the Festival and its historic jazz images.


They'll be interacting along the way, Fingerote suggested, “with sampling partners, distributing products to fans; interactive partners, offering cool experiences; gold partners, in keeping with our golden anniversary year; and future-oriented partners, who will be invited to share their visions, products, services, and plans for the future with our fans,” he concluded.


At the end of Lyons Lane, MJF fans will discover “the lAUnge”.


The new venue is envisioned as the hippest of hip clubs, closed during the day and opening only at dark. There will be a bouncer straight out of central casting, with fans waiting to get in behind a gold velvet rope. A cool bar, couches, dance floor, DJ's playing jazz and dance music, and a VIP area for special guests, partners and friends of the Festival will round out the lAUnge.


MJF General Manager Tim Jackson and the MJF Board of Directors added their own, equally enthusiastic support, with GM Jackson commenting “This is something we've wanted to do for Festival fans and now, with the 50th, it's the perfect timing. It's exciting for all of us to be bringing new styles of jazz and new jazz fans to the Monterey Jazz Festival.”


The 50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival will be presented September 21 - 23, 2007, with over 500 artists performing on 9 stages spread throughout the 20-acre, enclosed Monterey Fairgrounds site. A complete list of artists, events and other activities for the 50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival will be released on March 30, 2007. Tickets for the 50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival will go on sale on March 30, 2007.


More information on the Monterey Jazz Festival is available on their website, www.montereyjazzfestival.org. The MJF Ticket Office may be reached via phone, at 925-275-9255.

[Valerie]

sounds interesting and might get some younger folks interested.

i already have my monterey hotel reservations for 2007!

[Mike Schwartz]

MJF Launches Golden Celebration of 50th Annual Monterey

Jazz Festival Presented by Verizon September 21-23, 2007



Legendary Artists Diana Krall, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman,

Dave Brubeck, Gerald Wilson, Jim Hall, Ernestine Anderson,

Dave Holland, John McLaughlin, and More Return to Monterey



Issac Delgado, Los Lobos, Sean Jones, Christian Scott,

James Hunter, and More in Festival Debuts



Commission Artist Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra to Premiere Monterey Moods in Celebration of 50th Anniversary



Artist-In-Residence Terence Blanchard to Perform Requiem for Katrina with Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra



Newly Expanded Grounds Include Lyons Lane, Featuring MJF History and Classic Images from Festival’s 50 Years



New Performance Venue, Lyons Lounge, Features DJs, Dancing,

Electronic Music in New MJF Jazz Club



Festival Celebrates 50th with Golden Gala, New Book

"The Art of Jazz", New Monterey Jazz Festival

Records Label, and More


March 30, 2007, Monterey, California; The Monterey Jazz Festival Presented by Verizon celebrates its 50th in grand style as the artists who have shaped both the Festival and the history of jazz reunite with the stages that have made MJF the longest running jazz festival in the world. The world-renowned event takes place September 21-23, 2007 on the familiar oak-studded and beautiful grounds of the Monterey Fairgrounds, the location of the Festival since 1958. Featuring some of the biggest living legends in the jazz world, MJF/50 promises to be the key event of 2007 in the world of live music.



Tickets on sale Friday, March 30th on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website,

www.montereyjazzfestival.org or by phone at (925) 275-9255.



High resolution photos available at www.montereyjazzfestival.org/media/index.htm



A stellar list of artists will grace the Arena/Lyons Stage including Diana Krall, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, the Dave Brubeck Quartet featuring the legendary guitarist Jim Hall, John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Los Lobos, bluesmen Otis Taylor and James Hunter, Cuban vocalist Issac Delgado and the supergroup of Dave Holland, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland.



2007 MJF Artist-In-Residence, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, will appear with the MJF Chamber Orchestra, with his own quintet, with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, and also with the MJF 50th Anniversary All-Stars, featuring James Moody, Nnenna Freelon, Benny Green, Kendrick Scott, and Derrick Hodge. MJF/50 Showcase Artist, Jim Hall, will appear with his own quartet, in duo with pianist Geoff Keezer, and with Dave Brubeck's Quartet. And MJF/50 Commission Artist, Gerald Wilson, will premiere Monterey Moods, his third milestone composition for MJF.



Arena artists also appearing on the Grounds include bluesmen Otis Taylor and James Hunter, guitarist Jim Hall, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, Gerald Wilson and his Orchestra, the MJF 50th Anniversary All-Stars, featuring Terence Blanchard, James Moody, Nnenna Freelon, Benny Green, Kendrick Scott, and Derrick Hodge; and bassist Dave Holland, appearing with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland.



Friday, September 21 will kick off the Festival with the multi-cultural and multi-dimensional talents of Cuban singer Issac Delgado; iconic bassist Dave Holland, appearing with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland in a special all-star band; and the influential and mesmerizing guitarist John McLaughlin. On the Grounds, the vibe will be no less electric with the New Grooves show in Dizzy’s Den being visited by three slices of funk bands from New Orleans, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, the Brass Funk Rock group Bonerama, and the jazz-inflected Papa Grows Funk.



