HISTORY:
1975 | 1977
| 1979 | 1980
| 1981 | 1982 to present
1982 Continued
Lionel Hampton came to Las Vegas to tape a cable television special with his
band in March; a thrilled live audience got to watch the production.
A benefit concert was held at the Aladdin for the Musicians' Benevolent Fund,
April 28. Superstars contributing their performances included Frank Sinatra,
Sarah Vaughan, the Al Ramsey orchestra, Clark Terry, Marshall Royal, Joe Sample,
John Heard and Louis Bellson with M.C. Pete Barbuti. Sinatra suggested it should
be a yearly event.
In venues all over town, May Is Jazz Month events filled the calendar with concerts
from the Alex Domschot Quintet, the Carl Saunders Sextet, the Scott Tibbs Eightet,
the UNLV Jazz Ensemble, Edie Aikels and Inner Beauty, Jay Cameron's Saxx Maniaxx
and Milestones, to Raoul Romero's 20-piece orchestra and James Toney and the
Countdowns.
May was also the month of a dramatic downturn in the Jazz Society's fate, following
the curve of Monk Montgomery's health. For years Monk, knowing he had bone cancer,
had remained undeterred and unself-pitying in his quest to establish a home
for jazz in Las Vegas and a regional jazz performance network among the Western
states. As his health began declining seriously, Monk tried to ensure that others
who had been with him through the establishment of the Jazz Society would carry
on without him to make their shared vision a reality; but he ultimately suc*****bed
to a force greater than himself. On May 20, 1982 at 60, William H. "Monk" Montgomery
died.
Local papers ran stories and photos of Monk's biography, his contributions,
accomplishments and the impact he had on the city of Las Vegas. A Monk Montgomery
Memorial concert was held in the Dunes Crown Jewel Room August 29. The event,
co-hosted by Bill Cosby and Pete Barbuti, featured trumpeter Freddie Hubbard;
Weather Report bassist Jaco Pastorius; the Four Freshmen; singer Billy Eckstine;
the Kirk Stuart Trio; the Carl Fontana Trio; singer Ernestine Anderson with
Bob Corwin, Carson Smith and Pat Sherrod; singer Marlena Shaw; James Toney and
the Countdowns; the Raoul Romero Big Band; Pamela Russo and pianist Scott Tibbs;
and pianist Tom Ferguson's Trio with Rudy Aikels, bass, and Mel Lee, drums.
Portions of the concert's proceeds went to a scholarship fund for aspiring jazz
musicians.
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Vegas Jazz
PO Box 60396, Las Vegas, NV 89160
Message Line: 702.313.6778