The 60th annual Monterey Jazz Festival, taking place Sept 15-17, has announced its artist lineup and artists-in-residence for 2017. This year’s festival celebrates the centennials of Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie, and will include additional tributes to Celia Cruz and Sonny Rollins. Over 110 performances have been scheduled—30 hours of live music across eight stages, plus educational events, film, exhibits and a variety of international food and merchandise vendors.
Headline artists appearing on the arena stage include Kenny Barron Trio, Regina Carter, Roy Hargrove, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Leslie Odom, Jr., Joe Lovano, Lewis Nash and others.
John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton and Gerald Clayton will serve as Artists-in-Residence, with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra debuting the Festival’s 2017 commissioned work, “Stories of a Groove: Conception, Evolution, Celebration.” Regina Carter will be the Showcase artist, performing with three projects over the weekend.
In a pre-festival event on Thursday, Sept. 14, the 11th annual Jazz Legends Gala honoring Herbie Hancock will be held at the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach. The event, a fundraiser for Monterey’s jazz education programs, will be hosted by Clint Eastwood with performances by the Gerald Clayton Trio, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and Regina Carter.
On Friday, Sept. 15, the 100th anniversary of the births of Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald will be celebrated with performances by Herbie Hancock, the Kenny Barron Trio with special guests Roy Hargrove, Sean Jones and Pedrito Martinez, and Regina Carter’s “Dear Ella.”
Saturday, Sept. 16 events include a tribute to Sonny Rollins featuring Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis and Joshua Redman, with Gerald Clayton, Scott Colley and Lewis Nash.
On Sunday, Sept. 17, Common and John Beasley’s MONK’estra will celebrate the centennial of Thelonious Monk’s birth, and Angélique Kidjo with Pedrito Martinez will perform in honor of Celia Cruz.
Three-day arena and grounds ticket packages will go on sale May 1. For more information visit montereyjazzfestival.org or call 888-248-6499.
Artist Lineup
(listed in order of appearance; more artists to be announced)
Friday, September 15
Jimmy Lyons Stage: Regina Carter “Dear Ella”; A Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie: Kenny Barron Trio with special guests Roy Hargrove, Sean Jones, Pedrito Martinez; Herbie Hancock
Grounds
Garden Stage: Ray Obiedo & The Latin Jazz Project; Along Came Betty; Danae Greenfield Quartet from Berklee College of Music
Dizzy’s Den: GoGo Penguin; Miles Mosley
Night Club: Matt Wilson’s Honey & Salt; Alicia Olatuja; Gerald Clayton Trio
Coffee House Gallery: Latin Jazz Collective; Roberta Gambarini
Courtyard Stage: Music on the Yamaha AvantGrand (two sets)
Jazz Theater: Simulcasts from the Arena
Saturday, September 16
Jimmy Lyons Stage: Monsieur Periné; Mr. Sipp; Dee Dee Bridgewater; Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (MJF Commission); Leslie Odom, Jr.; A Tribute to Sonny Rollins featuring Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman and Gerald Clayton, Scott Colley & Lewis Nash
Grounds
Garden Stage: Con Brio; The Suffers; Mr. Sipp; Monsieur Periné; Sammy Miller Congregation
Dizzy’s Den: Ali Ryerson Quartet; Sean Jones Quartet; Kyle Eastwood Band; Roy Hargrove Quintet; Pedrito Martinez Group; Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
Night Club: Top bands from the 2017 Next Generation Jazz Festival; Roger Fox Big Band; Kandace Springs; Regina Carter Quartet; Derrick Hodge & Mike Mitchell
Coffee House Gallery: DownBeat Blindfold Test; Conversation with Herbie Hancock; Danae Greenfield Quartet from Berklee College of Music; Joanne Brackeen Trio (three sets)
Education Pavilion: Student Performances (all afternoon)
Courtyard Stage: Music on the Yamaha AvantGrand (three sets)
Jazz Theater: Simulcasts from the Arena; Jazz on Film: TBA
Sunday, September 17
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; Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea
Grounds
Dizzy’s Den: Andy Weis & the Monterey Jazz 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: Top Bands from the 2017 Next Generation Jazz Festival; Roger Fox Big Band with Chris Cain; Ranky Tanky; Sandy Cressman and Homenagem Brasileira
Night Club: Top Bands from the 2017 Next Generation Jazz Festival; MJF High School Honor Vocal Jazz Ensemble; MJF High School All-Star Big Band; Amendola Vs. Blades; Chester Thompson Trio; James Carter Organ Trio
Coffee House Gallery: Conversations with Jimmy Heath and Chick Corea; Top bands from the 2017 Next Generation Jazz Festival; Chano Dominguez Trio (two sets)
Jazz Education Pavilion: Student Bands (all afternoon)
Courtyard Stage: Music on the Yamaha AvantGrand (four sets)
Jazz Theater: Simulcasts from the Arena; Jazz on Film: TBA
