MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2014

© PHOTOS AND TEXT BY TOM EHRLICH 2014

Saturday had another great line-up. Bands I got to photograph were Habaneros, Blue Note Records 75th Anniversary Band, Philadelphia Experiment, Charles Lloyd/Gerald Clayton duo, Pete Escovedo Orchestra and Bily Childs Quintet.

HABANEROS

Five musicians from the Cuban National Symphony formed the group Habaneros, where they play a mixture of European classical, Cuban and jazz music. Habaneros is a string quartet plus a reed player - Alden Ortuño Cebezas - sax, clarinet and small percussion, Idalmis Ulloa Besada - viola and small percussion, Suíama Ramos Torres - celo, Julio César García Domínguez - violin, and Carlos Suárez Morejón - violin, small percussion and arrangements. This group is virtually unknown, but the Night Club venue at the festival was packed and the crowd loved the music.

Carlos Suárez Morejón on the left and Julio César Garcia Dominguez

Carlos Suárez Morejón on the left and Alden Ortuño Cebezas

sSuiama Ramos Torres

Alden Ortuño Cebezas

Carlos Suárez Morejón on the left and Julio César Garcia Dominguez

Suiama Ramos Torres

Carlos Suárez Morejón

Alden Ortuño Cebezas

Julio César Garcia Dominguez

Alden Ortuño Cebezas

Suiama Ramos Torres

Idamis Ulloa Besada

Alden Ortuño Cebezas

BLUE NOTE RECORDS 75TH ANNIVERSARY BAND

Blue Note Records has been in existence since 1939 and is considered by many to be the major, most important jazz label in the world.  One of the original owners Francis Wolff, was one of the best jazz photographers ever and is my favorite jazz photographer.  The use of his photographs for Blue Note's recordings became an important part of Blue Note's style.

In honor of its 75th year, Blue Note and the Monterey Jazz Festival put together a band of young lions who now record for Blue Note.  Their set of music at the festival was smoking and for me was one of the highlights of this years' festival.

The band included:

Ambrose Akinmusire trumpet

Marcus Strickland saxophone

Lionel Loueke guitar

Robert Gasper piano

Derrick Hodge bass

Kendrick Scott drums

Robert Glasper

Kendrick Scott

There were a lot of great drummers at the festival this year, but Kendrick Scott takes the prise for the best drumming that I heard at the festival.

Lionel Loueke

Kendrick Scott

Lionel Loueke

Kendrick Scott

Marcus Strickand on sax

Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet and Marcus Strickland on sax

Robert Glasper

Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet

Derrick Hodge

Marcus Strickland

Kendrick Scott

PETE ESCOVEDO ORCHESTRA

Pete Eescovedo is a legandary percussionist and bandleader.  His orchestra is a rocking crowd pleaser.  They presented a great performance of danceable latin lazz at the festival where the Garden Stage was packed.

Pete Escovedo

Left to right Marty Wehner, Louis Fasman, John Worley and Melecio Magdaluyo

Peter Michael Escovedo

Marty Wehner

Murray Low

Ray Obiedo

Murray Low

Melecio Magdaluyo

Marc van Wageningen

Pete Escovedo

Juan Escovedo

Ray Oviedo

Peter Michael Escovedo

Pete Escovedo

Melecio Magdaluyo

Juan Escovedo

PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT WITH GUEST BOOKER T

The Philadelphia Experiment was a collaboration of Philadephia musicians Uri Caine (jazz pianist), Ahmir Questlove Thompson ( a hiphop drummer) and Christian McBride (jazz bassist) which released a recording in 2001.  This reunion played some fine funk/jazz.  For me the highlight was to hear legendary Booker T stretch out playing solos on the Hammond B-3 organ instead of just playing the melody which he usually does when his band plays his famous songs.  Booker T is the real deal!

Christian McBride

Booker T

Booker T and Christian McBride

Uri Caine

Ahmir Questlove Thompson 

Booker T

Uri Caine

Booker T

Ahmir Questlove Thompson 

Booker T

CHARLES LLOYD/GERALD CLAYTON DUO

Charles Lloyd played in three different bands at the festival - Sanran (a trio), a quartet and this duo.  Any time Charles plays, you are in for something special.  This duo was no exception.  Gerald Clayton is one of the great young jazz pianists on the scene.  The legend and the young lion created some magic. 

Gerald Clayton

Gerald Clayton

Charles Lloyd

BILLY CHILDS QUINTET

I had heard of Billy Childs, but this was the first time I had heard him play.  This powerhouse quintet was  the other highlight of the festival for me.  Everyone of the musicians in this group is top shelf and Billy Childs writes beautiful compositions and is a great pianist.

The Band

Billy Childs piano

Scott Cooley bass

Brian Blades drums

Steve Wilson sax

Ambrose Akinmusire trumpet

Brian Blades

Billy Childs

Scott Cooley

Ambrose Akinmusire

Brian Blades

Steve Wilson

Scott Cooley

Billy Childs

Steve Wilson