The Monterey Jazz Festival is the longest-running jazz festival in the world, held annually since 1958 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in California. Founded by jazz disc jockey Jimmy Lyons and musician Dave Brubeck, the three-day festival has hosted virtually every major jazz artist of the past seven decades. The intimate, shaded fairground setting on the central California coast creates an atmosphere that jazz fans consider unmatched. Past performers include Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, and Herbie Hancock. The festival is also committed to jazz education, running one of the most respected student jazz competitions in the world.
California, United States