60th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 15-17, 2017

Headliners Include Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Common, Leslie Odom Jr., Dee Dee Bridgewater, Angélique Kidjo, Kenny Barron Trio, Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau; Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redmanand Many Others

MJF Celebrates Centennials of Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie with Additional Tributes to Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz

Nearly 140 Events Span 30 Hours During Weekend of September 15-17

Monterey, Calif, September 5, 2017; Tickets are still available for the 60th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 15–17. Tickets will be available at the Monterey County Fairgrounds Box Office at 2000 Fairground Road beginning September 11, and Ticket prices will increase that day as well, but can be purchased now at montereyjazzfestival.org or by calling 888.248.6499.

Celebrating its historic milestone, the Festival will feature 137 performances from iconic and emerging jazz artists, educational events, conversations, films, and exhibits on eight stages, for 30 hours of live music spanning two days and three nights, accompanied by an array of 75 vendors selling international cuisine and merchandise on the oak-studded 20 acres of the Monterey County Fair & Event Center.

The Artists-in-Residence for MJF60 will be John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, and Gerald Clayton, and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra will debut the 2017 commission piece, “Stories of a Groove: Conception, Evolution, Celebration,” written by John Clayton. Regina Carter will be the Showcase Artist, playing with three projects over the weekend.

Monterey Jazz Festival is a six-time JazzTimes Readers Poll winner. Seven NEA Jazz Masters will be featured at the Festival in 2017, including Kenny Barron, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Joanne Brackeen, Jimmy Heath, and Branford Marsalis, as well as Academy Award and Golden Globe winner rapper/poet Common, A Prairie Home Companion host Chris Thile with Brad Mehldau; Tony Award-winning vocalist Leslie Odom Jr. from Hamilton, and multiple award-winning vocalist and activist Angélique Kidjo.

“For the 60th celebration, I am excited and grateful to be able to help build on this historical achievement by celebrating our past masters, reveling in the music of now, and gleefully pointing forward in new directions,” said Artistic Director Tim Jackson.

2017’s GRAMMY Award-winning Arena lineup on Friday night, September 15 includes Herbie Hancock, and tributes to the 100th anniversary of the births of Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald with the Kenny Barron Trio with special guests Roy Hargrove, Sean Jones, and Pedrito Martinez, and Regina Carter’s “Simply Ella.”

The Saturday afternoon, September 16 Arena lineup includes Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Memphis, Mr. Sipp, and Monsieur Periné.

Saturday night includes a tribute to Sonny Rollins featuring Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis, and Joshua Redman, with Gerald Clayton, Scott Colley and Lewis Nash; Tony Award-winning vocalist Leslie Odom Jr. from Hamilton, and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with the Gerald Clayton Trio debuting the 2017 commission piece.

The Arena lineup on Sunday afternoon, September 17 includes Academy Award and Golden Globe winner  Common; John Beasley’s MONK’estra, and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra with John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, and Gerald Clayton.

Sunday night in the Arena will feature Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock; Angelique Kidjo’s Tribute to Salsa with Pedrito Martinez; and A Prairie Home Companion host Chris Thile with Brad Mehldau.

Full Weekend Arena Ticket Packages offer a reserved seat to each of the five concerts on the Jimmy Lyons Stage in the Arena (renewable annually) plus, access to the seven additional Grounds Stages, and all Festival activities. 

Full Weekend Grounds Packages offer access to seven Grounds stages and activities. 

Grounds activities include 120 events, conversations, films, musical performances, and more with weekend highlights from the Joanne Brackeen Trio, Gerald Clayton Trio, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Regina Carter & Southern Comfort, Linda May Han Oh, Tia Fuller Quintet featuring Ingrid Jensen, Roberta Gambarini, Roy Hargrove Quintet, Vijay Iyer Sextet, Joe Lovano Classic Quartet, Pedrito Martinez Group, Matt Wilson’s Honey & Salt, Amendola vs. Blades, James Carter Organ Trio, Kyle Eastwood Band, GoGo Penguin, Sean Jones Quartet, Miles Mosley, Monsieur Periné, Ray Obiedo Latin Jazz Project, Alicia Olatuja, Ali Ryerson Quartet, The Suffers, Mr. Sipp, Kandace Springs, Chester Thompson Trio, Chano Dominguez Trio, Roger Fox Big Band with Chris Cain, Derrick Hodge & Mike Mitchell, the films I Called Him Morgan and Chick Corea: The Musician, and much more, including the weekend-long Pacific Jazz Café exhibit, Monterey at 60: A Visual Feast, featuring the Festival’s 60 years of posters and program covers.

