July
1, 2008; Monterey, CA; The
Monterey Jazz Festival has consistently
sold out its Arena Packages over
the past two decades, but for the
51st annual edition of the world's
longest running jazz festival, MJF
has announced that Arena packages
are still available. Patrons are
advised to act quickly as the packages
are very likely to sell out again
this year. Arena Packages for last
year's landmark 50th MJF were snapped
up by eager fans within days of going
on sale. For 2008, jazz fans have
a rare opportunity to purchase Arena
Packages offering reserved seating
in the Arena and access to 8 additional
stages featuring over 500 of the
world's finest jazz artists.
Arena Packages
and Ground Tickets may be purchased
online
at www.montereyjazzfestival.org or
by calling the
MJF Ticket Office
at (925) 275-9255.
“People traditionally hang
on to their Arena seats for years
and years,” said Timothy Orr,
Marketing Associate for MJF. “This
is a golden opportunity for people
who have not been able to purchase
Arena tickets in the past, and an
opportunity to keep them for years
to come, as well.”
The world-renowned event takes place
September 19 - 21, 2008 on the magnificent,
oak-studded Monterey Fairgrounds,
the location of the Festival since
its inception in 1958.
MJF/51 features some of the living
legends and future stars in jazz
and is one most anticipated live
jazz events of 2008. The Arena/Jimmy
Lyons Stage will be one of the hottest
sites of the Festival, with a lineup
that crosses genres and styles with
Grammy-winning vocalist Cassandra
Wilson, Jamie Cullum, Ledisi, Kurt
Elling and three-time Grammy
winner and NEA Jazz Master Nancy
Wilson; nine-time Grammy-winning
saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Wayne
Shorter, Joshua
Redman, and Maceo
Parker, the two-time Grammy-winning Maria
Schneider Orchestra, the
Grammy-winning bassist Christian
McBride, Cuban flautist Orlando "Maraca" Valle,
guitarist Derek Trucks and
the twelve-time Grammy-winning pianist
and NEA Jazz Master, Herbie
Hancock.
MJF/51 Artist-In-Residence Christian
McBride will be in superlative
musical company with his new acoustic
Quintet, his electrified Quartet,
and with the Festival’s all-star
band, the Next Generation
Jazz Orchestra. MJF/51
Commission Artist and two-time
Grammy winner Maria Schneider will
unveil her second MJF-commissioned
piece on Saturday night on the
Jimmy Lyons Arena Stage. MJF/51
Showcase Artist, drummer Matt
Wilson will be at large
on the grounds, performing with
his own Arts and Crafts,
in a rare duo with guitarist-extraordinaire
and Grammy winner Bill
Frisell, and with the
no-holds-barred improvisation group, Trio
M.
The long-time tradition of Arena
artists performing on the grounds
is also unusually rich for MJF/51.
The Joshua Redman Trio, Maceo
Parker, Christian
McBride, Maria Schneider
Orchestra, the two-time
Grammy-winning saxophonist Tom
Scott, Terence Blanchard, Orlando "Maraca" Valle, Ledisi, Maria
Schneider Orchestra and Kurt
Elling will all put in dual
performances on the Grounds during
the MJF/51 weekend.
Two special tributes will be
featured during the weekend, both
on the Arena Stage and on the Grounds.
On Saturday night, A
Tribute to Cannonball Adderley will
feature a modern take on the music
of the influential and celebrated
saxophonist with renowned vocalist
and NEA Jazz Master Nancy
Wilson, trumpeter Terence
Blanchard (2007 MJF Artist-In-Residence
and two-time Grammy winner) and the
two-time Grammy-winning saxophonist Tom
Scott. Sunday will spotlight
John Coltrane’s beloved collaborations
with vocalist Johnny Hartman, with Kurt
Elling’s Dedicated
to You. This
special band features the two-time
Grammy-winning saxophonist Ernie
Watts, backed
by the Laurence Hobgood Trio and ETHEL.
All together, the MJF/51 experience
will include the cream of the world
of jazz, representing four NEA Jazz
Masters, emerging and cutting edge
vocalists and instrumentalists, with
a record number of thirty-five Grammys
won by artists performing this year!
MJF: THE ARENA, DAY
BY DAY
Friday, September 19 in
the Arena will kick off MJF/51 in
a Latin style with the MJF debut
of Cuban vocalist & flautist Orlando "Maraca" Valle,
followed by the angular modernism
of the Joshua Redman Trio and
the luxurious vocals of Cassandra
Wilson, also debuting at
MJF.
Saturday, September 20 will
be a Fistful of Funk in the Arena,
starting off with the 2008 Grammy
nominee for “Best New Artist,” Ledisi,
followed by the legendary funk-soul
saxophonist Maceo Parker appearing
with the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next
Generation Jazz Orchestra. The
debut of the Derek Trucks
Band concludes the blues-driven
afternoon. Saturday evening in the
Arena gets off to an explosive start
with Christian McBride’s
new acoustic Quintet, followed
by MJF/51 Commission Artist Maria
Schneider and her Orchestra
with her signature piece for 2008.
