Entertainment
MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2002
Mon, Aug 12, 2002 12:00 am
Mitch Myers
Photos by Jean-Francois Leblanc
SAN FRANCISCO--Attorney General John Ashcroft's latest machinations in the post-Sept. 11 "war on terrorism" have again raised concerns that in the Feds' zealous pursuit to counter terrorism, they are sacrificing the very freedoms they claim to protect.
The Montreal Jazz Festival is an annual event that's been gaining momentum since its inception almost a quarter of a century ago. The fact that Montreal is a party town like no other only enhances the festival's allure. With more than 500 concerts stretched across 10 days of nonstop revelry, the 23rd annual Montreal Jazz Festival combined excellent music with all of the summer fun one could handle. From June 27 until July 7, the city was a wonderland of adult indulgences. More than a million and a half people attended this year's festival, filling the downtown streets, closed off from traffic, to accommodate the masses.
Besides the two dozen clubs, theaters and concert halls (all within walking distance from one another) that participated in the festival, there were plenty of outdoor stages providing free entertainment for all comers. The food was great, the drinks flowed freely, and with Canada's liberal stance towards marijuana, it's just a quick stroll to a speakeasy on St. Laurent for all the weed one might need. On top of that, the favorable conversion rate from US to Canadian dollars gave you a sizable buzz for your bucks.
The festival itself is decidedly global and showcases a number of non-jazz acts. Each day was filled with Cajun music, Afro-Cuban grooves, a diverse array of European artists, and plenty of American blues and rock. Late nights were rewarded with club-hopping and top-notch electronic dance music, as well as jazzy jam sessions that went on until the wee hours. A killer heat wave stifled outdoor shows for a few days, but the majority of the festival was relatively easy to enjoy.
My personal tastes led me to Salles du Gesu, a converted church with divine acoustics, which hosted a wonderful solo-guitar series. Every day at 6 PM I would take a few puffs and head inside to hear the likes of Larry Coryell, Vernon Reid, Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunterand Marc Ribot. Coryell proved to be a master, blending his impeccable jazz sensibility with blues-ridden licks and a rocking enthusiasm. Reid, who augmented his electric guitar with digital samples and other technological accouterment, seemed unsure of himself at times, but his heartfelt description of the events from 9/11 conveyed a sincerity that was echoed by his searching improvisations. Frisell, even more self-effacing than Reid, had an impromptu guitar style melding backwoods Americana with a classic jazz-guitar aesthetic. (He performed later in the week with a full band at the Spectrum nightclub, but his intimate performance at Gesu was a true highlight.) Hunter and Ribot were equally compelling as solo performers, as was the veteran Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine.
Medeski Martin & Wood have been guests of the festival for three years running; their spirited performance at Metropolis was exceptional. After a trio set, they brought on Hunter and percussionist Trilok Gurtu, locking into grooves that wouldn't quit. Before launching into the churning, crowd-pleasing "Bubblehouse," drummer Billy Martin announced this would be the last time they ever performed the song.
Another high point of the festival had to be the Blind Boys of Alabama show at the Spectrum. Although singer George Scott was not on hand, leader Clarence Fountain and singer Jimmy Carter thrilled the crowd with songs from last year's Spirit of the Century album. Though Fountain remained chairbound for most of the show, his commanding voice lifted the crowd, as did Carter's ecstatic testifying.
Divas were in no short supply. Norah Jones charmed the audience from the moment she hit the stage, opening with Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." Lauryn Hill's acoustic set was alternately self-indulgent and passionately endearing. The true queen of the festival, Marianne Faithful, pouted and vamped at her daytime press conference, and then knocked everyone out with a bruising performance that night. Singing everything from John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" to Herman's Hermits' "I'm Into Something Good," she worked the stage like a seasoned rock'n'roller, using her ravaged voice to full advantage.
Late nights at Club Soda were consistently hot. Canada's own Freeworm and Chicago's Ray Davis both turned in excellent DJ sets, but it was Englanders like Herbaliser, Smith & Mighty, and Howie B who really got the crowd moving on their respective evenings.
