What is the 65th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival?
TheMonterey Jazz Festivalis the longest continuously running jazz festival in the world. Founded in 1958,it was hosted at the 20-acre Monterey County Fairgroundsover a weekend in late September, featuring performers like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dave Brubeck. The festival influenced the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, also held at the fairgrounds, so it’s a de facto grandparent of today’s popular music festivals like Outside Lands and Coachella.
In 2020, organizersmoved the festival onlinewith archive and newly recorded performance footage. They followed it with amodified offering last yearwith two outdoor stages hosting performances at alternating times and reduced seating in the arena. The arena returns to its pre-pandemic setup for this year’s festival, with lawn seating at the back a holdover from last year. The other stages will also be outdoors. In addition to the traditional Garden Stage and Courtyard Stage, used effectively last year, there will be an expanded West End Stage where the student group bandstand had been in recent years.
“We had to decide by late fall of ’21 what we were going to do this year,” said MJF Artistic Director Tim Jacksonin a recent phone interview. “The pandemic was still raging, so we decided to err on the side of caution and just do all-outdoor stages.”
An竞技场的机票包括吉米·里昂圣一个座位age,as well as to the Fairgrounds. The grounds ticket is a non-arena general admission, with a few artists (including Artemisand Butcher Brown)performing in bothsettings.
How do I get there?
Direct public transportation from the Bay Area to Monterey County is lacking. There’s a three-segment Amtrak option that takes about six hours, with one-way tickets starting at $46. Otherwise, it’s a drive or carpool situation to the South Bay, and then either Highway 17 to Highway 1 or Highway 101 to State Route 156 to Highway 1.
Paid parking is available at Monterey Peninsula College, about1½ miles from the fairgrounds. Free shuttles run regularly to and from the festival, and the lot opens a half hour before the fairground gates do — 2:30 p.m.Friday, 11 a.m.Saturday and 10 a.m.Sunday. Parking can be purchased in advance (www.montereyjazzfestival.org/tickets) or on-site with cash.
Street parking near the fairgrounds is both limited and frequently restricted.
Monterey Jazz Festival celebrates 65 years with familiar faces and newcomers
Who’s playing the 65th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival?
Three of the headliners booked for the 2020 MJF will finally get to perform live: The all-star quartet that recorded saxophonist Joshua Redman’sepic 1994“MoodSwing” album with pianist Brad Mehldau,bassist Christian McBrideand drummer Brian Bladereunited to record an album,“RoundAgain,” in 2019. Since then, the four friends recorded another album, “LongGone,”releasedSept. 9,and are picking up tour dates canceled in 2020.
Artemis,an international all-women supergroup led by pianist Renee Rosnes,has gone through a slight roster change since its debut in 2020. But its rhythm section and trumpeter Ingrid Jensen,who was an MJF Artist-in-Residence in 2017, remain. The alternately joyous and righteous Afro-Mexican folk band Las Cafeteraswas supposed to perform last year but had to canceldue to members catching冠状病毒。所以外表rescheduled twice.
Pianist/film and streamed series scorer Kris Bowers(“Green Book,” “Bridgerton”)multime由今年的委托作品dia tribute to the 30th anniversary of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. The MJF on Tourgroup makes its debut to close out Saturday night on the main stage with three powerhouses on the front line — vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewaterand Kurt Ellingand alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin.
Let It Happen,an Anderson .Paak-approvedvocal group with three sisters (including a pair of twins), will doseven sets on threestages throughout the weekend. Saxophonist Ravi Coltraneperforms the music of his parents, John and Alice Coltrane,with harpist Brandee Youngeras a special guest, and North Bay-based vocalist and educator Kim Nalleywill be performing with her group, tenor saxophonist Houston Personand the equally musically eclectic singer Maria Muldaur.
Monterey Jazz Festival returns with big names, smaller crowds
Friday, Sept. 23
Jimmy Lyons Stage
Let It Happen, 6:45 p.m.
Chucho Valdés presents “La Creacíon” with the Yoruband Orchestra directed by Hilario Durán & John Beasley plus MONK’estra, 7 p.m.
Incognito with special guest Maysa, 8:45 p.m.
Garden Stage presented by Alaska Airlines
Morgan State University Jazz Ensemble, 3:30 p.m.
Berklee Jazz & Gender Justice Group, 4:30 p.m.
Emmaline, 6 p.m.
Reunion! Trio with Bruce Forman, John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.
Nicholas Payton & New World Order, 9 p.m.
West End Stage presented by Castoro Cellars
Akira Tana & Otonowa, 4 p.m.
Samara Joy, 5:30 p.m.
Julian Lage Trio, 7 p.m.
The Bad Plus, 8:30 p.m.
Courtyard Stage
John Coltrane birthday celebration with the John Hanrahan Quartet featuring Andrew Dixon with special guest Henry Kaiser, 3:30 p.m.
Mo’Fone, 5:30 p.m./7 p.m./8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24
Jimmy Lyons Stage
Butcher Brown, 12:30 p.m.
Artemis, 1:50 p.m.
Las Cafeteras, 3:10 p.m.
Veronica Swift, 4:30 p.m.
Let It Happen, 6:15 p.m.
Redman-Mehldau-McBride-Blade: A MoodSwing Reunion, 6:30 p.m.
