In Monterey this fall: 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival

by Brenda Yun on

Something must be in the air in Monterey this fall, because there are so many anniversaries and celebrations it would be hard to pass up a trip to California’s coast to catch some art and culture with a little history mixed in.

This September 18-20, the longest-running jazz festival in the world will be held in gorgeous Monterey, California. The festival is what General Manager Tim Jackson deems as “an amalgamation of styles and genres.”

For over fifty years, the Monterey Jazz Festival has drawn the world’s best jazz musicians for a few days of music delight. This year is no different as it aims to please all types of jazz lovers and features such jazz greats as Wynton Marsalis on Saturday and Sunday nights and Dave Brubeck on Sunday night. More folky musicians like Pete Seeger and Susan Tedeschi will show off their special brand of jazz, while other rising stars will also perform: 23-year-old Esperanza Spalding from Portland, OR on Friday night and Kenny Barron on piano on Friday and Saturday nights. Jason Moran and the Bandwagon will present the premiere of “Feedback” on Sunday night.

Over 500 artists will perform on 9 stages for 3 full nights and 2 days of jazz. For tickets and a complete festival schedule, visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org. Tickets are also available by phone at #925.275.9255

Ten musical destinations that will rock your world

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Music has a way of taking you on a journey. Like any great trip, the songs that inspire us are filled with joyous highs and sobering lows, unexpected revelations and exotic uncertainties. It’s only natural then that each of us seeks out music during our travels. Whether it’s a CD stand in a bustling market in Morocco or a classically-trained violinist playing on a street corner in Paris, music offers travelers a visceral way to cut through the confusion of language and custom, revealing the true essence of a destination.

Wherever we go, melodies both familiar and exotic burst out of speakers, vibrate in concert halls, groove around city streets and drip off the walls in sweaty dance clubs. Yet it’s only in a few select spots around the world that the culture of music becomes a truly tangible attraction. These are the special places where a unique confluence of cultural cross-pollination, inherent creativity and a critical mass of kick-ass musicianship coalesces to create something truly special.

In the course of our journeys here at Gadling, we’ve uncovered some of the world’s most unique and memorable destinations for music. The following list is by no means the end-all-be-all of musical places to visit, but each of the ten spots we’ve chosen is without a doubt one-of-a-kind and a true musical hotspot. Did we choose any of your favorites? Click below for our picks…
Number 10 – Mali’s Festival in the Desert
At first glance, it would be easy to mistake Mali’s Festival in the Desert as a cruel mirage. Yet every year this wind-swept country in Northwestern Africa puts on one of the continent’s best musical events, featuring traditional Tuareg tunes as well as music from around the globe.

Number 9 – Pitch-perfect karaoke in Manila
Love it or hate it, Karaoke has spread its melodies around the world, from the drinking dens of Tokyo to the back streets of New York. But to truly experience Karaoke talent, head to Manila. Filipino cover bands are legendary for their pitch-perfect renditions of Western pop songs. In fact, if you closed your eyes, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference from the originals.

Number 8 – Concert hopping in Austin, TX
They like to say everything is bigger in Texas, and Austin’s annual South by Southwest music festival certainly doesn’t disappoint. Each March, over a thousand bands from around the world descend on the state’s capital for four days of drinking, dancing and music industry schmoozing. If you’re hoping to catch rock’s next great thing or simply looking for a good time, South by Southwest is definitely one of the USA’s best music events.

Number 7 – Tokyo Record Collecting
Tokyo, Japan is one of the world’s great cultural epicenters, consuming and re-creating pop culture trends at a furious pace. This intense consumption is particularly true of music, where the Japanese excel as the world’s consummate music collectors. If you need proof of Tokyo’s status as the crown jewel for record shopping, one need only stroll the back alleyways of Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district. Along the narrow side streets you’ll stumble upon hidden second floor record shops packed floor to ceiling with obscure vinyl and out-of-print rarities.

Number 6 – New Orleans gets Jazzed

New Orleans is known as the birthplace of Jazz music. It was the city’s unique mixture of French, Spanish and African traditions that allowed the city to develop this particularly unique musical heritage, one that is evident even today. One of the best ways to experience the Big Easy’s Jazz culture is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, perhaps the world’s best showcase of this distinctly southern-tinged style.

