Locals are fiercely proud of the Montreal Jazz fest, and who could blame them? In its 28th year, it's the largest festival site in the world. There are close to 50 concerts presented per day, and includes ten free outdoor stages. The site is also unique in that a major part of the downtown core is closed to traffic for the entire run, allowing for perpetual drinking that only heightens the city's intoxicating joie-de-vivre.
Although there is always plenty of jazz to go around, the festival is known for its inclusion of acts that stray far from the genre. This year's richly diverse programming welcomed many to Canadian soil, including Bob Dylan, Richard Bona, Angélique Kidjo, Cesaria Evora, Buddy Guy, Meshell Ndegeocello, The Spaghetti Western Orchestra and Dolores O'Riordan, not to mention a mix of jazz legends and luminaries like Keith Jarrett, Mike Stern, Harry Connick Jr, Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, John Abercrombie, Ravi Coltrane, Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis.
On the 4th of July, America's most celebrated jazz singer, Kurt Elling, graced Montréal with a fantastic festival appearance. The 39-year-old Chicagoan has consecutively won the Down Beat and JazzTimes critics' polls for the past three years in the Best Male Vocalist category and has scored seven Grammy nominations thus far in his career. Why all the fuss? Elling might be second only to Jon Hendricks as a master of the jazz artform known as vocalese: the intricate craft of penning words to existing instrumental solos. On top of this, he is a truly brilliant scatman and balladeer. On top of Elling's sparkling intelligence, sophisticated stage presence, and heartfelt interpretations, one can only be awed by this artist's mastery of a very vast vocal range. It was painfully difficult to leave his show at the Théâtre Maisonneuve in order to catch the legendary Mark Murphy. I took comfort in knowing that the evening with Kurt Elling – a double bill featuring delectable diva Sophie Milman – was recorded and will be released on DVD in the future.
Born in 1932 and discovered by Sammy Davis Jr. at a New York City jam session in 1953, Mark Murphy's very first appearance at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal has been a long time coming. Having recorded more than three dozen albums under his name, he has garnered six Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Performance and was the recipient of the 1996, 1997, 2000, and 2001 Down Beat magazine reader's jazz poll for Best Male Vocalist. A genuine jazz artist with an endless imagination, Murphy has been a source of inspiration for many singers, Kurt Elling included. "He keeps us on our toes, but not in a bad way," says pianist Joshua Wolff, who has been one of Murphy's accompanists since the mid-1990s. "You never quite know where he's going to go and if he's going to be doing something interesting, we all have to be musically ready for it." Murphy's vocalizing is wholly unpredictable and, for a singer, his approach is entirely unconventional. Not everyone will dig his style, but like lovers of pistachio ice cream or black licorice, die-hard fans have acquired a taste for Murphy's panache over the years. Rarely does he hold a note for long, instead using his voice to paint melodies and rhythms in an abstract, individual manner. His performance at Club Soda was very well-received, and he had the audience in the palm of his hand through every twist and turn. Starting out with a killer version of the Annie Ross classic "Twisted", he later wowed the audience with an ingenious six-part Miles Davis medley that was a testament to this singer's endless creativity.
Another newcomer to the festival was Mimi Fox, one of the most highly respected and critically acclaimed jazz guitarists in the world. Her mesmerizing music is at once delicate and virtuosic, marked by a keen sensitivity to harmonics. Although a strong composer, it is her unique ability to breathe new life into even the most tired jazz standards that sets Fox apart. Passionate not only about performance but also about jazz education, at this year's festival she played two free shows and taught a workshop at the Hyatt Regency hotel. The workshop illuminated Fox's warm sense of humor while she generously offered her wisdom to the many musicians that attended. Asked how she deals with stage fright, she reflected, "…one thing that helps me is remembering that this is not brain surgery, what I'm doing…no one's going to die. If I screw up, no one's going to think any lesser of me, and if they do, the hell with 'em!" Mimi Fox's latest, an ambitious 2-CD album aptly titled Perpetually Hip, features the artist in both quartet and solo guitar settings.
If I had to pick one free show that really knocked me out, it would be that of Toronto-based singer/songwriter Kellylee Evans, one of the hottest new names on the Canadian urban jazz scene. Her material is accessible, sincere and memorably delivered by a sweet voice that oozes with life. Honored recently with a Juno nomination for her debut Fight or Flight?, Kellylee Evans is certainly an act worth catching.
Save for an unforgettable appearance by local pianist Lorraine Desmarais, the jam sessions at the Hyatt Regency hotel were slightly less exciting than usual, so I ventured over to the famous Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill. Amicably hosted by pianist Jeff Johnson, the nightly jam sessions at Upstairs drew great musicians, and on each night the jams were preceded by top drawer local acts. Two worth mentioning here are Dave Turner & the Earthtones, and The Alvin Queen Quartet. Both featured a terrific young organist named Vanessa Rodrigues. Standing room only is not unusual at Upstairs, which is famous for providing 365 days of jazz per annum.
Note that the festival website montreal jazzfest features a photo gallery of what you missed! Perhaps this will prompt you to mark your calendars: the 29th annual Festival International de Jazz de Montréal will run June 26 – July 6, 2008.
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