Recently added to the Grounds is the Joel Frahm Quartet’s 90th Birthday Tribute to Stan Getz, with Billy ChildsScott Colley, and Peter Erskine, playing music from Captain Marvel, and 16 special events at the Blue Note at Sea Tent hosted by Don Was, including interviews with Wayne ShorterJoe Lovano, Kandace Springs, Tia Fuller, and Ingrid Jensen, with additional CD signings, discussions and panels.

In addition, there will be a post-film discussion about I Called Him Morgan with author Larry Reni Thomas, and the film’s director, Kasper Collin via Skype.

Also performing will be the top high school and college bands from the 2017 Next Generation Jazz Festival, including Northgate High School Jazz Band, Folsom High School Jazz Band I, Buchanan High School Jazz Band ‘A’, Rio Americano High School AM Jazz Ensemble, Crossroads School Jazz ‘A’ Band, LA County High School for the Arts Vocal Ensemble, Folsom High School Jazz Choir I, Valencia High School Two ‘N’ Four, Joshua Tazman, SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Orchestra and Combo, USC Jazz Composers Collective, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Jazz Ensemble I, University of the Arts “Z” Big Band, and California State University, Sacramento Vox Now.

Also on sale are District 7 Premier Club hospitality passes, priced at $300. Benefits include a furnished setting offering closed-circuit Arena simulcasts, wines by District 7 and gourmet cuisine, private restrooms, indoor and outdoor patio seating, no-host top-shelf bars, and more. Arena or Grounds Ticket purchase is required.

High-resolution photos available at http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/media/MJF

Lineup for the 60th Monterey Jazz Festival, September 15- 17, 2017
(in order of appearance)

Friday, September 15

ARENA:
Jimmy Lyons Stage: Regina Carter “Simply Ella”; Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie: Kenny Barron Trio with special guests Roy Hargrove, Sean Jones, Pedrito Martinez; Herbie Hancock

GROUNDS:
Garden Stage Presented by Hep C Hope®: Ray Obiedo Latin Jazz Project; Along Came Betty; Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors
Dizzys Den: GoGo Penguin; Miles Mosley
Night Club: Matt Wilson’s Honey & Salt; Alicia Olatuja; Gerald Clayton Trio
Pacific Jazz Café: Latin Jazz Collective; Roberta Gambarini; Joel Frahm Quartet Tribute to Stan Getz; Monterey at 60: A Visual Feast (exhibit)
Courtyard Stage: Matthew Whitaker on the Yamaha AvantGrand (two sets)
North Coast Brewing Co. Education Stage: Next Generation Jazz Orchestra Combo; San Jose Jazz All-Stars Combo
Jazz Theater: Simulcasts from the Arena
Blue Note at Sea Tent: Welcome Party; Interview with Wayne Shorter; CD Signing with GoGo Penguin

Saturday, September 16

ARENA:
Jimmy Lyons Stage: Monsieur Periné; Mr. Sipp; Dee Dee Bridgewater; Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (MJF Commission); Leslie Odom Jr.; Tribute to Sonny Rollins featuring Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman and Gerald Clayton, Scott Colley & Lewis Nash

