52nd Monterey Jazz Festival

The Monterey Jazz Festival is the longest running festival in the world. It has been 13 years since I attended this festival so it was wonderful to arrive on perfect day and soak up all the great jazz on offer. From 24 year old rising star Esperanza Spalding to 90 year old Pete Seeger and 91 year old Hank Jones the stage was set for a wonderful week-end of music! Unfortunately I couldn't go on the Sunday as that was the day I was returning to Australia but here are the artists and bands that I saw on the Friday and Saturday.

Roger Eddy Band

The Roger Eddy Band appeared on the Garden Stage early in the evening. They are a quintet comprising all musicians from the Monterey bay peninsula. As well as piano, bass and drums Bob Basa was featured on acoustic guitar. Eddy has a fat sound reminiscent of players like Stan Getz. The music seemed really suited to the setting. Eddy is a tenor sax player with a warm rich tone. The music was relaxed and laid back with plenty of Brazilian tunes. The band opened with Jobim's `Once I loved' and continued with several other sambas. There was a cool version of `Killer Joe' and a couple of Eddy originals `Gospel' and `Bayonne New Jersey'. This band played quality West coast style jazz and set the scene nicely for the rest of the evening.
Esperanza Spalding was the first act appearing in the main arena and the place was buzzing when she hit the stage! Spalding is one of the most exciting new acts to hit the jazz scene and at the tender age of 24, already has developed her own style, drawing on influences of the past but with a definite contemporary touch! I had just missed seeing her at Centre Stage in New York so was very happy to see her on the bill here. She plays upright bass with style and authority and has a strong and expressive voice moving up and down the octave with ease. She began with `Jazz (ain't nothin' but soul' which had the whole audience grooving! Sax and trumpet were featured on this number, giving the band a full sound but most of the set was performed with her quartet comprising Fender Rhodes piano, guitar and drums with occasional use of the trumpet for extra colour. Much of her music had a Brazilian flavour and she sang the Shorter/Nascimento tune `Point of sale' in perfect Portuguese! She took up the electric bass for a Shorter jazz/rock tune and also for a beautiful original tune `Sunlight'. The audience gave a standing ovation at the end enthralled by the talent of this new face at the festival!
Monterey Jazz All Star band




Next up were the Monterey Jazz All Star Band comprising Kurt Elling, vocals, Kenny Barron, piano, Kiyoshi Kitagaura, bass, Johnathan Blake, drums, Russell Malone, guitar and Regina Carter, violin. They opened up with ``When i get too old to dream' in which they all took a solo. This was followed by an instrumental version of the Billie Holliday tune `Don't explain' featuring Regina Carter and Kenny Barron, both showing their virtuosity and with Carter breaking into a Bach like cadenza! Next was some standard jazz guitar with Malone playing Wes Montgomery's `Road song'. Elling returned and evoked the beat generation with the Kerouac inspired `What if', a clever talking dialogue. Barron then mixed it up some more with his own composition `Calypso' followed by Elling featured on `Soul food'. Russell Malone showed his skills on a slower tempo number with `Time after time' and the set finished with my favourite all time song `Nature boy' sung beautifully by Elling. Please note everyone I want this song played at my funeral, the Nat King Cole version!





Saturday 19th September


John Scofield and the Piety Street Band

The opening act on the Jimmy Lyons stage were John Scofield and the Piety Street Band. I've seen John Scofield perform and John Cleary but was looking forward to seeing them play together. John Scofield is a player who likes to explore different styles of music and this time he found inspiration in old gospel tunes. I have the Piety Street album and all I can say is they were able to exactly reproduce that sound! They opened with `That's enough' followed by `Something's got a hold on me' both strongly featuring Scofield's guitar. next was `Walk with me' but then the band broke out of the gospel mode and broke into Shirley and Lee's `Come on baby let the good times roll' featuring Cleary. They slowed things down with the Hank Williams tune `Angel of death' and ended with `It's a big army'. A very tight set which set the scene well for the afternoon!
Pete Seeger

