The 63rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Kicks Off With Archival Content On Real Jazz
To usher in their 63rd year, The Monterey Jazz Festival is going virtual, live on their YouTube channel, Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27 from 8 pm to 10 pm ET each day. Festival participants will be treated to never‐before‐seen archival footage, plus exciting new performances and personal messages from the MJF family of artists, volunteers, patrons, and board members. See the full lineup below.
To kick things off the week before, SiriusXM’s Real Jazz (Ch. 67) will broadcast a daily one-hour show featuring content straight from the Monterey Jazz Festival archives, including special performances from Roy Hargrove, recordings from MJF Records, and the 2019 Monterey Jazz Festival. The shows will be hosted by 2020 Monterey Jazz Festival Artist‐in‐Residence Christian Sands, and will air Monday, September 21st through Thursday, September 24th at 8 pm ET on Real Jazz.
All proceeds from the event will support the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and the jazz artists featured in the virtual festival.
“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,” says Colleen Bailey, Executive Director. 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.”
Staying true to its roots, the virtual festival will be a celebration of jazz legends and an introduction to up‐and‐coming stars.
“I’m excited to share with you our first virtual festival!” says Tim Jackson, Artistic Director. “I’ve worked hard to assemble exciting archival performances by some of your favourite Monterey artists as well as new and exclusive performances and interviews. While I’ll miss seeing you in person this year, I look forward to connecting with all of you during our virtual weekend together.”
Die‐hard MJF fans and newcomers alike will not be disappointed in the amazing lineup below.
Friday, September 25th
Herbie Hancock
Dianne Reeves
Roy Hargrove & RH Factor
Terri Lyne Carrington – Mosaic Project
Christian McBride & Inside Straight
Jamie Cullum
2020 Monterey Jazz Festival Artist‐in‐Residence, Christian Sands
2020 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra Directed by Gerald Clayton
Saturday, September 26th
Diana Krall
Tribute to Dave Brubeck ‐ Cannery Row Suite featuring Kurt Elling & Roberta Gambarini
Kenny Barron Trio
Regina Carter
Our Native Daughters‐Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell
Clint Eastwood in Conversation, hosted by Tim Jackson
Berklee Institute of Jazz & Gender Justice Quintet ‐Founder & Director‐Terri Lyne Carrington
2020 Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo Directed by Katie Thiroux
2020 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra Directed by Gerald Clayton
Sunday, September 27th
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
2012 MJF on Tour with Musical Director Christian McBride and Dee Dee Bridgewater on vocals
2018 MJF On Tour with Musical Director Christian Sands and Cécile McLorin Salvant on vocals
Gerald Clayton Quartet
Angela Davis in conversation with Terri Lyne Carrington
Lila Downs
2020 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra Directed by Gerald Clayton