GROUNDS:
Garden Stage Presented by Hep C Hope®: Con Brio; The Suffers; Mr. Sipp; Monsieur Periné; Sammy Miller Congregation
Dizzys Den: Ali Ryerson Quartet; Sean Jones Quartet; Kyle Eastwood Band; Roy Hargrove Quintet; Pedrito Martinez Group; Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
Night Club: Rio Americano High School AM Jazz Ensemble; Buchanan High School Jazz Band A; SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Big Band; Roger Fox Big Band; 5-Man Trio from America’s First Corps Band; Kandace Springs; Regina Carter Quartet; Derrick Hodge with Mike Mitchell & Mike Aaberg
Pacific Jazz Café: SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Combo; DownBeat Blindfold Test with Tia Fuller; Conversation with Herbie Hancock; Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors; California State University Sacramento Vox Now; Joanne Brackeen Trio (three sets); Monterey at 60: A Visual Feast (exhibit)
North Coast Brewing Co. Education Stage:  UC Santa Cruz Combo; Tai Chi Presented by Hep C Hope® (two sessions); Akili Bradley Combo; Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet; Joshua Tazman; Next Generation Orchestra; NGJO Alumni Jam; San Francisco Conservatory RJAM Ensemble
Courtyard Stage: Matthew Whitaker on the Yamaha AvantGrand (Three sets)
Jazz Theater: Simulcasts from the Arena; Jazz on Film: I Called Him Morgan, post-film discussion with Larry Reni Thomas & Kaspar Collin vie Skype
Blue Note at Sea Tent: Informational Events and Listening Sessions; Exploring the Bass with John Clayton, Derrick Hodge & Don Was; Interview with Kandace Springs; CD Signing with Derrick Hodge & Kandace Springs; Jazz & Broadway with Special Guests

Sunday, September 17

ARENA:
Jimmy Lyons Stage: Next Generation Jazz Orchestra with John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton and Gerald Clayton; John Beasley’s MONK’estra; Common; Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau; Angélique Kidjo’s Celia Cruz Tribute with Pedrito Martinez; Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock

GROUNDS:
Dizzys Den: Andy Weis & the Monterey All-Stars; O.F.N.I. Trio; Joe Lovano Classic Quartet; Tia Fuller Quintet featuring Ingrid Jensen; Regina Carter & Southern Comfort; Vijay Iyer Sextet
Garden Stage Presented by Hep C Hope®: UNLV Jazz Ensemble I; University of the Arts “Z” Big Band; Roger Fox Big Band with Chris Cain; Linda May Han Oh Quintet, Ranky Tanky; Sandy Cressman’s “Entre Amigos”
Night Club: MJF High School Honor Vocal Jazz Ensemble; Valencia High School “Two N’ Four” Vocal Jazz Ensemble; Folsom High School Jazz Choir I; LACHSA Vocal Ensemble; Folsom High School Jazz Band I; Northgate High School Jazz Band I; MJF High School All-Star Big Band; Amendola vs. Blades; Chester Thompson Trio; James Carter Organ Trio
Pacific Jazz Café: Conversations with Jimmy Heath and Chick Corea; Top bands from the 2017 Next Generation Jazz Festival; Chano Dominguez Trio (two sets); Monterey at 60: A Visual Feast (exhibit)
North Coast Brewing Co. Education Stage: Tai Chi Presented by Hep C Hope® (two sessions); Music Together with Mary Schaefer; Dennis Broughton Percussion Experience; Juan L. Sanchez & Friends; Jazzy Ash; University of the Arts “Z” Big Band; Next Generation Ladies in Jazz; USC Thornton Jazz Composers Collective; UNLV Jazz Ensemble I
Courtyard Stage: Matthew Whitaker on the Yamaha AvantGrand (four sets)
Jazz Theater: Simulcasts from the Arena; Jazz on Film: Chick Corea: The Musician
Blue Note at Sea Tent: Informational Events & Listening Sessions; Women in Jazz Panel Discussion with Tia Fuller and Ingrid Jensen; Interview with Joe Lovano; Free Cabin Drawing

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For more information, high-resolution photographs and interviews, please contact
Timothy Orr
Marketing Associate
Monterey Jazz Festival
Direct Line: 831.646.8670
Monterey Phone: 831.373.3366
timorr@montereyjazzfestival.org
www.montereyjazzfestival.org

Monterey Jazz Festival is honored to receive support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, NEA Artworks, Blue Note at Sea, Hep C Hope®, Yamaha, District 7, North Coast Brewing Company, Inns of Monterey, Taylor Farms, Macy’s, Aqua Terra Culinary, Montage Health, Integris Wealth Management, Monterey Bay Aquarium, City of Monterey, ThinOPTICS, Larabar, AT&T, JAZZIZ, DownBeat, JazzTimes, KSBW/Estrella TV, KAZU, SmoothJazzGlobal.com, Monterey Herald, Remo, Alvarez Technology, and Mission Linen Supply.