Call it dumb luck or just serendipity . . . but our good fortune had us arriving at the Monterey Pines RV Park a day before the Jazz festival was to begin. Even more fortunate, the RV park is right next to the fairgrounds where the event was taking place.
Now in its 53rd year, the festival draws thousands of people and features established jazz performers as well as "up and comers" in a main arena and on seven other stages. Picking whom to watch and listen to was no easy task. We attended on Saturday and chose Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens and felt as if we'd been to church; Dianne Reeves scatting and singing a softer jazz; a live simulcast of Delbert McClinton who looked liked he'd been out on a binge the night before; Septeto Nacional de Cuba, with sounds similar to the Buena Vista Social Club (that I love); and a young uke player, Jake Shimabukuro, who played everything from "Hallelujah" to classical to rock on just four strings.
But our favorite, and the crowd's and critics' too, was Trombone Shorty and his Orleans Avenue band from New Orleans. He rocked the house and had people dancing in the aisles. People were packed into the Garden Stage area and even hanging from the trees. He's only 23 years old (the oldest in his band is 27) and he was sensational!
Harry Connick, Jr. performed on Sunday night in the main arena. We could hear him from the RV, but I walked across the golf course to get a bit closer. It was almost as good as being there.
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