Number 5 – The London Remix
London has a reputation as a musical chameleon, a city that takes on the world’s constantly evolving musical styles, remixing and reinterpreting in a uniquely British way. Whether it’s Punk or Techno, Indie Rock or Dubstep, London has something to suit the tastes of about every music lover. Check out this list of London music venues, this rundown of record stores, or top-notch dance clubs like Fabric if you’re looking to jump along to the beat.


Number 4 – Kingston sound system parties
Jamaica holds an outsize reputation in the world’s musical lore, having birthed world-famous artists like Bob Marley along with hundreds of other equally talented Jamaican singers, producers and musicians. Though the laid-back vibe of Tuff Gong has long-since morphed into the raw sounds of Dancehall and Ragga, you can still experience Jamaican music at its finest at some of Kingston’s weekly sound system parties like Passa Passa and Weddy Weddy Wednesday. These rough and tumble affairs take over Kingston’s parks and streets with huge speakers, raucous dancing and plenty of fun.


Number 3 – All night techno in Berlin
Something happened when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. As a divided city was slowly mended together, music fans began to take over the city’s abandoned buildings and spaces for semi-legal dance parties. It was the beginning of Techno, a music scene that would soon sweep the capital and most of Europe. Berlin today is ground zero for electronic music fans, with some of the world’s best DJ’s playing parties that can last all night and into the next day and beyond. Check out the events list at Resident Advisor for a good listing of what’s happening.

Number 2 – Shake to the rhythm of Brazilian Carnival
Much like New Orleans and Jamaica, Brazil is the product of a unique confluence of cultures, bringing together Portuguese, African and indigenous influences. Nowhere does this unique cultural history make itself better felt than during Brazil’s annual Carnival festivities, when cities across the country like Rio de Janeiro and Salvador erupt in wild displays of samba dancing and furious drumming. Check out this Rio Carnival guide to get started.



Number 1 – Find what’s new in New York City
It’s hard to even describe how important New York has been to 20th Century musical innovation. Jazz. Punk. Disco. Hip hop. Whatever your preferred style of music, you can find it here…whether its an Indie Rock show at the Bowery Ballroom or killer night of Jazz over at Blue Note, New York’s got it all. Spend a day browsing through record stores like Other Music and A-1 Records before catching a show at Mercury Lounge, S.O.B.’s or Lincoln Center.

Did we pick your favorite musical destination? Think we forgot one of the best? Leave us a comment below to continue to the debate.

Big in Japan: A night out at Tokyo’s jazz clubs

by Matthew Firestone on

While first timers on the Tokyo night scene can’t seem to get enough of Roppongi and Shibuya, at some point the binge drinking and skirt-chasing has to stop. So, if you’re looking for a slightly more sophisticated night out on the town, here’s a quick introduction to Tokyo’s blossoming jazz scene…

Jazz is an American musical art form that originated in the early 20th century in the southern United States. A confluence of African and European music traditions, jazz erupted on the scene, launching successive generations of iconic performers from Louis Armstrong to Wynton Marsalis.

Although you may be surprised to hear this, jazz in Japan actually has a long history dating back to the 1920s. While American soldiers where occupying the nearby Philippines, jazz performers started touring the dance halls of Japan, particularly in Osaka, Yokohama, and Kobe. However, jazz was subsequently banned in Japan during World War II due to its overwhelming “Americanness,” though it had strong resurgence during the post-war years.

Given this lengthy history, it’s no wonder that jazz continues to thrive in Tokyo’s night spots. While there is no shortage of underground clubs and small bars where you can hear live music, today’s column is about the big hitters on the Tokyo jazz scene, namely the Cotton Club and the Blue Note.

Perhaps the most famous jazz club in the history of the movement, the Cotton Club in New York City’s Harlem operated during Prohibition, and featured some of the greatest American entertainers of the era including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and many more.

Since 2005, Tokyo’s installment of this American classic has been attracting some of the finest domestic and international jazz sensations. The ballroom at the Cotton Club is also a nostalgic throwback to the original Harlem theatre, though the expansive dining menu featuring such items as ‘Braised Abalone and Cabbage in Yuzu Flavor’ is decidedly Japanese. With that said, you can always get a highball of fine Kentucky bourbon if you suddenly feel nostalgic for a bit of Americana.

While not as historically significant as the Cotton Club, the Blue Note in NYC’s Greenwich Village first opened in 1981, and is today regarded as one of top jazz venues in the world. The Blue Note has also been site of several live recordings, including The Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio Live at the Blue Note, Arturo Sandoval’s Live at the Blue Note and Jose Feliciano – Live at the Blue Note.

