October 2008 Issue 309 jazz &blues report now in our 34th year www.jazz-blues.com REVIEWED: The Monterey Jazz Festival Experience The Long Beach Blues Festival The Monterey Jazz Festival Experience Published by Martin Wahl Communications Editor & Founder Bill Wahl Layout & Design Bill Wahl Operations Jim Martin Pilar Martin Contributors Michael Braxton, Mark Cole, Kelly Ferjutz, Nancy Ann Lee, Peanuts, Paula Ryan, Matt Simpson, Wanda Simpson, Mark Smith, Dave Sunde, Duane Verh, Emily Wahl, Kevin Wierzbicki and Ron Weinstock. Check out our constantly updated website. Now you can search for CD Reviews by artists, titles, record labels, keyword or JBR Writers. 15 years of reviews are up and we’ll be going all the way back to 1974. These kids were not just very, very cute...they also sounded very, very good! Comments...billwahl@ jazz-blues.com By Bill Wahl Web .................. www.jazz-blues.com Copyright © 2008 Martin-Wahl Communications Inc. When it comes to jazz festivals, formances, workshops, panel discus- the Monterey Jazz Festival is cer- sions, jazz conversations, exhibits and No portion of this publication may be tainly among the most prestigious in reproduced without written permission countless vendors throughout the the world, and the top jazz festival in from the publisher. All rights Reserved. grounds. the United States. This year was the I combined the festival with a trip Founded in Buffalo New York in March of 51st annual Monterey Jazz Festival up and down the Pacific Coast High- 1974; began in Cleveland edition in April presented by Verizon, which was way (PCH) with three other people, of 1978. Now this global e-zine edition is again held at the 20-acre Monterey which was simply an incredible expe- posted online monthly a W division of Fairgrounds in Monterey California, at www.jazz-blues.com artin-Wahl rience all the way from Santa Monica c o m m u n i c a t i o n s just south of San Francisco. to Monterey. MJF is the longest continually The general admission grounds running jazz festival in the world. tickets this year were $35 for Friday, On the Cover Founded in 1958 by Jimmy Lyons and $45 for Saturday or Sunday. This and his co-founder Ralph Gleason, A close-up of a hand drummer at work out- single price gets you into everything side the vendor area by the Arena at the 51st the first festival that very year pre- except the Arena Concerts, which are annual Monterey Jazz Festival. sented such names as priced separately. While you may want Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, All MJF photos by Wanda Simpson. to see some of the Arena Concerts Louis Armstrong, John Lewis, Shelly (Jimmy Lyons Stage), those whose Manne, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, budgets won’t allow the extra expense Ernestine Anderson, Harry James can easily hear the music in the ven- "Buffalonious" and Max Roach. Music of the high- dor area next to the open air arena, or est caliber has been presented ev- can watch the simulcasts on several Our original mascot ery year since that first festival on the screens situated around the festival from the very early third full weekend of every Septem- grounds, including inside at Klub Buffalo Jazz Report ber, and some of it has been recently Korbel, the midway’s patio bar. days – mid '70s. released on Monterey Jazz Festival There is so much going on at once He is older now, Records and with more to come in at MJF it can be a mind blowing for but global & the future (see our September 2008 any jazz fan who is visiting the festival still very cool! issue). MJF offers three days of per- for the first time. But it is not all straight PAGE TWO October 2008 • Issue 309 Maceo Parker with MJF Next Generation Orchestra Derek Trucks Band jazz, so you can bring along someone who might not be see him with his band at the Garden Stage at 5:30. Or, if as serious about the music as you. To give you an ex- you missed Ledisi at the arena, you could see her later at ample, the opening arena show on Saturday afternoon at the Garden Stage as well. Of course, this was not always 1 pm was the popular 2-time Grammy nominated R&B the case, as the main arena headliners for the weekend, singer Ledisi. At the very same time, soul singer Ryan Cassandra Wilson on Friday; Derek Trucks Band and Shaw was performing on the Garden Stage. And also right Nancy Wilson on Saturday; and the Wayne Shorter Quar- around the same time, you could sit in on a conversation tet and Herbie Hancock on Sunday just played the one with Nancy Wilson and John Levy at Dizzy’s Den, or hear large venue show. Cassandra Wilson, however, was fea- the