mu·sic

[ˈmyo͞ozik]

Vocal or instrumental sounds combined to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.

June 28 to July 8, 2017

The 38th edition of the Montréal Jazz Fest will possess all the beauty of form, harmony, and expression that jazz fanatics, blues believers, folk devotees and fans of world music have come to expect. Whether your bag is an intimate club or vertiginous multi-tiered venue, whether you’re into rock, R&B, or have an abiding interest in a particular form or instrument, you’re guaranteed to find something extraordinary during the 11-day musical love-fest in Canada’s most sophisticated city.

Find Your Bliss

Thousands of fans will flood the world’s largest jazz festival to revel in over 500 concerts (2/3 are free) presented on 20 indoor and outdoor stages in the heart of downtown, as the sprawling Place des Festivals closes to traffic and becomes a walkable, urban oasis.

Family Friendly

Children’s musical installations combine playtime, technology and interactive performances. The Little School of Jazz invites kids of all ages to participate in a musical initiation – always fun to watch. Blues Camp is a free day camp for 50 young people ages 13-17 that invites kids to live out their musical passion for a week – and everyone enjoys the fruit of their labor at the grand finale.

Green and Sustainable

The festival is increasingly green, with 25 years of environmental initiatives and responsible festival management. Their commitment to using organic products, biodegradable dishes and utensils, rainwater collection, composting, and local sourcing of 90-95% foods won them a 2016 Vivats award for sustainable environmental stewardship … impressive!

Sound & Spectacle

Okay, it’s a “jazz festival,” but the lineup is far more diverse – 2017 headliners include Buddy Guy, Bob Dylan, Feist, Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone, Robert Glasper, King Crimson, Walk Off The Earth, Tanya Tagaq, Xenia Rubinos, Anderson Paak & The Free Nationals, Joey Bada$$, The Four Tops, Thievery Corporation, and The Barr Brothers. I can’t wait to see Charles Bradley, who’s “on” while I’m in town. I’m sad to miss legends Bob Dylan and Melissa Etheridge, but here’s the good news: You can still make it!

Range of Delight

Montreal Jazz Festival offers hundreds of free concerts, including Pokey LaFarge, my favorite. You can spend June 28 – July 8 catching dozens of outdoor gigs a day on stages set up in various outdoor squares around the Quartier des Spectacles without spending a dime. We’ve done the festival at the high end, and on the cheap — it works, either way.

Festival Honors

This year, the festival honors exceptional musical contributions by Charlie Musselwhite (left), Lizz Wright, Jack DeJohnette, Buika and Christine Jensen, as well as the remarkable oeuvre of Michael Bourne. During this 38th edition, winners will be presented with the B.B. King Award, Ella Fitzgerald Award, Miles Davis Award, Antonio Carlos Jobim Award, Oscar Peterson Award and Bruce Lundvall Awards — moving and fun to watch.

World Class Lineup

The line-up to date follows, below, an ever-expanding, star-studded array of colossal musicianship that will be arriving from every corner of the globe for Summer 2017!

