Yamaha Sponsors Monterey Jazz Festival
BUENA PARK, Calif. Yamaha continued its longstanding support of The Monterey Jazz Festival, in Monterey, Calif., by providing a selection of pianos and drum kits for five festival stages. The event, which celebrated its 49th year, is the second-longest running jazz festival in history.
Held September 15-17 at the 20-acre Monterey Fairgrounds site, the festival featured performances by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the Hank Jones Trio and Oscar Peterson. The three pianists also shared the stage during a surprise gathering, where actor, director and festival board member Clint Eastwood played a selection of music he composed for his film "Mystic River" on a Yamaha CFIIIS piano.
Yamaha Pianos supported a dozen performances over the course of the festival with a stellar fleet of instruments, including three CFIIIS Concert Grands, four C7 Concert Collection Grands, one C6 and one C2 Conservatory Collection Grand, two U1 Upright Pianos, one DGC1M4 Disklavier and one DGT2A GranTouch Disklavier Digital Grand Piano. Eight of the pianos are part of the Yamaha Artist Services collection; the rest were supplied by local retailer, Music Exchange, of Walnut Creek, Calif.
Yamaha Drums provided a wide selection of kits for drummers to choose from, including an Oak Custom, Absolute Maple, Absolute Birch and a Stage Custom Nouveau.
"I have nothing but highest praise not just for the quality of Yamaha's drums, but also for the ability and the attitude of their people," said David Murray, production coordinator for the festival. "The relationship goes far beyond just putting drums in a box and sending them over. The most important part is that Yamaha takes part in the festival and enthusiastically goes above and beyond the call of duty to do anything they can to help us."
Other artists appearing at the festival included Yamaha Artist Taylor Eigsti, the Yellowjackets, Richard Bona, the Kurt Elling Quartet, Roy Hargrove, Keb' Mo' and Bonnie Raitt.
The only artist at the festival to have her own stage, Disklavier Product Specialist Sue Downs, presented workshops throughout the weekend entitled Music & Technology on the Disklavier. Downs showcased the features of the DGT2A GranTouch Disklavier, which combines grand piano functionality with digital recording and playback capabilities.
In addition to providing pianos and drums for the festival, Yamaha donates instruments to the festival's jazz education programs throughout the year. As it has in the past, Yamaha (in association with Gadsby's Music of Salinas, Calif.) donated a Yamaha Disklavier as a hole-in-one prize for the festival's Eighth Annual Golf 'n' Jazz Tournament.
For additional festival information, visit the Monterey Jazz Festival web site at www.montereyjazzfestival.org, or call (925) 275-9255.
For more information about Yamaha products, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622-6600; call (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com.
About Yamaha:
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products, customer-driven support products and computer-based products targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.
 This drum head crystallizes the partnership between Yamaha and the Monterey Jazz Festival. |
Yamaha Pianos supported a dozen performances over the course of the festival with a stellar fleet of instruments, including three CFIIIS Concert Grands, four C7 Concert Collection Grands, one C6 and one C2 Conservatory Collection Grand, two U1 Upright Pianos, one DGC1M4 Disklavier and one DGT2A GranTouch Disklavier Digital Grand Piano. Eight of the pianos are part of the Yamaha Artist Services collection; the rest were supplied by local retailer, Music Exchange, of Walnut Creek, Calif.
 Acclaimed jazz pianist and Yamaha artist Taylor Eigsti performed at the world-renowned festival.
Photo: Randee St. Nicholas
|
"I have nothing but highest praise not just for the quality of Yamaha's drums, but also for the ability and the attitude of their people," said David Murray, production coordinator for the festival. "The relationship goes far beyond just putting drums in a box and sending them over. The most important part is that Yamaha takes part in the festival and enthusiastically goes above and beyond the call of duty to do anything they can to help us."
Other artists appearing at the festival included Yamaha Artist Taylor Eigsti, the Yellowjackets, Richard Bona, the Kurt Elling Quartet, Roy Hargrove, Keb' Mo' and Bonnie Raitt.
The only artist at the festival to have her own stage, Disklavier Product Specialist Sue Downs, presented workshops throughout the weekend entitled Music & Technology on the Disklavier. Downs showcased the features of the DGT2A GranTouch Disklavier, which combines grand piano functionality with digital recording and playback capabilities.
 The Jimmy Lyons Stage |
For additional festival information, visit the Monterey Jazz Festival web site at www.montereyjazzfestival.org, or call (925) 275-9255.
For more information about Yamaha products, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622-6600; call (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com.
About Yamaha:
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products, customer-driven support products and computer-based products targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.