Pacific Crest Jazz Orchestra at The Bill Berry Stage. tured in a Downbeat Magazine Blindfold Test on Satur- Or...you could hear the music of Sadza, a marimba and day afternoon. In addition to the Jazz Icons, there were mbira band from Santa Cruz playing traditional and con- also some other film showings in the Jazz Theater, namely temporary dance music of Zimbabwe on the West Lawn. “My Name Is Albert Ayler” The Albert Ayler Story hosted A bit earlier there was a showing of the Jazz Icons DVDs by Kasper Collins, and “Electric Heart: Don Ellis The Man, at Jazz Theater Presented by Best Buy, which would be His Times, His Music” hosted by John Vissuzi. Just prior repeated a number of times throughout the weekend. The to the Ellis movie, in the same theater, I saw a fine solo Jazz Theater was also one of the sites for the Arena Con- concert by Bulgarian pianist Milcho Leviev, who closed cert simulcasts. There was also music going on at the with a most interesting piece he referred to as a “Bulgar- Coffee House Gallery, and a Yamaha Disklavier demon- ian Boogie.” stration at the Courtyard Stage with pianist Sue Downs. The MJF 2008 Artist-In Residence was bassist Chris- So, in some cases, if you missed an artist in one spot, tian McBride, who not only played with his quintet Satur- you could see them later in another. Funkmaster saxo- day night in the arena, and was back in the arena with phonist Maceo Parker performed with the MJF Next Gen- the MJF Next Generation Orchestra Sunday afternoon, eration Jazz Orchestra (a fantastic big band made up of but was also featured with his band at Dizzy’s Den on students), but if you missed that 2 pm show you could Friday and Sunday evenings. Ledisi Sadza October 2008 • Issue 309 PAGE THREE Some colorful line-dancing Interesting, plentiful and varied food offerings But this is only a portion of what was on tap, musi- Academy Big Band, MJF Monterey County High School cally speaking. I’ll give you a rundown of just some of the All-Star Band and Acalanes High School Jazz Ensemble. other performances throughout the weekend in addition For Family Day on Sunday Zun Zun, a husband and wife to what was mentioned above. On Friday you could also duo hear the Joshua Redman Trio with Matt Penman and Brian that celebrates the environments and cultures of the Blade in the arena, and in other venues the Berklee Latin Americas through music was in the Coffee House followed Jazz All-Stars, George Young Quartet, Matt Wilson’s Arts by Jazzschool Advanced High School Jazz Workshop. & Crafts, Anat Cohen and Rudder. On Saturday you could Believe it or not, there was more. See what I mean also hear the Maria Schneider Orchestra and NEA Jazz about mind-blowing? Master Nancy Wilson with Terence Blanchard & Tom Scott As you are wandering from stage to stage you will in a Tribute To Cannonball Adderley in the arena, and in notice what I would estimate at around 100 vendors, many other venues Pacific Crest Jazz Orchestra, Junko Moriya of which were unlike any vendors I have seen at festivals Quartet, United States Air Force Falconaires, Tuck & Patti, before. Let’s say they were definitely a cut above, whether Antonio Sanchez’s Migration featuring David Sanchez, it is paintings, prints, sculptures, posters, clothing, jew- Miguel Zenon and Scott Colley; Maria Schneider again elry, accessories or whatever. There were many unique later at Dizzy’s Den, Tom Scott back in the evening at the items in many categories rather than the usual fare. As Night Club followed by the Terence Blanchard Quintet and far as food goes, there was quite an array of food ven- the Matt Wilson/Bill Frisell duo, and Marc Cary’s Focus dors, many with an international flavor such as Asian, In- Trio in the Coffee House. dian, Korean, French, Cajun and Thai, as well as sea- On Sunday you could also hear the Buchanan High food, sausages and burgers and pizza. How about some School Jazz Band “A”, Jamie Cullum and Kurt Elling Sings Alligator on a stick? Kind of tastes like chicken, but Coltrane/Hartman in the arena, and in other venues Kyle tougher! It appeared that the popular beer at the festival Eastwood Band, Jamie Davis Big Band, then Kurt Elling was Brother Thelonious, which was pretty good stuff – a again later at Dizzy’s Den, California State University Belgian style Abbey Ale. I really liked their logo and t- Northridge Jazz “A” Band, Brian Blade & The Fellowship shirts. Check it out at Band, Hammond B3 Blowout in the evening at the Night www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer- Club featuring Barbara Dennerlein Trio followed by Brian brotherThelonious.htm.