Celebrated composer, musician and producer Quincy Jones will be honored with a tribute titled "The A&M Years" at the Monterey Jazz Festival on Sept. 16.

With five-time Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride serving as music director, the tribute will feature music from Walking in Space, Gula Matari and Smackwater Jack—the first three albums Jones released after joining the A&M label in 1969.  

Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award recipient Quincy Jones speaks during the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition in Hollywood, California, 11-15

“I knew that Christian McBride would probably know these albums inside-and-out to be the musical director,” the festival’s artistic director, Tim Jackson, said in a press release. “And I was right. I also wanted to try to get as many available artists who had played on those original albums to be part of the project.”

Artists who appeared on the aforementioned albums and will be performing at the tribute include pianist Dave Grusin, flutist Hubert Laws and vocalist Valerie Simpson. The tribute will also feature saxophonist James Carter, guitarist Paul Jackson Jr., trumpeter Sean Jones, harmonica player Grégoire Maret, drummer Lewis Nash, bassist and vocalist Richard Bona, pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and the Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra conducted by Grammy-winner John Clayton.

Jones, 83, has twice performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival, first in 1962, and again, with his Big Band and Roberta Flack, in 1972.

An NEA Jazz Master, Jones will also receive the Monterey Jazz Festival Legends Award, in recognition of his contributions to jazz, on Sept. 15. The award will be presented at the 10th annual Jazz Legends Gala, featuring host Clint Eastwood and performances by the Joey Alexander Trio and the festival’s all-star high school band, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra.

Now in its 59th year, the Monterey Jazz Festival will be held in Monterey, Calif., from Sept. 16-18, and feature more than 110 performances. Headliners include Joshua Redman, Gregory Porter, Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington and more. Information on the festival can be found at montereyjazzfestival.org.

from http://jazztimes.com