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2012 Monterey Jazz Festival Highlights
and Artist Listing

2012 Monterey Jazz Festival Highlights Include:

  • Return of jazz legends  Tony Bennett, Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny
  • 2012 Artist-In-Residence, Ambrose Akinmusire, makes four appearances over the weekend in the Arena and Grounds
  • World Premiere of 2012 Commission, Bill Frisell’s Beautiful Dreamers meets the 858 Quartet; Frisell appears three times over the weekend
  • 2012 Showcase Artist, Jack DeJohnette, appears four times over the weekend in the Arena and on the Grounds
  • Festival debuts of Eddie Palmieri, Melody Gardot, Robert Randolph & the Family Band
  • Tribute to Cal Tjader, directed by Michael Wolff, features Warren Wolf, Pete Escovedo, John Santos, Robb Fisher, Vince Lateano
  • Trombone Shorty and Esperanza Spalding make second appearances at the Festival
  • NEA Jazz Masters include Tony Bennett and Jack DeJohnette
  • 2012 Monterey Jazz Festival Artists have won 63 Grammys
  • Coffee House Gallery Exhibit: Remembering ‘The Real Ambassadors’: Brubeck & Armstrong at Monterey
  • Film Screenings of Jazz on a Summer’s Day and The Girls in the Band
  • Return of Sunday's Family Day with fun and music for all ages

 

55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival
September 21 - 23, 2012

Artist-In-Residence: Ambrose Akinmusire
Showcase Artist: Jack DeJohnette
Commission Artist: Bill Frisell

ARENA ARTISTS ● Friday, September 21

Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra, Melody Gardot, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band

ARENA ARTISTS ● Saturday, September 22

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue; Robert Randolph & the Family Band; Tony Bennett; Jack DeJohnette Special Trio featuring Pat Metheny & Christian McBride; Bill Frisell Beautiful Dreamers Meets the 858 Quartet

ARENA ARTISTS ● Sunday, September 23

Esperanza Spalding; Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, directed by Paul Contos with Ambrose Akinmusire; Top High School Big Band from the 2012 Next Generation Jazz Festival; Pat Metheny Unity Band with Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez, Ben Williams; Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour / 55th Anniversary Celebration with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Ambrose Akinmusire, Chris Potter, Benny Green, Lewis Nash

GROUNDS ARTISTS ● Friday, September 21

Dizzy’s Den: Jack DeJohnette Group; Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet

Night Club: Gregory Porter; Grégoire Maret Quartet; Pedrito Martinez Quartet

Garden Stage: Mads Tolling Quartet; Tammi Brown; Berklee-Monterey Quintet 2012

Coffee House: Mulgrew Miller Trio (3 sets)

GROUNDS ARTISTS ● Saturday, September 22

Dizzy’s Den: Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour / 55th Anniversary Celebration with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Ambrose Akinmusire, Chris Potter, Benny Green, and Lewis Nash; Tribute to Cal Tjader: Directed by Michael Wolff with Warren Wolf, Pete Escovedo, John Santos, Robb Fisher and Vince Lateano; Ben Williams & Sound Effect; Conversation: Reflections on The Real Ambassadors hosted by Bill Minor; Annual DownBeat Blindfold Test hosted by Dan Ouellette

Night Club: Bill Frisell’s Beautiful Dreamers featuring Eyvind Kang & Rudy Royston; Tierney Sutton Band; Freshlyground; Encounter; Ali Ryerson & Mimi Fox Duo; Fullerton College “J Train” Jazz Choir

Garden Stage: Robert Randolph & the Family Band; Mingo Fishtrap; The Blues Broads with Angela Strehli, Tracy Nelson, Dorothy Morrison, Annie Sampson, with special guest Deanna Bogart; Antonio Sanchez & Migration; Catherine Russell

Coffee House Gallery: Gerald Clayton Trio (3 sets); Aram Shelton Quartet (2 sets); 2012 Berklee-Monterey Quintet

West Lawn: Bleu with Gil Cadilli & Virgil Thrasher (2 sets)

GROUNDS ARTISTS ● Sunday, September 23

Dizzy’s Den: Ninety Miles with Stefon Harris, Nicholas Payton & David Sánchez; Jack DeJohnette-Bill Frisell Duo; Commanders Jazz Ensemble of the USAF Band of the Golden West; Conversation with Jack DeJohnette with Ashley Kahn, and Trane at 86: The Enduring Sound and Timeless Spirit: A Conversation with A.B. Spellman and Chris Potter, Hosted by Ashley Kahn

Night Club: Hammond B-3 Blowout with the John Abercrombie Organ Trio, Larry Goldings Trio, and Chester Thompson Trio; Berkeley High School Combo A; Folsom High Jazz Choir l; Los Angeles County High School Jazz Choir I; Tucson Jazz Institute Ellington Band; Rio Americano High School AM Big Band; Folsom High School Jazz Band l

Garden Stage: José James; Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir; Cal State Northridge Jazz Band; Kyle Eastwood Band, Meklit Hadaro

Coffee House Gallery: Tigran Hamasyan Trio; Banana Slug String Band, Center of Life Jazz Band

West Lawn: Mo’Fone (2 sets)

ALL WEEKEND

Jazz on Film: Jazz on a Summer’s Day (Saturday) and The Girls in the Band (Sunday); Judy Roberts on the Yamaha AvantGrand with Greg Fishman on saxophone; Arena Simulcasts in the Jazz Theater; Coffee House Gallery Exhibit: Remembering The Real Ambassadors: Brubeck and Armstrong Speak Out on Civil Rights at Monterey

Artists and schedule subject to change.