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200 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 6 bassist Roger Waters once told a reporter : "I was about 15. In the middle of the night with friends, we were listening to jazz. It was "Georgia on My Mind"— Ray Charles' version. Then I thought, 'One day, if I make some people feel only one twentieth of what I am feeling now, it will be quite enough for me.'" This tribute is led by saxophonist Maceo Parker, a legend in his own right. Indeed, Charles was one of his earliest influences. He joined the James Brown Band in 1964, contributing solos to all the iconic hits Brown churned out in that On Bass with John Patitucci B assist par excel- lence John Pati- tucci is no stranger to the Monterey Jazz Festival—or the Mon- terey area itself, it turns out. "I spent some time in Califor- nia in high school and college," he says. "My brother lives in the Bay Area, as does one of my early mentors, Chris Toehler. I have a lot of roots in that area. I'd say it was my second home." Though born and raised in Brooklyn, when he's not touring the world with Wayne Shorter or his own ensembles, Patitucci hangs his hat in Westchester, New York. He's played the festival several times, with Chick Corea's Akoustic Band (1991, 1995), Wayne Shorter (2000, 2008) and his own trio plus Joe Lovano and John Scofield (2009). He returns this year to play with the Wayne Shor ter Quar tet, who is this year's MJF Commission Artist. Also on stage to perform Shorter's piece "The Unfolding" will be pianist Danilo Perez, drummer Brian Blade and the Monterey Jazz Festival Wind Ensemble, con- ducted by Nicole Paiement. "That's going to be exciting," the bas- sist says. "I haven't seen the piece yet, but this band is used to how Wayne works. We just read it, re- hearse it and perform it. A lot of times with these big commission pieces, we craft our par ts by looking at the score. We craft our par ts around what's written." The Wayne Short- er Quartet performs "The Unfolding" Sunday at 7pm on the Jimmy Lyons Stage. Patitucci will also play Saturday at 7pm on the Night Club stage with his Electric Guitar Quartet, consisting of guitarists Adam Rogers and Steve Cardenas and drummer Brian Blade. Learn more at www.johnpatitucci.com. —Michael Chatfield Photo: Sachi Patitucci Photo: Signe Roderik Photo: Garrett Born Photo: John Abbott Left: 13-year-old Indonesian pianist Joey Alexander is considered a child prodigy. Center: Davina and the Vagabonds deliver a high-energy show that will rock both the Jimmy Lyons and Garden stages. Right: Randy Becker is featured with the Lew Tabackin Quartet.