Latest news with #QuartierDesSpectacles
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
10 Highlights Of The Montreal International Jazz Festival 2025
Jeff Goldblum in conversation at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 The Montreal International Jazz Festival should be on every jazz lover's bucket list. The impressive range of acts is largely down to the expert programming skills of Maurin Auxéméry and Modibo Keita, as well as the brilliant organisational talent of the entire team. The 45th edition ran for 10 days from June 26–July 5, 2025 in downtown Montreal's Quartier des Spectacles and major venues like Place des Arts and Club Soda, as well as on several free stages. Known as the world's largest jazz festival, with well over 100,000 attendees for each festival, this years edition featured 350 concerts, two-thirds of which were free. The main reason for the festival's everlasting wide appeal to both jazz purists and general music fans is the clever mix of genres from jazz, hip-hop, funk, world music, electronica and pop. From great jazz vocalists like Dianne Reeves and legends like Branford Marsalis to emerging local and international talent and highly entertaining and flamboyant gigs from pianist Jeff Goldblum and hip hop legend Nas, the festival is a sheer delight for music lovers. Here are just 10 of the many highlights from the 2025 edition. Dianne Reeves, Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 Performing with her longtime collaborator, Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, the five-time Grammy Award winning American jazz singer Dianne Reeves wowed the audience in Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts. While the virtuoso has performed with symphony orchestras and legends like Wynton Marsalis and Harry Belafonte, her gig in Montreal was an acoustic set. But there was nothing pared back about it and it included glorious renditions of 'Someone to Watch Over Me' by George and Ira Gershwin, 'All Blues' by Miles Davis, as well as her own compositions. Her beautiful song 'Nine' was a well-needed reminder of how important it is to retain our connection to childhood pleasures. Samara Joy at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 Another jazz vocal triumph at the festival was singer Samara Joy who continues to thrill global audiences with her incredible range. And her gorgeous performance at Montreal Jazz Festival certainly lived up to the accolades following her debut album in 2021 and Best New Artist win at the 2023 Grammy Awards. The Bronx-born singer is only 25 but her performance of standards as well as material from her new album, Portrait feels like it's coming from a much more mature singer. The songs' arrangements and thoughtful lyrics show the influences of Charles Mingus, Sun Ra and her late mentor, Barry Harris. Marsalis Quartet, Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts Branford Marsalis Quartet, Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts at Montreal International Jazz Festival, July 1, 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 While we knew we'd be treated to a great gig from saxophonist Branford Marsalis, our expectations were far exceeded by his first Montreal Jazz Festival appearance in 16 years. The Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee is happy performing with symphony orchestras or with the Grateful Dead but jazz fans associate him with the Branford Marsalis Quartet, featuring Joey Calderazzo, Eric Revis and Justin Faulkner. The intensity and non-stop energy of the Montreal performance was incredible but the quartet made it look effortless. The quartet played their own brilliant pieces including 'Doctone' and 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' as well as Keith Jarrett's "Long as You Know You're Living Yours" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington. Cross, Pub Molson , free Theon Cross at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 One of the thrills of the Montreal Jazz Festival is leaving a performance by a legend at Place des Arts British and five minutes later be standing in front of a free stage hearing the incredible British tuba player and Sons of Kemet member Theon Cross. His 2019 solo debut, 'Fyah' garnered him plenty of praise and he has pretty much single-handedly redefined the tuba for a new generation. Barely pausing for breath (the Jazztimes has described his lungs as 'Olympian'), Theon Cross inspired a new admiration for the gigantic brass intrument. The power of the instrument and innovative songs transfixed the crowd with sounds of the Caribbean diaspora and UK club culture. Collier & The Chosen Few, TD Studio, Free Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few, TD Studio, Montreal Jazz Festival, June 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few sites Branford Marsalis as a major influence because 'he thinks, lives and loves music.' The high energy concert was another free highlight in the packed TD Studio venue. The Chicago-based