In Washington, DC, yesterday, at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater, the TS Monk International Jazz Bass Competition finals were held, hosted by the great Herbie Hancock. The winner was Ben Williams from Washington, DC. The concert afterward was a "jazz legend" event with special guests George Duke, Jason Moran, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spaulding, Jimmy Heath, Wayne Shorter, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, James Genus, Terri Lynn Carrington, Earl Klugh, TS Monk, Herbie Hancock, Lionel Loueke, Carl Allen, Geoffrey Keezer, Bobby McFerrin, Kurt Elling, McCoy Tyner, Nicholas Payton and Terence Blanchard. I've never seen, and probably never will again, such talent on the same stage at one time. It was magical.
