The old and the new generation of jazz, as well as dozens of artists for all tastes, will rub shoulders on the stages of the next Festival international de jazz de Montréal (FIJM), from June 29 to July 8. Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock, Buddy Guy, Robert Plant
The line-up for the 43rd Montreal Jazz Festival is as extensive as it is varied. Jazz has an increased presence there, but many music lovers, regardless of their preferences, should find what they are looking for, both indoors and during free outdoor shows. “This is one of the most exciting lineups of the past 10 years,” says Maurin Auxéméry, the event’s new programming director.
One of the great prides of the team of FIJM programmers lies in the meeting between the old and the new guard of jazz music: “We were able to get the up and comings of the scene, while maintaining a beautiful make way for our OGs, our originals, says Maurin Auxéméry. We have a real balance. »
Thus, at the top of the poster sits Robert Plant
Other well-established artists from different musical affiliations complete the list of headliners, including Vance Joy, Christine and the Queens, Badbadnotgood, Orville Peck, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Natalia Lafourcade, Marisa Monte and Montrealer Jean-Michel Blais. “I think we are reaching a lot of people with this program,” said Mr. Auxéméry. But the common thread, for us, is music that is exciting and exciting, that has a lot of color. »
Two-thirds of the more than 350 FIJM concerts will be presented free of charge on one of the outdoor stages. This will notably be the case for the concerts of the star Thundercat, Jean-Michel Blais, Canadians Badbadnotgood, Vance Joy and a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, on the main stage of the festival. Young New York singer Danielle Ponder, emerging jazz artist Endea Owens and singer R
Festival-goers will be able to discover many rising stars of the jazz scene next summer. This year’s Grammy winner for Discovery of the Year, Samara Joy, will notably be performing at the Monument-National.
Like this 23-year-old jazz singer, the FIJM audience is getting younger. “Statistically, we can see it,” says Maurin Auxéméry. It will continue, with the presence of artists like Thundercat or Badbadnotgood. In general, there are many borders that are being erased in the way of consuming music and festivals. He cites the example of Ludovico Einaudi, present at the festival last year, who was able to attract festival-goers of very different ages to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.
This year, artists like Tiny Habits will come directly to Generation Z. The American folk group from Boston is one of those takes on the festival that programmers see as a kind of bet for the future, convinced that these artists are on the eve of to achieve great success. “That’s what happened with Rosalia,” recalls Maurin Auxéméry. His first date in North America was with us. And it wasn’t Rosalia from [the ultrapopular song] Malamente, it was Rosalia la flamenca. »
In the series of free shows, we will notably find at Studio TD Gentiane MG, Naïssam Jalal, Mali Obomsawin, Oscar Jerome, Theon Cross, Brandee Younger, CARRTOONS
In all, nearly a dozen stages will host free concerts. The festival model, which mainly focuses on this free offer, has been somewhat undermined in recent years. In addition, the competition is fierce between all the events of the genre, which take place during the same period. But the organization persists in presenting a program that is sometimes tucked away, sometimes accessible, mostly outdoors, for shows that everyone can attend.
“The context is not obvious, but we want to create the most exciting programming possible, always keeping this idea of the democratization of music, adds Maurin Auxéméry. We are proud of the work accomplished. I think we managed to deliver a program that will make Montrealers and tourists go crazy. »
Tickets for paid concerts go on sale Thursday, April 6 at 10 a.m.
