Kicking off this weekend, the fest -- which swells to 12 days this year -- will present more than 650 shows spread across nearly two dozen stages, making it North America's most expansive music event.
“Our festival differs from most of the others in that it's not a package deal in any way," says artistic director Andre Menard, who launched the concept 31 years ago. “We decided a long time ago that it would be an interesting laboratory to have separate box offices for every show and to have no multiple bills, which means no time limits on artists, who can play whatever they wish."
The festival has no shortage of prestigious jazz names -- from Sonny Rollins, who headlines a show at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on Sunday, to Keith Jarrett, a headliner July 3. But attendees will also see a smattering of marquee names from the mainstream, including Cyndi Lauper, Boz Scaggs, the Doobie Brothers and Brian Setzer, the headliner of tonight's free kickoff program.
“Festivals can be a bit like supermarkets in their presentation of music, but there's definitely more consideration for the artist (in Montreal)," says guitarist Ralph Towner, who performs Saturday. “When times are tough, some lose their fundamental interest in improvised music, but that commitment remains strong in Montreal."
Indeed, for every purveyor of smooth sounds, this year's festival offers a spikier alternative -- many included among the 360 or so free performances sprinkled across the 12 days. The more adventurous bookings include a large-hall teaming of avant godfather John Zorn, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, and a rare Canadian appearance by Polish trumpet master Tomasz Stanko, who's making his Montreal debut.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
