Mining for Gold in Monterey

by | Oct 1, 2007 | Special Features | 0 comments

Mining for Gold in Monterey
The 50th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Sept. 21-23, 2007

Attending the annual Monterey Jazz Festival is much like ordering in an upscale classy Chinese restaurant.  So many choices, so many venues, and so little time to cover all your bases.  (Let’s see — 1 from column A, two from column B, and hold the Smooth Jazz…).

Having attended several prior Monterey Jazz Festivals, and often being somewhat disappointed in the caliber of the lineup offered, I had mixed emotions in planning to attend the 50th annual Monterey Jazz Festival this year. I knew I needed to attend as this was the festival’s Golden Anniversary, and surely any red-blooded jazz fanatic had to be there. When it was announced that for the first time in the festival’s existence, that they had sold out all the grounds admission passes, I had fears of a cattle stampede in fighting the crowds to get from one venue to the next. In past years, the Garden Stage, an intimate outdoor stage setting, was packed to the gills with not a square inch of space available to anyone arriving less than 15 minutes before the announced act was to begin.

Well, I can’t say that this year was much different, as witnessed by my one visit to this venue to catch a bit of the Benny Barth Trio. Every seat and grass spot was taken, but the opportunity to see Buddy Montgomery, the last remaining Montgomery brother, was too hard to pass up. Although Buddy looked tired and a bit weak, who could pass up the chance to see the late Wes Montgomery’s brother still lifting the mallets.

Such was the case-and strength of this year’s festival, the chance to see many of the last remaining Jazz Masters – some who had played Monterey in its infant years, when it was just the beginning dream of the founders Jimmy Lyons and Ralph J. Gleason.  The present festival director, Tim Jackson, should be commended for honoring its past roots and still keeping newer jazz fans happy with current artists like Diana Krall and Isaac Delgado. Whereas the crowd dug the looks and moderate swing of Ms.Krall, we were also rewarded with the film showing of the festival’s 10th anniversary concert footage by co-founder Gleason’s son, Toby.  Those that were in the Jazz Theatre on Sunday afternoon got to see and relish a bit of Carmen McRae’s 10th anniversary concert. Now here was a true jazz singer, caressing each word, taking the time and space to emote the lyrics’ passion and power. Ms. Carmen reacted with glee on stage that night when Dizzy Gillespie sneaked up behind her blowing soulfully on his upturned trumpet.  Those were the days of true jazz royalty.

Well, this year’s Monterey Jazz Festival brought us back to those golden years with several pivotal and magical moments.  Some of those highlights I include here in chronological order:

 
The Jim Hall and Geoff Keezer duo with Master Hall ringing out clear notes on the guitar, being comped admirably by the young veteran Keezer on piano.  Their set was highlighted by All the Things You Are, and Milt Jackson’s, A Merry Chase. Preceeding their set on Friday night in the indoor Bill Berry stage was Gerald Wilson’s son, Anthony, with his wonderful nonet. Their set was moody, atmospheric, and ethereal, ranging from the sublime to the funky.  Especially memorable was a seamless blend of Miles Davis’ In Silent Way segueing into Joe Zawinul’s, Walk Tall, made famous by Cannonball Adderley’s band. Strong solos were provided by Anthony’s guitar and Gilbert Castellanos on trumpet.

 

Terence Blanchard’s quintet also had a moving set in the same venue on Friday night.  They previewed much of Blanchard’s new album, a Hurricane Katrina tribute.  His band’s power and emotion playing this music was brought out in a repeat performance on Saturday night, in the outdoor Jimmy Lyons stage, when they were backed by the Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra performing A Tale of God’s Will – A Requiem for Katrina.  Blanchard performed much of the soundtrack for last year’s Spike Lee HBO documentary on Katrina, and some of the footage was shown on the video monitors, while Blanchard’s group played with obvious emotion on their Katrina tribute. Terence shared with the festival crowd the wrenching emotion he felt when he accompanied his mother back into their devastated New Orleans home, when they were allowed back into their neighborhood. He broke off a trumpet tribute to his mother, mid-note late in the composition when he was overcome with these memories.

 
Saturday night’s absolute highlight for me was the appearance of the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, with guest star, guitarist Kenny Burrell. Wilson, now near age 90, was commissioned for Monterey’s 50th anniversary to write a new tribute to the Festival, Monterey Moods.  This extended composition, recently reviewed here by John Henry, has just been released on Mack Avenue Records. Gerald reminded the audience that he has also played during every decade of the 50 years of the Festival’s existence. His big band is whip-tight, and swings like crazy. He was proud to announce that the least experienced band member in his Orchestra has been with him for 17 years while the most experienced, the ageless baritone saxist, Jack Nimitz, tops the longevity scale at a whopping 45 years.  Wilson’s Orchestra largely enticed me to Monterey this year, and they did not disappoint.

The same can be said for Sunday night’s headliners, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, with special guest, Jim Hall; and the festival’s closer, Sonny Rollins, and his sextet.  Brubeck appeared frail until he set on the piano stool, and then his 50 plus years of excellence was soon on display culminating with his perennial favorite, Take Five, which surely must be the most recognized jazz composition on Earth. If only the jazz gods had brought back Paul Desmond, for one more night on stage… (Bobby Militello on alto substituted admirably.)

Sonny Rollins closed out the Festival with a passionate set.  Prowling like a tiger on the stage, and never taking a seat, Sonny, poured out his heart on both calypso and burning post-bop classics.  Normally stoic, Sonny, reminded the crowd, who responded with both  rapt attention and thunderous applause, that he’d be back in the next 50 years in Monterey.  Don’t doubt it…

I’d be remiss if I did not mention some other brilliant performances at MJF 50.  Those would include Ornette Coleman, resplendent in a royal blue suit, playing in a three-bass quintet.  Ornette pulled out all the stops, mixing straight blues, with the avant/out playing for which he is so famous/infamous.  His closer, Lonely Woman, brought down the house.

 
I snuck into Kenny Barron’s set in Dizzy’s Den on Sunday night to catch Barron playing three Billy Strayhorn ballads and his closing composition, titled Calypso.  Those 20 minutes were magical and evidence that some of the best music every year at Monterey is provided on the smaller stages.

I’d like to close with what was my favorite set of the whole festival – and evidence of the thrills Monterey can provide.  That rapture was provided by a new Hammond B-3 star in the making, Atsuko Hashimoto. Several years ago in Monterey I was blessed to see Rhoda Scott on the Hammond, sharing the stage with the incomparable tenor sax player, Houston Person. This year, I returned to the Bill Berry stage on Sunday night to see Person again.  This time he was accompanied by Jeff Hamilton on drums.  Hamilton, who besides being a consummate big band drummer, showed me that he is also a master stick man in a Hammond B-3 setting. 

Hamilton introduced Ms. Hashimoto, and the diminutive, demure young Japanese sweetheart knocked the socks off an adoring audience, pulling out all the stops on gritty soul with tension and release and blues runs galore. We all went nuts and veterans Person and Hamilton, who have seen all in their storied careers were grinning and shaking their heads in admiration in amazement as Atsuko tore up Sunny, Blue Moon, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, and Send Me  Someone to Love, to name just a few. Person’s masterful solos, and Hamilton’s cymbal and brush work were the icing on the cake. Look for a new CD by these three sometime early in 2008.

Discovering a new star in Monterey, such as Atsuko Hashimoto, is the reason why many of us show up to fight the crowds each year at this festival.  You can say you were there both when the magic began, and also when the flames were rekindled. Long may the Monterey Jazz Festival provide these magical moments!!

– Jeff Krow
 

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