New director desires extra jazz in 2023 Montreal jazz pageant

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Maurin Auxéméry desires to place the jazz again within the Montreal Worldwide Jazz Pageant. The brand new director of programming at one of many world’s main jazz fests is bringing the pageant again to its roots.

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In fact, there’s all the time been loads of jazz on the occasion, however there’s additionally been a great deal of high-profile pop, rock, blues and world music artists on the principle levels each indoors and outdoor. The packed Peter Frampton live performance in 2019 was a wonderful present, however there wasn’t a observe of jazz to be heard.

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There may be some pop once more this 12 months, most notably a much-anticipated live performance with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss July 7 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier of Place des Arts, with the classic-rock icon and the bluegrass singer performing songs from their second album collectively, Elevate the Roof. However there’s most positively a renewed deal with jazz artists on the pageant, which is ready for June 29 to July 8.

That is Auxéméry’s first version as head of programming. He takes over from Laurent Saulnier, who helmed the programming on the fest for years till he stepped down final fall. Auxéméry desires to shine the highlight on rising and established jazz musicians.

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“There’s a continuity with what was executed earlier than,” stated Auxéméry. “I feel what we’ve tried to do that 12 months is to carry extra new faces to the pageant and we have now just a few collection the place many individuals will most likely be like, ‘Who’re these musicians? Who’re these artists?’ However we all know these individuals would be the subsequent technology of Herbies and Dianas. It’s including some spices in all places. It’s to offer ourselves the liberty so as to add our personal color to the pageant.

“For me, it was extraordinarily necessary to imagine the truth that we’re a jazz pageant. We’re assuming our DNA is jazz and we need to get all these younger cool youngsters which are round. … This 12 months there’s a much bigger deal with jazz music. There’s Thundercat, there’s Badbadnotgood, and there’s Ibrahim Maalouf. We really feel extra persons are on this music. I feel that jazz is getting its sport again. There’s a brand new wave.”

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A few of these seasoned jazz stars will nonetheless be there, notably George Benson (June 29), Herbie Hancock (July 3) and Diana Krall (July 4 and 5), all of whom are headlining exhibits at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. The identical venue will function concert events with Melody Gardot (July 2) and Buddy Man (June 30). However among the old-timers will probably be paired with sizzling up-and-comers. A lot-buzzed-about jazz duo DOMi & JD Beck will open for Hancock, and 24-year-old blues guitar sensation Christone (Kingfish) Ingram will take the opening slot for the Man live performance.

The jazz new wave can even be represented by Samara Pleasure, 23, who gained as greatest new artist on the Grammy Awards this 12 months and can play the Monument-Nationwide July 2. The outside levels can even function sizzling rising artists, like London-based jazz/Afrobeat ensemble Kokoroko (June 29) and Montreal keyboardist Anomalie in a big-band format (July 1).

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One other daring transfer is showcasing Montreal piano stylist Jean-Michel Blais on the principle outside stage July 3, the primary time the fest has featured a post-classical musician in such a major spot outdoors. There’s additionally a lot Latin fare, notably the primary Montreal look by sultry Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade (June 29 at Maison symphonique) and Marisa Monte, who has two sold-out gigs at Théâtre Maisonneuve of Place des Arts.

However Auxéméry is simply as proud to have the older established stars on the fest.

“For us, it’s tremendous necessary to have all of the OGs (authentic gangsters),” stated Auxéméry. “I’d invite Herbie yearly to the pageant. He’s nonetheless updated, he’s nonetheless giving superb exhibits. He was such a tremendous innovator and he’s nonetheless doing that. I imply, DOMi & JD Beck put him on their album. We like doing the passing of the torch.”

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The free outside fare nonetheless attracts by far the most important chunk of the pageant’s viewers, and Auxéméry expects the road scene to be positively booming this 12 months now that COVID-19 laws have pale within the rear-view mirror.

“You’re going to come back to the pageant and see Thundercat totally free,” stated Auxéméry. “The jazz pageant is the place to be when you possibly don’t have cash to spend. You may see a brand new band you’ve by no means heard of earlier than. I feel the jazz fest is simply magical for that. The viewers doesn’t have to fret about inflation. It’s free. It’s Christmas. I feel this 12 months goes to be superb. I’m anticipating extra individuals than final 12 months.”

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