Monterey Fairgrounds is the location for the longest running jazz festival in the world having been established through the efforts of Jimmy Lyons who was endeavoring to compete with the jazz scene on the East Coast. The Monterey Jazz Festival is more than a music concert but encompasses the festival spirit, which it has maintained from the beginning.
When the festival was established in the mid 1950s, the goal was to bring the best jazz talent available and this purpose was realized from the very first festival when artists like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Billie Holiday appeared. Since its inception, the Monterey festival has grown in stature and continued to live up to its reputation as a non-profit arrangement to further musical education.
EDUCATION.
The festival has reached far beyond California by providing education for students of music at all levels from local to national. This has resulted in receiving support from many of the leading lights in jazz music who have come to recognize the value of the Monterey Jazz Festival. The festival has continued to be a resounding success and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007 with a star-studded line-up.
The growth of the festival since the 1950s has resulted in a gathering of more than 500 artists who perform over a period of one weekend. This is a festival that dates back to the heyday of jazz music and this is reflected in the exhibitions recounting the history of jazz music. Even though jazz is no longer the most popular music in America, the Monterey Jazz Festival is still going strong as an event jazz fans love.
STATURE.
Jimmy Lyons set his sights high when he created the Monterey festival but could never have foreseen just how popular and extensive it would become. He wanted the cream of jazz music present at the festival and over the years, this has proved to be the case as the top names in jazz head for Monterey every September. The festival has become a Mecca for jazz aficionados who recognize the stature of the event and the quality of artists on show.
The Monterey Jazz Festival invests around $500,000 to further the education of jazz music, an indication of the intent that has been evident from the beginning. The festival has everything the jazz enthusiast could want including top artists, exhibitions, shopping and fun. The efforts of Jimmy Lyons have been rewarded with a class event that has stood the test of time and now holds the distinction of being the world’s longest running jazz festival.