As for the old school, Kool & the Gang offered their funky-retro show, proving that time had not diminished the stirring quality of the band's songs. Cuban pianists Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Chucho Valdes both performed for the festival's Invitation Series, appearing for four nights in a row, each night in a different musical context. While Rubalcaba worked solo, in duets and with a trio, his only standout encounter was in tandem with saxophonist Joe Lovano, who played with great emotion and even sat in on drums for a portion of the set. The shows by Valdes were far more exciting, culminating with his classic Latin-jazz ensemble, Irakere. Other Cuban performers included the dynamic pianist Omar Sosa and smooth singing Isaac Delgado.
The festival delivered its share of jazz heroes. Unfortunately, the tribute to the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, by Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and Roy Hargrove, was terminally dull. The Dave Holland Quintet, far more exciting, exhibited both Holland's daunting bass skills and an empathic group sound. Pat Martino, finally back to classic form, showcased his fast-fingered electric-guitar fusion as well as inspired wailing by organist Joey Francesco. Drummer Jack DeJohnette and English reedist John Surman were absolutely hypnotic as they performed compositions from their latest album, Invisible Nature, within the supportive confines of Salles Du Gesu.
Free-jazz renegades Archie Shepp and Roswell Rudd's performance at the Spectrum was hardly edgy at all. Still, Rudd's blurry trombone and Shepp's gruff tenor were more passionate than most of the festival's younger jazzmen, which included the Wynton Marsalis Septet.
The biggest disappointment of the festival was "The Big Event" (Le Grand Evenement), featuring Manhattan's Latin rock/ska crew King Chango. With the free outdoor concert attracting more than 100,000 people, King Chango seemed dwarfed by the enormity of the proceedings. While singer Andrew Blanco and the band worked hard to entertain their massive audience, their constricted performance could not overcome the oppressive heat or the crowd's general indifference.
Overall, the 23rd annual Montreal Jazz Festival was not quite as exciting as it has been in the past, but with its European flair, sweet summer air, the music, the bud and all the rest, it was still the place to be for 10 hot days in June and July.
SAN FRANCISCO--Attorney General John Ashcroft's latest machinations in the post-Sept. 11 "war on terrorism" have again raised concerns that in the Feds' zealous pursuit to counter terrorism, they are sacrificing the very freedoms they claim to protect.
The Montreal Jazz Festival is an annual event that's been gaining momentum since its inception almost a quarter of a century ago. The fact that Montreal is a party town like no other only enhances the festival's allure. With more than 500 concerts stretched across 10 days of nonstop revelry, the 23rd annual Montreal Jazz Festival combined excellent music with all of the summer fun one could handle. From June 27 until July 7, the city was a wonderland of adult indulgences. More than a million and a half people attended this year's festival, filling the downtown streets, closed off from traffic, to accommodate the masses.Besides the two dozen clubs, theaters and concert halls (all within walking distance from one another) that participated in the festival, there were plenty of outdoor stages providing free entertainment for all comers. The food was great, the drinks flowed freely, and with Canada's liberal stance towards marijuana, it's just a quick stroll to a speakeasy on St. Laurent for all the weed one might need. On top of that, the favorable conversion rate from US to Canadian dollars gave you a sizable buzz for your bucks.
The festival itself is decidedly global and showcases a number of non-jazz acts. Each day was filled with Cajun music, Afro-Cuban grooves, a diverse array of European artists, and plenty of American blues and rock. Late nights were rewarded with club-hopping and top-notch electronic dance music, as well as jazzy jam sessions that went on until the wee hours. A killer heat wave stifled outdoor shows for a few days, but the majority of the festival was relatively easy to enjoy.