Next was the highly anticipated appearance of American icon Pete Seeger. On Saturday afternoons the festival has always featured American blues and roots performers to add some diversity to the programme. At 90 years old, I wasn't sure what Seeger would be capable of but having seen Les Paul last year at 93 I guessed that he would need help! Yes, he has lost his singing voice but he can still play the banjo and he had a talented ensemble of family and friends to help out with the vocals. The eight piece band included fiddles, guitars, banjo, upright bass and piano. Seeger began with the familiar `Midnight special' which had the audience singing along enthusiastically. Most of the vocal leads are sung by his grandson Tao Rodriguez Seeger who also plays guitar. Next was the `Hudson River Valley Song' which was new to me but everyone seemed to know it! `Turn turn turn' which became a big hit for the Byrds also drew a great response.
`I don't have enough voice left to sing this one, but I can give you the words. In church, they call this `lining the verse' said Seeger. Irving Berlin's `Blue skies' also proved a popular choice of material. Much of the audience were my age or older and were caught up by the nostalgia the songs evoked and were thrilled to see an American folk legend. Tao sang an old Cuban cowboy song in Spanish. Seeger narrated the words and the audience sing along! `Guantanamera' was sung by Tao Seeger is most famous for his protest songs so including one was obligatory. `What you gonna do (when they send your man to war') The band ended with `This land' which as Seeger related, became popular by accident! the song was written by Woody Guthrie for children to sing in school but somehow caught on!
Susan Tesdechi
Susan Tedeschi had the difficult task of following Pete Seeger on the Jimmy Lyons stage. Tedeschi is one of the most talented female singer/guitarists around at the moment along with Ruthie Foster who was appearing on the Garden stage at the same time! Tedeschi can really mix it up from blues, rock to a New Orleans style Allen Toussaint tune. Her band comprised sax, organ, rhythm guitar, bass and drums with Tedeschi playing some great leads. I knew she had a great voice but I hadn't realised just what a talented guitarist she is. There are very few women as talented. Debbie Davies and Deborah Coleman spring to mind and Ana Popovic gets a lot of hype but Tedeschi can really rock! Many of the songs come from her latest album `Back to the river' including `There's a break in the road' `Talking about' and the title track. Trescha ended with Hendrix's `Spanish castle magic' which was performed by Hendrix himself on the same stage at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.


New Orleans All Stars
The last act to perform on the Garden Stage on Saturday were the New Orleans All Stars featuring Henry Butler and Cyril Neville. Ironically since Katrina both have now left the city with Neville residing in Texas and Butler in Colorado! There was standing room only about half an hour before the band began! They kicked off with a great New Orleans style instrumental and then featured Butler on Tipitina and `Let it roll'. The whole audience were rocking to the infectious grooves! Butler has a very strong unique voice and great rhythmic piano style. Next Cyril Neville sang two tunes from his latest album `Brand new blues' `I found joy' and `Mean boss blues'. It was back to Butler .for 2 more numbers `Tie me down' and `Big chief' and then Neville took the vocals again on `Feel like funkin' it up' strongly featuring him on percussion and `Foxy lady'. the band wrapped it up with the rockin `Don't come around my door' sung by Butler. The band played for 90 minutes but still left everyone wanting more! It's a pity they don't do encores at Monterey but of course they must keep to their schedule!






I caught some snippets of a great jazz choir and a contemporary ensemble called the Berklee Monterey Quintet plus a funk band called Global Noize. I missed some of the big names like Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Hank Jones and others but consider myself lucky to have been there atall!

Blues and BBQ at the Hudson River

August 20th Today we headed down to Chelsea and Pier 54 on the Hudson River where the Blues and BBQ festival was being held. We didn't want to get there too early and melt in the heat, which was s till intense so we missed Eden Brent, the first act. The crowd was huge and boy it was HOT, weather wise and music wise! We caught about 40 minutes of the Homemade Jamz Band, one of the hottest new acts on the blues scene. Three siblings from the Perry family make up the band, Unbelievably Ryan (Gtr and vocals) is only 17, Kyle (bass, vocals) 15 and Taya on drums is only 10! She was only 7 when they started playing together! They hail from Tupelo Mississippi and say that blues is in their blood and they are doing what comes naturally! They played tunes from their first album `Pay me no mind' and their latest `I got blues for you' and drew a great response from the crowd. On the last number the boys came down into the crowd and strutted their stuff. You have to wonder what these guys will be like in 10 or 20 years!

Eddy `the Chief' Clearwater was next on stage. Eddy is a veteran of the Chicago blues scene and is known for his flamboyant stage act. Now that he's well in his 70's the performance is more laid back but still exciting. He played several songs from his most recent album `West Side Strut' like `Too old to get married' !Walkin' thro' the park' and I came up the hard way' and classics like `I just wanna make love'. There was some rock 'n roll in there and some slow blues, all in all a great mix!