The evening ends with NEA Jazz Master Nancy
Wilson, trumpeter Terence
Blanchard, and saxophonist Tom
Scott in their Tribute
to Cannonball Adderley,
on the very stage where the legendary
saxophonist last played in 1970 (and
was filmed by Clint Eastwood for Play
Misty for Me)!
Sunday, September 21 will
cap off the 51st Monterey Jazz Festival
with the biggest names in jazz. In
the Arena, the day starts off with
the Buchanan High School
Big Band, followed by MJF’s
youthful Next Generation
Jazz Orchestra with Christian
McBride. The afternoon show
in the Arena will feature the eclectic
British superstar, crossover vocalist Jamie
Cullum. Sunday evening in
the Arena will be a spectacular affair,
starting off with Kurt Elling and Dedicated
to You, featuring Ernie
Watts, ETHEL,
and the Laurence Hobgood
Trio, celebrating John Coltrane
and Johnny Hartman. The nine-time
Grammy-winning and NEA Jazz Master, Wayne
Shorter and his Quartet will
perform a masterful deconstruction
of the post-bop language that Wayne
has pioneered over the last 50 years,
and will set the stage for another
living legend and twelve-time Grammy
winner and NEA Jazz Master, Herbie
Hancock, who will close
the Sunday night Arena in his 8th
performance at MJF since 1963.
The Monterey Jazz Festival receives
invaluable support for the Festival
and its Jazz Education Programs from
the Surdna Foundation, the William
and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the
David & Lucile Packard Foundation,
The D'Addario Music Foundation, and
the National Endowment for the Arts,
as well as from generous grantors,
donors, and individual contributors.
MJF/51 partners also provide generous
support for the Festival's Jazz Education
Programs, as well as enhancing the
Monterey Jazz Festival experience
for fans. In addition to Presenting
Partner Verizon, MJF/51 will host
partners Apple/iTunes, North Coast
Brewing Company, JetBlue Airways,
Korbel Champagne, Macy's, KKSF, Jekel
Vineyards, Yamaha Instruments, Crocs,
the San Jose Mercury News,
Five Rivers Wines, JazzTimes Magazine,
ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars, and DownBeat Magazine.
Tickets are now
on sale by phone at (925) 275-9255
and on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s
website, www.montereyjazzfestival.org. Arena
Packages are available from $220;
Daily Grounds Tickets are also
available from $35.
Arena/Lyons
Stage Artists:
Friday, 9/19:
Cassandra Wilson, Joshua Redman Trio,
Maraca “Cuban Lullabies”
Saturday, 9/20:
The Derek Trucks Band, Maceo Parker
with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra,
Ledisi, Nancy Wilson “Tribute
to Cannonball Adderley” with
Special Guests Terence Blanchard & Tom
Scott; Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra
debuts MJF/51 Commission; Christian
McBride Quintet
Sunday, 9/21:
Jamie Cullum, Next Generation Jazz
Orchestra with Christian McBride,
Buchanan High School Big Band, Herbie
Hancock, Wayne Shorter Quartet; Dedicated
To You: Kurt Elling Sings Coltrane/Hartman
featuring Ernie Watts, ETHEL & the
Laurence Hobgood Trio
Partial List of Grounds
Artists:
Friday, 9/19:
Joshua Redman Trio, New Grooves with
the Christian McBride Band, Rudder;
Quantic & 4onefunk in Lyons
Lounge; Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts,
Anat Cohen, Spencer Day, Yaron Herman
Trio, George Young Quartet, Berklee
Latin Jazz All-Stars
Saturday, 9/20:
Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra,
Terence Blanchard Quintet, Tom Scott “Celebrating
Cannonball Adderley”; Maraca “Cuban
Lullabies”; Maceo Parker; Matt
Wilson & Bill Frisell Duo, Ledisi,
Ryan Shaw, Tuck & Patti, Quantic,
4onefunk, Marc Cary Trio, La Tuque
Bleue, Junko Moriya, Pacific Crest
Jazz Orchestra, United States Air
Force Falconaires, Sadza, Antonio
Sanchez & Migration, Rebeca Mauleón & Afro
Kuban Fusion, Berklee Latin Jazz
All-Stars; jazz theater with Electric
Heart: Don Ellis, a conversation
with Nancy Wilson & John Levy,
hosted by Clairdee, and more!
Sunday, 9/21: Dedicated
To You: Kurt Elling Sings
Coltrane/Hartman featuring Ernie
Watts, ETHEL & Laurence Hobgood
Trio; Christian McBride Quintet; Hammond
B3 Blowout with Brian Auger’s
Oblivion Express & Barbara
Dennerlein Trio; Kyle Eastwood;
Brian Blade and the Fellowship
Band; Trio M with Myra Melford,
Mark Dresser & Matt Wilson;
Jamie Davis Big Band, Quantic & 4onefunk
in Lyons Lounge; La Tuque Bleue,
Brass Menažeri; Family
Day with ZunZun, the Jazzschool
Advanced High School Jazz Workshop & the
country’s best high school
and college ensembles; DownBeat Blindfold
Test with Cassandra Wilson, conversation
with Clint Eastwood and Jamie Cullum,
jazz theater with The Albert
Ayler Story and more! |
