by Scott Yanow,
For jazz lovers, the Monterey Jazz Festival at its best is utopia. With five stages operating simultaneously and, unlike too many other so-called jazz festivals, 95% of the music being high-quality jazz, the large number of memorable performances can make one a bit delirious. Held since its birth in 1958 at the Monterey Fairgrounds, the music in 2025 took place at three outdoor stages (the main arena, the garden stage, and the courtyard stage) and two indoor venues (Dizzy’s Den and the Pacific Jazz Café). This was my 36th Monterey Jazz Festival since 1987 and, despite my best efforts, I did not see every group this time around. Some performances were just too great for me to leave after 20 minutes. A fine jazz festival could have been formed from just the artists who I missed (including Grace Kelly, Christian McBride, Keyon Harrold, Cory Wong, Pete Escovedo, Carmen Lundy, Larry Goldings, Tyreek McDole, Camille Thurman, Brandon Woody, and Ledisi) but, as one can see from the remainder of this article, I did not suffer from jazz malnutrition!
Here is what I was fortunate enough to see during that weekend, loosely in chronological order. The festival actually started out a bit slow as a soothing folk-oriented group called River Voices greeted fans as they entered the fairgrounds. Next year, why not have it be a spirited Dixieland group that would get attendees excited?
Pianist Gerald Clayton and his father bassist John Clayton performed duets that were full of inventive ideas and affectionate interplay, coming up with fresh ideas to play on Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma” and Paul Chambers’ “I Got Rhythm”-based “Tale Of The Fingers.” The very talented Canadian jazz singer Caity Gyorgy was the first of the many great jazz vocalists to be heard throughout the weekend. A superb scat-singer who has a beautiful voice and is not afraid to creatively use space and silence, she dug into an uptempo “It Might As Well Be Spring,” “Once In Love With Amy” in a 1930s style, “Baubles, Bangles & Beads,” and a baroque rendition of “All The Things You Are” with pianist Mark Limacher that was reminiscent of Mel Torme and George Shearing. Veteran salsa singer Edgardo Cambon and his percussion-heavy group called Candela was a real crowd pleaser. Cambon dedicated one song to “all of the Latinos that came to the U.S. to make this country great.”
Someone who fits into that category is Cuban-born pianist Alfredo Rodriguez whose performance was full of excitement, high energy, and rhythmically stirring ideas that were both hyper and inventive. Rodriguez continues to grow in depth and power each year; his playful version of “Mama Inez” was a highpoint.
While Gregory Porter has achieved fame and his Monterey set was filled with familiar songs, his performance was quite exhilarating. Porter’s renditions of such originals as “On My Way To Harlem,” the touching “Be Good,” the infectious “Clap Your Hands,” “How Did We Ever Lose Our Way,” “Take Me To The Alley,” and “I Do Not Agree” were full of passion, sincerity, positive messages and intelligent lyrics. Altoist Carlos Brown’s playing was a major asset, being raw enough to push the music forward and occasionally outside. Porter, a true storyteller with a charming personality, is a class act whose often-jubilant performances can always get an audience excited. Hopefully he will write some more new songs soon so his future sets do not end up just being a series of his greatest hits.
Bassist-composer Marcus Shelby and his big band performed a suite (“Black Ball”) that paid tribute to the Negro Baseball League of the 1920s and ‘30s. Some of the music that they performed was influenced by the early Duke Ellington Orchestra with its use of plunger mutes although, especially rhythmically, there were more modern elements included too. The musicians all wore vintage baseball uniforms.
c wrapped up Friday night with a rewarding hour of solo piano. While he paid tribute to some of his favorite pianists of the past (including Cedar Walton, Gerry Wiggins, and Oscar Peterson), Green also performed some originals that allowed his own individual style with its sophisticated chord voicings to shine through.
Saturday began with some spirited Latin jazz from the Marcia Chapa Project, a sextet led by the drummer that featured fine solos from tenor-saxophonist Barry Capiaux and guitarist Brian Cheu on such favorites as “Watermelon Man” and “Manteca” plus a Coltranish blues. On the main stage, bluesman Mr. Sipp put on quite a show. He was blazing from the start, soloing on guitar in a style reminiscent of B.B. King and playing continuously for the first 25 minutes .His good-humored and witty remarks, spirited vocals, and excellent guitar playing immediately set a party atmosphere, switching grooves and patterns at the right spots and keeping the crowd riled up. He ended the lengthy medley by saying to the audience “Let me hear you scream!” Next up was a 15-minute slow blues during which he went out into the audience before concluding the memorable set by singing an emotional “A Change Is Gonna Come.” One can only hope!
