Monterey Jazz Festival Announces Headliners

The 52nd annual Monterey Jazz Festival will take place September 18-20, 2009, at the same venue it has occupied since its inception, the Monterey Fairgrounds, in Monterey Calif. Tickets are on sale now by phone at (925) 275-9255 and on the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Web site. Full weekend arena packages are available from $225; daily grounds tickets are from $35; full weekend grounds tickets are $110.00. MJF’s new family discount Pack is $80 for two adult and two youth tickets.

The Arena/Jimmy Lyons Stage will be the focal point of the festival, with multiple award-winning artists and special projects, including NEA Jazz Master Hank Jones with Grammy-winning saxophonist Joe Lovano (MJF/52 Showcase Artist); the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by nine-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (MJF/52 Artists-In-Residence); the Monterey Jazz Festival All-Stars featuring pianist Kenny Barron, violinist Regina Carter, vocalist Kurt Elling and guitarist Russell Malone; the gifted bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding; vocalist extraordinaire Dee Dee Bridgewater; the incomparable Grammy-winning pianist George Duke; the incendiary Jason Moran and the Bandwagon (MJF/52 Commission Artist); and the highly anticipated super-trio of 15-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master, pianist Chick Corea with legendary bassist Stanley Clarke and fiery drummer Lenny White.

A celebration of strings will also be featured in the arena with soulful roots/blues guitarist and vocalist Susan Tedeschi; the American icon and folk music pioneer Pete Seeger; and the gospel-soaked baptismal blues of John Scofield and the Piety Street Band.

Special golden anniversary celebrations of classic and historic jazz recordings from 1959 will fill the arena with Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side All-Star Band (with special guests, the five-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Randy Brecker and Joe Lovano, playing the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the beloved and influential jazz classics, Kind of Blue and Giant Steps. NEA Jazz Master, living legend and pianist Dave Brubeck returns to the stages of Monterey for his 15th appearance to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his worldwide best selling and groundbreaking recording, Time Out.

The fruits of music education will also take center stage in the arena, with the top high school big band-selected at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Festival (April 3-5, 2009)-kicking off the Sunday arena program, followed by MJF’s own Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, featuring Wynton Marsalis and the top high school musicians in the country.

Originally Published April 1, 2009