The 2010 Montreal Jazz Festival
 © 2010,  Sheila Horne Mason

Don Thompson, Oscar Peterson Award winner
(photo © Kevin Mason)

The 31^st edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal presented the cornucopia of excellent music that fans have come to expect, from June 25 to July 6, 2010. This year brought many more street performers, and all over the Festival areas, New Orleans-inspired statues attracted a constant stream of people posing for pictures.

The 12-day Festival featured hundreds of performances. In addition to classical jazz offerings and a focus on New Orleans, there were artists covering all kinds of musical styles. Boz Scaggs, Gil Scott Heron, David Sanborn, Ben E. King, Nikki Yanofsky, The Roy Hargrove Big Band, L’Orchestre Septentrional D’Haïti, The Moody Blues, The David Sánchez Group, Houston Person, Taj Mahal, Jack DeJohnette, Keith Jarrett, Ahmad Jamal, The Steve Miller Band, Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra, Beast, The Doobie Brothers, Robert Glasper, Bilal, George Clinton and Parliament, and Eric Burdon and The Animals were just some of the musicians who graced the Festival stages.

The Manhattan Transfer received the 12^th Ella Fitzgerald Award in honor of their versatility, originality, and overall quality as a vocal jazz group. In three decades, they have dipped into different eras and styles while retaining their distinctive sound. Pianist, bassist, percussionist, and vibraphonist, Vancouver native Don Thompson was honored with the 22^nd Oscar Peterson Award, given to a Canadian musician who has made outstanding contributions to jazz.

Bruce Lundvall paid tribute to photographer Herman Leonard. (Photo © Kevin Mason)

Renowned photographer Herman Leonard received the Bruce Lundvall Award, given to a non-musician who makes significant contributions to the world of jazz. The subject of the BBC/Sundance documentary, Saving Jazz, he photographed jazz luminaries for 55 years. After Blue Note label President Bruce Lundvall and Festival Artistic Director André Ménard spoke about his contributions, Leonard accepted the award via video from California. He said, “It has to do with people who have contributed to jazz without playing an instrument, so that is indeed an honor for me.”  Quincy Jones once said of his photography, “When people think of jazz, their mental image is likely one of Herman’s.” (Leonard passed away on August 14^th at age 87.)

Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins, winner of the Miles Davis Award
(Photo © Kevin Mason)

Saxophonist Sonny Rollins stepped onto the Wilfrid-Pelletier stage in a fire-engine red shirt. With his cloud of white hair and long white beard, he looked like a Father Christmas of Jazz, and he brought some true musical gifts to the lucky audience. After receiving the Festival’s Miles Davis Award, Mr. Rollins and his group launched into a spirited version of "My One and Only Love." At almost 80 years old, age has not affected his legendary talent. He played “Serenade” and “They Say It’s Wonderful.” Then, to the surprise and delight of the audience, Mr. Rollins sang “It’s a Low-down, Dirty Shame.” In addition to all his other accomplishments, Rollins will be the first jazz musician to receive the Edward MacDowell Medal in August. Since 1960, the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire has been giving yearly awards to artists who have made outstanding contributions to their field. Even at this stage in his notable career, Sonny Rollins is still making musical history.

Dave Brubeck

A special-issue Miles Davis Award was presented to one of the most ground-breaking pianists in the history of jazz, Dave Brubeck. Upon receiving the award, Brubeck said, “It’s heavy…so was Miles.” He talked about his relationship with Miles, noting that while others found him difficult, they always got along fine, and even played basketball together. Mr. Brubeck also discussed his orchestral project, Ansel Adams: America, inspired by Adams’ photographs of California’s Yosemite Valley, and addressed the challenges of performing. “Even when you don’t think you’re gonna play well,” he told the audience, “as soon as you hit the stage, the adrenaline starts going and saves the situation.” Despite wearing a brace on one of his fingers, Brubeck played brilliantly and seemingly effortlessly at his concert that night.