Also on Friday night, in a meeting of genius minds, Jim Hall and Geoff Keezer will perform as an understated yet intense duo; the freewheeling guitarist Anthony Wilson and his Nonet will perform, and the cutting-edge pianist Craig Taborn and his Trio will forge new sounds. The Grounds will also feature the Terence Blanchard Quintet performing their visionary and rootsy brand of jazz, the straight-ahead groove of Along Came Betty,

and the gifted students of the Berklee-Monterey Quartet.



Saturday, September 22 will showcase a world of music from the blues to the symphonic, with the best-of-the-best in between. The Arena/Lyons Stage will rock in the afternoon with the raw blues sounds of artists Otis Taylor and James Hunter, followed by the legendary Los Lobos, featuring their own blend of blues, rockabilly, and Latin jazz, mixed with the music of their Mexican-American heritage. Evening on the Arena/Lyons Stage will turn from the blues to the highly anticipated debut of two large scale pieces—Artist-In-Residence Terence Blanchard’s Requiem for Katrina with the MJF Chamber Orchestra, and 2007 Commission Artist Gerald Wilson’s Monterey Moods, his third commission for the historic anniversaries of the Festival (25th, 40th, and 50th). The evening will end with the reigning queen of cool, Diana Krall in her third appearance at Monterey, her first MJF visit since 1999.



Saturday, the MJF grounds will witness an international cornucopia of blues, straight-ahead jazz, elegant vocalists, the avant-garde, jazz legends, and rising stars. Appearing will be the quartets of legendary six-stringers Jim Hall (MJF’s 2007 Showcase Artist) and Kenny Burrell, plus the electrified bluesy Mimi Fox Trio; rising young trumpeters Sean Jones and Christian Scott; the rollicking pianism of the Cyrus Chestnut Trio and the Shigeru Morishita Quintet; the radiant power of vocalists Ernestine Anderson and Lynne Fiddmont; the

trailblazing drummer Rashied Ali and his Quintet; and the down-home traditional and electric-trance blues of James Hunter and Otis Taylor. Also featured will be the blues supergroup, The Honeydripper All-Stars, who are the subject of the John Sayles new film Honeydripper, which will be previewed in the Festival's Jazz Theater. Gerald Wilson and his Orchestra will also perform on the grounds on Saturday, as will bassist Dave Holland, with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland.



Sunday, September 23 will cap off the 50th celebratory weekend in style, displaying the rich artistry of the living musical legends that have made Monterey the favorite jazz festival in the world (voted best jazz festival in the 2006 and 2007 JazzTimes Readers’ Poll), featured with the future stars of jazz. On the Sunday afternoon Arena/Lyons Stage, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Big Band (winner of the 37th Annual National High School Competition at the Next Generation Festival) and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra will take the stage along with Terence Blanchard. Ornette Coleman, one of the primary architects of jazz, will close Sunday's show, performing with his Grammy-nominated group.



Sunday night will offer a fitting culmination to the Festival's historic celebration with the premiere of the Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars. Terence Blanchard, vocalist Nnenna Freelon, pianist Benny Green, legendary saxophonist James Moody, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Derrick Hodge will perform; each has a strong connection with the Festival.



Blanchard is the 2007 Artist-In-Residence at Monterey, James Moody has been performing at Monterey since 1963, and Benny Green is a graduate of the Festival's world-renowned Jazz Education Programs, having performed as a high schooler with the Monterey Jazz Festival High School All-Star Big Band in the 1970s. Nnenna Freelon, a regular performer at MJF, also has connections with MJF Jazz Education Programs, having performed at the Festival's annual High School Jazz Competition. Kendrick Scott performed with the Berklee-Monterey Quartet at the Festival in 2000. This special group will tour across 60 cities in the United States, from January through March of 2008.



Sunday night will also witness the return of one of the patriarchs of the Festival, Dave Brubeck. Fans will be treated to a meeting of the minds as the Brubeck Quartet performs with a legendary architect and innovator of modern jazz guitar, Jim Hall, who also performed at the first Monterey Jazz Festival.



The finale on Sunday night will be the appearance of Sonny Rollins, the 6th time the legendary artist has performed at the Festival. The final night of the 50th Monterey Jazz Festival promises to rival the early MJF years, offering one of the most richly intense and memorable lineups in memory.



Sunday Grounds artist lineup will offer a gourmet selection of internationally known masters and young emerging talent. Audiences can enjoy the piano mastery of the Kenny Barron Trio and Jacky Terrasson, the unprecedented talents of Richard Galliano playing bebop accordion, and the jagged new music of the Smith Dobson V Quintet. The historic Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars will also play a set on the Grounds, with additional appearances by MJF stalwart drummer Benny Barth and his Trio, featuring Buddy Montgomery. Also on Sunday will be the groove-oriented audience favorite, the "Hammond B-3 Blowout" featuring a double bill of the Joey DeFrancesco Trio and Atsuko Hashimoto Trio (with Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton).



