63rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Announces First Wave Of Artists

Monterey Jazz Festival announces the first wave of headlining artists for the 63rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 25-27, 2020, including Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny Side-Eye, George Benson, Buddy Guy, Redman-Mehldau-McBride-Blade: A MoodSwing Reunion, Miho Hazama m_unit, Christian Sands, Lila Downs, and Jamie Cullum. More artists to be announced April 1, when tickets go on sale.

Arena artists include National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Fellowship recipients Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny who will perform Friday Night, September 25. Buddy Guy, Miho Hazama and Redman-Mehldau-McBride-Blade: A MoodSwing Reunion will appear on Saturday, September 26. Lila Downs, Jamie Cullum and George Benson, also a NEA Jazz Master, will appear on Sunday, September 27.

Grounds artists for MJF63 also include Kandace Springs, Matthew Whitaker, Las Cafeteras, and the Mimi Fox Organ Trio.

Three-day Arena and Grounds Ticket Packages for the 63rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival go on sale Wednesday, April 1. Tickets can be purchased online at montereyjazzfestival.org or by calling 888.248.6499. Single-day Arena and daily Grounds tickets go on sale April 10.

The Festival will feature over 100 performances from iconic and emerging jazz artists, educational events, conversations, films, and exhibits on seven stages, for 30 hours of live music spanning two days and three nights, accompanied by an array of 75 vendors selling international cuisine and merchandise on the oak-studded 20 acres of the Monterey County Fair & Event Center.

Tickets go on sale beginning April 1.

Miho Hazama will act as the MJF63 Commission Artist. The Tokyo-born Hazama, lauded in DownBeat as one of "25 for the Future," is a 2015 recipient of the BMI Charlie Parker Composition Prize, and will debut the MJF63 Commission piece with her signature ensemble m_unit. Miho has written for and showcased such guest artists as Joshua Redman, Lionel Loueke, Stefon Harris, and Gil Goldstein, to name a few. She has received the Jazz JAPAN rising star award, and has been featured in DownBeat, New York Times, NPR, and JazzTimes, among others.

Full Weekend Arena Ticket Packages offer a reserved seat to each of the five concerts on the Jimmy Lyons Stage in the Arena (renewable annually) plus, access to the seven additional Grounds Stages, and all Festival activities. Full Weekend Arena Ticket Packages begin at $355.

New for 2020 are Arena Lawn Tickets, which includes access to the lawn section of the Arena, providing access to all five arena shows on the Arena/Jimmy Lyons Stage AND access to the other six Grounds stages located throughout the Fairgrounds. Full weekend Arena Lawn Tickets are $285.

Full Weekend Grounds Packages offer access to seven Grounds stages and activities. Full Weekend Grounds Packages are $175.

More artists will be announced on April 1, 2020, when tickets go on sale.

The schedule for the 63rd Monterey Jazz Festival can be found on montereyjazzfestival.org.

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