George Benson

Illustrious guitarist George Benson received a one-of-a-kind Montreal Guitar Show Tribute Award, made from a composite wood of African ebony and American maple, symbolizing jazz as an American music with deep roots in Africa. The dapper and relaxed Benson proclaimed that receiving the award was “awesome,” and talked about his show, “An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole.” He said, “I always miss Nat’s beautiful voice. I just wanted to remind people of how great he was, and give a second listen to an incredible star, who probably inspired so many people, that we can’t even count them.”  Later, at his sold-out show at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Benson did a remarkable job of channeling Cole on Nelson Riddle arrangements of “Mona Lisa,” “Walking My Baby Back Home,” “Route 66,” “Nature Boy,” “Smile,” and “Straighten Up and Fly Right.” Benson finished the show with some of his own songs, like “This Masquerade,” “Breezin,” “Give Me the Night,” “Turn Your Love Around,” and a rocking rendition of “On Broadway.” The show was a fitting tribute to the great Nate King Cole, and a fine retrospective of Benson’s own remarkable career.

Cassandra Wilson

Cassandra Wilson (photo © Kevin Mason)

Cassandra Wilson walked on stage looking stunning in a sleeveless tangerine gown, and proceeded to weave a spell over the crowd at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. Fanning herself with an exquisite hand-painted fan, Ms. Wilson took her time, using her sultry voice to tell musical stories for the appreciative audience. She sang “Forty Days, Forty Nights,” “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” and other songs.  Wilson was the 1999 recipient of the Festival’s Miles Davis Award. After watching her perform live, it’s easy to see why.

Richard Bona

Guitar virtuoso Richard Bona received the 2010 Antonio Carlos Jobim Award. At the press conference, he said, “It’s wonderful receiving this award in Montreal. This is my favorite city in the world, and this is one of my favorite festivals.” In his concert at Théâtre Maisonneuve, the charming and witty Bona thrilled the audience with songs from his CD, The Ten Shades of Blues, including “Shiva Mantra.”

John Scofield and The Piety Street Band

John Scofield and The Piety Street Band played a number of gospel-inspired cuts from Scofield’s 36^th album, Piety Street, at Théâtre Maisonneuve. They really took the audience to church with songs like “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” and “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” Scofield introduced Hank Williams’ song, “The Angel of Death” as “the scariest song I’ve ever heard.” The tune was hauntingly beautiful, despite the dark lyrics. For a change of pace, the group performed “Let the Good Times Roll” and ended the evening with a rousing version of “I’m a Soldier in the Army of the Lord.”

Christian Scott

Christian Scott Quintet (Photo © Kevin Mason)

At Gesù — Centre de Créativité, Christian Scott showed how serious he is about the music, stopping his third song because of a technical problem. He noted the inspiration for a song called “KKPD,” an incident involving the New Orleans police where his life was threatened.  All the stellar musicians in this quintet challenged and encouraged each other. Scott’s intense trumpet playing evoked memories of Dizzy Gillespie, while the unrelenting pace of drummer Jamire Williams kept them all on their toes. Scott ended the set with a song dedicated to the 13^th Amendment, “Angola Louisiana.”

Allen Toussaint

New Orleans R & B legend Allen Toussaint performed in four concerts at the Festival. In the first, a solo performance, the prolific composer-pianist played “Yes We Can Can,” “Happy Time,” Java” and “Working in the Coal Mine,” just for starters. His second show was a tribute to his recording, The Bright Mississippi, with a superb group: trumpeter Nicholas Payton, clarinetist Don Byron, guitarist Marc Ribot, double bassist David Piltch, and drummer Herman LeBeaux.  Mr. Toussaint also astonished the audience with a bravura, uninterrupted medley of songs from every musical genre imaginable--Broadway show tunes, classical, pop, jazz, country, and movie and TV themes. At the end of the concert, he spoke of his New Orleans relatives who inspired the song, “Southern Nights.” Toussaint also surprised the audience by playing for Cyndi Lauper’s blues set, and headlined the closing concert, making him one of the busiest musicians at the Festival.

