The Jazzcat

It is September and once again time for the longest

running jazz festival in the entire world, “The 47^th Annual Monterey

Jazz Festival”. There is no better festival on the West Coast to eat good food,

enjoy beautiful weather and listen to great jazz music in an environment

surrounded by those who seriously enjoy Jazz

at its best! 

Once again I, LeRoy Downs, will be your evening host on the

Night Club stage and I invite you to come on down and share in the festivities

with me. Those of you familiar with the festival know how it works. If you have

not had the opportunity and you are a lover of this music, it is a festival you

won’t want to miss! 

There are 5 stages where you can see and enjoy music. The

Jimmy Lyons stage is the main arena where many of the top acts of the festival perform.

On the rest of the festival grounds, you can catch some of those same acts and many others at the Jazz Coffee

House, outdoors at the Garden Stage or over in one of the larger rooms Dizzy’s

Den or where I will be Master of Ceremonies at The Night Club Stage. They even

have a Jazz Theater were you can view the performances on the main stage by

simulcast. 

A few of the people performing this year are Terence

Blanchard, Regina Carter, Don Byron, Bill Charlap, Larry Goldings, Bobby

McFerrin, Jack Dejohnette, Savion Glover, John Fadis, James Moody, Jason Moran,

Clark Terry, Frank Wess, Chaka Khan and many many more! 

I encourage you to make the pilgrimage to one of the most

beautiful places in the world and experience jazz music in its finest fashion.

For more information, check out the official website at www.montereyjazzfestival.org

Take care and I hope to see you there!

LeRoy Downs