Fall 2026

134 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 6 T he MJF organizers are not revealing who will be performing what they call “Our inau- gural ‘Monterey Surprise’ showcase—we harken back to that storied opening [1958] weekend, featuring some of our favorite con- temporary artists performing that 1950s reper- toire together for the first time.” This is sure to be a crowd pleaser and, given the incredibly tal- ented musicians who will be on hand to choose from, another performance not to be missed. For a complete schedule and ticketing informa- tion, visit www.montereyjazz.org . Monterey Surprise: 1958 Throwback Saturday, September 26, 2:15-3:15 pm, Jimmy Lyons Stage T H E 6 9 T H A N N UA L MO N T E R E Y J A Z Z F E S T I VA L S ince its inception, MJF has embraced the local music community, recognizing and showcasing a variety of homegrown talent. Janice Perl hails from a line of Monterey musi- cal royalty. The daughter of accordionist Mike Marotta, Sr., she has been steeped in music since bir th. She is a highly respected vocal instructor and leads the MJF Regional All-Star Vocal Ensemble. But incredibly, “I’ve never performed at the festival,” she says. That changes Saturday, September 26, from 2:15-3:15 pm, when she takes over the Cour tyard Stage with her band of top area play- ers: Dennis Murphy on bass, drummer Mike Shannon, Bill Spencer on keys, saxophonist Gary Meek, and Perl’s daughter Miranda Perl as backup singer. “We will be doing songs I’ve never performed live with a full band,” says Perl. “These are songs from the era when I first star ted listening to jazz in the 1970s: Chuck Mangione, Freddie Hubbard and Chick Corea.” Perl says that MJF staff decided to reach out to Monterey Peninsula jazz venues and encourage them to sponsor groups for the Courtyard Stage. “MidiCi, the Monterey restaurant where I founded ‘Live Jazz at MidiCi’ every Thursday and Sunday evening is sponsoring us.” Other performers and their sponsors include the Zach Westfall Group (Pearl Hour), TJ Kuenster & Ricketts Folly (Pop and Hiss) and The Lighthouse Jazz Quartet (Wild Fish). —Michael Chatfield Jance Pearl will grace the MJF stage for the first time. MJF Spotlights Local Jazz Artists Peninsula Music Venues Support Homegrown Talent Photo: Jacob Pearl Writer Ralph Gleason was the festival’s cofounder with DJ Jimmy Lyons. Their spirits will imbue the first-ever “Monterey Surprise,” a look back at the past. Photo: Roberto Cifarelli