Montreal Jazz Festival

[VivreManger]

The Montreal Jazz Festival, June 26 to July 6, www.montrealjazzfest.com, (514) 871-1881, is one of the activities we are planning to attend.

We particularly like Afro-Brazilian jazz styles. Does anyone know the group Bïa? What kind of Jazz does Michael Bublé play?

I think that Abdullah Ibrahim «African Magic» is definitely worth attedning, but I wonder about some of the other performers, like Cesaria Evora.

Any jazz cognoscenti out there?

[AndrewM]

The Spanish Harlem Orchestra will play the big free show on July 1.

Jazzfest: the only time of year you can get a decent hot dog on the street in Montreal...

Edited May 30, 2003 by AndrewM (log)

[VivreManger]

Sounds great, but we won't be able to attend that night because of other commitments.

[identifiler]

aaaaahhhhh the sound of musica ! First, little comment on food. I heard the spectra boys are keeping a very tight control of who can sell and who cannot based on sponsor. So, things like frites Alors and Better and Hagen Daaz are making room for "president's choice", this is not new of course... This is a minor thing for me but we aren't too far out from other large companies (ie fast food) invading the scene. Let's hope Spectra keeps an open mind to all sorts of concession stand possibilities.

Reguarding the music: The main event is going to be a salsa breakdown "the spanish Harlem Orchestra from NY", the main event is the all free evening on the main stage (usually on wednesday evening), it's a total madhouse and about 200,000 people take the streets. Ther are free concerts and paid concerts. There is a lot of quality in the free concerts. The schedule for free concerts is not out yet.

Reguarding paid concerts, obvioulsy the big ticket item are not cheap, around 100$ to go see something at place des arts. It was 135$ each last year to see Lauryn Hill and... herself. But well worth it just for the people watching. It was like walking in a Costco of Ford model agency.

Cesaria Evora. We almost bought tickets for that but a really huge fan said I was better sticking to my CD's, apparently Ms Evora has to be dragged on stage and at the last minute, they remove the bottle... I also understand that if she is rested, it's pretty amazing. That voice is really somthing else. However, that show is at a really low fair, at that price, the gamble is much lower.

If you want to hear some very good local talent in bossa, you should go see Bet.e and Stef at Metropolis, a nice easy going sophisticated show. Orchestr Baobab will also have a peculiar senegalese/cuban sound, with a youssour type vocal (high picthed).

For shear entertainment, I also suggest blind boys of alabama... I saw them open up for Peter Gabriel, it was quite a lot fun, a bit gimicky but a lot of fun.

Abdul Ibrahim will be in a classical african setting, so it's not the afro beats one would expect but a lot of shuffling and a lot of amazing piano.

I hear a lot about Bia but never actually heard her sign... I have two tickets to sell for Daniela Mercury, I can't get a baby sitter for that evening because it is too early. This is a stadium size artist in Brezil, we are talking the britny spears of samba reggea. Very very glitzy but a bit overborad for my taste. A la miami sound machine.

Micheal Buble is a crooner style performer form Vancouver, he is backed up by Diana Chrysler Krall. He will do only covers in his own way (bee gees, paul anka, sinatra, van morrison). If you like this, I suggest Malia, it's going to be more interesting.

Too bad Coral Egan is not here this year but keep your eyes open for maybe a free show. Very good.

I didn't think it was the best programing but I guess I can't complain. I'm going to see Gotan project/cinematic orchestra, Medeski and Brown (the led zeppelin of jazz), Elvis Costello, the whole bleue dry evenings series (hello coffee...). My peeve this year, not enough raggea and dub other than Ben Harper.

[VivreManger]

I hear a lot about Bia but never actually heard her sign... I have two tickets to sell for Daniela Mercury, I can't get a baby sitter for that evening because it is too early. This is a stadium size artist in Brezil, we are talking the britny spears of samba reggea. Very very glitzy but a bit overborad for my taste. A la miami sound machine....

My peeve this year, not enough raggea and dub other than Ben Harper.

identifiler Posted on May 30 2003, 11:43 AM

Is Bia the brinty spears of samba reggae or is it Daniela Mercury you mean?

Ben Harper is already sold out.

Thanks for the good advice. Our teen age daughters have decided that Britney Spears is now passe, but a glitzy Brazilian singer they might enjoy so I am interested in whom you mean.

[identifiler]

Yes, I meant Mercury. Actually, Daniella Mercury is more like a gloria estefan. She has been at this for a while. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...9433808-1545441

This is probably going to be the most energized concert during the jazz fest.

Again, it also sounds like your daughters would also enjoy Bete.e and stef, it's a lot more a copy cat Gilberto type band.

http://www.bet-e-and-stef.com/en/index.html

[docsconz]

Cesaria Evora. We almost bought tickets for that but a really huge fan said I was better sticking to my CD's, apparently Ms Evora has to be dragged on stage and at the last minute, they remove the bottle... I also understand  that if she is rested, it's pretty amazing. That voice is really somthing else. However, that show is at a really low fair, at that price, the gamble is much lower.