Sunday marks the return of Family Day sponsored by Macy's, reprising the concept launched at the 2006 MJF. Family Day features activities and fun for fans and families of all ages, including a Percussion Playshop where kids can have a hands-on experience with percussion instruments, the “Jazzy Jumper” where kids can bounce the day away, musical entertainment by the Banana Slug String Band, Sambada, and the country’s best high school bands appearing in nearby Dizzy’s Den.



In a move to mark the Festival's 50th Anniversary and leave a legacy for future fans, MJF will open a brand new area and a brand new venue on the grounds of MJF/50.



Lyons Lane, named in honor of MJF founder Jimmy Lyons, will be an expansion of the grounds located adjacent to the Arena entrance on the Festival midway. As patrons stroll down the lane, they will relive the history, images, and music of the Monterey Jazz Festival in special MJF history displays. Partners–including Starbucks Coffee and ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars–will be distributing complimentary coffee and samples on

the Lane, while partners from Borders will be hosting autograph sessions with MJF artists at a Borders Store on Lyons Lane.



At the end of Lyons Lane, fans will discover a brand new MJF venue called Lyons Lounge. Lyons Lounge was established in honor of MJF's historic milestone and is dedicated to the future. The Lounge will offer

fans a hip jazz club, with DJ Logic and San Francisco DJ Vinnie Esparza remixing jazz, hip-hop, and dance music all weekend in a setting that promises to be the place to be at MJF/50.



The Festival is celebrating its 50th year with a range of activities and offerings. The milestone year will kick-off with a Golden Gala Celebration on April 7, 2007 at Tehama Golf Club. The evening will feature cocktails, dinner, entertainment, and the premiere presentation of the MJF Legends Award to Dave Brubeck. Space is still available as of this date. Fans are urged to contact cynthia@montereyjazzfestival.org or (831) 373-3366 for more information.



Other pre-Festival events include an evening celebration of art and jazz at the Monterey Museum of Art on June 26, 2007. The event will include a preview and private viewing of the museum's "Henrí Matisse: Jazz" exhibition and a concert with special guest Terence Blanchard. Reservations and information are available from the museum at (831) 372-5477 extension 20, or from www.montereyart.org. 50 years of MJF images and memorabilia are also scheduled to be on display at Monterey Peninsula Airport this fall.



Art and jazz feature prominently in the Festival's new publication "The Art of Jazz: Monterey Jazz Festival / 50 Years" telling the story of the Festival through its graphic imagery and photographic moments, capturing the MJF experience through posters, program covers, and exclusive photographs dating back to 1958. “The Art of Jazz” also includes a list of artists who have performed at MJF, along with a decade-by-decade look at the world and the Festival. "The Art of Jazz" will be available for purchase online at www.montereyjazzfestival.org.



Another aspect of the festival will be seen—and heard—with the formation of Monterey Jazz Festival Records, in conjunction with the Concord Music Group. Since 1958, the Festival has recorded nearly all of its Arena shows, leaving us a true legacy, a living history of jazz. MJF is issuing these rare and rarefied recordings, along with recordings of new groups performing at the Festival, through Monterey Jazz Festival Records. Fans may sign up for the MJF e-mail list at www.montereyjazzfestival.org for more details and a release schedule.



MJF’s Front Box Auction presents another opportunity for jazz fans to enjoy the Monterey Jazz Festival while supporting Jazz Education. From March 30 until June 1, patrons can bid to sit at the front of the Arena with three of their closest friends in a Front Box for the 50th Anniversary. For more information, please visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org.



During the Festival, fans are also encouraged to visit the MJF Booth in the center of the midway to participate in the MJF Silent Auction featuring unique jazz memorabilia and collector’s items, with all auction proceeds benefiting MJF Jazz Education Programs.



The Festival's 9th Annual Golf ‘n’ Jazz Tournament is a rare opportunity to play Pasadera, an outstanding Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. This exclusive event includes a buffet lunch, jazzy gift bag, and golf with cart, plus an evening to remember at elegant Pasadera Country Club following the Tournament. The evening will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a sumptuous buffet dinner, a jazz concert and live auction, plus the golf awards ceremony. The Tournament takes place on Thursday, September 20, 2007; registration takes place by phone, (831) 373-3366 and online at www.montereyjazzfestival.org. Fans are urged to visit the MJF website for more details about how to participate in this longtime MJF favorite. All proceeds are invested in MJF’s Jazz Education Programs.



