Montreal Musician and Musical Instrument Show (MMMIS) - Two extra activities on the program!

Montreal, Monday, July 4, 2005 – The first Montreal Musician and Musical Instrument Show (MMMIS) will be presented in collaboration with General Motors of Canada, Thursday, July 7 and will run through July 10. This event has already generated so much interest that we’ve added two new free activities to the previously announced program: an up close and personal Rencontre with record-jacket designer Gary Burden and a Workshop with drummer Keith Harris of the Black Eyed Peas!

Meet Gary Burden
Visitors to the first annual MMMIS will be able to attend an exclusive interview by journalist Claude Côté with the well-known creator of LP covers, Gary Burden on July 8 at 9 p.m. in the Amphithéâtre at complexe Desjardins. Gary Burden’s work is presently the subject of an exhibit that’s been touring Chicago, Dallas, New York, Toronto and now Montréal with 14 of his greatest works, organized by Domtar especially for the MMMIS. The exhibit is comprised of 47’’ × 47’’ reproductions on Domtar environmentally friendly paper, and include the cover art for albums such as the Eagles’ Desperado, On the Border and One of These Nights; The Doors’ Morrison Hotel; Joni Mitchell’s Blue; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s Déjà Vu, and Steppenwolf’s Steppenwolf the Second, to name just a few. The exhibit will take place in the Jardin Domtar (close to the Festival site at 395, de Maisonneuve West). Burden has supplied thoughtful texts to accompany the reproductions, each containing personal anecdotes and quotations from the recording artists themselves. It’s all sure to bring back vivid memories.

The Rencontres Series has been organized for festival goers to gain intimate access to some of the world’s great musicians through personal interviews with artists performing at this year’s Fest. They include: John McLaughlin (July 4), Pat Metheny (July 7) and Oliver Jones (July 10), interviewed by Katie Malloch, as well as Jim Marshall (July 7) to be interviewed by Claude Côté. These friendly and exclusive encounters are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but you’ll need a pass to attend. Passes can be obtained by visiting the exhibitors’ stands at the MMMIS, Steve’s Music Store or Archambault (Berri). You can also obtain passes through our media partners by entering the contest on the event’s Internet site at: www.simmm.ca.

A workshop with the Black Eyed Peas’ drummer
Claude Côté will host a workshop with Keith Harris, drummer for the group Black Eyed Peas. Presented by Steve’s Music Store in collaboration with Sabian, it will take place on July 9 at 2:30 p.m. in the Amphithéâtre at complexe Desjardins. It’s an extraordinary chance to get advice from a master musician with over 400 shows to his credit and a vast range of styles at his fingertips, from hip-hop to jazz, reggae, soul and funk. The L.A. native is presently enjoying a huge following throughout Europe where some 4 million copies of his latest album, Elephunk, have been sold.

A number of other workshops will be presented in the Amphithéâtre at complexe Desjardins. Each session can handle up to 70 people. Besides Keith Harris (July 9), don’t miss the opportunity to meet up with trumpet players Terence Blanchard and Paolo Fresu (July 7), saxophonist David Sanchez (July 7), bassist Michel Donato (July 8), and fabulous singer Dawn Tyler Watson (July 7). Musician/host Jean Pierre Zanella will induce artists to talk about their instruments, as will Claude Côté in interviews with D.J. Mana (July 9), pianist Lorraine Desmarais (July 9, on the Grande Scène) and guitarist Sylvain Luc, presented by Guitares Godin (July 9). Guitarist Kaki King will also be interviewed in the context of the series on July 5, although that event will take place in the Salon Jeanne-Mance at the Hyatt Regency Montréal hotel. Admission is free.

The MMMIS is entirely free of charge, from July 7 to 10, 2005 The Montreal Musician and Musical Instrument Show is free of charge and takes place from July 7 until the last day of the Festival at the complexe Desjardins’ Grande-Place The wide-ranging event is intended to promote music-making among the general public, to give people the chance to sample the instruments of over 40 instrument exhibitors and also to attend workshops with renowned artists. The show is non-profit and designed to further consolidate Montreal and its unique Jazz Festival as a universal musical center.

The MMMIS will be comprised of 35 activities that give the public the chance to meet amateur, professional and world-famous musicians; professional instrument manufacturers; equipment and accessories’ manufacturers; distributors and retailers. It’s also a great place to discover the very latest in technical innovations!

40 exhibitors’ stands will be set up at the complexe Desjardins’ Grande-Place in the complexe Desjardins. Visitors can sample instruments and attend interviews with world-famous musicians. There will be acoustic guitar jam sessions with Paul Deslauriers and a percussion jam session ‘The Drum Circle,’ presented by Steve’s Music Store. There will also be an accelerated guitar course with René Gilbert, presented by Guitares Godin. Furthermore, the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus will stop by from July 4 to 6 in the SDM Park. And don’t forget the Concours SIMMM, where visitors stand to win over $6500 in instruments and accessories. To take part in the MMMIS auction, visit www.ebay.ca.

For more concerning the MMMIS, please visit the Internet site at www.mmmis.ca.

This first edition of the Montreal Musician and Musical Instrument Show is entirely free of charge and takes place from July 7 to 10 as part of the 26th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Don’t miss it!

Source:
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal – Press Room : (514) 288 5544

Media Information:
Myriam Achard, Media Relations Director - (514) 288 5544 ; [email protected]
Marie Eve Boisvert, Press Attachée - (514) 288 5544 ; [email protected]
Sophie Desbiens, International and Travel Media Relations – (514) 288 5544 ; [email protected]
Alain Des Ruisseaux, Press Attaché – (514) 288 5544 ; [email protected]

Public Information: Bell Info Jazz Line – (514) 871 1881 or toll free 1 888 515 0515 ; www.montrealjazzfest.com