Davina and the Vagabonds, a quintet led by pianist-singer Davina Sowers, featured blues but also such vintage songs as “Four Or Five Times,” “Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby” and “St. James Infirmary.” Trumpeter Becca Lozier and trombonist Matthew Hanzelka took solos and ensembles that often helped turn the music into New Orleans jazz. It was quite fun.
Dianne Reeves seems to have played nearly every festival this year but she was particularly inspired at Monterey. With guitarist Romero Lubambo and keyboardist John Beasley featured in her quintet, she performed a very touching version of Horace Silver’s “Peace” and was also in prime form on “Lazy Afternoon” and an adventurous rendition of Pat Metheny’s “Minuano.”
One of the few unfortunate aspects to the weekend was that Dizzy’s Den was often unbearably hot. While Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble (an octet with two percussionists) performed some of the most intriguing and adventurous music of the festival, the room’s lack of an air conditioner or a worthwhile fan made it difficult to sit through. The music (which included “Action/Reaction” and a tribute to Eddie Palmieri) was filed with dense harmonies, unpredictable solos, and some politically charged statements. It certainly deserved to be played under more favorable conditions. In contrast, Delfeayo Marsalis’ Uptown Jazz Orchestra on the main stage performed simpler music in a much more comfortable environment. They began with New Orleans Mardi Gras versions of “I’m Walking” and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s “Let Your Mind Be Free” that inspired a lot of dancing, played some hard bop (including an uptempo version of Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge”), featured the leader’s trombone on “It’s A Wonderful World,” and finished with a rousing rendition of the New Orleans favorite “Lil’ Liza Jane.”
Continuing with New Orleans jazz in addition to swing and some Brazilian music, Gunhild Carling put on quite a show. She plays dazzling trumpet in a style influenced by Louis Armstrong and Henry “Red” Allen, is a boisterous trombonist, sings in several styles including that of Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway, and also plays recorder, bagpipes (!), harmonica, and apparently nearly every other instrument. Her septet (which included her husband on banjo and her talented daughter Idun Carling on trombone and vocals) started off with a riotous New Orleans number based on “Bourbon Street Parade.” Her singing was showcased on “Dream A Little Dream Of Me,” the two trombonists and stride pianist Neil Fontano were featured on the uptempo “Swedish Cider,” and Carling’s daughter’s sang “Just A Closer Walk With Thee.” Other selections included the leader’s virtuosic recorder playing on a Brazilian song, a medium-up blues that had her playing harmonica and dancing, and “The Hucklebuck.” But that was not all. Carling also played three trumpets at once for two choruses, accompanied herself on bass while she played trumpet like a bugle (balancing it on her head), jammed on bagpipes on a medium-tempo blues, and sang “Mack The Knife” in German. While I wish that she had played more trumpet (maybe next time), this was a high-powered performance not soon to be forgotten.
While anything else would seem sober in comparison, pianist Sullivan Fortner and his trio performed some dazzling music of their own, dramatic pieces that looked forwards and backwards in time simultaneously. Along the way he played some Tatumesque runs during a tender version of “Everything Happens To Me,” a fast piece that was probably from the Oscar Peterson repertoire, and some originals that always held one’s interest whether Fortner was improvising freely or striding.
Sunday continued the whirlwind of activity. The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Gerald Clayton, featured some of the top college jazz musicians performing challenging music and sounding quite professional. Highlights included Bill Holman’s arrangement of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” Frank Lacy’s “Requiem” (which had some outstanding alto playing from Khalil Childs with interval jumps worthy of Eric Dolphy), young singer Declan Cashman sounding confident and a bit like Chet Baker on “A Beautiful Friendship,” and pianist Fortner guesting on “Blues For Big Scotia.”
The U.S. Navy Band Commodores, a mighty orchestra comprised of 13 horns and 4 rhythm, was as impressive as one would expect from a top-notch military jazz band. Michaela Swan’s singing was excellent on “After You’ve Gone” as was trombonist David Kapral’s playing. The orchestra also played Ernie Wilkins’ “Slats” (originally written for Harry James), a boisterous Afro-Cuban piece which had some impressive alto playing from Amanda Ballatine, and an uptempo “What A Little Moonlight Can Do.”
Pianist Christine Sands premiered this year’s commissioned piece, Reflections From The Shore: A Monterey Suite, with his trio plus three young talents from the Next Generations Jazz Orchestra: altoist Khali Childs, trumpeter Allie Molin and tenor-saxophonist Ryan Kaplan. While the movements were not groundbreaking, they gave Sands an opportunity to stretch out on a boppish blues (“Spark”) and to pay homage to the future (“Dream Boys”), Monterey’s beautiful scenery (“Cypress Nocturne”), the diversity of jazz (“Up Voices Of The People”), and the love of making music (“Speak Honest”). The three horn players, who helped make this group a little reminiscent of Charles Mingus’ classics sextet of 1964, rose to the occasion while Sands played brilliantly throughout.
