Other musical luminaries include The Ron Carter Trio with Russell Malone and Donald Vega, The Wayne Shorter Quartet, Al Stewart, Seal, Norah Jones, The Neil Crowley Trio, Ranee Lee, Janelle Monáe, Patrick Watson, Oliver Jones, Peter Appleyard (this year’s recipient of the Oscar Peterson Award), Vic Vogel, The Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio, Emir Kusturica, Liza Minnelli, Gypsy Roma Urban Balkan Beats (GRUBB), Richard Galliano, The James Carter Organ Trio, Chris Botti, The Patricia Barber and Kenny Werner Duo, The Cedar Walton Trio, The Lorraine Desmarais Trio, John Pizzarelli, Adam Cohen, Dawn Tyler Watson and Paul Deslauriers, Meshell Ndegeocello, Bill Frisell, Melody Gardot, The Eliane Elias Brasileira Quartet, The Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes Piano Duo, Parc-X Trio, Sophie Milman, The Pat Martino Trio, and Tangerine Dream. Amazingly, this is just a portion of the many musicians who will appear at the indoor venues. The free outdoor schedule will be announced on June 4, 2012.

 

The Montréal Guitar Show

The Festival will host the Montréal Guitar Show from June 29 through July 1. This event has become a must-see for guitar devotees, and attracts people from all over the world. The show features musicians, artisans, and an amazing display of beautiful handcrafted guitars. This year’s show has a special significance, and guitar fans should rush to get their tickets. Starting next year, the event will alternate between Montréal and California, so after the 2012 show, the Montréal Guitar Show will only be at the Festival every other year. Another part important part of the event is Guitarissimo, a set of concerts featuring Philip Catherine, Pierre Bensusan, Larry Coryell, Matt Schofield, Kelly Joe Phelps, and a guitar showdown between Steve Hill and Paul Deslauriers.

 

More Events

Croisiѐre Jazz, the sophisticated jazz dinner cruises will set sail each evening from July 1 - 6 on the elegant Bateau-Mouche. The cruises will feature rising star, Montréal jazz vocalist Sonia Johnson, who will include songs from her CD, Le Carré de Nos Amours.

 

In addition to the astounding line-up of music, the Festival also has a number of family-friendly activities, including face painting, stilt walkers, street performers, and a daily New Orleans-style parade. La Petite École du Jazz (The Little School of Jazz) is a Festival staple, featuring the famous blue Festival mascot, Ste-Cat and some talented singers, dancers, and musicians. These free daily performances are designed to entertain children while teaching them about jazz in French and English.

 

This year, there is a new addition to the Festival. The Bell L’Expo Des Legendes du Festival is an interactive museum dedicated to the celebrated musicians who have appeared at the Festival over the years, since its inception in 1980. Exclusive personal artifacts are displayed to pay homage to the musicians, and to tell the story of the history of the Festival.

 

Another incredible jazz resource center, Médiathèque Jazz/La Presse is open to the public, free of charge. Located on the third floor of the Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan, you can peruse thousands of concerts, videos, and photographs in this extensive archive. Over 30 years of the history of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal is represented.

 

The Festival Boutique carries caps, t-shirts, toys, posters, books, CDs, gift certificates, and many other souvenir items.

 

Even after the official closing of the Festival on July 7, the music will continue with the Battle of the Bands, with The Duke Ellington Orchestra and The Count Basie Orchestra facing off against one another on July 8.

 

Outside the Festival

Les vendredis Jazz, which translates approximately as “Jazz Fridays,” is a show that attracts jazz fans in droves, held on the last Friday of every month. The popular event is hosted by jazz aficionados and patrons of the arts, Madeleine and Ken Murphy, in the intimate and beautiful party room, L’Espace 64, located at 64 Rue Prince. On Friday, June 29, Les vendredis Jazz will feature Greg Abate, saxophonist extraordinaire, who will play with some very talented Québec musicians, drummer Yves Jacques, bassist Éric Lagacé, and pianist Marc-Étienne Savage. The great appeal of Les vendredis Jazz is the combination of wonderful music, ambiance, and delectable food in a gorgeous, art-filled setting. This monthly celebration of jazz is also one of the best bargains you can get in Montréal throughout the year. People in town for the Festival get the opportunity to attend an extra-special edition of the event, and the cost for the whole evening is only $35! Madeleine Murphy creates an impressive spread of food in honor of the Festival, beyond the delicious snacks she normally offers. The fantastic supper buffet begins at 7:00 pm, and the show starts at 8:30 pm. You can get information or reservations by sending an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or calling Madeleine Murphy at 514-397-0430. The phone message is in French, but Ms. Murphy also speaks English.