The 3rd annual Jazz with Steinbeck event will offer fans an exclusive supper club evening in support of MJF’s Jazz Education Programs and the National Steinbeck Center’s Youth Programs. This very special event takes place on Wednesday, September 19 from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm at the unique National Steinbeck Center, with jazz entertainment by Kim Nalley, Ed Reed, and the Jazz Birds, and a bountiful dinner by celebrity Chef Cal Stamenov. Jazz with Steinbeck is sponsored by Scheid Vineyards, Rabobank, and Lombardo and Gilles. The evening is limited to 150 people and reservations are available from the National Steinbeck Center at (831) 775-4723.



Partners play an important role in helping the Festival fund its Jazz Education Programs, with efforts led by Presenting Partner, Verizon, now celebrating their 23rd year in partnership with the Monterey Jazz Festival.



· Bose returns as a valued partner, and MJF fans will once again be able to enjoy big screen Arena simulcasts featuring Bose audio in the Bose Performance-at-Home Pavilion.

· Klub Korbel (returning with a Korbel champagne bar in the Fairgrounds' Turf Club Patio) will also feature Arena simulcasts with Bose audio. Bose audio will be featured in the Courtyard Stage performances as well.

· Starbucks Coffee also returns as an MJF Partner, offering complimentary coffee to fans on Lyons Lane.

· Yamaha, a long time partner of both MJF and our Jazz Education Programs, will once again be providing Yamaha Pianos and Drums on MJF/50 stages, and music on the Yamaha Disklavier with Sue Downs on the Courtyard Stage.

· North Coast Brewing Company returns as Official Beer for MJF/50. Fans will find a variety of North Coast brews all around the grounds of the Monterey Jazz Festival, led by their lauded Brother Thelonious Belgian-style abbey ale.

· Returning partner JetBlue Airways continues to offer our fans low fares, new planes and free DIRECTV at every comfy leather JetBlue seat. Fans are encouraged to book travel on JetBlue at the following address: www.jetblue.com/default.asp?source=montereyjazz&

· Borders has joined the MJF family in a big way, partnering with MJF/50 and with the Next Generation Festival. In addition to visiting the Borders store at the center of the MJF/50 midway, fans are invited to look for Borders on Lyons Lane.

· Jekel and Five Rivers return as Official MJF/50 wines, and will be served all around the grounds at MJF/50.

· Returning Media Partners, the San Jose Mercury News and KKSF, will be helping MJF get the word out about the Festival and its Jazz Education Programs.

· Macy's returns as sponsors of Family Day at Monterey, hosting special entertainment and activities for younger jazz fans and fun for the whole family on Sunday, September 23, 2007.

· MJF also welcomes back Monterra Realty and Tehama Realty, returning as Official Real Estate Partners of the 50th Monterey Jazz Festival.



The Monterey Jazz Festival also receives invaluable support for the Festival and its Jazz Education Programs from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as from generous grantors, donors, and individual contributors.



The Monterey Jazz Festival encourages jazz fans to purchase tickets early for the 50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Presented by Verizon. Arena Packages traditionally sell out and are available only on a first come, first served basis.



Tickets on sale Friday, March 30th on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website,

www.montereyjazzfestival.org or by phone at (925) 275-9255.



High resolution photos available at www.montereyjazzfestival.org/media/index.htm



MJF/50 Highlights Include:

Return of jazz legends Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Dave Brubeck, Diana Krall, and Jim Hall
World Premiere of Commission Artist Gerald Wilson’s Monterey Moods
Artist-In-Residence Terence Blanchard’s Requiem for Katrina with the MJF Chamber Orchestra
Dave Holland with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, and Eric Harland to record live sets for MJF Records
New venue, Lyons Lounge, featuring DJ Logic and Vinnie Esparza remixing jazz, hip-hop, and dance music
Premiere of MJF 50th Anniversary All-Star Band with James Moody, Nnenna Freelon, Terence Blanchard, and Benny Green
Friday’s "New Grooves in New Orleans" featuring Dumpstaphunk, Bonerama, and Papa Grows Funk
Sunday’s “Hammond B-3 Blowout” featuring the Joey DeFrancesco Trio and Atsuko Hashimoto Trio (with Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton)
Lyons Lane featuring MJF history, artist meet 'n' greets, complimentary coffee, and more in newly created area in honor of MJF/50
Return of Sunday's “Family Day” sponsored by Macy's, with fun for all ages
Debut of MJF coffee table art book, "The Art of Jazz: Monterey Jazz Festival/50 Years" featuring MJF images from the first Festival through the 50th
Launch of Monterey Jazz Festival Records, featuring the release of rare and rarified recordings from the last 50 years on CD in conjunction with Concord Music Group


Arena/Lyons Stage:

Friday, 9/21: John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, Issac Delgado, Dave Holland with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland
Saturday, 9/22: Los Lobos, Otis Taylor, James Hunter, Diana Krall, Gerald Wilson Orchestra premiering Monterey Moods, Terence Blanchard Quintet w/Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra featuring Requiem for Katrina
Sunday, 9/23: Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck Quartet w/special guest Jim Hall, Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Big Band, and Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars w/Nnenna Freelon, James Moody, Terence Blanchard & Benny Green


