Jazz is an ambitious musical form by nature, and the Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour exploits that to the fullest, teaming musicians who in some cases have never worked together before, and asking them to perform more than 40 shows all around North America.

It’s not like a one-off all-star jam of the sort that gives any jazz fest a unique spark. The tour’s featured vocalist, Dee Dee Bridgewater, pointed out during a recent interview that she — or any of the other high-caliber musicians on this jaunt — would not be content performing the same songs night after night. So not only did the players have to get to know each other, they also needed to learn a lot of material before shoving off earlier this month.