August 29, 2008; Monterey, CA; The Monterey Jazz Festival kicks off its 51st edition on Friday, September 19, with a funk-filled night of New Grooves. Started as a special showcase in 2003 for artists and bands that pushed the sonic envelope, New Grooves will continue in the no-holds-barred direction with the electrified funk-fusion sounds of the Christian McBride Band and hard-driving and edgy Rudder. Adding to the spontaneity, fans looking for an even denser and bass-heavy feel can bounce into Lyons Lounge, the Festival's DJ/Dance tent, which will feature Turntablists-In-Residence Quantic and 4onefunk, who will alternate hour-long sets each evening throughout the MJF weekend.

Tickets are on sale now by phone at (925) 275-9255 and on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website, www.montereyjazzfestival.org. Daily Grounds Tickets start from $35 for Friday night.  A Full Weekend Grounds Ticket is available for $110, with access to all Grounds entertainment throughout the MJF weekend.

"New Grooves has been a great success in bringing a younger audience to the Festival,” says Timothy Orr, Marketing Associate for the Monterey Jazz Festival. “Each year since 2003, the idea of having artists that both encapsulate and depart from the jazz tradition has been a growing phenomenon on the Grounds. Kicking off the Festival on such a note has been really exciting for both the staff and audiences of MJF. With the addition of the Lyons Lounge DJ/Dance Tent on the north end of the Grounds, we’ve expanded on the idea that jazz can be for all audiences, and we’re glad to nurture that tradition.”

New Grooves will feature the Christian McBride Band, one of the hottest bands in music, with the MJF’s Artist-In-Residence bass master alongside saxophonist Walter Smith, III; keyboardist Geoffrey Keezer and drummer Terreon Gully; and the New York-based Rudder, who bring an aggressive, driving rock and jam vibe to a purely instrumental setting. Rudder is equally led by its four members--saxophonist Chris Cheek, keyboardist Henry Hey, bassist Tim Lefebvre, and drummer Keith Carlock.

Fans can augment their groove with an even denser and bass-heavy feel on the north side of the Grounds in Lyons Lounge, the DJ/Dance tent, which will feature Turntablists-In-Residence Quantic and 4onefunk, who will alternate hour-long sets each evening throughout the weekend.

The British-born Quantic, described as having a “jazz sensibility with future dance floor orientated grooves, deep funk and tough drums” will alternate sets on the lounge with the San Francisco-based DJ team, 4onefunk, with their bass-heavy turntablism.
The $35 ticket for New Grooves allows fans to enjoy 8 stages of nonstop, world class jazz presented all around the Festival's 20 acre site, including the Garden Stage, featuring a bebop vein with the George Young Quartet, followed by the talented and youthful Berklee Latin Jazz All-Stars. Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts will offer their own take on the jazz tradition to close out the Garden Stage’s musical offerings for Friday night.

In the Night Club / Bill Berry Stage, the singer-songwriter Spencer Day will perform original and American songbook favorites, followed by the MJF debut of up-and-coming Israeli saxophonist, Anat Cohen. The Joshua Redman Trio with Matt Penman, bass, and Brian Blade, drums, will close out Friday’s Night Club in their second performance of the evening. In the intimate Coffee House Gallery, pianist Yaron Herman will make his MJF debut with three sets of his impassioned take on improvisation.

Grounds patrons can also catch the Arena shows via simulcast in the Jazz Theater presented by Best Buy (featuring cozy Home Theater settings), in Lyons Lounge (featuring daytime Arena simulcasts in Best Buy Home Theater settings, and in Klub Korbel, the Midway's Patio Bar hosted by Korbel Champagne.
Friday night's simulcast 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.

Tickets are on sale now by phone at (925) 275-9255 and on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website, www.montereyjazzfestival.org. Daily Grounds Tickets start from $35. Full Weekend Grounds Tickets are available for $110.  All Grounds Tickets prices will increase by $5 on the day of show.

With Grounds Tickets selling at a fast pace, patrons are advised to purchase Grounds Tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.