Joshua Redman

Trio Beyond with Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield and Larry Goldings

Théâtre Maisonneuve, PDA A trio of virtuosi

Thursday, June 28, 6 p.m.

Jack DeJohnette © Ricky Richardson

On their most recent album, Saudades – heralded by many as one of the best jazz albums of 2006 – the Trio Beyond pays tribute to the musical genius of Tony Williams. When a trio consists of an immortal jazz drummer (Jack DeJohnette), a guitar virtuoso (John Scofield) and a master of keyboard versatility (Larry Goldings), it obviously adds up to more than the sum of its parts. When these three play, the fourth man is in the house…

Dave Holland Quintet Spectrum The #1 double-bassist in the world

Thursday, June 28, 10 p.m.

Dave Holland taught himself bass guitar as a teenager, before discovering double-bass and the universe of jazz. « Discovered » by Miles Davis and recipient of the prize bearing his name at the 26^th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, this avid improviser quickly came to fame in his native England, before making his name throughout the jazz world, as a soloist or in various band formats. This time, he brings us the quintet he formed in 1997, featuring Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson, Chris Potter and Nate Smith.

Holly Cole Théâtre du Nouveau Monde A stunning new album…

Talented Nova Scotia vocalist Holly Cole began her career singing on the Toronto scene before forming her own trio in 1985 with pianist Aaron Davis and bassist David Piltch. Trained in classical and jazz, she has always favoured a mélange of jazz and pop numbers, a signature blend that has earned her an array of gold and platinum albums. A wonderful stylist, she remakes songs from a roster as varied as Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Tom Waits and the Beatles. Who can forget the version of Calling You from the Bagdad Café soundtrack that first fired her across the international radar? Whet your appetite with a taste of her coming album, due in January.

Théâtre Maisonneuve, PDA Friday, June 29, 6 p.m.

He never met a rule he couldn’t break: Wayne Shorter pushes the limits of jazz anew, venturing into the realm of contemporary music. Aside from serving the passionate unpredictability of this legendary composer, the arrangements of the stunning Terra Incognita also fuse the sound of his quartet with the Imani Winds ensemble, to breathtaking effect. Book your passage on a musical journey into the unknown space where composition and improvisation become one.

Pink Martini
Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, PDA Congenial, captivating…

Friday, June 29, 6 p.m. and classy!

Bill Frisell © Michael Eilson

An Evening with Joshua Redman

Théâtre Maisonneuve, PDA Modernity and tradition!

Saturday, June 30, 6 p.m.

Joshua Redman’s virtuosity on the saxophone brings further honour to the surname he inherited from his famous father, the great Dewey Redman. Returning to Montreal after a three-year absence, Joshua Redman is one of the most charismatic musicians to appear on the jazz scene in the ‘90s, whether performing solo or as a bandleader in the exalted company of Metheny, Haden, Mehldau and Brubeck. He will perform with his trio some of his newest compositions, which will be released on his upcoming album, due in Spring 2007.

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette

Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, PDA The master of improvisation

Sunday, July 1, 8 p.m.

How to classify Keith Jarrett: in the jazz section, or with the classical musicians? The man himself is succinct: « Essentially An Improviser », as the song title says. Well, that would explain his intrepid musical explorations from gospel to the avant-garde, all of them stamped with uncompromising brilliance and passion. A demanding perfectionist, he is quite simply one of the most important living jazz pianists. Make that pianists, period. Add Gary Peacock on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums and you have music made in heaven!

The Bill Frisell Trio featuring Joey Baron & Tony Scherr

Spectrum Embodied excellence Thursday, July 5, 10 p.m. in guitar playing

A singularly prolific artist (he’s appeared on over 100 albums, solo or in a group, in his 20-year career), American jazz guitarist Bill Frisell has played with Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, John Zorn and John Scofield. An apostle of musical diversity often compared to Miles Davis, his reach extends everywhere, even into film: Frisell composed music for three silent Buster Keaton films. In fact, the silver screen is a natural environment for Frisell, whose ambient, often ethereal music conjures a musical dream-state.

An Evening with Branford Marsalis

Théâtre Maisonneuve, PDA An awaited return!!

Friday, July 6, 6 p.m.

Branford Marsalis

Back at the Festival for the first time since 1999, saxophonist/composer Branford Marsalis is the kind of artist you always rediscover, knowing full well how deliciously his music matures and evolves. Case in point: Braggtown, his most recent work with his quartet, takes inspiration from composer Henry Purcell, from Japanese horror films and from the life of an Amerindian warrior! Constantly evolving, spiced by 1,001 musical references, the work of Branford Marsalis transcends simple entertainment. Stamp it: Serious Music Lovers Only!

George Thorogood & The Destroyers / Buddy Guy and his musicians

Métropolis Never two much blues

Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, 8:30 p.m. for one night!

It’s a devil of a double-bill for fans of rockin’ blues guitar! On one hand, George Thorogood leads his loyal Delaware Destroyers into the fray, armed with the authentic, bristling attack that made them blues-rock heroes. On the other, the high-voltage guitar and raw-blues shout of Buddy Guy remind us why this man is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Devil take the hindmost when these two duel it out!

Tickets for these concerts from the upcoming 2007 program will go on sale beginning this Saturday, December 9, at noon.

Tickets for concerts presented in the Spectrum de Montréal, Métropolis and the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde are available from Ticketpro (ticketpro.ca, 514-908 9090 or 1 866-908 9090), or from the Spectrum box office (318 Ste. Catherine St. W.) and the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde box office (84 Ste. Catherine St. W. tnm.qc.ca, 514-866-8668). Tickets for concerts presented in Place des Arts are available from the Place des Arts box office (pda.qc.ca, 514-842 2112) or from Admission (admission.com, 514-790 1245, toll-free at 1-800-361 4595).

For more information, call the Bell Info Jazz Line at 514-871 1881, or toll-free at 1-888-515 0515, or visit montrealjazzfest.com.