MONTREAL – People from St. Louis who are into jazz festivals tend to think the sun rises and sets on the city with the House of the Rising Sun, New Orleans. And it would be pretty stupid to try to talk somebody out of their New Orleans JazzFest.
There actually is a bigger show on this continent, however. Thankfully, you don’t have to choose between the two, since New Orleans JazzFest hits at the end of April and Festival International de Jazz de Montreal is coming right at us now: June 25 to July 6 in the most accessible European city in the Americas.
This is a monster of a jazz festival, with countless acts on dozens of stages, many of them free open-air shows. To list this year’s talent would take all the space available here. Just check out www.montrealjazzfest.com for the schedule.
Then you can pretty much put away the schedule and book your flight for whatever days work for you. There can be no question, on any day during the festival you will wake to jazz – and other genres of music – and sleep with it ringing in your ears. An hour without live music in Montreal during the span of this festival is something you almost need to plan. The jazz is everywhere.
The musicians are right in your space too. A reporter from The St. Louis American who attended last year’s festival for a few days shared elevator rides with members of reggae bands, New Orleans jazz ensembles and rockabilly revivalists The Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Musicians move a little different in Montreal. It is a very different kind of place, even compared to New York City, which is within driving distance. It is a thoroughly international, bilingual city, where you should at least try some broken traveler’s French, even if only to apologize for not speaking the local tongue.
Worldly African Americans are well aware of the deep comfort level the French have with black African culture. Ask an Algerian and you will hear a different take on the French, but sub-Saharan Africans and especially black Americans have a long history of flourishing in France and in French cities anywhere.
Montreal is a very French city. Black visitors to last year’s festival were unanimous when asked if Montreal and the jazz festival are welcoming to black people. “Absolutely.” “Totally.” “Yes, completely.” These were the answers of black folks who traveled from New York, Boston and New Orleans to enjoy what organizers describe as the world’s largest jazz festival, when asked if they felt welcome here.
Marvin Pauling, an African American in his 50s, was visiting from New York. He said this was his fifth visit to the festival, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. He said he comes largely to enjoy the wide variety of jazz bands from Canada and Europe that play at the Montreal fest.
“Guys like Ornette Coleman, I can see in New York any time I want,” Pauling said of the African-American free jazz legend honored last year with the festival’s Miles Davis Award.
(Yes, the festival’s top honor is named for a black man from East St. Louis.)
Indeed, since the ticketed indoors shows tend to feature the sorts of internationally acclaimed acts more likely to play the jazz Mecca of New York, Pauling didn’t have to pay a dime to enjoy the festival once he arrived in Montreal and settled with the festival’s host hotel, the Hyatt.
Right outside the door of the hotel (where most of the artists stay), he could find several outdoor stages offering free music on and off from noon to 10 p.m., and there are many more free outdoor stages a short, safe walk from the center of the festival.
Pauling said he also enjoys a break from the racial dynamics of the U.S. that persist even in a city like New York, where African Americans have shared power for generations.
“I like it up here,” Pauling said. “I have a friend from the Caribbean, from Trinidad, who moved up here. He likes it. It’s different from the states. Maybe even better.”
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal runs June 25 to July 6. Visit www.montrealjazzfest.com for more information.
