Initiator and head organizer Claude Nobs brought an array of artists to Montreux.[2] Mathieu Jaton has organised the festival since Nobs' death in 2013.
Montreux Jazz Festival 1983 poster designed by Keith Haring
Originally a pure jazz festival, it opened up in the 1970s and today presents artists working in various styles of music. Jazz remains an important part of the festival. Part of the festival's expansion was due to coproduction by Quincy Jones, who brought many international artists in the early 1990s. Today's festival lasts about two weeks and attracts an audience of more than 200,000 people.
Since 1967, the festival has allowed a Swiss or international artist to design the official poster every year.[7] Swiss artist Pierre Keller was an art consultant to the festival. Keller recruited artists such as Jean Tinguely, Keith Haring, Niki de Saint Phalle, Shigeo Fukuda, and Andy Warhol to create artwork for the festival in the 1980s.[8]
Venue
The festival was originally held at the original Montreux Casino, which burned down in December 1971 during Frank Zappa's performance (as referenced in "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple). The festival was held then in other auditoriums in Montreux, until it could return to the rebuilt new Casino in 1975. The festival continued to grow, and in 1993, it moved to the larger Montreux Convention Centre. From 1995 through 2008, it occupied both the convention centre and the casino. Beginning with the 41st MJF in 2007, nightly performances of headliners were again moved mainly to the Montreux Musique & Convention Centre (though the Casino still hosts the odd one-off shows), owing mainly to logistics: the Casino is approximately 1 kilometre (1,100yd) from the Convention Centre, making it difficult for crew, artists and technical personnel (as well as fans) to travel easily through crowded streets from one venue to the other. (This is exacerbated by the presence of a large number of streetside vendors and artisans – as well as strolling crowds of tourists – on the lakefront walk that connects the venues.) As of 2007, the Convention Centre hosts two main stages, Auditorium Stravinski (capacity 3,500) and Miles Davis Hall (capacity 1,800), as well as the smaller Montreux Jazz Cafe, and several smaller open-air stages around the Centre. Additional themed shows (Bahia, Blues, etc.) are held on boats cruising the lake and train cars traveling the region, and various workshops and competitions are held at the nearby Montreux Palais and Le Petit Palais.
The Convention Centre closed for renovation in July 2023, and is expected to reopen in 2025. During its closure, major concerts at the Festival will be held on a specially built stage on the lake.[9]
Montreux Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/The New Q's)
1–16 July 1994
Montreux Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall)
7–22 July 1995
Montreux Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall) Montreux Casino Montreux Jazz Café
5–20 July 1996
4–19 July 1997
3–18 July 1998
2–17 July 1999
7–22 July 2000
6–21 July 2001
Montreux Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall) Montreux Casino Montreux Jazz Café Scène Bleu
5–20 July 2002
Montreux Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall) Montreux Casino Montreux Jazz Café Montreux Jazz Young Planet Montreux Jazz Club
4–19 July 2003
Montreux Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall) Casino Barrière de Montreux Montreux Jazz Café Montreux Jazz Young Planet Montreux Jazz Club
2–17 July 2004
1–16 July 2005
30 June–15 July 2006
6–21 July 2007
Montreux Musique & Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall) Montreux Jazz Café Montreux Jazz Young Planet Montreux Jazz Club
4–19 July 2008
Montreux Musique & Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall) Montreux Jazz Café Montreux Jazz Young Planet Montreux Jazz Club MDH Club Studio 41 Music in the Park
3–18 July 2009
2–17 July 2010
1–16 July 2011
29 June–14 July 2012
5–20 July 2013
Montreux Musique & Convention Centre (Auditorium Stravinski/Miles Davis Hall) Montreux Jazz Café Montreux Jazz Young Planet Montreux Jazz Club MDH Club Studio 41 Music in the Park Montreux Jazz Lab
4–19 July 2014
3-18 July 2015
1-16 July 2016
30 June – 15 July 2017
29 June – 14 July 2018
Expansion
The festival changed in the 1980s: it grew dramatically and included an even wider variety of music styles.[10] Jazz remained important, as did Brazilian music, but more rock and pop artists were also invited.[5][6]
The expansion that began in the 1980s has continued since then – Montreux transformed from a jazz festival into a world music festival. Quincy Jones co-produced the festival from 1991 to 1993. By 1993, the festival had outgrown the Casino and moved to the larger Convention Centre. The number of visitors rose from 75,000 in 1980 to 120,000 in 1994, and an "Off-festival" developed on the lakeshore promenades and in the cafés of Montreux.
The festival has also played host to some well-known and talented student groups, including big bands and vocal ensembles. Young, talented musicians are encouraged to take part in several competitions.
Competitions
Three international competitions are organised by the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation[11] every year: Solo Piano, Guitar, and Voice. Each competition has its own jury composed of professionals and chaired by a world-renowned musician (in 2008: Fazıl Say for the Piano Solo, Lee Ritenour for the Guitar, Patti Austin for the Voice competition). In addition, until 2016, a local competition, the Tremplin Lémanique, was aimed at jazz bands that are based in one of the regions of the Léman lake: the French departments of Ain and Haute Savoie and the Swiss cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Valais.[12]
Various Artists: Casino Lights (Warner Bros., 2000) [2CD] – recorded in 1999. consisting of an all-star concert with various Warner Bros. label artists
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