Next up was Texas blues singer Diunna Greenleaf. I had heard a live concert last year on the radio so I knew she could deliver! My other favourite blues singer right now is Trudy Lynn who also hails from Houston. There must be something about the air there! Diunna has a similar gutsy gospel tinged style which really came through on her version of `If I had possession over judgment day'. Backed by her band `Blue Mercy' Duanna got the audience rockin' with the song .`The backdoor man' and other numbers from her `Cotton field to coffee house' album which we ended up buying afterwards! There was also a tribute to John Lee Hooker and a couple of powerful slow blues. These included one of my favourites `Mother earth' by Memphis Slim. Guitarist John Deltorro Richardson played some nice leads complementing Duanna's gutsy voice. Even the downpour that occurred halfway through the set, prompting everyone to get their umbrellas out, couldn't dampen the spirit of this great Texas blues belter! I'm sure we'll be hearing more of her!







Last to hit the stage was Michael `Iron man' Burks. Burks showed that he's not called `Iron man' for nothing! He has a powerful voice and great guitar tone. He plays with a quartet comprising Wayne Sharp on organ, Don Garrett on bass and Chuck `Popcorn' Louden on drums. Burks has been playing for many years but has become more recognized since signing with Alligator in 2001. Unlike many bluesmen he plays all original material. He performed material from last year's album `Iron man' and his earlier albums and even though most of the audience were unfamiliar with the tunes, many were up dancing and rockin! . .

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

August 7th We headed off to the park early to get a seat for Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. They are a young up and coming band who play retro rock and blues/rock led by Grace Potter who has a voice like Janis Joplin. She's only 26 and hails from Vermont, not the usual location for a soulful mama! Bonnie Raiit called her band `One of the most soulful bands around!' Potter also plays Hammond B3 organ and the flying V guitar but leaves the leads to the guitarists. The band came on stage and immediately had the audience rockin' They play all original material and it's high energy all the way! They are a five piece outfit with 2 guitarists mostly playing Gibson 335's and SG's. They played some pumpin' double leads which drew a big reaction. Catherine Popper the bass player playeed a Fender which probably weighed more than she did! She harmonised with Potter on some of the vocals and this gave the tunes a retro feel reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. The drummer also had a style similar to Mick Fleetwood but heavier. They all had long hair and looked like a band from ther 60's or 70's as you'll see from the pic!

Larry Carlton

This was the first time I'd seen virtuoso guitarist Larry Carlton live although I've been a fan since his days with the Jazz Crusaders in the early 70's and loved his work on `The Royal Scam' album which I have on vinyl. When I saw him play I realised what I'd been missing all these years. I've heard plenty of his recordings but to hear him play live was just music heaven! I have seen many great guitarists from jazz, rock and blues play live including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Freddie King, Derek Trucks, George Benson, John Mclaughlin, Jeff Beck, Duke Robillard, Frank Zappa, Bob Brozman and many more but this was seriously the most outstanding performance out of all of them! To Larry and the trio it was just another regular gig but to me it was amazing music! Carlton is a 3 time Grammy award winner and has musical collaborations with jazz, rock and blues artists as well as writing film scores and TV themes but is probably best known for his jazz fusion style which is what an audience at the Blues Note expected to hear.


Carlton began with a couple of solo tunes which set the scene. One was called `Song for Katie' and was dedicated to his daughter. Next he brought his son Travis to the stage. Travis has been playing bass guitar with him for 5 years and at only 27 is already a monster in total command of his instrument! He played two outstanding solos during the set demonstrating his incredible technique but he could lay low when Larry was soloing laying down some solid grooves especially on the slow blues in C. Next he brought up the drummer, Gene Coye, also a young gun with formidable chops. On the last number he let it rip with a fantastic solo! The intensity of the music increased but then Carlton could bring it right back down again. He didn't announce many of the tunes and as he's recorded so many it was hard to remember what they all were. One was a haunting melody called `Sunrise' and then there was the groovy `Smiles and smiles to go'. there was also a great instrumental version of `Aja' originally recorded back in `76. Another tune sounded like `Cold duck time' but not quite. He uses a Gibson 335 for all numbers and gets a full clean sound and without having to play loud He was able to play powerful chord and leads in combination. There are many clones but only one Larry Carlton!

Hall & Oates

August 6th Tonight was a perfect night to go to Coney Island to see rock 'n soul duo Hall and Oates. These guys were huge in the 70's and 80's so it was a night of nostalgia. These concerts tend to draw an older crowd (like us!) and tonight the crowd was huge. We managed to get seats but people were standing about 10 deep as far back as the Boardwalk so perhaps there were 20,000 there. The audience want to hear all the old hits and that is mostly what they got. Hall & Oates had 6 no.1 hits and many more songs that made the charts. They hail from Philadelphia and their specialty is blues eyed soul or as they call it rock 'n soul! They had some great ballads too. Who could ever forget `She's gone?' They played one long set which began with their big hit `Maneater'.and worked their way through all their big hits like ``One on one' `Say it isn't so' `Family man' `Out of touch' and `Sara smile and ending with Kiss on my list' and `Private eyes'. They included some lesser known songs too. The audience loved all the old tunes and sang along especially with `Everybody's high on consolation' which was what they called `She's gone' . I've been checking out the Tavares version which is also great. The 8 piece band were very tight and Tom `T Bone' Wolk on guitar played some outstanding solos on an amplified acoustic guitar especially on `Its uncanny' a lesser known funky tune from their earlier period.


