Sometimes the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Bands and collectives work together to create a musical experience that is beyond any single member. At MJF67, we’ve brought a number of groups that expand how a band works together and support each other on stage to create contemporary music – whether improvised or arranged, there is much more than meets the eye or ear with these musicians. Prepare to expand your listening experience outside the box!
Our neighbor to the north, SFJAZZ, has been presenting a stellar collective of all-star jazz artists for 20 years. Celebrating this milestone will be the 2024 version of the SFJAZZ Collective, led by sublime saxophonist Chris Potter, who is no stranger to MJF audiences. Honoring the history of the group and looking ahead to its future, the band will emphasize the spirit of its name by collectively composing a new suite dedicated to and inspired by the history of the ensemble. They will kick off the Arena’s programming on Friday at 5pm, so get there early!
Saxophonist David Binney is one of jazz’s most creative practitioners. Action Trio pairs him with mercurial bassist Pera Krstajic and innovative drummer Zach Danziger in a group that reaches into jazz and rock fusion with a futuristic stance, larger than life. Allaboutjazz called Binney “a master of the anthem.” It’s something other than else, don’t miss the MJF debut of this exciting trio!
Pianist Jason Moran is MJF67’s Artist-in Residence, and he is known for always pushing the envelope. This year, he first appears in a trio with drummer extraordinaire Marcus Gilmore and Tyler Gilmore, aka BlankFor.ms, combining electronics, piano and drums in real time. Spontaneously recording loops grabbed on the fly with live improvisation over the mix, Financial Times described their recording, Refract, as “A thrilling mix of improvised electronica and contemporary modern jazz.”
Monterey has a history of presenting jazz-adjacent crossover groups that intersect with the spirit of exploration. This year, MJF67 features the debut of Monophonics, the Bay Area psychedelic soul band that revives 1970s swirling and riffy grooves that feel right at home on Monterey stages. You might come away with a new favorite band! “We like to think of it as intoxicating music,” they said to Tomorrow’s Verse.
Power trio Harriet Tubman (Guitarist Brandon Ross, bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummer JT Lewis) embraces the pioneering spirit of jazz, a fusion of soul, rock, jazz, and blues. Citing Jimi Hendrix, Ornette Coleman, and Parliament-Funkadelic as contributors to its musical DNA, “Harriet Tubman's music might be described as loud, brash, protest music, Pan-African spirituality, or post-Funkadelic rock grounded by the heavy influence of jazz improvisation,” wrote Allaboutjazz. Prepare to go on an explosive and meditative journey from the Mississippi Delta to electric Miles.
The provocatively-named group Tarbaby — led by pianist Orrin Evans with bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Nasheet Waits – feels like a kaleidoscope of Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman. Together, the three musicians deftly explore and deconstruct the jazz tradition while masterfully flipping the script. “Tarbaby rides the line between being a classic piano trio and being a new-century group of musical tricksters — a productive place to generate magic,” wrote PopMatters. MJF is thrilled to present this group to kick off Sunday’s music on the West End Stage.
Santa Cruz favorites the Carolyn Sills Combo make American roots music that reaches across genre boundaries and state lines – jazz meets honky-tonk, country, and classic California western swing with evocative storytelling. The critically acclaimed band recently won their second Metropolitan Award in Austin, Texas, and will bring big smiles and their captivating sound to MJF for their debut performance. “Listening to her music is like stepping into an old saloon or smoke-filled jazz club,” wrote the Monterey County Weekly. Stay for both sets, and get ready to dance!