Accoules Sax•Acid Arab •Adam Birnbaum•Adam Cruz•Adam Rogers•Afrikana Soul Sister•AfrotroniX•Al Bourgeois•Al McLean•Alan Springer•Alex Bellegarde•Alex McMahon•Alfredo Rodríguez•Alicia Olatuja•Aliocha•Allison Au•Ambrose Akinmusire•Amy Sacko•Anderson .Paak•Andrea Lindsay•Andrée Dupré•Another Side•Ariel Pocock•Aron Ottignon •Arturo Sandoval•Atlantis Jazz Ensemble•Aubrey Logan•A-WA•Bad Plus (The)•Barbara Diab•Barbra Lica•Bareto•Barr Brothers (The)•Bassekou Kouyaté•Ben Monder•Ben Solomon •Ben Street•Benjamin Deschamps•Beth McKenna•Betty Bonifassi•Big Band Collège Lionel-Groulx•Big Band Intersection•Big Band Montcalm•Bill Frisell•Billy Georgette•Binker and Moses•Bixiga 70•Blick Bassy•Blue Moon Marquee•Bob Dylan•Bob Ricci•Bobby Bazini•Body Talk•Bokanté•Brad Cheeseman•Brandi Disterheft•BrassDrumBone•Bria Skonberg•Brian Blade•Brisa Roché•Brody Buster•Brooks (The)•BROS •Buddy Guy•Buffalo Hat Singers•Buika•Cab Calloway Orchestra•Camille Bertault•Camp de blues•Caravan Palace•Carla Bley•Carlos Jiménez•Carlos Veiga•Carly Rae Jepsen•Carolyn Fe•Catherine Russell•Cécile Doo-Kingué•Champion•Charles Bradley•Charles Lloyd•Charlie Musselwhite•Charlotte Cardin•Charlotte Day Wilson•Chet Doxas•Chiquita Magic•Chouk Bwa Libète•Christian Lane•Christian McBride•Christine Jensen•Coco Méliès•Colin Stetson•Combo D•Concept Jazz Big Band•Connie Han•Cordell Henebury•Cory Henry•Coyote Bill•Cuban Martinez Show (The)•Curtis Lundy•Daniel Clarke Bouchard •Daniel Freedman•Daniel Jobim•Danilo Pérez•Dave Douglas•David Virelles•Dawn Tyler Watson•Deelee Dubé•Deluxe•Dennis Hamm•Dessy Di Lauro•Diana Krall•Dinosaur•Dixieband (Le)•Dixieland Band•Django Reinhardt Allstars (The)•Djmawi Africa•D-Lounge •Donny McCaslin•Dwane Dixon•Dwight Grant•E.J. Strickland•École secondaire André-Laurendeau•Edmar Castaneda •Elena Roger•ensemble de jazz du CSA (L’)•Eric Allen •Eric Harland•Escalandrum•Esmerine•Essiet Essiet•Face-T•Fast Romantics•Feist•Félix Stüssi•Flavia Coelho•Four Tops (The)•Franco Luciani•Franky Selector•Fryr-Tùk•Fuel Junkie•Funkxie Groove•Fwonte•Gabacho Maroc•Gabriel Genest •Gabrielle Shonk •Gentiane MG•Geoffroy•George Cables•Gerald Clayton•Ghost Town Blues Band•Gilad Hekselman•Gilbert Charlebois•Gipsy Kings•Glenn Zaleski•Godboogie•GoGo Penguin•Grand Ensemble Jazz de Saint-Eustache (Le)•Groenland•Guillaume Martineau•Guy Bélanger•Gwilym Simcock•Gypsophilia•Gypsy Sound System•Halie Loren•Harfang•Harlem Gospel Choir•Harold López-Nussa•Harry Manx•Helena Deland•Her•Hichem Khalfa•Hiromi•Huu Bac•ÌFÉ•Imany•Ingrid Jensen•Interzone•Itamar Borochov•Jack Broadbent•Jack DeJohnette•Jacob Collier •Jacob Deraps•Jacques Kuba Séguin•James Gelfand•Jane Bunnett•Jason Davis•Jason Palmer •Jazz Band 1•Jazz Band Saint-Luc•Jazzamboka•Jean Fernand Girard•Jean Millaire•Jean Vanasse•Jean-Michel Blais•Jean-Willy Kunz•Jeremy Pelt•Jesse Cook•Jesse Mac Cormack•Jessica Molaskey•Jim Zeller•Jo Hell•Joe Sullivan•Joel DaSilva and The Midnight Howl•Joey Bada$$ •John Coltrane•John Hollenbeck•John Medeski•John Pizzarelli•John Roney•John Scofield•José González•Joshua Redman•Joss Stone•Jowee Omicil •Just Woân•Justin Saladino•Kalle Mattson•Kalmunity •Kandace Springs•Kat Wright•Kellylee Evans•Kendrick Scott•Kevin Garrett•Kid Koala•Kim Richardson•King Crimson•Knower•KROY•Krzysztof