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| 29th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal is thrilled today to unveil the exciting free outdoor program of its 29th edition-dedicated to the late Oscar Peterson, who passed away last winter- set once again to bring the streets of Montreal to life, from Thursday, June 26 to Sunday, July 6, 2008! As we prepare for the 30th anniversary of the Festival, organizers have once again conceived and created a rich and varied program of exhilarating and original concerts and activities. Over 11 days and nights, the downtown core of our metropolis throws its arms open to fans of jazz and its root musics, as we celebrate our love for music together. Drawn by a program of 701 performances - 376 of them free - offered by 3000 musicians from 30 countries, over 250, 000 tourists from five continents will fill the downtown core in a few brief weeks, ready to transform a year's worth of anticipation into 11 days of celebration! Whether it's to join in the daily Louisiana Parade, dive into the crowd during one of the three free Grands événements mega-concerts, groove to a jam session, join Armand Vaillancourt in painting an immense mural along Jeanne-Mance Street, start the day with the Petite école du jazz, end the evening with a jazz cruise or to hear the greatest jazz legends and up-and-coming artists from near and far, Montrealers and guests will be musically fulfilled! A Festival bursting with new additions! The program and the outdoor site have both undergone some changes for this edition. Please note expanded entertainment, especially on Jeanne-Mance St., the Pavillon Heineken, a magical 100% collapsible venue inspired by antique Spiegel Tents, and even more gigantic screens strategically placed throughout the site to optimize enjoyment of our outdoor shows-including our three renowned major mega-concerts. And let's not forget the revamped Parc musical Rio Tinto Alcan, which not only offers a greater range of games for children, but invites young and older kids to a continuous slate of brand-new activities all day long, from noon to 10 p.m.! Thanks to a collaboration with Jeunesses Musicales Canada-and entirely in keeping with the Festival's broadened mandate to promote and encourage musical practice, notably through the SIMM-children aged 0-6 will be invited to Parc musical tent for an exciting "musical awakening"; meanwhile, older kids (aged 7-12) can visit the tent next door to join in group percussion, all under the supervision of JMC teachers. Now that's the perfect way to get them started on music! The Festival site will feature a dozen stages for free open-air concerts-in addition to over 15 indoor concert venues-offering Festival fans 50 concerts per day in ideal conditions. The square formed by the streets bordering on Place des Arts will be closed to automobile traffic for the duration of the Festival, allowing everyone to move freely among the many activities available in the downtown core. The indoor concerts already on sale! The range of major names on the 29th edition marquee is breathtaking: from Aretha Franklin to Woody Allen and including the likes of Leonard Cohen, Return To Forever, Abbey Lincoln, Dianne Reeves, James Taylor, Lee "Scratch" Perry, The Wailers, David Murray, Michel Donato, Guy Nadon, Ravi Coltrane, Coral Egan, Steely Dan, Katie Melua, Yael Naim, the double program featuring Al Green / Lizz Wright, and the return of Lewis Furey, the Festival hosts a galaxy of greats! From the purest jazz to the most inspired hybrids, from classics to newcomers, this Festival is where the greatest living jazz musicians meet! This year, Festival organizers will dedicate the 29th edition to the late Oscar Peterson, who passed away last winter. The absence of this great Canadian and jazz colossus will be marked notably by the Invitation Rio Tinto Alcan series, featuring a number of illustrious pianists, with Hank Jones, McCoy Tyner and Dave Brubeck splitting up nine concerts, and welcoming Brad Mehldau and Oliver Jones, among others. Moreover, this year, a different type of "invitation" was extended to selected artists: Daniel Lanois and Brad Mehldau will perform in their favourite venues, offering different musical perspectives in different settings throughout the Festival! Info-Jazz Bell: indispensable information tools ------------------------ Grouped together under the banner Info-Jazz Bell, information tools for the Festival are easily accessed by anyone who wants to know everything that's happening at the biggest jazz festival in the world. The general public is cordially invited to call the Bell Info-Jazz Line at: << - Montreal Region: 514 871-1881 - Long-distance calls made from within Canada (toll-free): 1 888 515-0515 - Or visit montrealjazzfest.com write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |