Fall - 2022

94 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2 A Jazzman Comes Home Kyle Eastwood Returns to the Monterey Jazz Festival B Y VAN J A THOMP SON Photo: Sylvain Gripoix K yle Eastwood’s self-effacing, almost shy demeanor betrays his sharp showmanship, enduring talent and undeniable fame in the arguably niche world of jazz. But the composer, arranger, musician and occasional actor has been producing albums to solid acclaim for over 20 years and consistently touring for almost as long. His love of jazz began right here, where the oldest son of Clint Eastwood and Maggie Johnson grew up, exposed to his parents’ love of jazz music at home, and where young Kyle attended several memorable Monterey Jazz Festivals with his famous father. Back then, he studied piano and guitar before becoming best known as a bassist. But it’s clear that fame is the least interesting part of the package for Eastwood, whose eyes light up over specific annual festivals in the U.S. and abroad, where connections he’s forged with so many musicians he admires and the energy of the audience of so many familiar fans (though he seems reluctant to call them fans) fuel his passion. But fans are numerous, especially in France, where Eastwood’s made his home for nearly two decades.Though he’d hardly say so himself, there, he’s an icon, frequently appearing on radio,TV and web shows, most recently in service of “Cinematic,” his 2019 album—its supporting tour was upended by the worldwide pandemic. When Carmel Magazine caught up with him at one of his neighborhood cafés in Paris, he was gracious when a fan stopped at the table and asked for a selfie, while gushing about how Eastwood’s music had influenced his own. Eastwood took time to ask the nervous musician about his music. “Cinematic” is full of artistic collaborations on numbers old and new, with nods to film composers that have come before. Eastwood’s study and love of cinema and film music led him to compose the scores to sev- eral of his father’s and his sister Alison’s films and to pepper his own albums with interpretations of iconic pieces, including the James Bond theme “Skyfall,” and music from “Taxi Driver,” which appear on his aptly A resident of Paris for over 20 years, Kyle Eastwood is excited to tour the U.S., returning to his hometown to perform at this year’s Monterey Jazz Festival.