Archives du Festival
A new series of colourful artists added!
24-04-2019
The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Rio Tinto, brings a little springtime sunshine into your day with this third wave of artists announced as part of the program of its 40th edition, from June 27 to July 6, 2019. Tickets for these remarkably varied concerts go on sale Friday, March 29 at 10 a.m.
Blue Rodeo. Opening act: Elisapie — June 28, 7:30 p.m., Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts — Since their formation, Blue Rodeo have blazed a trail across the Canadian music scene, selling more than 4 million albums over the past 35 years. Their most recent, 1000 Arms, marks a return to harmonies sung in duet or call and response. And even though the bands two leaders, Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, have seen several musicians move in and out of the combo, they’ve never lost their cohesion. A true gem of Canadian country rock music. Opening act: the intense and touching Elisapie, ambassador of Inuit culture, brings the very poetic pieces from her latest album — The Ballad of the Runaway Girl — to Place des Arts.
Événements spéciaux TD series
Stacy Kent Symphonique — June 30, 7 p.m., Maison symphonique, Place des Arts — An orchestral project by this American singer, I Know I Dream combines classics of bossa nova, French chanson, standards from the “Great American Songbook”, and original compositions written by her husband, saxophonist Jim Tomlinson. Lyrics are by major figures: Kazuo Ishiguro (Nobel Prize for Literature in 2017), poet Antonio Ladeira and Nashville songwriter Cliff Goldmacher. Her sensual voice, limpid and fluid, colored by swing and jazz, draws the audience into a sweet reverie they never want to leave. For this unique show, the singer will be accompanied for the first time by an orchestra.
Le Festival à la Maison symphonique Delta Air Lines series
Brad Mehldau Quintet featuring Ambrose Akimusire, Joel Frahm, Joe Sanders & Leon Parker — June 27, 7 p.m., Maison symphonique, Place des Arts — Ahead of some carefully selected summer dates, Brad Mehldau assembled a special quintet featuring some of his favorite instrumentalists: trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, saxophonist Joel Frahm, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Leon Parker. A one-of-a-kind ensemble of musical leaders, this project opens up an entirely new realm of expression for the virtuoso pianist.
Le Festival à la Maison symphonique Delta Air Lines series
Leslie Odom Jr. | Dominique Fils-Aimé — July 6, 8 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts — Multi-faceted artist Leslie Odom Jr. made his mark on Broadway with his role as Aaron Burr in acclaimed musical Hamilton, winning a Tony Award for his performance. We’ve also seen him on the silver screen (Murder on the Orient Express) and on TV (Smash, CSI: Miami, Persons of Interest). His debut self-titled album soared to #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart, a feat repeated by his second release, Simply Christmas.
A year after her brilliant performance at the Festival, Dominique Fils-Aimé brings us songs from Stay Tuned!, the second album in her trilogy, released this past February 22. Stay Tuned! Is a reminder and call for revolution. Aiming to soar beyond standards and traditional songs, Dominique unveils a show focused on musical freedom musical forms.
Les Grands concerts Rio Tinto series
Chucho Valdes, Jazz Batá. Opening act: Edmar Castaneda trio — June 28, 7 p.m., Maison symphonique, Place des Arts — One of the most influential personalities in Afro-Cuban jazz, pianist, composer and arranger Chucho Valdés first made an impression with Irakere, the first Cuban band to win a Grammy. At 77, he remains fiercely active having started the Trance tour last year and launched Jazz Batá 2, an album featuring a trio of pianists accompanied by Batá, the double-headed hourglass drums used in the rituals of the Santería.
Le Festival à la Maison symphonique Delta Air Lines series
Double bill: Ravi Coltrane Quartet | Antonio Sanchez & Migration — June 30, 8 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts — Over the course of a prolific career, saxophonist, band leader, producer and composer Ravi Coltrane has made his bones as an accompanist, of course, but also recorded a slew of remarkable albums in addition to founding the major independent label RKM. His mother Alice had a tremendous influence on her son, and vice versa; he was the one to encourage her to return to the studio after a long absence. Ravi played on and produced her powerful film Translinear Light, released in 2004. He comes back to the Festival after two years!
On his latest album, Lines in the Sand, Mexican drummer/composer Antonio Sanchez explores the injustices and horrors experienced by immigrants from the south pushed back by the belligerent policies of US president Trump, even using recordings from police raids. Composer of the splendid film soundtrack to Birdman, he continues to channel his anger in textured and evocative music, a response to North American turmoil.
