Rufus Reid with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra
Directed by Gerald Clayton
Rufus Reid is one of a handful of true renaissance figures in the Arts. This bassist and composer has been an active presence in the jazz world since the 1970s. He has recorded over 500 albums, 25 under his own name, with Terrestrial Dance and Always In The Moment released in Vinyl by Newvelle Records. The 2022 CD release, Celebration, features the jazz trio with a string quartet. Reid can be heard on recordings with Dexter Gordon, Andrew Hill, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Quartet, Kenny Barron, Stan Getz, J.J. Johnson, Lee Konitz, Jack DeJohnette, and many others.
Reid has written for strings, chamber ensembles, solo bass, jazz ensembles of varying sizes and symphony orchestras and has had the privilege of having all of them performed.
His reputation as an educator is equal to that of his musical achievements. His book The Evolving Bassist (Myriad Limited, 1974) remains the industry standard for double bass methodology. Reid and Dr. Martin Krivin created the Jazz Studies and Performance Bachelor of Music Program at William Paterson University; this program offered the first professional academically accredited Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut tri-state area.
He has received the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and the MacDowell Colony Grant among others. His 2014 release, Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project, received two Grammy nominations for Best Large Jazz Ensemble and for Best Instrumental Composition. Rufus Reid continues to be the Evolving Bassist.
Monterey Jazz Festival brings together 20 of the most accomplished high school jazz musicians from across the country to form the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra (NGJO) directed by GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer Gerald Clayton. Established in 1971, the NGJO traditionally gathers for one weekend in the summer to begin rehearsals in preparation for a domestic or international tour.
Having received worldwide acclaim, tour performances for the Orchestra have included festivals and venues in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and Europe. Tenure in the NGJO culminates in a main stage performance in September at the Monterey Jazz Festival with the annual Artist-in-Residence. Former members of the NGJO are a formidable list of contemporary stars in the jazz world and include Benny Green, Patrice Rushen, Joshua Redman, Ambrose Akinmusire, and many others.
2026 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra
Gerald Clayton, Director
Members of the 2026 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra will be announced in the spring.