Sax player Charles deChant was also fantastic. He could sound like Maceo Parker but also get mellow with the soprano sax and flute. With Darryl Hall on amplified acoustic rhythm guitar for most of the set and John Oates also playing some great solos on electric guitar plus a band consisting of keyboards, drums. congas and bass, the band had a great groove. For the last few numbers Hall moved to the keyboard which gave an even fuller sound. These guys must be around 60 as they had their first hit back in 1976 and were recording long before that but they looked and sounded great even though some friends felt their voices had lost their edge. Their recordings always had high quality production and I felt that they managed to almost reproduce the smooth sounds of their records. Everyone loved these guys and even young people seemed to know all their songs!

Robert Cray and The Sweet Divines

Celebrate Brooklyn July 17th The first band were a Brooklyn funk/soul/doo wop band the Sweet Divines which turned out to be four young girls and a seven piece backing band who sounded like the Markeys. the band did a good job of warming up the audience. Their first number was Big train by Booker T and I'm sure there wouldn't have been many, if any in the audience who have that tune on vinyl as I do! There was a short break before Robert Cray came on and there was music playing over the PA system to set the mood. I was surprised and delighted when I heard a familiar guitar solo and realised it was `I'm leavin' you' by John Earl Walker! John had not given them any music so the guy must have bought it. It is John's best seller. John was getting a drink and hurried back to his seat. I had told the people sitting near me that it was him and they were all surprised and impressed and asked why wasn't he playing at the concerts?



Robert Cray hit the stage and hit the spot right away! He has a great voice and distinctive guitar style. He worked his way through many of his hits like `Smokin gun', `I guess I showed her' `Phone booth' and `~Right next door', and tunes from his soon to be released vinyl album. I especially liked `Love 2009' `That's what keeps me rockin' and ~Chicken in the kitchen'. His version of Elmore James's `12 year old boy' was awesome and got a huge audience response! He had four guitars on stage and while playing a guy would be tuning one and so after almost every number he changed guitars. A few numbers into the set the predicted thunderstorm hit! This just seemed to add to the atmosphere! Everyone came prepared. Ponchos were brought out and umbrellas went up! The VIP's moved back to their tent or under the stage awning. No one left. How could you? The music was unbelievable! The whole audience was mesmerised! People were dancing in the rain and calling out their appreciation of this great performer. Robert Cray and his band let their appreciation of the audience be known too. Jim Pugh on piano and organ played some great gospel grooves and drummer Tony Braunegal and bass man Richard Cousins provided a solid rhythm section. This was definately a night to remember!
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Naomi Shelton and Burning Spear

Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens and .Burning Spear
Naomi Shelton grew up in Alabama and like most soul and gospel singers began singing in church at a young age. Later she moved to New York and got into the soul scene. She had club hits on the 41st St. Breakdown” and “Wind Your Clock Beginning with the familiar `Wade in the water' she went on to sing songs from her new album `What have you done my brother' out on Daptone Records I loved `I'll take the long road' and `Lift my burdens' but all the tunes were great. She has a deep rich voice. On some tunes one of the 3 gospel Queens took the lead. The group were backed by a local quartet some of which had performed with other bands at these concerts and have a Booker T and the MG's type of sound but also including Cliff Driver on organ and keyboard. Often the sound was reminiscent of early James Brown material.



Burning Spear is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist and black activist. His philosophy was influenced by Pan African advocate Marcus Garvey who was born in the same town in Jamaica as Spear as was Bob Marley. There is a huge Jamaican community in Brooklyn and they were out in force along with many other fans of Burning Spear. We saw Asians, Mexicans and young and old in the audience. This concert drew a bigger crowd than any others we've been to in the park. Backed by an 8 piece band which included 3 horns Burning Spear performed his most famous songs Africa, Marcus Garvey, Slavery days, Calling Rasiafari and African postman all of which drew a huge response from the crowd. Literally everyone was on their feet on the 1st number and didn't sit down again! Spear is great on the congas and did several long solos often dueting with the keyboard. The guitarist played some wild solos on some of the tunes.