As the Year of Tony Bennett took a week off, we thought we’d provide you with a quick trip report.
Wednesday, September 18
Our flight actually left PDX on time. We flew Alaska Airlines, sponsors of the Monterey Jazz Festival. We flew into San Jose, CA and then drove our rental car to Monterey to our home away from home: Casa Munras, which has a nice outdoor seating area with a firepit and a heated pool with saline water. We really enjoyed our stay at Casa Munras. 
Thursday, September 19
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[column]Today is the birthday of the opinionated author. After a nice breakfast at the Esteban restaurant at the Casa Munras, we got in the car to start a day of siteseeing. We drove around the community of Pacific Grove and fell in love with the charming old homes near the downtown area.[/column]
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[column]Next on our list was the famous 17 Mile Drive. It’s really beautiful and worth every cent. There are many scenic points with parking and photo opportunities. [/column]
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This particular section of the California coastland is so beautiful. Tony Bennett, who performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival last year, spent some time painting the coastland and remarked on how much he enjoys painting it.
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[column]We enjoyed Bird Rock. The sea lions were very loud![/column]
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[column]Another highlight of the 17 Mile Drive is The Lone Cypress. This tree has, somehow, grown on this rock for 250 years. [/column]
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We continued our site seeing with a drive around Carmel-by-the-Sea. We got a little lost, but got to see a lot of this charming community. We continued our trip with a visit to Big Sur. One of the more famous sites is the Bixby Bridge, which has been used widely in film, television and advertising.
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[column]We stopped to rest for a few minutes and came across something neither of us had seen in some time. Yes, a real, working pay telephone.[/column]
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After wandering around Big Sur for a while, we returned to Casa Munras for a bit of a rest before dinner.
Last year on our trip to Monterey for the jazz festival, we discovered a lovely little restaurant on the pier — the real, working pier, not the touristy Fisherman’s Wharf — named Massaro & Santos On The Pier. We enjoyed our lunch there so much last year that we chose it for my birthday dinner. The food is wonderful and has great prices for travelers on a budget. I had my favorite meal when I go to Monterey, the local sand dabs.
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[column]We were serenaded by a large group of sea lions, who had taken up residence under the pier by the restaurant.[/column]
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All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend the day before the jazz festival, which just happened to be my birthday.
Friday, September 20
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[column]We decided to eat breakfast at the restaurant across the street from the hotel: The Wild Plum. We enjoyed it a lot, even though the service was a bit slow–as we were on vacation and not in any hurry, it was rather nice to not be encouraged to finish quickly and free up the table. And, even though they managed to lose our order completely on Friday morning, we ate there each morning of the jazz festival. Lots of good coffee and well-prepared food.[/column]
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After a stroll around Fisherman’s Wharf, we returned to Casa Munras for a bit of relaxing before the first night of the 56th Monterey Jazz Festival.
Based on the advice of customer service from Monterey-Salinas Transit, we decided to not take our car and take the bus instead.
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[column]There’s always so much excitement about entering the fairgrounds for the festival, even though backpacks are checked for contraband (your own food, liquor, opened water bottles). As you enter the fairgrounds, the main lawn food courts are on the right. While fascinated by the concept of strictly vegan Jamaican cuisine, I went for the lamb gyro for dinner. We ate our dinner at our favorite spot: the picnic tables by the Garden stage.[/column]
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After dinner and chatting, we made our way to our new seats: section 150 on the side part of the arena. We really loved our new seats and enjoyed meeting the people who sat in the section, some of whom have had the same seats for many years. It was like joining a new family!
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[column]First up at the Jimmy Lyons Arena was Gregory Porter, who did a great set with music from his new album Liquid Spirit. He put on a great show and was well-recieved by the audience. I especially enjoyed his song “Hey Laura.”[/column]
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http://open.spotify.com/track/4duCZooSGZrF8CQsYZahza
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[column]Next up was the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. I love big bands and CHJO did not disappoint. The group was founded by brothers John (bass, conductor) and Jeff (flute and saxophone) Clayton, along with drummer Jeff Hamilton. The set was fun and energetic, with John Clayton doing double-duty conducting and playing bass. This group was chosen to honor the late Dave Brubeck with their commissioned piece: “Sweet Suite Dave: The Brubeck Files.” “Shout Me Out” is a sample the great CHJO sound.
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http://open.spotify.com/track/4cjGPUp55sf7LBU4SqB2PW
The final group on Friday was the phenomenal Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club. All I can say is Wow. Wow. Wow. I was completely blown away by the group, but especially the amazing Omara Portundo.
And so our first night at the 56th Monterey Jazz Festival came to a close. We made our way to the exits, where we found out to our dismay that no buses ran from the fairgrounds into town after 9:00 pm. In other words, we were somewhat stranded. A lovely couple from Pacific Grove came to our rescue. They were planning to take cab home and very graciously offered to share the cab and drop us off at our hotel on their way home.
