61ST MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2018 PART ONE

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY TOM EHRLICH © 2018

Saturday at Monterey Jazz Festival was loaded with outstanding groups from 12:30 p.m. to approximately 11:30 p.m.  I will cover the following groups in this report: José James Celebrates Bill Withers project, Oscar Hernández and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra with Hubert Laws, John Santos Sextet with Destini Wolf and Kenny Washington with their Unusual Standards project, and Harold López Nussa Trio. There will be a part 2 for the Saturday groups I will report on as well as the Sunday groups.

José James, Nate Smith drums, Brad Allen Williams guitar

José James is a young internationlly popular vocalist who fuses jazz, soul music, hip hop and other styles.  He has eight recordings, each with a different emphasis.  His latest project is a tribute to singer, songwriter Bill Withers.  The program included Bill Withers most popular songs and José did an excellent job creating a Bill Withers vibe and actually sounded a lot like him. He was a crowd pleaser.

José James had an excellent bnd which included Nate Smith great drummer, Ben Williams outstanding bassist, Brad Allen Williams on guitar and James Francies on keyboards.

José James and Ben Williams

OSCAR HERNÁNDEZ AND SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA WITH SPECIAL GUEST HUBERT LAWS

Spanish Harlem Orchestra is considered by many, inlcuding me, to be one of the best, if not the best salsa orchestra in the world.  Formed in 2000, SHO has earned two grammy awards for two of their recordings. Each member of SHO is among the best musicians on their instruments.

Leader, Oscar Hernández, has had a long illustrious career as a pianist, composer, arranger and musical director of numerous salsa and latin jazz groups.  He has been associated with Ray Barretto, Ruben Blades, Conjunto Libre, Seis de Solar, Paul Simon and many others.

  Oscar Hernández

Oscar Hernández was commissioned to compose and arrange a new musical piece by the Monterey Jazz Festival.  It was the first time in MJF's history that they commissioned someone to compose a salsa/latin jazz piece.  Flute legend Hubert Laws appeared with SHO for the commissioned piece.  The 20 minute latin jazz suite for flutes was called Monterey Encounter. The music was bautiful with great arranging and outstanding musical performances.

Vocalists left to right Marco Bermúdez, Jeremy Bosch and Carlos Cascante

Before the group performed Monterey Enclounter,  SHO played a number of their big band salsa tunes which had a large goup of the audiance dancing in the isles.

Jorge Castro on flute and Francisco Torres trombone

Jeremy Bosch and Mike Olmo  trumpet

Oscar Hernández

Left to right George Delgado (congas), Héctor Colón (trumpet), Luisito Quintero (timbales) and Jorge González (bell)

Marco Bermúdez, Jeremy Bosch on flute and Carlos Cascante

Jorge González on bell, Luisito Quintero ton timbales, Doug Beavers left trombone and Francisco Torres right trombone

Marco Bermúdez, Jeremy Bosch, Carlos Cascante, George Delgado congas

MONTEREY ENCOUNTER PHOTOS

Hubert Laws and Jeremy Bosch on flutes

Hubert Laws

Oscar Hernández, Hubert Laws and Jeremy Bosch

Hubert Laws enjoying SHO salsa before coming on stage

Oscar recognizing Hubert Laws at the end of the show

JOHN SANTOS SEXTET WITH DESTINI WOLF AND KENNY WASHINGTON

UNUSUAL STANDARDS PROJECT

John Santos

John Santos is an internationally respected percussionist, composer, band leader, recording producer, teacher and expert in Afro-Caribbean music. His sextet is composed of some of the best musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area and most are band leaders and perform with numerous other groups in the Bay Area.  John has a large following in the Bay Area where he maintains a busy performing schedule as well as teaching in various schools and conducting workshops and lectures for various organizations.  Sanots brought his Unusual Standards project to Monterey, which  included two excellent vocalists Destini Wolf and Kenny Washington - where the group did latin jazz versions of jazz standards as well as original compositions composed by Santos and other members of the group.

John Calloway plays flute, piano and small percussion. He teaches both in high schools and universities and also leads his own groups.

Charlie Gurke played baritone saxophone.

Dave Flores

Destini Wolf has a beautiful soulful and emotionally charged voice who always generates exceitement when she performs

Kenny Washington is a great jazz singer and scatter

Marco Díaz plays piano and trumpet and is responsbile for much of the arranging for the group

Saul Sierra plays bass

John Santos and Dave Flores

John Calloway

John Calloway and Charlie Gurke

John Calloway

Dave Flores

Dave Flores

Kenny Washington and Destini Wolf

Destini Wolf

John Calloway, Marco Díaz and John Santos

Destini Wolf

Destini Wolf

Kenny Washington

Kenny Washington

Kenny Washington

I have seen John Santos' groups perform dozens of times and they always deliver.  As usual, at Monterey, they got standing ovations.

HAROLD LÓPEZ NUSSA TRIO

This powerhouse trio of young Cuban virtuoso musicians who all live in Havana are one of the most popular Cuban jazz groups that tour internationally. The trio has 4 excellent recordings the newest of whcih is called Un Dia Cualquiera.

Left to right Harold López Nussa, Gaston Joya and Ruy López Nussa

Harold López Nussa

Ruy López Nussa

Ruy López Nussa

Gaston Joya

Gaston Joya also plays bass with Chucho Valdés and recently released his first album that won an award at the Cuba Disco Awards this year for the best jazz solos.  Its a beautiful recording called Mama Ina.

Gaston Joya

Harold and Ruy are brothers

Ruy López Nussa

Harold López Nussa