Kobylinski•Kurt Rosenwinkel•La La Land Cast•La petite école du jazz•Larry Grenadier•Laurent Coulondre•Lee Aaron•Les BlueBell Sisters•Lil’ Ed & The Imperials•Lisa Simone•Lizz Wright•Lola Marsh•Lorraine Desmarais•Lost Heroes•Louis Perron•Ludovic Beier•Ludovico Einaudi •Malika Tirolien•Manoel Vieira•Maqueque•Marc Fecteau•Marcel A Trio•Marie-Fatima Rudolf•Mark Guiliana•Mark Leclerc •Mark Sextet•Martin Goyette•Martin K. Petersen•Masashi Usui•Massey-Vanier Jazz 5•Mathieu Rancourt•Matt Andersen•Matt Holubowski•Maxence Cyrin•Melina Soochan•Melissa Etheridge•Men Without Hats•Meredith Marshall•Meryem Saci•Michael Blake•Michael Kaeshammer•Michael League•Michelle Sweeney•Mick Martel•Mirada Flamenco•Misc•Misses Satchmo•Monterey Jazz Festival – Next Generation Jazz Orchestra•Montréal Dixie•Montreal Horn Stars•Montréal Jubilation Gospel Choir•Morgan James•Mr. Boom •MTL Pachangón•Music Is My Sanctuary•Myriad3•Nepean All-City Jazz Band•Nicholas Payton •Nicolas Reyes•Nomadic Massive•Nomad’Stones•Norman Marshall •Notre Dame de Grass•O’Jays (The)•Oktopus•Only a Visitor•Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal•Oscar Williams •Ozias BigBand•Parc X Trio•Parlor Social•Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band•Paulo Ramos•Phronesis•Pierre Blanchard•Pink Martini•Pokey LaFarge•Polly Gibbons•Portico Quartet•Pull-Up Selecta•Puma Blue•Quatuor esca •Quinn Bachand•Rachel Therrien•Radio Radio•Ranee Lee•Raül Refree•Ravi Coltrane•Renee Wilkin•Reuben Rogers•Richard Beaudet •Ric’key Pageot•Robert Glasper•Roberto Fonseca•Robin Eubanks•Rockabilly Rascals•Rodrigo Amarante•Roger Man•Ron Di Lauro•Ron Miles•Ron Seguin•Ron Sexsmith•Rosalía •Royal Pickles•Rudresh Mahanthappa•Salsafolie •Sam Gendel•Sam Wilkes •Sammy Miller & The Congregation•Samson Schmitt•San Fermin •Scott Colley•Seb’s Music Shop•Selwyn Birchwood•Serena Ryder•Shabaka Hutchings•Shobaleader One•Shyre•Sidewalk Chalk•Sienna Dahlen•Siv Jakobsen •Snacker’s Delight•Snooksta•Solid Ground •Somi•Songhoy Blues•Sonido Pesao•Sonny Wolf•Sons of Rhythm•Souljazz Orchestra (The)•Soundshaper•Speakeasy Electro Swing•Stanley Clarke•Stephan Dumont•Steve Hill•Street Meat•Streetnix•Strumbellas (The)•Sugaray Rayford•Superbrass•Sweet Daddy Luv•Sweet Dixie•Swing Tonique Jazz Band•Sylvie Desgroseillers•Tami Neilson•Tanya Tagaq•Taurey Butler•Thanya Iyer•The Brooks•The Deslondes•The Excitements•The Free Nationals•The Johnny Max Band•The Liquor Store•The Neil Cowley Trio•The Rawsoul•The Silveresque Quartet•Theo Bleckmann•Theo Lawrence & The Hearts•Thievery Corporation•Thomas Morgan•Throes + The Shine•Tigran Hamasyan•Togetherness•Tonino Baliardo•Tonique Big Band (Le)•Tony Allen•Tonye•Too Many Zooz •Topium•Trabuco Habanero•Transe Express•Two Timer•Urban Science•Urban Science Brass Band•UZEB•Valaire•Victor Lewis•Victor-Jacques Ménard•Vijay Iyer•Villalobos Brothers•Vincent Stephen-Ong•Vivalda Dula•Walk Off The Earth•Wallace Roney•Wang Dang Doodle•Wax Tailor•Whitehorse•William Monette•Xavier Cugat Orchestra•Xenia Rubinos•XIII•Yann Perreau•Yannick Rieu•Youn Sun Nah•Youngstown•Yunior Terry … and more!

Summer of 2017 promises to bring another extraordinary musical celebration to Montreal, my favorite North American city – I’ll see you there!

• Tickets / information: montrealjazzfest.com.