Short Takes

• The Brian Setzer Orchestra returned to the Festival with a free outdoor concert. Playing his unique blend of rockabilly and big-band jazz, his numbers included “Ten Cats on a Hot Tin Roof,” “49 Mercury Blues,” “Summertime Blues,” and a thrilling version of “The Flight of the Bumblebee.” 

• Ten-time Grammy Award-winner and a cappella pioneer Bobby McFerrin returned to Montreal with his latest CD, VOCAbuLarieS, a blend of jazz, gospel, soul, and funk that displays Mr. McFerrin’s remarkable range. Backed by the choir from Montreal’s Collège Vocal de Laval, he dazzled the Festival audience with his incomparable improvisational skills.

• Lionel Richie serenaded the audience with a string of his hits like “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “Sail On,” “I’m Easy," “Stuck on You,” and many more that included several jazz-inspired guitar and sax solos. The prolific singer-composer-pianist must be a distant relative of Dorian Gray, because he hardly looks a day older than he did with the Commodores in the 70s and 80s.

• François Bourassa, 2007 recipient of the Oscar Peterson Award, gave a concert in the Festival’s Piano Solo Series. His concert was an emotional journey—sometimes tranquil or contemplative, other times tumultuous and exciting. Bourassa’s moody and evocative performance was greatly admired by the audience.

• Terence Blanchard, trumpet virtuoso, film composer, and artistic director for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, played at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe. He had ample support from Brice Winston on saxophone, Kendrick Scott on drums, Fabian Almazan on piano, and Joshua Crumbly on bass.

• Jazz Mafia lit up the night with “Brass, Bows & Beats,” a concert described as a “hip-hop symphony.” This genre-defying group contains over 40 musicians, singers, and rappers, who played several songs to a captivated crowd.

• Alto saxophonist Grace Kelly is also a composer, singer, and lyricist. At only 17, this multitalented musician has already recorded five CDs.  Praised by Wynton Marsalis and Jimmy Heath, the rising jazz star impressed listeners at Scène CBC/Radio-Canada.

• The Neil Crowley Trio returned to the Festival for the second straight year, and delighted the audience at L’Astral with whimsical songs like “Hug the Greyhound,” “Gerald,” which was written for an unusual friend, and “She Eats Flies,” about a creature who lives in Crowley’s garden.

• Yamandu Costa, a master of the violao de 7 cordas (the Brazilian seven-string guitar), had a central role in Brasileirinho, a 2005 film about Brazilian popular music. In a solo concert, Costa mesmerized the audience with his virtuosity in chorinho, milonga, bossa nova, tango, and samba.

• Retro-soul singer Nadja opened for Smokey Robinson, and used her powerful voice to great effect on “Hit the Road, Jack,” “Baby, I Love You,” “Georgia,” “And I am Telling You, I’m not Going,” and “Rescue Me.” She tickled the audience with a bluesy song, “You Can Have My Husband, But Please Don’t Mess With My Man.”

• Legendary singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson performed a medley of Temptations hits, songs he recorded with The Miracles and as a solo artist, including “I Second That Emotion,” “Being With You,” “You Really Got a Hold On Me,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” “Tracks of My Tears,” “Just a Mirage,” and closing with “Cruisin,” displaying a voice that is as mellow and beautiful as ever. Receiving the Spirit Award in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to music, he said, “When you live your love, it’s a blessing.”

• Ottawa native, Paris-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Melissa Laveaux had a showcase at Salle Stevie Wonder. With only an acoustic guitar and her unique, haunting voice, Ms. Laveaux performed a mixture of blues and folk in her inimitable voice and style.

• On a rare chilly night at the Festival, Slavic Soul Party heated up the crowd. The eclectic group, which included Balkan horns and a gypsy accordion, had the audience dancing to their infectious blend of Eastern European dance, jazz, techno, gospel, and Latin music.

