Archives du Festival
Nothing but good news…
30-05-2017
For the past 38 years, during summertime, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal brings our city nothing but good news!
We’ve already announced the indoor line-up, but how about a quick recap? The Tigran-Colin Stetson double bill in the Maison symphonique. The undeniable Joey Bada$$ in Métropolis. Thievery Corporation in the splendor of Wilfrid-Pelletier. Tony Allen, drummer and founder of Afrobeat with Fela, pays tribute to his mentor Art Blakey. The triumphant Montreal return of Dessy Di Lauro and Ric’key Pageot (Madonna’s keyboardist!) with their project Parlor Social. A high-voltage Invitation series with The Bad Plus, John Pizzarelli and Ravi Coltrane. The Barr Brothers’ African project with Bassekou Kouyaté and Amy Sacko. The Eastern electronica of Acid Arab. And many more!
We’re also launching a new series: RE: creation, in which we’ve asked a number of artists to recreate other artists’ repertoires. Excellent pianist Jean-Michel Blais recreates the minimalisme (s) of Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt and Steve Reich, among others, with special guests CFCF, Foxtrott and Bufflo. French classical pianist Maxence Cyrin presents Variations on the music of Aphex Twin on solo piano. Misc revisits the repertoire of James Blake. John Roney recreates Keith Jarrett’s famed Köln Concert. Jesse Mac Cormack incarnates Muddy Waters for one evening. Blick Bassy plays Skip James. These, quite simply, are not to be missed.
2017 is also an anniversary year. We’ll kick off the Festival on June 28 with a 100% Montreal Playlist in celebration of the 375th anniversary of our favourite city. More details are coming in a few days… so you’ll have to wait and see!
It’s also the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Naturally, we thought we had to mark it with a massive celebration! On July 1, the Place des Festivals will be transformed into a gigantic Discotheque! Under the musical direction of DJ Champion and Alex McMahon and stage direction of Yann Perreau, Carly Rae Jepsen, Men Without Hats, Muzion, Radio Radio and many more launch into the greatest hits of Canadian dance music accompanied by a group of 24 musicians and 50 dancers!! Paaaaarty!!!!
And that doesn’t include the highly recommended Walk Off The Earth (TD Special Event on July 4), and the new darling of urban music fans, the incredible Anderson. Paak (Rio Tinto Closing Concert on July 8)!!!
On the free outdoor stage, you won’t want to miss Betty Bonifassi, French scat champion Camille Bertault, American singer Aubrey Logan (who caused an online sensation with her cover of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis), the daily parade by the Urban Science Brass Band, reviving hip-hop classics, the groovy Valaire, a deeply-felt tribute to the late, lamented Québécois blues figure Bob Walsh with Guy Bélanger and Jean-Fernand Girard, with Bélanger also jamming every evening at midnight in the Lounge Heineken. And don’t miss the incredible A-Wa from Israel, Puerto Rico’s ÌFÉ, setting the world’s music blogs on fire, rocker Lee Aaron in her blues incarnation, the languorous jazz of vibraphonist Jean Vanasse, the groovy jazz of Laurent Coulondre, gypsy jazz from Gypsophilia, Sarah Vaughan Competition winner Deelee Dubé and hundreds more!!!
From noon ‘til late in the evening, the 38th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal will keep you busy and excited night and day. And no fear, you’ll have the rest of the year to catch your breath…
Laurent Saulnier, Vice-president Programming