Monteroux Jazz Fest: featuring...

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

chewy saw it on pollstar-- wu tang?

[Van Basten II]

I think the opening concert last year was Bryan Adams, i think it's an improvement.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

vastly so

[donald byrd 4 EVA]

wu tang is the best.

[Guy Berger]

I think I'd be more surprised if there are any jazz acts actually playing there...

Guy

[sal]

wu tang is the best.

with RZA on the beats. Otherwise, they are really hit or miss, no matter what Big Baby Jesus says!

Edited May 1, 2007 by sal

[Guy Berger]

no matter what

says!

[Van Basten II]

I think I'd be more surprised if there are any jazz acts actually playing there...

Guy

They are some but they're in the minority about 4 or 5 jazz related events out of 32 shows.

If i had to go to France to attend a Jazz Festival, which is a dream i hope to acheive someday, i would go to Marciac instead.

[donald byrd 4 EVA]

gotta agree with that. the rza pretty much makes their sounds. i prefer 36 chambers of all the albums. also like his work on the ghostdog soundtrack

[brownie]

It's been several years since there has been anything really interesting going on for jazz fans at the Montreux festival. Wonder why they still insist on calling it a jazz festival

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

ive known jazz festivals are totally bogus from Day 1

[rockefeller center]

If i had to go to France to attend a Jazz Festival, which is a dream i hope to acheive someday, i would go to Marciac instead.

What if you had to go to Switzerland?

[brownie]

From the April 20 edition of the Swiss newspaper '24 Heures'.

NORAH JONES HEADS LINEUP FOR MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL

Organizers of the Montreux Jazz Festival have announced a lineup of international stars for the 41st annual summer event that includes American singer Norah Jones, as well as a number of veteran rock and pop stars. With a budget of SFr16.2 million, slashed by SFr3 million from last year, the July 6-21 festival will be a leaner operation this year. But director Claude Nobs promises it will be up to the usual standards.

A total of 80 concerts are on the program, with Irish star Van Morrison returning for another year, joined by such acts as Faithless, The Chemical Brothers, Placebo, the Beastie Boys and - a real blast from the past - Sly and the Family Stone.

Budget restraints mean the concerts will be held in two halls, instead of the traditional three venues. The Casino, used since 2001, will be out of bounds this year. The other two venues are the 4,000-seat Stravinski room and the Miles Davis hall.

The Lake Geneva quayside will be adapted with additional, more spacious restaurant terraces, Nobs said. Prices for drinks promise to be cheaper than last year, following complaints from visitors over the past several years. Festival patrons will also be able to buy their drinks with francs instead of the “Jazz” money that was obligatory during past festivals. The festival currency is being phased out. The Jazz tokens are still usable but no new ones are being issued.

The only jazz I can see here is that 'jazz' money

[Van Basten II]

If i had to go to France to attend a Jazz Festival, which is a dream i hope to acheive someday, i would go to Marciac instead.

What if you had to go to Switzerland?

I thought Switzerland was a colony of France.

[DTMX]

It's been several years since there has been anything really interesting going on for jazz fans at the Montreux festival. Wonder why they still insist on calling it a jazz festival

Atlanta has a three-day jazz festival for free (as opposed to a free-jazz festival) and every year it's the same thing: bland yuppie music plus one or two real icons (like Jimmy Heath or Slide Hampton) so that they can use the word "jazz" without getting sued for false advertising. Hey, it's a free festival - you get what you pay for. A friend of mine saw Miles Davis and Ornette & Prime Time there about 25 years ago so it used to be cool way back when.

But this year, they can actually call it a "Jazz Festival" and look you in the eye while doing it. Check out this hand - all aces:

Vijay Iyer Quartet

Charles Tolliver Big Band

Terri Lyne Carrington and Friends

Herbie Hancock Quintet

The Bad Plus

Flora Purim & Airto Moreira

Bobby Hutcherson Quartet

Lou Donaldson Quartet

Monty Alexander

The Pete Escovedo Orchestra with Sheila E, Steve Turre, Ray Vega & Juan Escovedo

There's other acts too, but I'll be listening to them from the lines outside the porta-potties. No disrespect to the other acts, but you gotta go sometime.

All for free!

[DTMX]

The other two venues are the 4,000-seat Stravinski room and the Miles Davis hall.

Do what? They named their rooms after Igor Stravinsky (possibly) and Miles Davis? Don't they have any corporate sponsors that they could name these rooms after? I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable listening to music in a room that wasn't named after a softdrink or a cellular phone service provider.

[Claude]

Until recently, jazz festivals were usually named after cigarette brands, but tobacco advertisement or sponsoring is no longer permitted in the EU (and maybe Switzerland too).

[bertrand]

When is the Atlanta Jazz Festival? Sounds like a possible road trip.

I guarantee you the Miles estate is getting a cut from Claude Nobs.

Bertrand.

[DukeCity]

The other two venues are the 4,000-seat Stravinski room and the Miles Davis hall.

Do what? They named their rooms after Igor Stravinsky (possibly) and Miles Davis? Don't they have any corporate sponsors that they could name these rooms after? I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable listening to music in a room that wasn't named after a softdrink or a cellular phone service provider.

Oh, I'm guessing it's really the "KLM Frequent Flyer Miles Davis Pavillion."