MJF on Tour — Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Lakecia Benjamin, Christian Sands, Yasushi Nakamura & Clarence Penn, 8 p.m.
Garden Stage presented by Alaska Airlines
Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo, 12 p.m.
Sal’s Greenhouse, 1:30 p.m.
Terrie Odabi, 3 p.m.
Dave Stryker Quartet featuring Warren Wolf, 4:30 p.m.
The Cookers, 6:30 p.m.
Let It Happen, 7:30 p.m.
Matthew Whitaker, 8:15 p.m.
West End Stage presented by Castoro Cellars
Moy Eng — the Blue Hour Project, 12:30 p.m.
Fleurine, 2 p.m.
Butcher Brown, 3:30 p.m.
Emmet Cohen Trio, 5 p.m.
Artemis, 7 p.m.
Joel Ross “Good Vibes,” 8:30 p.m.
Courtyard Stage
Texas Southern University Ensemble, 11:30 a.m.
Next Generation Jazz Combo, 1:30 p.m.
Dan Wilson LetterOne Rising StarsAward Winner, 3:30 p.m./5:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 25
Jimmy Lyons Stage
Next Generation Jazz Orchestra directed by Gerald Clayton with special guest Christian Sands, 12:30 p.m.
SuperBlue — Kurt Elling featuring Charlie Hunter, 1:50 p.m.
Ranky Tanky with very special guest Ms. Lisa Fischer, 3:10 p.m.
Ravi Coltrane: Cosmic Music: A Contemporary Exploration of the Music of John and Alice Coltrane with special guest Brandee Younger, 4:30 p.m.
Let It Happen, 5:30 p.m.
Kris Bowers Presents Ásylo, 6:30 p.m.
Gregory Porter, 7:50 p.m.
Garden Stage presented by Alaska Airlines
Sunday Morning Gospel with We’ve Come This Far with Tammy L. Hall featuring Brown, Sturgis & Brown, Valerie Joi Fiddmont and Leberta Lorál, 11 a.m.
Michael Zibler Quartet with Mike Clark, 1 p.m.
Flor de Toloache, 3 p.m.
Brubeck Brothers Quartet, 4:30 p.m.
Kyle Eastwood Group, 6 p.m.
Kim Nalley Band with Houston Person and special guest Maria Muldaur, 7:30 p.m.
West End Stage presented by Castoro Cellars
Emil Afrasiyab Trio, 12:30 p.m.
Brandee Younger Trio, 2 p.m.
Gerald Clayton Trio, 3:30 p.m.
Keyon Harrold, 5 p.m.
Emma-Jean Thackray, 6:30 p.m.
Let It Happen, 7:30 p.m.
Nate Smith + Kinfolk,8:15 p.m.
Courtyard Stage
Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo, 2:15 p.m.
Molly Miller Trio, 4 p.m./5:30 p.m./7 p.m.
What’s the vibe?
With its picturesque setting, the fairgrounds is flush with oak trees, grass and dirt. The facilities aren’t the most modern, though, so it’s akin to catching a ballgame at the Oakland Coliseum — nothing even close to fancy, as the presence of horse stables will attest. But there’s an immense satisfaction knowing that these are thegrounds where Miles Davis, Billie Holiday and, for the Monterey Pop Festival, Jimi Hendrix once walked and performed.
Because MJF takes some planning and requires a bit of a financial commitment, patrons tend to be serious jazz fans. Some have had season tickets for generations, and there are frequent annual reunions among attendees. But there’s no attitude of exclusivity.
With the festival’sproximity to Monterey Bay, the weather can fluctuate considerably throughout the day. So both layered clothes and sun protection are recommended, as are comfortable walking shoes.
What are the food and drink options?
The food and drink booths that line the fairgrounds’ extensive walkway have become nearly as much of an attraction for veteran MJF audience members as the music. Offerings from past years include barbecue, vegan fare, potato spirals, Asian and Pacific Island dishes, Southern delights and blended fruit juices. The purveyors of coffee and hot chocolate are popular as the temperature drops, as are the adult beverage spots.
What happens after the festival?
Sets are ending earlier than they had been pre-2020, so there’s a little more time to explore the surrounding areas. “You look around and you see what other festivals are doing. You really don’t see outdoor music festivals going past 10 o’clock at night these days,” Jackson pointed out. “And we’re in Monterey, so it can get noticeably colder the later we go.”
Though there are no official MJF-related after-hour events this year, visitors can check out the bars and pubs in downtown Monterey. With its food trucks and former Monterey train depot locations, Dust Bowl Brewing Co.’s Tap Depot at 290 Figueroa St. is popular with locals.
The de facto MJF hang is at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course just down from the fairgrounds on Mark Thomas Drive. It’s where the festival artists stay, and they can often be found there socializing after-hours and even sitting in with the house band.
Before you go…
Masking is encouraged but not required in all indoor spaces, and complimentary masks will be available. Food and drink aren’t allowed to be brought in, and a security search will be conducted upon entry. One non-breakable refillable or one sealed bottle of water is allowed per patron, and either may be refilled at the free Pure Water stations.
65th Monterey Jazz Festival:3:30-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24; 11 a.m.-9:15 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24. $30-$455. Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2000 Fairground Road, Monterey.www.montereyjazzfestival.org