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Writer's pictureAdam Joseph

Everything you need to know about the 63rd annual Monterey Jazz Festival.


Trombone-Shorty-Monterey-Jazz-Festival
Trombone Shorty performs the Main Stage Arena at the 2012 Monterey Jazz Festival.

The longest continuously running jazz festival in the world may look a tad different this year, moving to a live, virtual format, but the 63rd annual Monterey Jazz Festival will still deliver a vast array of strong performers, including Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall and the Anat Cohen Tentet. That's just a taste.


On September 25, 26 and 27, MJF's pandemic iteration will feature never-before-seen archival footage, new performances, messages from MJF artists and much more.

Tune in FREE, every day from 5-7pm PST, on the MJF YouTube channel.


“I’m excited to share with you our first virtual festival,” says Tim Jackson, MJF Artistic Director. “I’ve worked hard to assemble exciting archival performances by some of your favorite Monterey artists as well as new and exclusive performances and interviews."


All online donations will go to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and to the artists performing the virtual festival.

CONTRIBUTE TODAY!


“We recognize that jazz comes from the heart of Black culture, and during these volatile times where America is facing its legacy of racial injustice, we asked ourselves what the Monterey Jazz Festival could do to support the Black community,” MJF Executive Director Colleen Bailey says. "Our historical legacy has always been to serve as a platform for artists to share social justice messages, and now we can be a platform for artists as well as the organizations that are on the front line of this important work.”



2020 VIRTUAL FESTIVAL LINE UP

Friday, September 25:

  • Herbie Hancock

  • Diane Reeves

  • Roy Hargrove

  • Terri Lyne Carrington – Mosaic Project

  • Jamie Cullum

  • Christian McBride & Inside Straight

  • Christian Sands, the 2020 and 2021 Monterey Jazz Festival Artist-in-Residence

  • Next Generation Jazz Orchestra

Saturday, September 26:

  • Tribute to Dave Brubeck with Cannery Row Suite featuring Kurt Elling & Roberta Gambarini

  • Eastwood at Monterey with Diana Krall & Kenny Barron Trio

  • Regina Carter

  • Our Native Daughters featuring Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell

  • Clint Eastwood in conversation with Tim Jackson

  • Berklee Institute of Jazz & Gender Justice Quintet

  • Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo

  • Next Generation Jazz Orchestra

Sunday, September 27:

  • Tribute to Quincy Jones, “The A&M Years”, featuring Hubert Laws and Valerie Simpson

  • Sonny Rollins Tribute featuring Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis, and Joshua Redman

  • Anat Cohen Tentet Next Generation Jazz Orchestra

  • Angela Davis in conversation with Terri Lyne Carrington

  • 2018 Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour with musical director Christian Sands and Cecil McLorin Salvant on vocals

  • Lila Downs

  • 2012 Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour with musical director Christian McBride and Dee Dee Bridgewater on vocals

  • Gerald Clayton Quartet

  • Next Generation Jazz Orchestra

There will also be a few socially-distanced watching parties throughout the Monterey area. More information HERE.


"While I’ll miss seeing you in person this year, I look forward to connecting with all of you during our virtual weekend together,” MJF's Tim Jackson says.

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