Early on in the Arena set by Chick Corea’s Freedom Band, I began to wonder about that name. But soon a theory began to form. Maybe it’s about the “freedom” to explore tradition, to be yourself, and to just go out there and have a good time.
Quick and agile, percolating and twisty, Chris Potter’s Underground was revving on all cylinders in a Saturday evening set that drew the attention of several other Monterey performers along with a good number of younger attendees.
When pianist Billy Childs discovered that he would have a chance to collaborate with the esteemed Kronos Quartet on his newly-commissioned work for the Monterey Jazz Festival, he leapt at the chance — but he had no plan. “I had no storyline in mind,” he said before tonight’s premiere. “I just started writing music.” It may not have a narrative, but the finished piece lacks nothing in forward movement or creative passion.
It was one of those sets that people will talk about for a long, long time. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and his Orleans Avenue crew blew up the Monterey Jazz Festival, sending a massive outdoor crowd into spasms and closing out Saturday afternoon on a roaring high note.
On an afternoon dominated by rhythm and blues, it was a small but adventurous group that headed for the room known as the Night Club to check out San Francisco bassist Lisa Mezzacappa and her twitchy, angular quartet, Bait & Switch. But for those who could hang with the band’s multiple twists and turns, it was a thoroughly enjoyable thrill ride.
Naomi Shelton’s voice is raw, gritty, filled with power and soul. It filled the Monterey air on Saturday afternoon in a combination of of Mavis Staples spirit and James Brown dynamite, kicking off the portion of the Monterey Jazz Festival program traditionally reserved for blues, gospel and soul with a short but compelling set.
Big bands are all the rage in modern jazz circles these days. But while a lot of these groups specialize in charts that seem to be the musical equivalent of differential calculus or quantum mechanics, the big band led by star trumpeter Roy Hargrove goes back to the fundamentals. Playing their second set of the evening, Hargrove’s crew provided swing, fireworks, and good old-fashioned fun.
The San Francisco collective known as the Jazz Mafia is a veritable who’s who of the younger generation of Bay Area jazz musicians. But they also spill over into other genres, most notably hip-hop through projects such as the Shotgun Wedding Quintet. “Brass, Bows and Beats” is their magnum opus, a sprawling, hour-long suite by musical director Adam Theis, and it blows away preconceptions like a hurricane.
Quirky, clever, and possessing a delicious voice, singer Nellie McKay has the most instantly endearing stage presence you’re ever likely to encounter. To hear her pay tribute to the music and career of Doris Day is to take a trip, not just into a bygone era, but into an alternate universe.
There’s always something special about the moment when the Monterey Jazz Festival begins. This is my sixth year covering the Festival, and I find that I always remember Friday at 6:00. Because when the gates open, the MJF suddenly changes from something to look forward to to something that is. It’s the little thrill that [...]
Your friendly neighborhood Jazz Observer is blogging live from the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, presented by Verizon, September 17-19, 2010!
The 52nd annual Monterey Jazz Festival has come to a successful conclusion. Once again, the festival organizers have brought together fantastic music and a warm community atmosphere for an experience that will be remembered for years to come.
