by Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette, April 3rd, 2023
Maurin Auxéméry, who replaces Laurent Saulnier at the head of the FIJM programming, wants to put the jazz back in the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The new director of programming at one of the world’s leading jazz fests is bringing the festival back to its roots.
Of course, there’s always been plenty of jazz at the event, but there’s also been loads of high-profile pop, rock, blues and world music artists on the main stages both indoors and outdoors. There is some pop again this year, most notably a much-anticipated concert with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss July 7 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier of Place des Arts, with the classic-rock icon and the bluegrass singer performing songs from their second album together, Raise the Roof. But there is most definitely a renewed focus on jazz artists at the festival, which is set for June 29 to July 8.
"We have a few series where many people will probably be like, ‘Who are these musicians? Who are these artists?’ But we know these people will be the next generation of Herbies and Dianas. It’s adding some spices everywhere. It’s to give ourselves the freedom to add our own colour to the festival."
Note : Theon Cross (top picture) will be performing in 2023, so will The Bad Plus, BADBADNOTGOOD, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall, Melody Gardot, Thundercat, Ibrahim Maalouf, Avishai Cohen Trio, Alain Caron, Colin Stetson, John Scofield, Vijay Iyer, Mark Giuliana, Rémi Bolduc, Gentiane MG...
Read more about this on The Gazette's website, where this article was initially published.
PHOTO BY DAVE SIDAWAY /Montreal Gazette
Highlights from the 2022 edition, with Kamasi Washington
Comentarios