Partial List of Grounds Artists:

Friday, 9/21: “New Grooves in New Orleans” with Dumpstaphunk, Bonerama, and Papa Grows Funk; Terence Blanchard Quintet, Jim Hall/Geoff Keezer Duo, Craig Taborn Trio, Anthony Wilson Nonet, Along Came Betty, Berklee-Monterey Quartet, DJ Logic, and Vinnie Esparza
Saturday, 9/22: Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Dave Holland with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland, Jim Hall Quartet, Kenny Burrell Quartet, Ernestine Anderson, Rashied Ali Quintet, Christian Scott, Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Lynne Fiddmont, Mimi Fox Trio, James Hunter, Otis Taylor Band, Honeydripper All-Stars, Sean Jones, Shigeru Morishita Quintet, Sambada, DJ Logic, and Vinnie Esparza
Sunday, 9/23: “Hammond B3 Blowout” with Joey DeFrancesco Trio and Atsuko Hashimoto Trio (with Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton); Kenny Barron Trio, Jacky Terrasson, Benny Barth Trio with Buddy Montgomery, Richard Galliano, Smith Dobson V Quintet, Sambada, “Family Day” with the Banana Slug String Band; DJ Logic, Vinnie Esparza, the country’s best high school bands, DownBeat Blindfold Test and more!


Tickets on sale Friday, March 30th on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website,

www.montereyjazzfestival.org or by phone at (925) 275-9255.



High resolution photos available at www.montereyjazzfestival.org/media/index.htm

[Valerie]

who here besides me, mike, peter and david, are planning on being there?

[jazzy mary]

I would love to come. What hotels are a good idea? Does anyone know of any package deals?? Thanks!

[Monterey Jazz Festival]

March 30, 2007

MJF Launches Golden Celebration of 50th Annual Monterey
Jazz Festival Presented by Verizon September 21-23, 2007

Please see #3 for the same press release. But the highlights of the festival are worth repeating!
- Rachel G

JF/50 Highlights Include:

Return of jazz legends Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Dave Brubeck, Diana Krall, and Jim Hall

World Premiere of Commission Artist Gerald Wilson’s Monterey Moods

Artist-In-Residence Terence Blanchard’s Requiem for Katrina with the MJF Chamber Orchestra

Dave Holland with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, and Eric Harland to record live sets for MJF Records

New venue, Lyons Lounge, featuring DJ Logic and Vinnie Esparza remixing jazz, hip-hop, and dance music

Premiere of MJF 50th Anniversary All-Star Band with James Moody, Nnenna Freelon, Terence Blanchard, and Benny Green

Friday’s "New Grooves in New Orleans" featuring Dumpstaphunk, Bonerama, and Papa Grows Funk

Sunday’s “Hammond B-3 Blowout” featuring the Joey DeFrancesco Trio and Atsuko Hashimoto Trio (with Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton)

Lyons Lane featuring MJF history, artist meet 'n' greets, complimentary coffee, and more in newly created area in honor of MJF/50

Return of Sunday's “Family Day” sponsored by Macy's, with fun for all ages

Debut of MJF coffee table art book, "The Art of Jazz: Monterey Jazz Festival/50 Years" featuring MJF images from the first Festival through the 50th

Launch of Monterey Jazz Festival Records, featuring the release of rare and rarified recordings from the last 50 years on CD in conjunction with Concord Music Group


Arena/Lyons Stage:
Friday, 9/21: John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, Issac Delgado, Dave Holland with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland

Saturday, 9/22: Los Lobos, Otis Taylor, James Hunter, Diana Krall, Gerald Wilson Orchestra premiering Monterey Moods, Terence Blanchard Quintet w/Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra featuring Requiem for Katrina

Sunday, 9/23: Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck Quartet w/special guest Jim Hall, Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Big Band, and Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars w/Nnenna Freelon, James Moody, Terence Blanchard & Benny Green

Partial List of Grounds Artists:
Friday, 9/21: “New Grooves in New Orleans” with Dumpstaphunk, Bonerama, and Papa Grows Funk; Terence Blanchard Quintet, Jim Hall/Geoff Keezer Duo, Craig Taborn Trio, Anthony Wilson Nonet, Along Came Betty, Berklee-Monterey Quartet, DJ Logic, and Vinnie Esparza

Saturday, 9/22: Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Dave Holland with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland, Jim Hall Quartet, Kenny Burrell Quartet, Ernestine Anderson, Rashied Ali Quintet, Christian Scott, Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Lynne Fiddmont, Mimi Fox Trio, James Hunter, Otis Taylor Band, Honeydripper All-Stars, Sean Jones, Shigeru Morishita Quintet, Sambada, DJ Logic, and Vinnie Esparza

Sunday, 9/23: “Hammond B3 Blowout” with Joey DeFrancesco Trio and Atsuko Hashimoto Trio (with Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton); Kenny Barron Trio, Jacky Terrasson, Benny Barth Trio with Buddy Montgomery, Richard Galliano, Smith Dobson V Quintet, Sambada, “Family Day” with the Banana Slug String Band; DJ Logic, Vinnie Esparza, the country’s best high school bands, DownBeat Blindfold Test and more!


