Monterey Jazz Festival 1999

Saturday

Saturday we relaxed during the day so we'd be ready for the Saturday night show. Unfortunately so much was going on all at once that we had to miss out on some exciting stuff. Elsewhere on the grounds was a tribute to Bay Area drummers Donald Bailey, Vince Lateano (who I've met a time or two before) and Eddie Marshall. We decided instead to go see the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra on the main stage. This years festival was a special celebration of Duke Ellington's 100th birthday. Keeping with that spirit they played "Suite Thursday", originally commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival and performed by Duke Ellington at the 1960 Monterey Jazz Festival (among other things of course).

Bill Berry and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

Here's Bill Berry playing with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. Bill played for Duke Ellington for several years in the 60's.

Diana up close and personal They were followed by now festival favorite Diana Krall. She had the audience wrapped around her little finger by the time it was all over.

Closing the show was none other than Clint Eastwood introducing some of his favorite artists performing music from some of his films. The great Clark Terry, Terrance Blanchard, Diana Krall, Joshua Redman, show stealer Regina Carter, and several other notable artists punctuated this look into Clint's film work, including the movie 'Bird' about Charlie Parker's life. Diana Krall even performed a piece Clint himself wrote. Clint's group