Monterey Jazz Festival Band comes to the Phillips Center on Valentine’s Day as part of 50th Anniversary
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Just in time for Valentine’s Day, some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz will perform as a part of the Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Tour at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Included in this season’s tour are Terence Blanchard (trumpet), James Moody (saxophone), Benny Green (piano/music director), Derrick Hodge (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums) and Nnenna Freelon (guest vocalist).
The Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Band reflects a long history of artistic excellence and sophisticated informality for which the Festival has gained international fame. Each member of the 50th Anniversary Band has a special relationship with the festival.
Grammy award-winning Terence Blanchard was MJF’s 2007 Artist-in-Residence, and appeared at MJF in 1999 and 2004 with his own groups. Terence is a strong supporter of jazz education and is the Artistic Director of the Theolonius Monk Institute of Jazz Performance in New Orleans.
The 1998 NEA Jazz Master Recipient James Moody has appeared at Monterey six times since 1962, where he has performed with Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, the Preservation Bebop Jazz Band, the Terence Blanchard Sextet, the MJF/50 Band, and others. He also performed a special free concert to celebrate MJF’s 40th anniversary in 1997.
Vocalist Nnenna Freelon is a six-time Grammy Award nominee. Don Heckman of the Los Angeles Times has said that Nnenna is “in the very top echelon” when it comes to jazz performers. Nnenna has performed at MJF four times since 1994, with her own groups and with the MJF/50 Band, and was a featured artist at the Next Generation Festival in 2002.
Pianist and musical director Benny Green and MJF go back to 1978, when he performed as a 15-year-old student. Benny has played at the Festival six times in four decades with the California High School All-Star Band, Ray Brown, the MJF/50 Band, and others.
Bassist Derrick Hodge first came to Monterey with Terence Blanchard in 2004. In 2007, he performed extensively with Terence’s groups, and with the MJF/50 Band.
Drummer Kendrick Scott began playing at MJF with the Berklee/Monterey Quartet in 1999 and has performed at MJF seven times with such artists as the Crusaders, Terence Blanchard, Eldar and the MJF/50 Band.
All-Star Bands at Monterey have been a long-standing tradition. Starting in 1996, the Festival assembled a group of master musicians under the name “Monterey All-Stars.” At least 17 Monterey All-Star Bands have graced the stages of Monterey and have included Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Elvin Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Ray Brown, Sonny Stitt, Max Roach, John Lewis, Shelly Manne, Bobby Hutcherson, Hank Jones, Milt Jackson and many more as members. All together, the members of the MJF 50th Anniversary Band have performed at Monterey 28 times.
The Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Tour Band began their 10-week tour in Bellingham, Wash. on Jan. 8. They will perform at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are: $35, front orchestra, mezzanine and mid-orchestra; $30, rear orchestra; and $25, balcony.
Tickets are available by calling the Phillips Center Box Office at 352-392-ARTS (2787) or 800-905-ARTS (toll-free within Florida) or by calling Ticketmaster at 904-353-3309 or toll free at 800-277-1700. Orders may also be faxed to 352-846-1562. Tickets are also available in person at the Phillips Center Box Office, University Box Office at the University of Florida Reitz Union and all Ticketmaster outlets; and on the web atwww.ticketmaster.com. Cash, checks, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Group tickets are also available.
The Phillips Center Box Office is open Monday – Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. and two hours prior to the performance. Performance dates, times and programs are subject to change.
Credits
Contact
Amy Douglas, adouglas@performingarts.ufl.edu, 352-392-1900, ext. 32