Tickets on sale Friday, March 30th on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website,
www.montereyjazzfestival.org or by phone at (925) 275-9255.

High resolution photos available at www.montereyjazzfestival.org/media/index.htm

###

For more information, interview opportunities, media credentials and other inquiries, please contact:


Timothy Orr
Marketing Associate
Monterey Jazz Festival
9699 Blue Larkspur Lane, Suite 204
Monterey, CA 93940
timorr@montereyjazzfestival.org
www.montereyjazzfestival.org
MJF Office: 831-373-3366 x252
Direct Line: 510-652-1122

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

I would love to come. What hotels are a good idea? Does anyone know of any package deals?? Thanks!

All the hotels jack up their rates. The crappy motels near the fairgrounds charge 3x what they're worth and they book up a year in advance. If you don't stay near the fairgrounds good luck getting back to your hotel since the festival doesn't plan for transportation and there are too few cabs in town. Unless everything has changed since my last time there.

Yeah, that "hip" club sounds like a brilliant idea. Not.

[Peterdubya]

The 50th Monterey Jazz Festival will be a big event!

Arena/Lyons Stage: . . .




The lineup appears in #3 and #6. Thanks, Peter.
- Rachel G

[Valerie]

hey, peter. this belongs in the already started MJF thread.

see you there, guy! but i'll see you at playboy before then!

xoxo

valerie




Thanks, Valerie. It's now part of the already started MJF thread.
- Rachel G

[Peterdubya]

Oh, I didn't see this thread before posting the line up again....

Sorry all!

[Mike Schwartz]

Monterey Jazz Festival Launches New Record Label in Partnership With Concord
Music
Group in Celebration of MJF's 50th Year

Monterey Jazz Festival Records Debuts on July 31 With Five Never-Before-Heard
Releases
Culled From Historic Live Archives

First Releases Feature Recordings From Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Thelonious
Monk, Shirley Horn and Grover Washington, Jr.

MJFR Will Also Debut New Discs by Contemporary Groups And Special Events
Projects,
Recorded at the Festival

(April 23, 2007) In celebration of the 50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival,
Monterey
Jazz Festival Records will make its debut with a remarkable series of historic,
never-before- heard, live-at-Monterey releases. Not only does this mark the
first
time a festival has launched its own label, but the riches of its tape
archives-more
than 1600 tapes with more than 2000 hours of concerts in the vault-makes this
ambitious
endeavor a jazz bonanza.

The Monterey Jazz Festival, the pioneering West Coast-styled jazz party,
inarguably
holds the world record for the longest-running jazz affair, having been born in
1958 on the Monterey Fairgrounds, some 100 miles south of San Francisco. This
year
MJF turns 50, with its annual three-day gala (September 21-23) taking on special
significance with a wealth of performances offered on nine stages spread
throughout
the festival's 20-acre grounds.

Monterey Jazz Festival Records is a stand-alone label in partnership with the
Monterey
Jazz Festival and Concord Music Group. The profits realized by the festival
will
be re-invested into its ongoing internationally recognized jazz education
programs.
The MJFR imprint's first five unreleased recordings, to be released on July
31, capture the crème de la crème of the jazz heritage: Louis Armstrong (caught
playing the very first night of the festival in 1958); Miles Davis (introducing
to the West Coast his classic '60s quintet, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony
Williams, featuring saxophonist George Coleman in 1963); Thelonious Monk (his
quartet
augmented by bassist Steve Swallow and an expanded five-piece festival workshop
in 1964); and two revered artists, Shirley Horn and Grover Washington Jr., both,
respectively, playing their one and only sets at Monterey in 1994.

The label also promises to document the jazz of the future, says MJFR general
manager
Jason Olaine, the New York-based former director of A&R at Verve Records from
1999-2004. "We're not going to be stuck in a jazz time warp," he says.
"We're excited to deliver important historical music, as well as assemble
special projects and all-star ensembles to debut at the festival each year."

This year's celebratory jazz-future lineup includes an all-star quartet
comprising
of bassist Dave Holland, pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, saxophonist Chris Potter and
drummer Eric Harland as well as the festival's 50th-year project that will
include
trumpeter Terence Blanchard, saxophonist James Moody, vocalist Nnenna Freelon,
bassist
Derrick Hodge, drummer Kendrick Scott and pianist Benny Green, who serves as the
musical director. Both groups will be documented live at MJF/50 for possible
upcoming
releases, with the latter ensemble going on a 50-date national tour in January
2008.