• Cyndi Lauper, dressed in head-to-toe leopard print, and accompanied by the talented Allen Toussaint on piano, sang numbers from her latest CD, Memphis Blues. Although blues are a departure from the pop songs that made her famous, Cyndi is still a girl who wants to have fun, and the Montreal crowd had fun with her.

• A barrier was erected in front the stage to contain Roots fans at the packed Métropolis venue. The Roots have been redefining and challenging hip-hop boundaries with their funk and jazzy mix under rap vocals, and expanding their fan base since landing the nightly gig on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

• Pianist Steve Kuhn, backed by percussionist Joey Baron and bassist David Finck, beguiled the audience at Gesù with standards like “If I Were a Bell” and “Stella by Starlight.” Kuhn, a veteran on the jazz scene who has played with Stan Getz and John Coltrane, entertained the crowd with anecdotes between songs.

• Jazz giant Herbie Hancock performed songs from his latest musical venture, The Imagine Project, which was recorded all over the world in seven different languages. The youthful-looking 70-year-old Hancock, who received the Festival’s 1997 Miles Davis Award, took the audience at Théâtre Maisonneuve on a unique musical journey.

• Vocalist NEeMA used her husky, smoky voice to impart some very personal tales at Musée D’Art Contemporain. Each song felt like a story that was very close to her heart. She also sang of concerns for the environment, politics, the state of the world, and the recurring themes of love, life, and death.

• Joan Armatrading rocked out on her guitar, and was embraced by the crowd, who called out requests. Ms. Armatrading told the crowd that they were the best audience on her North American tour. She got a good laugh by continuing, “Well, you are the first audience on my North American tour!”

• Parc-X Trio won the 2010 TD Grand Jazz Award, impressing the jury with the originality of their blend of jazz, world music, classical, and pop. Double-bassist Alex Lefaivre, pianist Gabriel Vinuela-Pelletier, and drummer Mark Nelson opened for the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and impressed the audience with a maturity that belied their youth.

• The Galaxie Rising Star Award was given to Toronto trombonist Darren Sigesmund for his piece, “Dance for Leila.” Sigesmund’s composition will receive widespread airplay in Canada as one of the prizes.

• The Ciné-Jazz Film Festival had daily offerings at Cinémathèque Québécoise. The Universal Mind of Bill Evans, Miles Davis Á Montréal, Jackie Maclean on Mars, Dingo, and Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud were some of the films shown.

• La Petite École du Jazz (The Little School of Jazz) had a daily interactive show aimed at teaching children about jazz, but it was also a delight for jazz lovers of any age. The blue Festival mascot, Ste-Cat, was prominently featured in this free song-and-dance recital.

• La Parade du Festival, a daily New-Orleans style spectacle complete with musicians, dancers, costumed performers, and an eye-popping, jewel-entrusted alligator,  led up to a big parade on the final day of the Festival.  The closing parade had people lined up throughout the streets of Montreal, vying for colorful beads, and dancing on the sultry evening.

• The final concert of the Festival starred Allen Toussaint in a Mardi Gras extravaganza, where he was joined by Louisiana native Zachary Richard, Trombone Shorty, and the Soul Rebel Brass Band. Naturally, Toussaint played the New Orleans standard, “When the Saints Go Marching In,” along with some of his own compositions. The concert was capped off by some magnificent fireworks.

At the festival’s wrap-up press conference on July 7, Festival Founder Alain Simard stated, “This was an amazing Festival. It was fantastic to see all those families, people from all countries, all cultural communities, all generations. The Festival is reaching more and more people with the house of the Festival, the new Médiathèque La Press, with all the archives, and the pictures, and the videos. We hope that everybody will come back next year for the 32^nd Festival, from the 25^th of June ‘til the 4^th of July.” For more information on the Festival, go to www.montrealjazzfest.com.