Last week at this time I was in California for the Monterey Jazz Festival, a three-day celebration of mostly jazz and the longest-running festival of its kind in the world: 52 consecutive years. From the start, it has been held at the sylvan Monterey fairgrounds, the same place that hosted the Monterey International Pop Music Festival in 1967, where Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire and the flaming feedback became part of his performance.

While we were away, we missed a lot of good music here at home: pianist Eldar at the Dakota, the always-interesting iQuit series at the Rogue Buddha, a tribute to Hammond B-3 legend Jack McDuff at the Artists’ Quarter and Connie Evingson’s Peggy Lee program at the Jungle, to name just a few. We returned in time to hear pianist Marcus Roberts at the Dakota earlier this week.

Many of the Monterey headliners have played here in recent months: Esperanza Spalding, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano, John Scofield and the Piety Street Band, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Jason Moran and the trio of Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. (Clarke and White return to the Dakota in the first week of October with pianist Hiromi.) As I packed for the flight back from California, I knew that although I was leaving one great jazz scene, I was coming home to another.

Here’s what the weekend brings.

Friday and Saturday: Astral Project. Their new CD, “Blue Streak,” is amazing. Founded in 1978, New Orleans’ most modern and adventurous jazz ensemble is a collective of great improvisers: Johnny Vidacovich on drums, Tony Dagradi on saxophone, Steve Masakowski on guitar, and James Singleton on bass. (Masakowski is the baby of the group; he’s only been with them for 20 years.) I’ve seen Astral Project in action several times, and it’s always a stellar show. Watch a video from New Orleans JazzFest 2009 here. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26, 9 p.m., Artists’ Quarter ($20).

Saturday: JazzMN Big Band with Ernie Watts and Debbie Duncan: High Voltage! I’m always pleased when JazzMN announces a new season; it means our very own big band is still around, still going strong. Founded by Artistic Director Doug Snapp in 1998, JazzMN features many of the Twin Cities’ top jazz musicians and brings in world-class guests. This time it’s saxophonist and two-time Grammy winner Ernie Watts, who rarely performs in these parts (although this makes twice for him this year; in February, he appeared with Kurt Elling at the Ted Mann as part of the Northrop Jazz Season). Debbie Duncan sings, and she can sing anything. Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., Hopkins High School Performing Arts Center, 2400 Lindberg Drive, Minnetonka (advance $27/$25; students $17). Tickets online, by phone (1-866-811-4111), or at the door ($29/$27; student rush $10).

Saturday: Have Mercer On Us! A Centennial Tribute to Johnny Mercer. You know — the man who wrote the lyrics to somewhere around 1,500 songs, including “Moon River,” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” and “Blues in the Night.” Arne Fogel, Nancy Harms, and special guest Connie Evingson will sing; the Tanner Taylor Trio will play. We last saw them all together on stage at the Hopkins Center for the Arts in April for the very fine “And the Nominees Were ...” show of classic movie songs. The program also features Sheridan Zuther, a popular vocalist in Twin Cities theaters (Ordway, Park Square, Guthrie, Pantages) and member of Five by Design. Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington ($22; 65+ and students $19). Tickets online or call 952-563-8575.

Quick mention: KBEM’s REEL Jazz film series is back, bringing jazz films to town you won’t see anywhere else. Next up, film historian-preservationist Bob DeFlores hosts a screening of “Ladies Sing the Blues,” a late 1980s documentary featuring rare footage from the DeFlores film archive and narration by Leigh Kamman. Don’t be surprised if Kamman is in the house. Thursday, Oct. 1, Bryant-Lake Bowl, doors open at 6 p.m., live jazz at 6:20, film at 7. ($10; reserve by sending an email to KevinB@Jazz88fm.com).

Pamela Espeland keeps a Twin Cities live jazz calendar and blogs about jazz at Bebopified. She tweets about jazz on Twitter.