Glen Barros, President and CEO of the Concord Music Group, states, "Concord
Records has been committed to nurturing and recording renowned artists for more
than three decades, as well as discovering and developing new emerging talent.
The
Monterey Jazz Festival brand fits perfectly with our overall desire to provide
consumers
the finest documented recordings of all time. The Concord Music Group is excited
to be involved in presenting these spectacular, rare and historic recordings to
the public for the first time since they were originally heard by audiences at
Monterey."

MJF general manager Tim Jackson tells the story of how the label was born. Three
years ago while conceptually ramping up for Monterey's monumental anniversary;
he started thinking in broader strokes. "I wanted to leverage the festival's
assets and use the 50th as a launching pad to make this historical music
available
to people," he says.

Ten years ago, Jackson worked with legendary jazz producer Orrin Keepnews to
compile
a three-CD best-of collection for the festival's 40th birthday (Monterey Jazz
Festival-40 Legendary Years, released on Malpaso Records, an imprint of Warner
Bros.).
It was at that time that he discovered that the archival tapes, housed at the
Braun
Music Center library on the Stanford University campus, were deteriorating from
age. Thanks to grants, the festival has digitized all 2,000 hours of the live
recordings
made at Monterey in the past 49 years. That provided an impetus to set the label
project into motion.

As for the contact with Concord, Jackson says he got to know Barros while they
both
served on the board of Jazz Alliance International. "As a festival, we're
not equipped to market records," says Jackson, "but Concord has certainly
proven that it's been very progressive in getting CDs to listeners. Glen and
I like and trust each other and with the assistance of our MJF Board of
Directors
we quickly worked out an agreement. Plus Concord is a West Coast label with its
roots in northern California. We like that, too."

Another round of Monterey live CDs will be released in early September to
coincide
with MJF/50. This historic series will continue as a thriving source of amazing
music with many more releases planned for 2008 and beyond.

[Scott Yanow]

Is there any American jazz festival on this level?

What are there, 70 major names this year?

I'll be there, for the 21st straight year.

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by Scott Yanow

Is there any American jazz festival on this level?

What are there, 70 major names this year?

I'll be there, for the 21st straight year.

see you there, scott! monterey is probably the best but i have very fond memories of newport (rhode island) as well. i first attended monterey in the mid-'60s and newport in the mid-'50s (as a kid!). if all goes well, this year i'll be at playboy, litchfield, newport and monterey!

[jaz4life]

Is it 2 early to plan a hang?

[Scott Yanow]

Never too early. I'm free Saturday morning before noon.

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by Scott Yanow

Never too early. I'm free Saturday morning before noon.

i might be as well.

[jaz4life]

How about 10AM? Let's meet for breakfast. Any suggestions? Are there any other posters that would like to join us?

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by jaz4life

How about 10AM? Let's meet for breakfast. Any suggestions? Are there any other posters that would like to join us?

i think the simplest thing is to meet in the dining room at the hyatt although that may be selfish on my part. i know there's a great coffee shop type place called grandma's or auntie something on the main drag but i won't have a car to get there.

[ajazlover]

next weekend and i can't wait, got my tickets and hotel all set and ready to go and have some fun....

[Scott Yanow]

Well 10 is a bit early on Saturday. I'd say 11. And since I'll be eating at the Hyatt on Sunday for the press brunch and it's expensive, I'd rather meet somewhere else on Saturday. Or we could just meet at the fairgrounds.

[jaz4life]

Or as an alternative, could we meet somewhere on the fairgrounds around 6:30PM on Saturday or Sunday night? That time would be before alot of the shows start in the evening according to the schedules. What would be a nice place to eat and/or just hang out?

[Mike Schwartz]

I'm probably there Sunday afternoon.

[David Gitin]

Originally Posted by Mike Schwartz

I'm probably there Sunday afternoon.

Me too.

Opening night, arena, much drizzling rain. Special group: Gonzalo Rubalcaba-Dave Holland-Chris Potter-Eric Harland was excellent, both the individual players and the group, followed by John McLaughlin with Gary Husband, Mark Mondesir, and Hadrian (? bass player who kept up with John M's lines and stimulated McLaughlin to great playing, best I've heard from him since Mahavishnu days. Too much rain, so I headed back to the Coffee House to hear a great set from Craig Taborn with Tom Morgan on bass and Gerald Cleaver, and then a taste of Isaac Delgado (back in the arena) with Gonzalo sitting in on final number.

[David Gitin]

Started off with the Cal State Long Beach Concert Jazz Orch which was one of the best college bands I've heard in years, followed by Shigeru Morishita Quintet (Horace Silver-ish),
Rashied Ali Quintet (with Josh Edmunds on trumpet, someone to check out). Also caught Mimi Fox (guitar) with Harvie S. and Akira Tana (good set).
Evening started off with another set by Rubalcaba-Holland-Potter-Harland (this time in Dizzy's Den), just as exciting as night before, a fine group. Caught half an hour of Jim Hall with Geoff Keezer, Scott Colley, Lewis Nash (very fresh playing, even on "All The Things"),
then went across the Night Club to hear Kenny Burrell with Mike Melvoin, Roberto Mirando, and Clayton Cameron on drums, finishing the evening with Cyrus Chestnut trio, alternately sensitive and boisterous (including a cover of "Don't Be Cruel" from his forthcoming Elvis album.....I'm not kidding).