There was still so much more to experience. Guitarist-singer Chris Cain played relaxed blues and blues ballads with his quartet, sometimes crossing the line between blues and jazz and always having an enjoyable time. The Paul Contos Trio with guitarist Bruce Forman, bassist John Wiitala and singer Julie Capili jammed on cool-toned bebop with Contos excelling on alto, soprano and flute during swinging versions of “Autumn In New York,” “Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea,” and “When You And I Were Young, Maggie.” Cuban violinist and singer Yilian Canizares, on her first tour of North America, played high-powered fusion with her trio and was so thrilled by the loud ovation that she said “Don’t do that to me, I have a sensitive heart!” Echoes Of An Era, an all-star group that featured leader-tenor Javon Jackson, the ageless trumpeter Eddie Henderson, singer Lisa Fischer, and a rhythm section comprised of pianist Orrin Evans, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Lenny White, mostly played standards. Normally the latter band would have been given headline status but in this embarrassment of riches, seeing them was almost an after-thought.
Keyboardist Dayramir Gonzalez put on an energetic set with his quartet including an exploration of “The Peanut Vendor.” Singer Rene Marie paid tribute to Harry Belafonte in an unusual but always-intriguing performance of calypsos. New Jazz Underground, a trio consisting of trumpeter Noah Halpern, bassist Sebastian Rios, and drummer TJ Reddick, performed cooking post-bop originals along with Billy Strayhorn’s “Isfahan.” Halpern in particular was outstanding. The veteran hard bop quintet Along Came Betty (a group that was originally formed in 1998) mostly featured originals in the tradition with excellent playing by trumpeter Brian Stock, tenor-saxophonist Paul Tarantino, pianist Bill Spencer, guitarist Storm Nilson, bassist Peter Lips, and drummer Patrick Tregenza. The festival officially ended with one of its few departures from jazz. Trombone Shorty put on a show that would not have been out of place at one of the more mindless rock festivals; subtlety, taste, and original ideas were not present. Many in the audience loved him but the exhibitionistic and very loud music sent me and quite a few others home after a few songs; why was he booked at Monterey?
To end on a high note, Nnenna Freelon (who performed on Sunday afternoon) was the surprise hit of the festival. The veteran singer is certainly known and has performed consistently worthwhile music in the past, but her performance this year was something very special. Joined by a quartet that included pianist Alan Pasqua, guitarist Keith Ganz, bassist Jonathan Richards, and drummer Steve Hass, Freelon was not only heard at the peak of her powers but every facial expression, hand movement, and sound that she made (whether singing or speaking between songs), while seeming spontaneous, perfectly fit the mood and lyrics of the songs. It was a master class in how to sing and present jazz. Beginning with her optimistic “Changed,” she performed such numbers as “Beneath The Skin,” Dark And Lovely” which sounded as if it could have been a standard from the 1930s (drummer Hass was perfect in this style), a soulful and modernized “Lover Man” recast as a jazz waltz, her response to “Lover Man” called “What’s Your Hurry” (a witty piece that deserves to be sung by others about happily dumping her man), “Black Iris,” an ironic “I Feel Pretty,” “Skylark” (a slow duet with Pasqua), “Widow Song” (about losing her late husband), and a version of “Oh Susannah” that turned the Stephen Foster song from 1846 into a heartbreaking ballad.
It was quite a weekend. No jazz fan living within 500 miles of Monterey should ever miss this classic festival.
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I have a new book that is available from amazon.com. Life Through The Eyes Of A Jazz Journalist. It is subtitled My Jazz Memoirs and is my 12th book and first in a few years. I discuss in an often-humorous fashion my early days and discovery of jazz, my period as the jazz editor of Record Review, the story behind my involvement with the All Music Guide, and I reminisce about some of my adventures as an amateur musician. Included are vintage interviews with Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea, and Maynard Ferguson, encounters with Clint Eastwood, summaries of the Monterey and Playboy Jazz Festivals (including a full-length review of the 1985 Playboy Festival), memories of other events (such as the IAJE Conventions), and brief snapshots of many memorable club and concert performances. There is also background information about my other books, evaluations of the jazz critics who inspired me early on, and my thoughts on jazz criticism which includes advice to up-and-coming jazz journalists. Rounding out the book is a chapter on how the jazz writing business has changed over the past 50 years, and appendixes that include the jazz greats of the past, 86 jazz giants of today, 21 young performers to look for in the future, jazz books and DVDs that everyone should own, and a dozen enjoyable Hollywood jazz films.
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