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| Monterey Jazz Festival Records Release Party The Monterey Jazz Festival, Concord Records and Monterey Jazz Festival Records announced a party at the Sand City Borders on the Monterey Peninsula on August 25, 2007 to commemorate the release of the Festival's first six offerings in a series of much-anticipated historical recordings. The CDs are drawn from more than 2000 hours of archival tape from Monterey's Arena Stage and will include Louis Armstrong, 1958 (caught playing the very first night of the Festival); Miles Davis, 1963 (introducing to the West Coast his soon-to-be-classic '60s quintet rhythm section); Thelonious Monk, 1964 (his quartet augmented by bassist Steve Swallow and an expanded five-piece Festival workshop); Dizzy Gillespie, 1965 (in a sextet with Kenny Barron, James Moody and Big Black on congas); Sarah Vaughan, 1971 (backed by a young Bill Mays, Bob Magnusson and Jimmy Cobb - and one tune with the Jazz at the Philharmonic All-Stars) and a special Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival sampler that features standout performances from current and upcoming releases. Other MJF merchandise will also be available, including the recently-released 50th anniversary visual extravaganza coffee table book, The Art of Jazz: Monterey Jazz Festival / 50 Years. The recordings on Monterey Jazz Festival Records are the first of a series that will reintroduce the legendary performances from the Festival to the public, not heard by fans since the original years the jazz legends filled the air with music on the Arena Stage at the Monterey Fairgrounds. The six MJF Records releases hit the street on August 21, 2007. Capping a ten-year restoration initiative started by MJF General Manager Tim Jackson in 1997, MJF's audio archives have been transferred from the original analog tapes to digital files to save them from deterioration from time and the elements. Remastered for the best possible sound quality, the performances were analyzed and edited for historic and artistic value. The first CDs represent the initial results from this multi-year project, with many more to be released in 2008 and beyond. The CDs are a welcome addition to the history of jazz, as they are vital documents from iconic performers that capture the magical moments they created on the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival Arena Stage. The public is invited to come celebrate the historic release of these timeless recordings with the Monterey Jazz Festival and be the first on your block to relive these Monterey memories! write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |