Our first annual Arizona WinterFest made a bigger splash than we anticipated.

We kicked things off with an informal salon at the Maricopa Cabana.

I invited my friends the Foster Oden Trio to perform. The played a tasty set of jingle-bell jazz and classic piano trio numbers.

Then Charles McNeal flew in from Las Vegas to be our visiting artist-in-residence.

Charles was a big hit with the Valley jazz mafia, including the Godfather himself.

Charles and I had the pleasure of making music with Dennis Rowland several times in December: at Tempe Center for the Arts, then at Kazimierz World Wine Bar, and finally in the studio at Tempest Recording.

The main event was a Sunday afternoon jazz party sponsored by Jazz in AZ. Photo by Kathleen Konzen.

Dmitri Matheny and Charles McNeal, Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Scottsdale AZ, December 2009. Photo by Nona Manson.

Charles McNeal and Dmitri Matheny, Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Scottsdale AZ, December 2009. Photo by Nona Manson.

Dmitri Matheny, Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Scottsdale AZ, December 2009. Photo by Nona Manson.

Nick Manson and Thomas Williams, Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Scottsdale AZ, December 2009. Photo by Nona Manson.

Thomas Williams, Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Scottsdale AZ, December 2009. Photo by Nona Manson.

John Lewis, Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Scottsdale AZ, December 2009. Photo by Nona Manson.

Forney, Matheny & Monce presented "Celebrating Chet Baker," the first in a series of tributes to Masters of Jazz Brass. 

It was a thrill for me to work with two of my favorite trumpet players.

Fred Forney...

...and Denny Monce.

Our top-flight rhythm section [guitarist Jeff Libman, bassist Thomas Williams, and drummer Dom Moio] were extraordinarily patient with all the brass shenanigans.

A little bit of brass can go a long way.

Libman even sang a couple of tunes in the style of Baker.

Denny stole the show with his tasteful understated style.

It was a good month -- we even raised a little money for our scholarship program.

I first became serious about music while living in Tucson, Arizona in my early teens.

This is a favorite vista, the Tucson night skyline as seen from the top of Campbell Road.

During the 1990s I returned often to Arizona, thanks to the Tucson Jazz Society, University of Arizona, and other presenting organizations. In this photo, taken at the now defunct Cottonwood Club, I'm joined by pianist Jeff Haskell, bassist Scott Black and drummer Fred Hayes.

In 2009, after 20 years in San Francisco, I moved back to Arizona, this time to the Phoenix area.

As you drive from California to Arizona, the distinctive saguaro cacti begin appearing immediately at the state border. They disappear again when you cross the border into New Mexico. How do they know?

Phoenix is the fifth most populous city in the USA.

Phoenix is located in southern Arizona, in the Salt River Valley of the Sonoran Desert. The people who live here refer to it as the "Valley of the Sun," or simply "the Valley."

The sprawl of our megalopolis stretches along the Salt River Valley desert basin for nearly 17,000 square miles.

The sunsets here are legendary.

The colors are different every day.

I miss the ocean, but there's nothing like a desert sunset.

My favorite Art Farmer album, Warm Valley, has an Arizona sunset on the cover. Art grew up here in the Valley and loved the landscape as I do. I sometimes search the horizon to try and find the exact spot where this photo was taken.

During the late summer is the "monsoon season," when spectacular lightning storms illuminate the desert.

I'd be tempted to walk in the warm rain, were it not for the very real risk of being struck by lightning.

The sculptural, angular red rocks near Sedona, Arizona are strikingly beautiful.

The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Southern Arizona is known as the "astronomy capital of the world." The dark skies and unobstructed view of the horizon create ideal conditions for stargazing.

This is a view through an arch rock formation near Paria Canyon on the Arizona-Utah border.

The Arizona-Utah border is known for these amazing abstract formations.

Dennis Rowland, who worked with the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1970s, is a talented vocalist in the tradition of Joe Williams. Originally from Detroit, Dennis maintains an active touring schedule internationally but remains involved in the Phoenix area, performing regularly and serving on the Board of Directors of Jazz in AZ.

Fred Forney is a masterful trumpeter whose sound and style continues to evolve. The recent quintet recording, Chasing Horizons, beautifully captures Fred's winning spirit of "forward motion" and ongoing creative expansion.

Another cat I admire is Denny Monce. He's one of the most tasteful improvisors around.

Vocalist Margo Reed is one of the Valley luminaries I've had the honor of working. I first learned about the Reed family dynasty from my friend Matt Rollings at Berklee. They are Arizona jazz royalty.

Jerry Donato is one of my favorite saxophonists. His excellent CD It's a Cool Heat features the final performance of West Coast jazz legend Pete Jolly.

Pianist Nick Manson, who began his career in Los Angeles and Seattle, is a frequent creative partner and good friend. This is a photo by his wife, Nona.