Fall 2024

106 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 4 regular attendee for years afterward.“As I heard more and more, I became more interested in the music.” He started his musical journey on piano, then moved to electric bass as a teen, playing Motown and rock ‘n’ roll with friends. Moving on to jazz and the upright bass, he counts Paul Chambers, Ray Brown and Ron Carter as early influences.“When I got seri- ous, I studied with French bassist Bunny Brunel in LA.” This year will mark Eastwood’s 10th appearance at MJF, dating back to 1994, and will be a spe- cial presentation showcasing his newest release, “Eastwood Symphonic.” This is an extraordinary recording in that the bassist has chosen to honor his father by reinterpreting the music from the elder Eastwood’s most beloved films, including “Dirty Harry,” “A Fistful of Dollars,” “Bridges of Madison County,” “Letters from Iwo Jima” and others. It’s a collaboration between Eastwood, his quintet and Luxembourgian composer and arranger Gast Waltzing, who will be conducting 45 Monterey Symphony musicians. “I met Gast in Paris,” Eastwood says. “He’s the perfect guy for this project because he’s also a trumpet player and straddles jazz and classical music.” Monterey Symphony President and CEO Nicola Reilly says an event like this has been on the radar for quite some time. “Colleen Bailey [MJF executive director] and I have kicked around the idea of a collaboration for years,” Reilly says. Artistic Director Darin Atwater’s background is full of symphonic and jazz fusions. “When Darin brought Kyle’s ‘Symphonic’ idea to me, we jumped on it and raised the funds for the orchestra in 10 days. It’s the power of com- munity: get the right people in the room, empower them to make a decision and this is what you get.” After performing several times in Europe, Eastwood’s “Symphonic” will make its American debut Sunday, September 29, at 5 pm on the Jimmy Lyons Stage. His quintet will also appear at the Pacific Jazz Café, Saturday, September 28, in “Conversation: Songs for My Father.” The 67th Monterey Jazz Festival continues its tradition of presenting the world’s most interest- ing and eclectic jazz artists in a wide range of styles. Other artists performing include Samara Joy, José James, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Blind Boys of Alabama, Mavis Staples, Lila Downs and many more great acts. The Monterey Jazz Festival takes place September 27-29 at the Monterey County Fair and Event Center, located at 2004 Fairground Road in Monterey. For more information, visit www.mon- tereyjazzfestival.org or call 831/373-3366. Other artists performing include Samara Joy, José James, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Blind Boys of Alabama, Mavis Staples, Lila Downs, and many more great acts. Gospel greats The Blind Boys of Alabama have been wowing audiences worldwide since 1939. They’ve recorded and toured with Prince, Lou Reed and Taj Mahal. They’re joined by the magnificent Bobby Rush Saturday afternoon. Photo: Cole Weber