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MJF68, Sept. 26-28, 2025

Evolution of a Groove

 

Evolution of a Groove: the Monterey Commissions

The Monterey Jazz Festival performances recorded over the past 25 years. These commission pieces, most of which have not been seen since the original performances, will be available as a paid membership. Think of it as a virtual video library card for MJF Super Fans. The episodes can be purchased separately for $15 each or all twelve episodes for a yearly subscription fee of $150. Each video has a release date and then is available for viewing throughout 2021 via your personal link to a private YouTube link.

Evolution of a Groove: the Monterey Commissions will take the viewer behind the scenes and into the archives of jazz history and the creative process. The Monterey Jazz Festival has a 63-year legacy of presenting and producing the biggest names in jazz. Each episode of Evolution of a Groove: The Monterey Commissions is hosted by the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Artistic Director Tim Jackson and will include one-on-one interviews with each commissioned artist, discussing their inspiration for the piece, and their memories of the compositional process. The original debut of each piece will be included in its entirety – much of this archival footage has not been seen since the original performance at Monterey.

Featured commissioned performances include John Clayton, Gerald Wilson, Christian McBride, Maria Schneider, Billy Childs, Bill Frisell, and many others.

  • Episode 1 - John Clayton, 2017 Commission: Stories of a Groove (February 18, 2021)
  • Episode 2 - Maria Schneider, 2008 Commission: Willow Lake (March 2, 2021)
  • Episode 3 - Billy Childs, 2010 Commission: Music for Two Quartets (March 16, 2021)
  • Episode 4 - Bill Frisell, 2012 Commission: The Music of Glen Deven Ranch (March 30, 2021)
  • Episode 5 - Oscar Hernandez, 2018 Commission: A Monterey Encounter (April 13, 2021)
  • Episode 6 - Gerald Wilson, 1997 Commission: Theme for Monterey (April 27, 2021)
  • Episode 7- Christian McBride, 2019 Commission: Roy Anthony: The Fearless One (In Memory of Roy Hargrove) (May 11, 2021)
  • Episode 8 - Toshiko Akiyoshi, 1999 Commission: Tribute to Duke Ellington (May 25, 2021)
  • Episode 9 - Aaron Diehl, 2014 Commission: Three Streams of Expression (June 8, 2021)
  • Episode 10 - Dave Brubeck, 2006 Commission: Cannery Row Suite (June 22, 2021)
  • Episode 11 - Jason Moran, 2009 Commission: Feedback (July 6, 2021)
  • Episode 12 - Maria Schneider, 1995 Commission: Scenes from Childhood (July 20, 2021)