My personal tastes led me to Salles du Gesu, a converted church with divine acoustics, which hosted a wonderful solo-guitar series. Every day at 6 PM I would take a few puffs and head inside to hear the likes of Larry Coryell, Vernon Reid, Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunterand Marc Ribot. Coryell proved to be a master, blending his impeccable jazz sensibility with blues-ridden licks and a rocking enthusiasm. Reid, who augmented his electric guitar with digital samples and other technological accouterment, seemed unsure of himself at times, but his heartfelt description of the events from 9/11 conveyed a sincerity that was echoed by his searching improvisations. Frisell, even more self-effacing than Reid, had an impromptu guitar style melding backwoods Americana with a classic jazz-guitar aesthetic. (He performed later in the week with a full band at the Spectrum nightclub, but his intimate performance at Gesu was a true highlight.) Hunter and Ribot were equally compelling as solo performers, as was the veteran Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine.
Medeski Martin & Wood have been guests of the festival for three years running; their spirited performance at Metropolis was exceptional. After a trio set, they brought on Hunter and percussionist Trilok Gurtu, locking into grooves that wouldn't quit. Before launching into the churning, crowd-pleasing "Bubblehouse," drummer Billy Martin announced this would be the last time they ever performed the song.
Another high point of the festival had to be the Blind Boys of Alabama show at the Spectrum. Although singer George Scott was not on hand, leader Clarence Fountain and singer Jimmy Carter thrilled the crowd with songs from last year's Spirit of the Century album. Though Fountain remained chairbound for most of the show, his commanding voice lifted the crowd, as did Carter's ecstatic testifying.
Divas were in no short supply. Norah Jones charmed the audience from the moment she hit the stage, opening with Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." Lauryn Hill's acoustic set was alternately self-indulgent and passionately endearing. The true queen of the festival, Marianne Faithful, pouted and vamped at her daytime press conference, and then knocked everyone out with a bruising performance that night. Singing everything from John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" to Herman's Hermits' "I'm Into Something Good," she worked the stage like a seasoned rock'n'roller, using her ravaged voice to full advantage.
Late nights at Club Soda were consistently hot. Canada's own Freeworm and Chicago's Ray Davis both turned in excellent DJ sets, but it was Englanders like Herbaliser, Smith & Mighty, and Howie B who really got the crowd moving on their respective evenings.
As for the old school, Kool & the Gang offered their funky-retro show, proving that time had not diminished the stirring quality of the band's songs. Cuban pianists Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Chucho Valdes both performed for the festival's Invitation Series, appearing for four nights in a row, each night in a different musical context. While Rubalcaba worked solo, in duets and with a trio, his only standout encounter was in tandem with saxophonist Joe Lovano, who played with great emotion and even sat in on drums for a portion of the set. The shows by Valdes were far more exciting, culminating with his classic Latin-jazz ensemble, Irakere. Other Cuban performers included the dynamic pianist Omar Sosa and smooth singing Isaac Delgado.
The festival delivered its share of jazz heroes. Unfortunately, the tribute to the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, by Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and Roy Hargrove, was terminally dull. The Dave Holland Quintet, far more exciting, exhibited both Holland's daunting bass skills and an empathic group sound. Pat Martino, finally back to classic form, showcased his fast-fingered electric-guitar fusion as well as inspired wailing by organist Joey Francesco. Drummer Jack DeJohnette and English reedist John Surman were absolutely hypnotic as they performed compositions from their latest album, Invisible Nature, within the supportive confines of Salles Du Gesu.
Free-jazz renegades Archie Shepp and Roswell Rudd's performance at the Spectrum was hardly edgy at all. Still, Rudd's blurry trombone and Shepp's gruff tenor were more passionate than most of the festival's younger jazzmen, which included the Wynton Marsalis Septet.
The biggest disappointment of the festival was "The Big Event" (Le Grand Evenement), featuring Manhattan's Latin rock/ska crew King Chango. With the free outdoor concert attracting more than 100,000 people, King Chango seemed dwarfed by the enormity of the proceedings. While singer Andrew Blanco and the band worked hard to entertain their massive audience, their constricted performance could not overcome the oppressive heat or the crowd's general indifference.
Overall, the 23rd annual Montreal Jazz Festival was not quite as exciting as it has been in the past, but with its European flair, sweet summer air, the music, the bud and all the rest, it was still the place to be for 10 hot days in June and July.