MJFR plans to release contemporary recordings as well. Are there any specific plans for new performances in the works?
The first release was a great project Tim Jackson put together, the MJF 50th anniversary All-Stars with Terence Blanchard, James Moody, Nnenna Freelon, Benny Green, Derrick Hodge, and Kendrick Scott. That CD came out in January and they went on a 60-date tour. Last year we recorded two fantastic nights of another all-star band we put together with Dave Holland, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland.
This year we have two nights with "Cuban Lullabies" led by Orlando "Maraca" Valle, who wrote music that reflects the various musical styles found in Cuba, with an all-star band of Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Miguel Zenon, Giovanni Hidalgo, Ed Simon, John Benitez, Murray Lowe, special guest David Sanchez and the Monterey Jazz Festival chamber orchestra. It's an amazing band and I can't wait to get to rehearsals.
Can we expect to see more archival releases in coming years?
Yes, that's the plan. We'd love to see a mix of classic archives and new releases each and every year.
What jazz education programs do the MJFR profits go towards? How is the money used?
The festival's ongoing, year-round jazz education programs include producing the Next Generation Jazz Festival and national high school competition, in-class training for young musicians in the region, student honors bands with performance tours abroad (playing major festivals in Canada, Europe and Japan), a two-week summer jazz camp, a year round artist-in-residence program, a sheet music library, an instrument lending bank, and the internet-based digital music education program. It's the most comprehensive jazz education program being funded by a jazz festival that I've ever heard of.
You also work for festival network, the company that puts on major jazz festivals internationally. What goes into programming a jazz festival? The recent news about the demise of the Portland Jazz Festival makes it seem like a very delicate process.
We have a number of festivals, some jazz some not so jazz. My job is to find the balance of presenting artists that audiences want to hear and will buy tickets for while finding artists they should hear. Who’s up and coming, what music is going to grow their ears, what's going to surprise them? How can we differentiate our festivals from other festivals? What shows will we present that no one else will?
This creative side is tempered by the fundamental mandate to determine what music, and specifically which artists, does this region want to pay to see? You want to be balanced in terms of presenting a breadth and depth of jazz colors, too. Pay homage to the legends and promote the discovery of the new voices.
You were the A&R guy at Verve Records responsible for signing Chris potter and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Was it already clear then that these musicians would be two of the most influential forces in modern jazz?
Well, I did sign Chris but he was already making great records with Concord and had shown from early on that he was going to be here and be important for a long time. We met at Yoshi's years ago and I flippantly told him that if I ever worked at a label he'd be the first person I would sign. Who knew? As for Kurt, I didn't sign him as he was already on the label when I arrived, but I had the great opportunity to work with him on a few records.
Both Chris and Kurt are singular voices on their instrument, and powerful improvisers of depth with ridiculous ears and chops. They're recognizable by their sound, their ideas. As composers they're equally profound, and as influences on this music, inspiring their peers and the younger generation, they're a blessing to jazz. And they're just two of many, many profound human beings that have chosen jazz as their livelihood. Thank god!
