Tickets are now on sale for the 55th annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Sept. 21-23 at the Monterey Fairgrounds. Headliners include drum legend Jack DeJohnette (with a variety of bands), Tony Bennett, Pat Metheny, Eddie Palmieri and his salsa orchestra, as well as Dee Dee Bridgewater and several much-discussed young talents: singer/bassist Esperanza Spalding, trombonist/singer Trombone Shorty and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire.
Venues vary from the gigantic arena to the cozy clublike Coffee House Gallery, where Mulgrew Miller, a perfect pianist, will hold forth with his trio for three sets on opening night.
Full-weekend Arena packages start at $225; full-weekend grounds tickets start at $125; daily grounds tickets start at $40. Family and youth discounts are available. Single-day Arena tickets go on sale June 28. 1-888-248-6499, www.montereyjazzfestival.org.