 

In addition to Les vendredis Jazz, and all the official Festival events, there are many other things to do in Montréal. There is something for everyone in this fabulously diverse, bilingual city, and since the Festival concerts don’t start until Noon each day, there’s plenty of time for other activities. You can visit several notable neighborhoods like Little Italy, Chinatown, and historic Old Montréal, a charming section of the city that is rich in museums, shops, and restaurants, and features grey stone architecture and narrow cobblestone streets. Other attractions include the La Ronde Amusement Park, The Montréal Canadiens Hall of Fame, and Parc Olympique (which houses the Biosphere, Olympic Stadium, and the gorgeous Montréal Botanical Garden). You can visit the famous Underground City, or take a hop-on, hop-off, double-decker bus tour.

 

Visit Hôtel de Ville de Montréal (Montréal's majestic City Hall). Free guided 45-minute tours are available, without a reservation, every hour from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday. You can make a reservation for a tour in English, also free of charge. If you don’t have time for a full tour, you can walk around on your own and take in the Hall of Honor, which is filled with gilded bronze, marble floors, Art Deco lamps, and a magnificent chandelier. Starting at dusk, the Hôtel de Ville de Montréal is lit up, and makes for a spectacular view, even if you just drive by after a Festival concert.

 

Enjoy a breathtaking sunrise at Mont-Royal, a 764-foot mountain, which offers a stunning panoramic view of the city. Mont-Royal is also the location of Tam Tams, the popular free drum jam that takes place on Sunday afternoons from May to October. Both drummers and spectators are welcome at Tam Tams, and things are usually in full swing by 2:00 pm.

 

Montréal has some great outdoor markets, including Marché Atwater and Marché Jean-Talon. Of the two, Marché Atwater is more upscale, with gourmet foods from around the world and other specialty items, and has an indoor section with a number of eateries. Marché Atwater is also sponsoring a guided culinary walking tour called Atwater Market Goes Jazzy. Walk through Little Burgundy, the birthplace of renowned pianist Oscar Peterson, and the neighborhood of some of Montréal’s first jazz and blues bars. The two-and-a-half hour tours will be held on Saturday, June 30, Sunday July 1, and Saturday July 7. For information and reservations, call 855-299-3378. Marché Jean-Talon, in comparison to Marché Atwater, offers a different, more down-home experience. Marché Jean-Talon is larger, with an earthier, everyday flavor, and is frequented by Montréal residents due to its vast array of produce, fish, cheese, baked goods, health foods, cooking supplies, wine, and flowers.

 

Canada Day will take place on Sunday, July 1, 2012, and will be celebrated with fireworks, parades, concerts, cookouts, and sporting events. Many department stores and other businesses are closed, and special commemorative activities will take place all over the country.

 

Jazz and Vacation Destination

 

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal is one of the largest and most respected music festivals in the world. The biggest names in jazz and world music appear there, as well as many up-and-coming artists. People come from all over the globe to attend this musical celebration. The Festival and the city of Montréal make for a great destination for a summer vacation.

 

Please note that the tickets for the indoor events at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal are in French; “Juin” is June, and “Juillet” is July. Concert times on the tickets are listed in military format, like 20:30 (8:30 pm). In Montréal, they use the metric system for weights and measures, and the weather reports are given in Celsius. You can take a small conversion chart to carry with you, and there is at least one nearby Vermont TV station that gives weather reports in Fahrenheit. Other than that, you can easily get by, even if you speak little or no French, as many Montréal residents speak English. For more information, visit the official website at www.montrealjazzfest.com. The Festival is also on Facebook and Twitter.