44th Montreal International Jazz Festival | Andre 3000, Orville Beck and Laffey in jazz

Orville Beck, Andre 3000, Norah Jones, Robert Glasper, Laffey et al… The 44^e Between June 27 and July 6, the Montreal International Jazz Festival (FIJM) will welcome diverse artists from the jazz scene and all its derivatives. Here are five highlights of FIJM's 2024 plan released on Tuesday.

Big names on the poster

In the heart of Montreal, more than 350 acts will be presented as part of the Summer Jazz Festival. Two-thirds of these concerts are offered free of charge. Festival-goers will once again have a chance to see famous artists on the outdoor stages of the Place des Festivals. In particular, during a big concert on the main stage (TT stage), they can resume their missed meeting with country musician Orville Beck (who canceled his tour last year). Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson will bring her captivating modern R&B to the same stage. For one more free concert, popular American rapper Freddie Gibbs, along with El Michaels Affair, will take to the TD stage the following day, followed by Robert Glasper (with his guests) and The Sacred Souls the following day. Andre 3000, one of the two members of Outkast, was one of the best catches of this year's FIJM, with his amazing flute album, a cross between new age and jazz, in the Wifrid-Pelletier room. In the same room, just before Pink Martini, Norah Jones will perform two consecutive shows, and she will perform both concerts.

The local scene shines

If the Jazz Festival offers a chance to see top international artists in Montreal, this is a chance to see local talent perform on the same stages as the Orville Becks and Norah Jones of this world. Martha Wainwright will open two shows of Norah Jones. Pianist Aleksandra Strelisky, whose reputation continues to grow outside our borders, will present two concerts with chamber orchestra at the Maison Symphonique. A few days earlier, Leif Wohlbeck will kick off the festival at the Maison Symphonique with a presentation of his brand new album. Currently winning European audiences, Élisabeth will return to Quebec in the coming months, one of which will be presented at Théâtre Maisonneuve as part of FIJM. Dominique Fils-Aimé, Helena Deland, Kid Koala (for three concerts), Geoffroy and Planet Giza are also on the bill, while Apashe and his brass band will take to the main outdoor stage for the large-scale concert. Already announced, the musical tribute to Jean-Marc Vallée, bringing together Elisabbie, Alexandra Strelisky, Martha Wainwright, Peiris and Maxime Le Flaquaise, promises an emotional evening.

Jazz, jazz and jazz

The jazz scene takes up a good portion of the bill. Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Norah Jones, Pink Martini and Marcus Miller, some of whom are festival regulars, will all be in Montreal next summer. One of jazz's favorite upstarts, Icelander Lafi, will give two concerts instead of one: the first, matinee, at the Maison Symphonique, and the next, the same day, at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. The list is long and includes French jazz-funk group Cortex, American trumpeter Keon Harrold (who has worked with Erykah Badu, Jay-Z and Beyoncé) and a duo formed by young trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and bassist Dave Holland. British Shabaka, Andre 3000, and American multi-instrumentalist Chief Adjuah ​​echo the sound of the flute at FIJM. A tribute will be paid to legend (and great FIJM regular) Oliver Jones during the event titled Oliver Jones at 90: A celebration with friends. About twenty artists will take the stage at the Jean-Duceppe Theater to honor the Montreal musician.

Finds and Favorites

One of the discoveries to be made during this long summer week is surely Yasmin Lacey, a British singer in her thirties who recently arrived in the music world, whose jazz and soul will convince many a festival goer. Even lesser known, but worthy of attention, are experimental pop artists L'Raine and Chaya Grey, cellist Aneesa Strings or poet Aja Monet (who also participated in the series Small table (Awesome from NPR) will all host a program called Discovery in the evenings at Studio TD. Some of the artists on the program don't quite meet the definition of jazz or its more distant descendants. Among them are Kurt Vile and The Violators, a rock band that the public can see on MTELUS. In the same room, Baltimore group Future Islands will perform the closing show on the final day of FIJM. Malian Vieux Farka Touré, Nigerian group Etran de l'Aïr and South African group The Brother Moves On will be on the stages of FIJM to represent their corner of Africa, once again providing a great venue for artists from the continent. .

From hip-hop to jazz

Still popular in the music landscape, hip-hop is back in the spotlight with festival performances. Killer Mike is expected at MTELUS, Eric The Architect will play at Club Soda. Planet Giza, representative of the local scene, will make their first appearance at FIJM during a free concert at the end of the evening in the middle of the festival. Rising R&B singer Yaya Bey from Brooklyn opens the festival on June 27, opening for popular Australian neo-soul band Hiatus Kaiyote on the main stage.

Tickets for the paid concerts will go on sale on April 12 at 10 am.