Monterey Headed to the Jazz Fest? We’re here to help
How do you get tickets? Where do you park? What acts should you see? We’ve got those answers and so much more information in our ...
One look at the lineup, and it’s easy to understand why jazz fans from around the globe are once again en route to the Monterey Jazz Festival. The 61st edition is absolutely loaded with mega-talents such as Dianne Reeves, Charles Lloyd, Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones, Bill Frisell, Dave Grusin, Anat Cohen and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Here’s our guide to the festival, which runs Sept. 21-23 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds and Event Center.
Day One highlights
Saxophonist Tia Fuller and trumpeter Ingrid Jensen present “A Tribute to Geri Allen,” honoring the incredible pianist who died at age 60 from complications of cancer in 2017. The tribute, subtitled “The Fierce Nurturer: Life of a Song Through Spirit,” also features Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Shamie Royston, Maurice Chestnut, Val Jeanty and Robert Hurst. 7:30 p.m.; Jimmy Lyons Stage (arena).
Cameron Graves is getting a lot of buzz, in part due to his association with saxophone superstar Kamasi Washington in Los Angeles’ trailblazing music collective West Coast Get Down. The pianist-composer — who was nicely featured on Washington’s breakout effort, 2015’s “The Epic” — is now on the road supporting his debut album, “Planetary Prince.” 10 p.m.; Night Club.
It’s a good idea to catch Christian McBride whenever possible — and most certainly at the Monterey Jazz Festival, where he has delivered many transcendent performances through the years. This time around, the brilliant bassist performs in a trio setting with pianist Benny Green and bassist
Gregory Hutchinson. 9:30 p.m.; Dizzy’s Den.
Day Two highlights
Remember what we said in the Day One highlights section about always trying to catch Christian McBride? Well, it still applies on Day Two, as McBride helps lead a tribute to bassist extraordinaire Ray Brown, who died in 2002 after an acclaimed career that included work with such legends Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerlad, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie and Tony Bennett. McBride will be performing again with pianist Green and bassist Hutchinson, but the tribute also will feature the work of bassists John Clayton and John Patitucci, as well as vocalist Dianne Reeves. 8:50 p.m.; Jimmy Lyons Stage (arena).
Feel like dancing? Then don’t miss Oscar Hernández, one of the leading lights in contemporary Latin jazz and salsa, and the Grammy-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra with special guest flutist Hubert Laws. They’ll be performing the 2018 festival-commissioned piece “Monterey Encounter (A Latin Jazz Suite for Flute).” 3:40 p.m.; Jimmy Lyons Stage (arena)
The festival will launch its fifth national tour in spring 2019, but fans can get an early look at the touring band in Monterey. The 2019 Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour band features such talents as vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, trumpeter-vocalist Bria Skonberg, saxophonist Melissa Aldana, pianist Christian Sands, drummer Jamison Ross and bassist Yasushi Nakamura. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22; Jimmy Lyons Stage (arena). Also 9:30 p.m. Sept. 23; Dizzy’s Den.
Day Three highlights
“Celebrating Michael
Brecker” pays tribute to the great tenor saxophonist, who died from myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow cancer, in 2007. Brecker was a fantastic talent who won 15 Grammys during a career in which he collaborated with the likes of James Brown, John Lennon, Lou Reed and Paul Simon. The tribute features brother Randy Brecker on flugelhorn, as well as saxophonist Donny McCaslin, keyboardist Gil Goldstein, guitarist Adam Rogers, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Antonio Sanchez. 8:20 p.m.; Jimmy Lyons Stage (arena).
Grammy-winning vocalist Dianne Reeves is set to debut a new project in Monterey — Dianne Reeves & Beleza Brazil — featuring pianist Peter
Martin, guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Itaiguara Brandão and drummer Rafael Barata. Beleza Brazil loosely translates to “the beauty of Brazil,” according to the festival’s website. 8 p.m.; Dizzy’s Den. (Note: Reeves also performs at 8:50 p.m. Sept. 21 on the Jimmy Lyons Stage and at the Ray Brown tribute on Sept. 22, described above.)
Bill Frisell has released so many fine albums over the years, including 1997’s “Nashville,” 1999’s “Good Dog, Happy Man” and 2011’s “All We Are Saying,” which was a gorgeous tribute to John Lennon. The master jazz guitarist’s latest effort is “Music Is,” which finds Frisell performing unaccompanied on a variety of original material. 9 p.m.; Pacific Jazz Cafe.
The Basics
Gates open at 6 p.m. Sept. 21 and 11:30 a.m. Sept. 22-23.
Music runs to approximately 11:30 p.m. Sept. 2122 and around 10:45 p.m. Sept. 23.
For information, call 888-248-6499 or go to www.montereyjazzfestival. org.
Tickets
Weekend passes run $50$435 and single-day tickets are $20-$174. There are two main types of tickets — arena tickets and grounds tickets. The arena packages offer access to every stage, while the grounds packages don’t offer access into the arena (which houses the Jimmy Lyons Stage). The arena tickets, as you’d expect, cost more. So check the performance schedule
and see how many arena acts you want to catch. If it’s quite a few, then the best bet is probably to go with an arena package.
Simulcast
Here’s another thing to factor into the equation: The action in the arena is simulcast into the smaller Jazz Theater, allowing even those with grounds tickets to enjoy those big-time headliners on the Jimmy Lyons Stage.
On-site parking
It’s extremely limited and only available to purchase in advance for those who buy arena ticket packages or are premier pass holders. Cost is $25 on Sept. 21, $50 for Sept. 22 or 23. The full-weekend on-site parking passes are already sold out. Go to the festival website