quartet of Isaiah on sax, accompanied by bass, drums and piano, performed songs from his new album 'The world is on Fire.' Woody's Upendo, Pub Molson, free Brandon Woody's Upendo at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 Brandon Woody's Upendo brilliant quintet in Montreal, fronted by trumpeter Brandon Woody, accompanied by drums, bass, piano and synthesiser was another unexpected highlight. The Baltimore-born musician was signed by Blue Note aged 20 and he's still only a tender 26 years old. But oh my, what a talent he is, rightly praised by The New York Times and Los Angeles Times as a rising force in contemporary jazz. Performing tracks from ' For The Love Of It All' at the festival, it wasn't difficult to agree with Downbeat that his album 'spectacular debut on all fronts.' Cohen Trio with symphony orchestra, Maison symphonique, Place des Arts Avishai Cohen trio with Victor Diaz Lamich Israeli bassist, composer and singer Avishai Cohen was a former member of Chick Corea's trio and has been described by DownBeat magazine as 'a jazz visionary of global proportions' while Bass Player magazine said he is 'one of the 100 most influential bass players of the twentieth century.' For the festival, the trio, featuring Avishai Cohen (double bass, vocals), Eviatar Slivnik on drums and Itay Simhovich on piano, performed with a symphony orchestra. The concert was a marvelous blend of contemporary jazz and world music compositions, orchestrated traditional Hebrew and Lebanese inspired songs sung in Cohen's hauntingly beautiful voice, as well as classical works. This wonderful fusion made for a truly special performance and as Avishai Cohen said on the evening, 'thank God, in music, there are no borders and we can love everybody.' Smith, Lalah Hathaway, James Francies & Derrick Hodge, Place des Arts Nate Smith at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 Nate Smith, a brilliant drummer and composer was joined by a stellar lineup: the five-time Grammy-winning vocalist Lalah Hathaway; the keyboard virtuoso James Francies; and bassist and producer Derrick Hodge (a core member of the Robert Glasper Experiment). The evening featured soul, jazz, and funk from Nate Smith's latest album, Kinfolk 2: See The Birds. Fox at Gesù Elijah Fox at Montreal International Jazz Festival, July 1, 2025 Paul Allen/ Andfotography2 One of the festival's pleasant surprises was Elijah Fox, a young, multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer based in Los Angeles. He was mentored early on by Yusuf Salim, a pianist who had played with Charlie Parker and began performing in local jazz clubs. Fox performed his original music on keyboards with Solo Smith on bass and Myles Martin on drums at the intimate club Gesu, blending elements of experimental jazz and soul. O'Sullivan, Pub Molson, Free Frank O'Sullivan's local Quebec quartet, featuring two guitars, drums and a trombone, performed an excellent two sets at the free stage, Pub Molson. Frank is no novice, with four full length albums of original compositions to his name. His masterful blend of jazz and soul as well as his warm connection with his band was a real crowd pleaser.
CTV News
09-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Quebec, Montreal invest $3.5 million in social intervention in Quartier des spectacles
Quebec, Montreal, and local partners are investing more than $3.5 million to fund new psychosocial intervention teams aimed at improving safety and coexistence in the Place des Arts area of the Quartier des spectacles. The province of Quebec, the City of Montreal, and other local partners are set to provide more than $3.5 million in financial support to enhance social intervention services in the Place des Arts area downtown. The Minister responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action, Chantal Rouleau, made the announcement during a press conference on Monday. 'Providing a safe and respectful space for everyone, regardless of their circumstances, is how we build a metropolis that is humane, inclusive, and proud of its diversity,' she said. The initiative aims to promote better coexistence in the Place des Arts area and enable everyone who frequents the sector to have a 'healthy, safe and inclusive' experience. It is being led by the Société de développement social de Ville-Marie and supported by the Quartier des spectacles partnership. Four teams of psychosocial workers are expected to start patrolling the area, day and night. In addition to existing services, this new presence aims to provide better support for individuals in vulnerable situations and enhance coordination efforts on the ground, according to officials. 'The deployment of these four new psychosocial intervention brigades is a great demonstration of what we can achieve,' said Robert Beaudry, with the City of Montreal. 'This measure is in addition to the many others that our administration is implementing in the greater city centre to increase the sense of security of all the people who live, work, or benefit from it.'
