Switzerland's Montreux Jazz Festival
One of Europe’s Most Prestigious and Well-Frequented Music Festivals
Jul 7, 2009
Since its first three-day event in 1967, the Montreux Jazz Festival has continued to garner notoriety and attract talent. Now in its 43rd year, the festival has become one of Europe’s most celebrated events. Visitors flock to this lovely lakeside city to experience the official program, filled with headliner bands and well-known musicians, as well as sample up-and-coming artists at the festival’s numerous free outdoor concerts.
History of the Montreux Jazz Festival
In 1967, festival founder Claude Nobs was working at the Montreux Tourist Office and arranged a three-day gathering of jazz musicians for a series of concerts held at the Montreux Casino. This first edition was a success and the decade that followed brought such famous performers as Jack DeJohnette, Bill Evans, Santana, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone to the shores of Lake Geneva.
With origins as illustrious as these, the festival quickly began to grow in stature as well as diversify to include blues, gospel and soul music. In 1971, over 300 musicians attended; among these were Roberta Flack and Aretha Franklin. Rock and pop music were featured for the first time in 1974.
By the 1980s, the festival lasted fifteen days and welcomed more than 80,000 spectators, not to mention the great musical legends of the world: Miles Davis, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Art Blakey, Taj Mahal, Etta James, B.B. King and many more. Today, Montreux attracts over 200,000 visitors each year to sample some of the best music the world has to offer.
Montreux Jazz Main Program and Off-Festival
The festival includes both headliner concerts as well as free, open-air shows on various stages along the lake. Each evening features several large official performances, held concurrently in either the Miles Davis Hall or the Stravinsky Auditorium. Usually featuring a grouping of renowned musicians, these large concerts have been known to develop into intricate jam sessions.
The Off-Festival is a fantastic way to see up-and-coming musicians and groups from around the world. Free concerts take place in the Montreux Jazz Café, the MDH Club, and Studio 41/Cocktail Garden as well as on small stages at various points along the Lake Geneva walking path. Hundreds of street vendors, bars and restaurants set up accompanying tents and sidewalk cafés.
The Montreux Jazz Festival Today, A Community Event
Although jazz continues to compose the backbone of the festival, recent years have shown a wide and diverse program with artists like ZZ Top, Macy Gray, Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt, and Radiohead.
Aside from its incredible line-up of talent, the Montreux Jazz Festival is also a community event. Visitors are invited to screenings of former festivals, as well as to participate in workshops on musical history, theory and technique. Many of these workshops feature celebrated artists, providing a unique opportunity for fans.
The Jazz Festival also hosts musical competitions for voice, piano and guitar. Aspiring musicians come from around the world to compete for prestige and prizes.
A truly world-class event, the Montreux Jazz Festival occurs each year in early July. See the official website for more information.
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