Les Grands concerts Rio Tinto series
Strumbellas. Opening act: Elliot Maginot — June 27, 8:30 p.m., MTELUS — This Toronto squad has been on a roll since the international success of Spirits, earning a Juno for Song of the Year, beating out Drake, The Weeknd and Shawn Mendes. Their fourth album, Rattlesnake, released this year, reflects the evolution of the sextet and lifts their folk to another level, speedier and more playful, resolutely optimistic, although still focused on the acoustic guitar. Opening act: Elliot Maginot presents the songs of his second opus, Comrades, a more pop album with sounds reminiscent of Phil Collins, The War On Drugs and Peter Gabriel.
Les Rythmes series
Jacob Collier. Opening act: Madison McFerrin — July 2, 9 p.m., Club Soda — A series of viral YouTube videos propelled young prodigy Jacob Collier to stardom, also catching the eye and ear of the legendary Quincy Jones. In 2016, Collier released the album In My Room, on which he singed and played multiple instruments. This album, which he recorded in his childhood bedroom, has eventually lead to collaborations with Herbie Hancock and Hans Zimmer. On New Year’s Day 2018, Collier launched into the daring Djesse, a four-album cycle composed entirely in 2018, featuring musical contributions from all over the world. On these four albums, Collier adopt the idea of globalization, plays with it and lives it through songs that fight for something – music, and its power to remind us of the bonds we all share: the pains and joys of being human at all.
Les Couleurs SAQ series
Alex Henry Foster. Opening act: Sheenah Ko — July 5, 9 p.m., Club Soda — Alex Henry Foster is a Canadian musician, singer-songwriter and producer, better known as leader of post-rock/noise group Your Favorite Enemies. A fervent advocate for human rights, Foster has worked as a very active spokesman over the past decade in denouncing racism, the growth of street gangs – where he spent his teen years – and the resurgence of populism and extremism, among other issues. On November 9, 2018, Foster released his debut solo album, an intimate, poetic collection addressing peace, faith and hope through the lens of grief, depression and suffering. Opening act: atmospheric and emotional music by Sheenah Ko, also known as keyboardist for The Besnard Lakes.
Les Couleurs SAQ series
Yungblud — July 6, 9 p.m., Club Soda — Doncaster UK artist Yungblud has fired up the world of rock with a vital new energy. Born Dominic Harrison, Yungblud spent most of 2018 on the road, spreading an anti-conformist message to a growing audience thanks to his powerhouse energy and irresistible charisma and stage presence. In July 2018, his debut album 21st Century Liability channeled Foster’s energy into provocative, catchy songs. Already working on his sophomore release, Yungblud draws inspiration from stories his fans tell him on the road. His goal is for his music to be a conversation – a spark to unite people into a strong new community.
Les Couleurs SAQ series
Marianne Trudel and Karen Young, Portraits: Songs of Joni Mitchell — June 29, 6 p.m., L’Astral — Best known as a jazz singer, Karen Young is also a gifted musician. Blessed with a deep sensitivity, she has explored all forms of music. Never one to turn down a musical challenge, she has sung in more than 20 languages on over 40 albums. Marianne Trudel is a pianist, composer, improviser and arranger, a true dynamo on the instrumental music scene in Canada, active here and abroad. These two extraordinary artists unite to revisit the Joni Mitchell — who just turned 75 — repertoire in a movingly original show.
TD Jazz d’ici La Presse+ in collaboration with ICI Musique series
Tamino — July 2, 10 p.m., L’Astral — A genuine revelation on the Flemish scene, Tamino has been crushing it since the release of Habibi, an EP that unveils a stunning voice and a deep musical sensibility. The young singer-songwriter of Egyptian extraction has been hailed with universal praise. On his first album, Amir, he was accompanied by a collective of mainly Middle Eastern musicians, some of whom have refugee status in Belgium. “An enigmatic romanticism bolstered by with Asian accents,” according to Les Inrocks.
Le Club Heineken in collaboration with Stingray series
PJ Morton — July 5, 10 p.m., L’Astral — PJ Morton is the buzziest man in R&B. Sure, he’s performed alongside Maroon 5 and collaborated with the likes of legend Stevie Wonder, Solange and Erykah Badu, but his solo career also took off with the albums Gumbo and Gumbo Unplugged, racking up Grammy nominations in the past two years. Also in 2018, PJ dropped a notable performance in NPR’s Tiny Desk. In November 2018, Morton released the perfect holiday gem Christmas with PJ Morton.
Le Club Heineken in collaboration with Stingray series