I saw Cesaria Evora at SPAC a few years ago. She is not the greatest live performer, although she does have a magical voice. I think it would probably be worth seeing her if the price is not too steep. Her band was pretty good.

[riboflavinjoe]

all i have to say is NO PAT METHENY! CURSES!!!

I'm sure guru will have something to add in this thread, when he gets a chance.

[identifiler]

With an avatar like that, I'm probably gonna run into you at hawtin tonight ?

Do they sell sandwich at metropolis <------ cheap attempt to keep on the subject.... sorry.

[guru]

What about guys like Wayne Shorter or Dave Holland. You should run to the ticket booths. I'm going to see Joe Zawinul and that will probably the first night i leave the restaurant. I'm really looking forward to that. Don't forget Steve Coleman, he'll be in town for two nights at Le Gesu.Run Run Run!

[Lesley C]

Note to self: send critic friend to review Les Chevres the night Guru goes out on the town.

[identifiler]

You can't go wrong with Dave Holland. Also, the gesu room is to die for when attending concerts. I saw Marc Ribot there last year... it was one of the most ecclectic guitar show I ever saw (without les postizoz).

[identifiler]

The outdoor listing came out yesterday. Looks like a very good outdoor programming this year. Centered around mostly around classical jazz and world beat. Looks like my request for reggea and dub will be answered.

[VivreManger]

I put myself on their emailing list, but have gotten nothing so far.

The outdoor schedule is for free concerts? Any during the day? Is it posted on their website?

Where did you see it?

Edited June 4, 2003 by VivreManger (log)

[AndrewM]

The free concerts are on the website now. www.montrealjazzfest.com

[Elissa]

Do catch Roy Hargrove. This year Roy plays with his Texas funk band from the new Hardgroove record. Maybe Eryka Badu will appear as she's on it, as are Q-Tip, Steve Coleman and Meshell Ndegeocello. IMO Hargrove the premiere horn player of his generation and I'd imagine that your daughters would enjoy it too VM. He was a guest artist last I went to the Montreal fest and had a week with his various bands (4tet, 5tet, 8tet etc) at a big venue. Hargrove's Cuban album Crisol with Frank Lacy on trombone won a Grammy; however I'd recommend both his new record and Roy Hargrove with Strings but caution that as with food, jazz sounds better fresh than canned. The last year he's been mostly on tour with Herbie Hancock and Michael Brecker, as the element that swings....

Edited June 11, 2003 by lissome (log)

[VivreManger]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We have gotten tickets for Abdullah Ibrahim and Bia. The former is a jazz pianist from South Africa in the style of Thelonious Monk. The latter, a singer from Brazil who has worked with a favorite of ours Chico Buarque. We will also explore the free concerts.

[Elissa]

Do you know which trio w/ Dollar Brand? Is drummer Paulo Braga with Bia?

Edited June 11, 2003 by lissome (log)

[Elissa]

i wonder if Eryka Badu will be with Roy?

[VivreManger]

Don't know who is backing up Bia.

[Elissa]

Dollar Brand is/was Abdullah Ibrahim's other name. At the Iridium room a few months back, he was perhaps with Rashied Ali on drums, not Billy Hart.

Have you seen Paulo Braga? He played with Elis Regina, Tom Jobim et al. Last I saw him was with the Brazilian guitarist Vinicius Cantuaria too bad Chico Buarque doesn't tour

[Lesley C]

OK, could you please make at least some effort to keep this about food.

[Elissa]

also, great music played nightly as i recall in the hotel lobby for free round about midnight. what's the name of hotel HQ?

[Elissa]

Milos certainly did have fresh fish. Also a chic li'l hotel had just opened down by the river

Edited June 10, 2003 by lissome (log)

[VivreManger]

Lesley C @ Jun 10 2003, 10:43 AM OK, could you please make at least some effort to keep this about food. 

Obviously, Lesley, you have the right to interpret the rules of this forum as you like.

With respect may I suggest the following? Different moderators follow different interpretations of the rules, as has been noted in the past. But this forum is officially entitled, "Restaurants, Cuisine, and Travel". The Montreal Jazz Festival certainly should qualify as a fit subject for a discussion of travel to Montreal. Food should be the dominant, but not the exclusive subject of the forum as a whole.

Be that as it may, I did have some food related Jazz Festival questions. We are trying to set dinner reservations to mesh with the concert schedule. For a 9:30 concert -- open seating -- at the Spectrum, how much time should one allow to get from Outremont to the downtown area by car? Is car parking in the St. Catharine area practical on a Saturday night pre-concert. If the dinner is at Les Chevres, what is a realistic time to allow for dining? I would imagine that dinner would have to be early, around 6, allowing two hours or a bit more to eat, about 30 minutes to get there and find parking, and some time to get there early enough to get a good seat. Such a schedule would allow some glitches and delays along the way so that at no point one would feel rushed.

Is two hours enough time for Les Chevres? Or should we make the reservation even earlier.