66TH MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2023 PART 2

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY TOM EHRLICH ©

This report will complete my report of the 66th Monterey Jazz Festival.  It includes Sandy Cressman - Cantos Do Povo; The Music of Milton Nascimento, Claudia Villela and American Patchwork Quartet.

SANDY CRESSMAN - CANTOS DO POVO: THE MUSIC OF MILTON NASCIMENTO

Sandy Cressman, her band and family presented a wonderful tribute to the Brazilian icon Milton Nascimento, which included dancing which was beautifully choreographed by Sandy's daughter Juliana Cressman.

Sandy Cressman (vocals), Natalie Cressman (trombone) and Jeff Cressman (trombone)

It was a family affair with Sandy singing lead vocals and leading the band, with daughter Natalie Cressman and husband Jeff Cressman on trombones and daughter Juliana Creeman choreographer and dancer..

Ami Molinelli

Ami Molinelli provided greart rhythms on various Brazilian percussion instruments. 

Jeff Cressman

Jeff Cressman is an in demand trombonist, arranger  and sound engineer for both performances and recordings.  For many years Jeff was a member of Santana's band.

Dave Belove bass

Dave Belove is a veteran bassist who is involved with  many different projects.

Murray Low

Murray Low is also an in demand pianist who is one of the best timba tumbao keyboardists in the Bay Area.  Murray also directs an Afro-Latin Jazz band at Stanford University.

Dillon Vado

Dillon Vado is an excellent drum set player who also can be seen performing with many different bands.

Ian Faquini (guitar) and Dave Belove (bass)

Ian Faquini is Natalie Cressman's parnter in life and music.

Natalie Cressman

Ami Molinelli

Ami Molinelli

Dancers Molly Levy, Juliana Cressman and Samara Atkins

Jeff Cressman (trombone), Ami Molinelli (percussion) and Natalie Cressman

Natalie Cressman and Jeff Cressman

Sandy Cressman

Sandy Cressman

Sandy is originally from New York City.  She became obsessed with Brazilain music after hearing Ivan Lins while in college at San Jose State University.  She intensely studied contemporary Brazilian music and Portuguese which became her passion and main focus of her musical career.

Sandy Cressman

Dancers Molly Levy, Juliana Cressman and Samara Atkins

Dancers Samara Atkins, Juliana Cressman and Molly Levy

Juliana Cressman

Dancers Samara Atkins, Juliana Cressman and Molly Levy

Dancers Samara Atkins, Juliana Cressman and Molly Levy

Dancers Juliana Cressman and Samara Atkins

Dancers Juliana Cressman and Samara Atkins

Dancers Molly Levy, Samara Atkins and Juliana Cressman 

Extremely enjoyable performance, one of my favorites of this years festival.

CLAUDIA VILLELA

Claudia Villela

Claudia Villela is from Rio de Janiero and has lived in Santa Cruz since 1980.  She is a master pianist, vocalist and percussionist with a 5 octive range and one of the besrt voice improvisors I have ever heard.  Claudia also is an excellent composer of both music and lyrics.  She is a true super star and hands down the best Brazilian singer I have ever heard.

Claudia Villela

Celso Alberti

Celso Alberti is an excellent drummer and master of Brazilian rhythms in addition to being an in demand sound engineer.

Gary Brown

Gary Brown is a regular member of Claudia's band and is an in demand bassist playing many styles of music.

Gary Meek

Gary Meek

Gary Meek has an impressive background including touring and recording with Airto Moreira and Flora Purim for over 20 years as well as playing with other well known artists such as Brian Bromberg and Jeff Lorber.

Jeff Buenz

Jeff Buenz also has an impressive varied backgroun having played with Stanley Turrintine, Doobie Brithers, Airto and Flora, Viva Brzail and many others.

Celso Alberti

Claudia Villela

Claudia Villela

Claudia Villela

Claudia Villela

Claudia Villela

Due to me having to cover other groups, I did not get to photograph Claudia during the part of her performance where she leaves the piano and plays percussion insruments and sings.  Before I met Claudia, i really did not appreciate Brazliain music that much.  After seeing her perform a few times and getting to know her I now have an appreciation and love of Brazliian music.

AMERICAN PATCHWORK QUARTET

Falu Shah (vocals), Clay Ross (guitar and vocals), Clarence Penn (drums) and Yasushi Nakamura (bass)

American Patchwork Quartet bringss together four excellent musicians with successful solo careers to interpret roots music through the various cultural lenses of the musicians. 

Clay Ross

Clay Ross is originally from South Carolina and specializes in American Roots music.  Falu Shah is originally from India and is an 11th generation Hindustani classical vocalist.  Clarence Penn is a first call jazz drummer from New Olreans and Yasushi Nakamura is a wolrd class jazz bassist from Japan.

Falu Shah

Clarence Penn

Yasushi Nakamura

Falu Shah (vocals) and Clarence Penn (drums)

Clarence Penn

Falu Shah and Clay Ross

Faly Shah and Clay Ross

Falu Shah

Falu Shah

Yasushi Nakamura

Yasushi Nakamura

Yasuski Nakamura, Falu Shah, Clay Ross and Clarence Penn

This group represents a patchwork of some of the different ethnic groups that make up the U.S. population.  Theri style is interesting and enjoyable.

This concludes my reporting of the 66th Monterey Jazz Festival.