Saturday, September 21
We slept in! And then breakfast again at the Wild Plum.
Our first show at the festival on Saturday was at the Garden Stage for the California Honeydrops. I can’t begin to categorize the group: blues, jazz, and more … but great musicans and lots of fun!
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[column]The bleachers were packed, but this person found a great spot to listen from. 
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There was also a lot of dancing going on at the front of the stage. And then it began to rain. The guys in the band decided to join us in the rain … they marched down off the stage with their instruments and walked through the area, playing the whole time. It was great fun and all of a sudden the rain turned from a bad thing into a GREAT thing. Here’s a sample from this group.
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[column]After the Honeydrops, we headed to the Jimmy Lyons Arena for George Benson. They were the perfect afternoon show. Lots of people up and dancing throughout his entire performance. He ended his set with a terrific version of Broadway, which had everyone on their feet. [/column]
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http://open.spotify.com/track/0iI2fbR06lKJE6wSYmYQch
Having learned our lesson from yesterday, our car was parked in the lot at Monterey Peninsula College, which meant no in-and-out privileges, so we decided to spend the afternoon break at the fairgrounds. We looked at several booths (Hello Downbeat! Hello Jazz Times!) and then settled at a picnic table and met our new friends William and Jan, with whom we chatted for several hours while we rested and grabbed a light dinner. Turns out William and Jan were sitting directly opposite us in the Arena, so we now had new friends to wave at.
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[column]Saturday evening at the Arena started with the great Joe Lovano and David Douglas quintet, Sound Prints, which played two commissioned pieces by the great Wayne Shorter: “To Sail Beyond The Sunset” and “Destination Unknown.” Great playing from both artists and their rising star bass player, Linda Oh. [/column]
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[column]Next up was Dave Holland and his group PRISM, which includes Kevin Eubanks on guitar. Some might remember Kevin from his stint as the house band for Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show. Their music is hard-driving, with more than a nod to rock music. [/column]
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http://open.spotify.com/track/3bswxPomzQGQC4txM6ImV5
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[column]The last set of the evening was the great Bobby McFerrin. I had high expectations for this set, and they were not only met, but exceeded. McFerrin had a tight group and his daughter, Madison, sang vocals as well. He performed songs from his new album Spirityouall. This album is spiritual in the humblest and most significant sense of the word. I was transported by McFerrin’s love of God that came through. Every single song he sang and every single song on the album is wonderful. In this set, he let us see the beautiful man that he is. [/column]
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And although most reviewers are taken with McFerrin’s version of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” this song, sung by Bobby’s father on his own album of spirituals, moved me more than anything.
http://open.spotify.com/track/3NoyoWg1c50a1PTdMT6CEp
And so ended the second day at the 56th Monterey Jazz Festival.
Sunday, September 22
And we are now officially exhausted and reluctantly decided to not attend the afternoon sessions and instead rest up for the final evening. We took advantage of the extra time to sleep in, eat an even more leisurely breakfast, swim in the pool and start packing up a bit.
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[column]The first concert of the evening was the great Wayne Shorter, who is celebrating his 80th birthday this year. Age has definitely not slowed Mr. Shorter down at all; he gave a great performance. It seemed that he was having some trouble with his instrument (soprano sax) and kept shaking it, but there was nothing troublesome about the music he played. We have both been listening to Mr. Shorter for many years and seeing him live was an honor and a privilege. [/column]
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http://open.spotify.com/track/6j91ztKKE6iF8IUIGeb3DF
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[column]The Monterey Jazz Festival ended with headliner Diana Krall. It was a great set and a wonderful way to end the three day festival. She mostly played songs from her album Glad Rag Doll, but also paid tribute to other songs by Canadian composers, including a lovely version of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.” I also enjoyed “Frim Fram Sauce” and “Peel Me a Grape.”[/column]
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This song, “Prarie Lullaby,” is the one song that she sings that her twins like. I liked it too.
http://open.spotify.com/track/0gYEmgVfz3Hjdy2ZsDi8RI
And so the 56th Monterey Jazz Festival came to a close. As we left, though, The Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio was still kicking it loud on the Hammond B3.
I only wish there was a way to be in two places at once, as we missed so many great artists: The Relatives, Carmen Lundy, Davina and the Vagabonds, David Sanborn, Ravi Coltrane and Along Came Betty.
And yes, I have already started planning (and saving) for the 57th Monterey Jazz Festival.
Monday, September 23
Up early, pack, eat breakfast, check out, drive to the San Jose Airport, turn in the rental car and check in for the flight. To find out that the flight time had been delayed for an hour–I had been emailed about this and totally missed the email. So, a nice long wait at the San Jose Airport for our flight home to Portland. Where it has been raining ever since.