An ETTA James Summer
Every Wednesday ♦ 6:30-8:30 P.M.
Free to the public concert series
Summer Concerts 2023
Wednesdays
June 21st – August 23rd 6:30-8:30PM
Los Gatos Town Plaza
June 21
Gunhild Carling
www.gunhildcarling.net
Gunhild Carling is a Swedish Jazz Star. She plays multiple instruments, sings and tap dances. She performs all over the world, Over 50 million views in Youtube, facebook and other platforms.
Gunhild plays several instruments such as trombone, trumpet, recorder, bagpipe, harmonica, drums and piano and tour around Europe since a very early age together with her family.
June 28
Etienne Charles Sextet
Trinidad born Etienne Charles is a performer, composer and storyteller, who is continuously searching for untold stories and sounds with which to tell them.
His lush trumpet sound, varied compositional textures and pulsating percussive grooves enable him to invoke trance, soothing, and exciting his listeners.
July 5
Pamela Rose w/ Blues is a Woman Band
PAULA Rose is a San Francisco jazz and blues vocalist who thrills audiences locally and internationally with her swinging, soulful style. Rose is that rare breed of enterainer who connects solidly with her audience by always delivering a personal and unforgettable musical experience.
Blues is a Woman Band is comprised of Tammy Hall, Music Director, Pianist; Ruth Davies, Bass; Kristen Strom, Saxophone.
July 12
Ren Geisick Quartet
Ren Geisick is a jazz singer turned singer/songwriter from Silicon Valley, California. Her first album, “Ren, Love Song” produced by Jesse Harris, was released in 2017 and, since May 2019, Ren has been releasing singles from her upcoming “Ruby EP” inspired by the life, and catch phrases of her Grandma Ruby from Oklahoma.
Ren’s music, is a manifestation of her Americana roots that is decidedly personal yet universally relatable. Borrowing elements of jazz, blues, and country, Ren delivers heartfelt performances of original music and reimagined classics. Never one to remain confined by a single genre, Ren flows seamlessly from a carefree country shuffle to an introspective ballad. What remains consistent throughout is her intimate lyrical delivery and vibrant energy.
July 19
Lao Tizer Band
With more than five years since their last release, The Lao Tizer Band has taken the time to grow in every aspect. An updated larger band is exploring some new methods on their upcoming CD/DVD combo, Songs From The Swinghouse: recorded live in just three days at Conway Studios in Hollywood, the band explores three cover tunes with vocalist, a first for the group, alongside original instrumental tracks, bringing them to new heights of excellence and exuberance.
Members of the band include: Elliott Yamin, Vocals; Danny Janklow, Saxophone; Anthony Crawford, Bass; Shane Gaalaas, Drums, and Lao Tizer, Keys
July 26
MJF Regional Band and Vocal Ensemble
In our ongoing support of music education in schools, Monterey Jazz Festival is excited to announce the return of the MJF Regional All-Star Band and Vocal Ensemble, as well as the Regional All-Star Middle School Combo in a new partnership with York School in Monterey. In the 2022-23 school year, students will have the benefit of working with some of the country’s best jazz educators. All-Star Band and Vocal Ensemble students who satisfy a set of requirements established by the MJF Education department will receive a Certificate of Excellence in Professional Musicianship.
Each all-star ensemble, featuring talented students from across Monterey County, rehearses twice monthly while working on ensemble skills including phrasing, blending, improvisation, and rhythmic feel. The bands perform across Monterey County and far beyond, testing their chops on the bandstand while bringing great jazz music to the community. The ensembles have performed across North America at jazz festivals and venues including the Kennedy Center, the National Archives, and Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle.
Aug 2
Claudia Villela Quinte
Vocalist and composer Claudia Villela talent for musical exploration knows no limits. Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, she absorbed the sounds of Brasil all around her: Samba, Bossa Nova, Partido Alto, Choro, Baiao, Maracatu, as well as influences of music from all over the world, Jazz, from traditional to classical to avant garde.
For Villela’s, music is a spiritual exercise to be embraced openly and unpremeditated, a search for inspiration and spontaneity. Her compositions and vocal improvisations encompass the full range of human emotion, sometimes dramatic. sometimes humorous, but always fascinating.
Aug 9
Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra featuring Terrie Odabi
The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra was formed in San Francisco by guitarist Anthony Paule in 2007.
Inspired by soul and blues sounds of the ‘60s and ‘70s, this dramatic horn-driven powerhouse creates its own classics, while staying deeply rooted in the origins of this treasured African American art form.
About Terrie Odabi:
“What sets Terrie Odabi apart from her peers are the different shades of hurt, longing, bliss, and depth she brings to her music. The distinguishable character of her voice rings out with a rousing revival of faith and reverence that has a drenching rejuvenation and sacred renascence complexity.
Her abundant sound improvisational prowess has made her a crucial contributor to today’s blues scene. Terrie Odabi is one of the most respected talents in the blues genre.”
Lee Hildebrand, East Bay Express
Aug 16
Tiffany Austin with Full Spectrum Jazz
Rather than separating African American music into kindred tributaries, Tiffany Austin plunges into the whole river of sound that’s sustained black life in America since before the nation’s founding. In many ways, she’s contesting what vocalist Gregory Porter has called “musical genocide” with a soul-steeped affirmation that embraces blues and swing, spirituals and R&B, bebop, post-bop, and her own Louisiana Creole heritage.
With a series of prestigious gigs and residencies, Austin quickly gained attention as the most exciting new voice in the region. Performing a program of songs associated with Hoagy Carmichael led to her 2015 debut Nothing But Soul, the album that catapulted her into national prominence. With Unbroken, Austin makes it clear that she’s far more than a beautiful voice. Claiming her cultural birthright, she’s an artist drawing nourishment from all of jazz’s roots.
Aug 23
David Benoit
For four decades, the GRAMMY®-nominated pianist/composer/ arranger David Benoit has reigned supreme as one the founding fathers of contemporary jazz. David’s career as a contemporary jazz pianist began in 1977 and includes 40 solo recordings over the past 40 years. Benoit currently hosts a morning radio show on KKJZ 88.1 FM, CA, and continually tours & records; is a composer in residence at Montalvo Arts, the Music Director & Conductor for the Asia America Symphony Association, and resides in Palos Verdes, California.
