History
The festival is held annually on the 20-acre (8.1 ha), oak-studded Monterey County Fairgrounds, located at 2000 Fairground Road in Monterey, California, USA on the third full weekend in September, beginning on Friday. More than 500 top jazz artists perform on nine stages spread throughout the grounds, with more than 50 concert performances. In addition, the Monterey Jazz Festival features jazz conversations, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, clinics, and an international array of food, shopping and festivities spread throughout the 20-acre (81,000 m2) Monterey Fairgrounds.
From 1992-2011, Tim Jackson was general manager and artistic director, and in 2011, Chris Doss became the managing director, and Jackson became the artistic director. Since 1992,Clint Eastwood has been on MJF's board of directors. Kent and Keith Zimmerman describe the festival as having expanded in recent years: "While jazz radio and major labels cut back on musical choice and commitment, the Monterey Jazz Festival has widened its scope by expanding the parameters of jazz, blues, and rock. . . . Happily, MJF is now as diverse and vibrant as Lyons imagined it ever could be."
In 2006, the festival set an attendance record of more than 40,000, selling out all five major concerts on the main stage arena, and in 2007, more than 40,000 attended the 50th Golden Celebration.
The Monterey Jazz Festival is a nonprofit organization. It has donated its proceeds to musical education since its inception in 1958. The festival's scholarship program started with a $35,000 scholarship fund in 1970. As of 2012, the festival invests over $600,000 annually for jazz education. Every spring, the Monterey Jazz Festival invites student musicians from across the country and around the world to participate in the "Next Generation Festival".
Dave Brubeck was instrumental in getting city approval for the first festival in 1958. The founder and general manager of MJF for 35 years, Jimmy Lyons, brought Brubeck to Monterey to perform for the city council to persuade them to allow the festival to occur. He has performed at the Festival 14 times since then, which includes his appearance at the 2007 / 50th golden anniversary.
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