The run up to the 68th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival has begun in earnest with the recent announcement of the festival’s artist lineup for the Sept. 26-28 event to be held at the Monterey Fair & Event Center. Just like it has since its inception in 1958. This Friday, three-day packages (both arena and grounds) go on sale to the general public and single-day tickets will be available starting May 8. To be notified of the times, sign up on the website at www.montereyjazz.org. The full schedule with stages and times are there and you can order your tickets in advance.

Top tier artists slated to appear include Christian McBride, Dianne Reeves, John Clayton, Gerald Clayton, Carmen Lundy, René Marie, Ledisi, Gregory Porter, Benny Green, Pete Escovedo, John Patitucci, Lisa Fischer, Lenny White, Arturo O’Farrill, Delfeayo Marsalis, Dr. Eddie Henderson, Javon Jackson, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Bill Stewart, Trombone Shorty, Mr. Sipp, Cory Wong, Christian Sands and more.

This year the festival was curated by a two-person team, working to bring back a feeling of familiarity to the audience. Artistic Programmer Bruce Labadie and Managing Director Bobbie Young brought their combined skills to the table and hope their choices will please all of those who attend.

“I love Bruce. He’s done such a great job for us,” said long-time Jazz Fest employee Young in a recent phone interview. “His history and longevity, the respect the agents have for him, his knowledge of what jazz festivals should look like, he’s been absolutely lovely. We’ve enjoyed having him with us. He’s coming to the festival all three days. I’ll introduce him onstage one night so everyone knows who he is.”

There are return performances from fan favorites like Trombone Shorty and Davina & the Vagabonds, lots of straight ahead jazz and Latin jazz, a list of leading ladies in the jazz vocalist category, blues artists, a bigger percentage of local artists than I’ve ever seen before and an exciting list of new artists that are on the cusp of greatness. And, of course, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo with a raft of student combos to assure jazz aficionados that jazz is healthy and not going away.

“We wanted to have solid straight-on, good jazz for our jazz aficionados,” said Young. “We made sure no matter where you went you’d hear a good solid jazz musician. Then the new kids on the block, the younger crew… It was important for me to say to our audience, ‘Jazz is not dead, it’s not dying off.’ These young people who are performing, maybe just out of college or who have been slugging it out in New York City in the small clubs, we need to keep an eye out for them.

“I’m looking at someone like Ekep Nkwelle. She is amazing as a vocalist. I see her as the up and coming Samara Joy. And then Tyreek McDole, who two years ago, was the only male to have won the Sarah Vaughan vocal competition. He is a lovely person. We have Grace Kelly. She originally was to be one of our Next Generation Jazz Orchestra students, but it didn’t work into her schedule. I’m so happy to get her in this year.

“We just wanted to provide a cozy festival for people, if that makes sense,” she adds. “Nothing too shocking, yet. Not to say that won’t happen next year. We have to be very aware that there are musicians out there we term as jazz adjacent who will be appealing. I think for this year we wanted people to come in and be happy. It’s a tough year all the way around. And we’d just like to give people the opportunity to feel like they’ve come home and this is the place to relax, to escape. Just get into familiar sounds and musicians.”

The fairgrounds itself has a lot to do with making folks feel cozy, with all the oak trees and lawns, the old-fashioned fair style architecture, and of course the stages, all given names particular to the Monterey Jazz Festival. There are five stages in total, with the legendary arena stage as the primary focal point named for one of the original jazz festival founders Jimmy Lyons. He and San Francisco Chronicle jazz journalist Ralph Gleason saw their dream to bring jazz out of the dark club atmosphere to the great outdoors come true and blossom over the years. A number of artistic directors have played a role in the design of the music being presented over the years, and it’s a tribute to the enduring legacy of jazz that the festival continues to shine, not only over the three-day festival, but throughout the year with its jazz education component and through concerts held at varying venues throughout Monterey County.

The recently christened Tim Jackson Stage (previously known as the original Garden Stage) is another main gathering point, named for the recently retired artistic director. And returning this year is Dizzy’s Den, at the far west end of the fairgrounds where the temporary outdoor West End Stage was but where an expanded beer and wine garden will now be located. And the two small venues continue to feature more intimate style music and conversations, the Pacific Jazz Café and the Courtyard Stage. Most of the local talent will be featured at the Courtyard Stage, located at the Main Entrance to the fairgrounds surrounded by food vendors.