Tokyo’s highly-acclaimed installment of the Blue Note opened to rave revues in 1988, and continues to attract some of the world’s most famous jazz performers. The auditorium itself is an Art Deco-influenced minimalist space of richly hued woods and pale blue hues, while the menu features an eclectic assortment of Japanese and European classics from foie-gras terrine to bamboo shoot salad. Of course, jazz is music is best appreciated over a martini glass filled to the brim with a potent brew.

Both the Cotton Club and the Blue Note certainly aren’t cheap nights out, though they offer a nice change of scene from the Tokyo club circuit. Besides, we all need to grow up sooner or later!

The Cotton Club is located near the South Marunouchi exit of Tokyo station. For more information, check out their website at www.cottonclubjapan.co.jp or contact them at +81-3-3215-1555.

The Blue Note is located near the B3 exit of Omotesandou Station. For more information, check out their website at www.bluenote.co.jp or contact them at +81-3-5485-0088.

Forget Times Square, Go Jazz at Lincoln Center

by Iva Skoch on

For all the time I spend in NYC, last night was the very first time I’ve seen Jazz at Lincoln Center, at it’s “new” $128M home, the Time Warner building, at Columbus Circle.

The center moved here in 2004 from its digs a little further north, and, let me tell you, it is a terrific venue for music. Definitely worth the trip for tourists visiting Times Square for a show.

The mid-sized Allen Room is an intimate venue (less than 500 seats) where the audience faces a four-story wall of glass that gives you a 6th floor view out into the city, overlooking Central Park. It’s one of the most amazing backdrops for a concert you’ll ever see. Last night, the city lights lit up a bank of fog sitting up near the tops of the buildings. The reflected lights of the cars on Central Park South looked like raindrops cascading down the glass. And the big CNN neon sign cast red light down onto the stage. Wow.

And, and insider tip: get yourself a seat in row C, which puts you eye-level with the musicians. And sit back and enjoy.

Big in Japan: Japanese monks down pints in the name of Buddha

by Matthew Firestone on

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Zen Buddhist monks?

If you guessed raked pebble gardens, immaculately poured cups of green tea and the continual search for inner peace and enlightenment, you’re wrong!

Starting this week in Japan, a trio of Buddhist monks have secured a regular spot at the Chippie Sound Music Bar, a popular Tokyo jazz club.

Here, they seek to educate patrons about Buddha while simultaneously performing their unique shomyo (????; Japanese Buddhist chants) to an attentive crowd.

Yup – you read that correctly.

Zen Buddhist mantras and Miles Davis do in fact mix well under the limelight!

As reported by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the three monks took to the stage, rang a small bell to silence the crowd, and filled the bar with their hauntingly beautiful chants.

To keep reading about this utterly bizarre but fascinating event, click below.

During the second half of the show, the trio once again took to the stage, silenced the room by ringing a small bell, kneeled in their gray robes before the crowd, and began to lecture an attentative audience about their faith.

One of the monks, Hogen Natori, believes that people are more receptive to complex philosophies when they are relaxing in a bar amongst friends.

“Many Japanese don’t want to come to temple. They think Buddhism is very difficult, and deep and serious, but Buddhism is much more than that – exciting, funny even. I want to spread this kind of teaching.”

So why is it exactly that the Buddhist monks had to resort to performing in jazz bars to keep their religion thriving?

Buddhism has had an extremely strong foundation in Japan since the religion first arrived in the archipelago 1,200 years ago from mainland Asia. In fact, almost three-quarters of Japanese people are registered Buddhists, though the only time they enter a temple is on their death bed.

Furthermore, since Japan is a rapidly aging society, interest in Buddhism is virtually non-existent amongst Japanese youths who care little about religion.

As a result, the vast majority of Japan’s 75,000 temples are in serious financial trouble. Although funerals are a huge source of income, the temples will have to attract new followers if they wish to thrive beyond the immediate future.

Although their effort to raise awareness about Buddhism’s lighter side are being applauded by most, the trio of monks is being accused by others of lowering themselves to the level of commoners.

To these critics, Hogen Natori offers these simple and succinct words:

“Come and join us. We are telling people what Buddhism is, what monks are.

Only in Japan…

Japanese Buddhism is undergoing a serious face lift these days. For coverage of a recent Zen fashion show here in Tokyo, be sure to check out the article Japanese monks strut it out on the catwalk.

** All of the photos in this blog post were taken by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) **