[Mike Schwartz]

Please continue..........I'll take some time to make some comments on the Sunday highlights soon.

I LOVED the Ornette set with the three [3] basses!
[I have some notes and musicians names at home]

I did see and visit briefly with my cute little younger sister Valerie, who will surely add her take on things, and I saw Scott Yanow as I was breezing by to get across the grounds.

[Mike Schwartz]

Still photos from the weekend


www.montereyjazzfestival.org

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by David Gitin

Anyone reading these? Should I post info on Sunday's music?

david, i'm reading. just got home. SO sorry that i missed seeing you!

best,

valerie

[David Gitin]

Arena (afternoon): I listened to the L.A. County High School for the Arts Jazz Ensemble and the Next Generation Orch (Terence Blanchard played on two tunes with them), but the big news was
Ornette's gig with three basses (Falanga from classical background, Moffett from jazz, Macdowell from funk) and Denardo. I've seen OC a few times in recent years and this was an engaging recasting (reinvention) of his 'hits' like Lonely Woman, Turnaround, Sadness in a kind of suite. Most people stayed and listened (as opposed to 1994 here when people fled out the exits. Even my somewhat conservative neighbor and his wife stuck it through. Lots of people were buying his CDs after the set.

Arena (evening): MJF All-Stars (James Moody, Terence Blanchard, Nneena Freelon, Benny Green, Derrick Hodge, Kendrick Scott). Moody was sublime and in elegant tandem with Blanchard; those two with Nneena on a few numbers were terrific. Benny played as usual although he looked like he was wearing a Chico Marx wig; perhaps he got tired of slicked back and grew an Afro? Decent rhythm section

Next up was Dave Brubeck who is really a wonder at his age, playing with vigor, everything from stride ( on "Gone With The Wind" and "Margie") to his Chopin-like "Thank you" piece from 1958; Bobby Militello won over the audience early in the set, and then Jim Hall came out. While his work was not as adventurous as the night before with his own group, he played two quite fresh solos on "All The Things You Are" and "Take Five."

Sonny Rollins concluded the evening with (and I hate to be so negative) one of the worst bands on the contemporary jazz scene; I'm tired to death of Clifton Anderson's lame trombone, Bob Cranshaw's questionable talent, and Bobby Broom. Willie Jones III was trapped in all this and couldn't contribute. Sonny needs real musicians to bring him out
(just as Sonny Stitt wouldn't reveal his full artistry unless challenged). Anyway, the calypso is always welcome and Sonny's Junior Walker like tone is pleasant and a crowd pleaser.

[jaz4life]

Wow. What a great weekend of music. It was also my 1st time to northern california so that in itself was wonderful.

Mike, Thanks for posting the link to the pics on the MJF website. They are great.

Highlights for me were Dave Holland and his fabulous band. I've never seen Gonzalo Rubalcaba or Chris Potter so what a treat that was and Eric Harland is great great great. I think I need to go out and buy every one of Dave Holland's cd's and definitely some Chris Potter. Gerald Wilson and his band blew me away. I am so glad I got to see them live. Someone here in Dallas had recommended Gerald Wilson probably about 5 years ago and I really liked his cd's alot including the one with the NYers so it was a big deal to see him live. No way does he look 89!!!

I enjoyed Diana Krall but just wish that she would do some new stuff. I was glad she started her set with 'I love being here with you'. My only complaint with alot of vocalists is that they tend to do too many ballads.

I loved seeing Brubeck again and it was amazing to get to see Sonny Rollins and Ernestine Anderson for the 1st time.

I've never been too much into guitar but really enjoyed Anthony Wilson and Kenny Burrell. Jim Hall didn't really do anything for me.

Don't let me forget Cyrus, Kenny Barron and Jacky Terrason. It was my 1st time seeing all three of them. 'Ask me now? why?' was a beautiful song by Kenny Barron. I loved them all especially Jacky and it was great to hear him play solo.

My perception of Monterey was so different than the realty. I thought the area would be much larger than it was. It was a much more intimate experience. I appreciated the fact that when people left the various venues, others got seated right away in their place. It was really well organized but I guess they've had alot of time to get it right!

I believe that I will be returning....................

[Peterdubya]

Monterey is such a great festival and I have to say this year was really really great. the Holland/Rubalcaba/Potter/Harland band was far and away the best thing for me at the festival. The group interplay was incredible and each was an amazing soloist.

Ornette was incredible. My first time seeing him, and from others I talked to, his performance was really stellar.

Only 362 days to go until next year.