Local fans of these bands will be excited to come out to support their friends who have earned the honor of appearing at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival. River Voices, Dave Holodiloff Group, Along Came Betty, Miranda Perl and another group of performers that aren’t exactly local locals but artists who work and appear here fairly regularly, Paul Contos, Tony Lindsay & the Soul Soldiers, Chris Cain and Marcus Shelby.

As has been the norm for years, there are several positions of note to recognize. This year’s Artist in Residence is 38-year-old Sullivan Fortner, pianist, composer, band leader and uncompromising individualist. The Grammy Award-winning artist and educator out of New Orleans has received international praise as both a leader and vital collaborator. He will perform with his trio in the Pacific Jazz Café Saturday, 8:30 p.m., as well as perform with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, Gerald Clayton conducting, Sunday at noon. He’ll also come early in the week before the festival weekend to conduct workshops with students.

The Commissioned Piece Artist is Christian Sands, a 35-year-old pianist and composer from Connecticut. He’ll perform the Jazz Fest-commissioned piece Sunday, 1:30 p.m. on Jimmy Lyons Stage. He also will perform in its entirety his fifth full-length Mack Avenue Records song cycle titled “Embracing Dawn,” written about grief and the loss of love.

The festival brings so much to the Monterey Peninsula with its illustrious history and what it has done for the jazz art form. Not to mention the economic boost it brings to the local tourist industry as people come from all over the world to attend and spend time in our area. A trail blazer from its earliest days, the Jazz Fest holds a special place not only in the hearts of jazz fans the world over, but it has served as inspiration for so many other festivals and education activities connected to the perpetuation of jazz music. Of course, it’s always a great party and a place to mingle with your friends and to meet new people.

In the coming two weeks there are a number of concerts of note to check out. One of my favorite local jazz groups, the Latin Jazz Collective with John Nava, is performing Friday, 7 p.m. at the Wendi Kirby Music Studio at 550 Hartnell St., Suite F, Monterey. They’ve performed at the Jazz Fest before, drawing the audience to their feet in a standing ovation at the 2017 and 2023 festivals. The seven-piece group has some great players, Nava on percussion/congas is the bandleader and founder of the band that also features co-founder Martin Binder on drums and timbales. Also pianist, arranger, music director Kevin McCullough, saxophonist/band leader Stu Reynolds, bassist Steve Uccello, trumpet and flugelhornist Brian Stock and trombonist Felix Diaz. Tickets are $44.52, available on Eventbrite in advance. More info at www.latinjazz-collective.com.

Another of our local guys done good, Mike Beck, returns to his roots to perform and talk about his life at his “Livin’ in the Arts” Concert, Friday at the Center for Spiritual Awakening, 522 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. There is a 6 p.m. reception and the concert is from 7-8:30 p.m. This is a family-friendly event. Advance tickets are $30 at CSA-PG.org/mikebeck and $40 at the door. Beck has had success with his songwriting as well as his work as a horse trainer, a real deal cowboy who sings about the historical aspects of life on the Peninsula as well as his travels around the world performing and caring for horses. For more about him, visit www.mikebeck.com.

Coming up April 17, 7:30 p.m., Vieux Farka Touré presented by Sunset Presents at the Sunset Cultural Center in Carmel. Touré is the son of legendary Malian guitar player Ali Farka Touré. The African musician carries on the tradition of his father’s music but as well brings a fiery energy to the music that echos through the tradition of blues music in the U.S. His latest recording is “Les Racines.” Advance tickets can be bought online at www.sunsetcenter.org for $35, $45 and $55.

The Dude himself is coming back to Monterey. Jeff Bridges, famous for his role in the cult classic “The Big Lebowski,” will be present for An Evening with The Dude, featuring a screening of the the film April 22 at the Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. Showtime is 6:30 p.m., tickets range from $126.09 to $199.73, available in advance through www.goldenstatetheatre.com.