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The Festival
International de Jazz de Montréal is thrilled 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 musical roots, 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. There is more 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
Toll-free: 1 888 515 0515
Or visit
www.montrealjazzfest.com
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