KW-22-2018: MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL – 10 Years Ago, Leonard Cohen performed three times at world`s eldest Jazz Festival in Montreal/ Quebec (Canada) – A bilingual (English/ German) Memory

  1. Introduction
  2. 10 Years ago: LEONARD COHEN at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 23-25, 2008
  3. Setlists of 3 Leonard Cohen – Montreal International Jazz Festival – Concerts
  4. Sources

 

  1. Introduction

10 Years ago: LEONARD COHEN at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 23-25, 2008,

2008 – 2018, ten years ago in Montreal, Leonard Cohen takes it again: The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (English: Montreal International Jazz Festival) is an annual jazz festival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Jazz Fest holds the 2004 Guinness World Record as the world’s largest jazz festival. In 2008, when Leonard Cohen returns on stage, he played three days at World`s most famous Jazz-Festival from  June 23-25, 2008. The day after, June 26, 2008, there was a “Tribute To Leonard Cohen”-Concert at Place des Arts in Montreal, also. In the last of his three concerts presented as preludes to the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Leonard Cohen, “the 73-year-old hometown poet-hero on tour for the first time in 15 years” (NEW YORK TIMES), said that on his last time through town he was “60 years old, just a kid with a crazy dream.” Between waves of applause and hollers in French and English, he added, “I am so grateful to be here and to be from here.” In 2018, this year The FIJM is from June 28, until July 7, 39th Edition. On day one there is a completely free special concert-event presented as part of official program of the 375th anniversary of Montreal.

2. 10 Years ago: LEONARD COHEN at Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 23-25, 2008

2008 – 2018. Das Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM) ist das größte Jazzfestival der Welt. Leonard Cohen trat vor zehn Jahren – nach 15ähriger Bühnenabstinzenz vom 23.-25. juni 2008 dort drei Mal AUF: Einen Tag darauf, am 26. Juni gab es sogar ein „Tribute To Leonard Cohen“-Konzert mit mehreren Künstlern, die Cohens Lieder performten. Darunter auch adam Cohen.

Gewöhnlich findet es zu Beginn der kanadischen Festival Saison statt (bzw. Ende Juni bis Mitte Juli). Über 2 Millionen Menschen besuchen die elftägige Veranstaltung. Während des Festivals sind große Teile der Innenstadt (Downtown Montreal) für den Auto-Verkehr gesperrt, so dass auch im Freien Konzerte stattfinden können. Einige der Open-Air Konzerte werden von mehr als hunderttausend Menschen besucht. In Pubs, Clubs, Theatern, Museen, Konzertsälen und sogar einigen Kaufhäusern werden dann Konzerte veranstaltet. Von den mehr als 650 Konzerten sind 450 frei und finden an etwa zehn Open Air Plätzen statt. Neben Jazz treten auch Weltmusik-, Pop- und Blues-Musiker auf. Das Festival besuchen jährlich rund 2 Millionen Besucher, davon 250.000 Touristen. Es wird von einer unabhängigen non-profit-Organisation geleitet. Es ist bekannt für seine lockere Volksfest-Atmosphäre.

Das Festival wurde 1980 auf Initiative von Alain Simard (der vorher schon über die Agentur Kosmos Productions Jazz- und Blueskonzerte in Montreal organisierte) und André Ménard gegründet (kurz darauf ergänzt durch Denyse McCann), mit ihrer gemeinsamen Firma Spectra Scene. Schon 1978 kündigten sie das Festival an und organisierten auch Konzerte z. B. mit Bill Evans, B. B. King und Charles Mingus, erhielten aber keine Förderung. Auch 1979 klappte es nicht (dafür gab es Konzerte mit Pat Metheny, Keith Jarrett), sondern erst 1980 mit Unterstützung von CBC Radio und Verkauf von Radio-Rechten an Radio Québec. Damals traten auf der Insel Sainte-Hélène u. a. Gary Burton, Chick Corea und Ray Charles auf und es kamen 12000 Besucher. 1982 zog es in das Viertel St.Denis, das aber auch bald zu klein war. Bald darauf war sein Renommee mit dem Auftritt von Stars wie Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Stéphane Grappelli, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan gefestigt. 1987 erhielt es nach einer finanziellen Krise erstmals Unterstützung durch die Stadt Montreal und ab 1989 fand es an seinem heutigen Ort in Downtown Montreal statt um den „Place des Arts“ und den „Complexe Desjardins“. 1989 hatte das Festival über 1 Million Besucher.

Auf dem Festival werden auch Preise vergeben: der „Ella Fitzgerald Award“ für Vokalkünstler (ab 1999), der „Miles Davis Award“ für etablierte internationale Jazzmusiker (ab 1994), der „Oscar Peterson“ Award für kanadische Jazzmusiker (ab 1989), der „Antonio Carlos Jobim Award“ für Weltmusik.

Beim 30. Festival im Jahr 2009 trat Stevie Wonder im Rahmen der Eröffnungsveranstaltung vor rund 200.000 Zuhörern auf.[1] In einer bewegenden Ansprache erinnerte er vor seinem Auftritt an den wenige Tage zuvor verstorbenen Michael Jackson.[2][3][4] In diesem Jubiläumsjahr traten daneben unter anderem Al Di Meola, Buddy Guy, Dave Brubeck, Joe Cocker, Katie Melua, Pink Martini und Wayne Shorter auf.[5]

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (English: Montreal International Jazz Festival) is an annual jazz festival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Jazz Fest holds the 2004 Guinness World Record as the world’s largest jazz festival.[1] Every year it features roughly 3,000 artists from 30-odd countries, more than 650 concerts (including 450 free outdoor performances), and welcomes over 2 million visitors (12.5% of whom are tourists) as well as 300 accredited journalists.[1] The festival takes place at 20 different stages, which include free outdoor stages and indoor concert halls.[1]

A major part of the city’s downtown core is closed to traffic for ten days, as free outdoor shows are open to the public and held on many stages at the same time, from noon until midnight. The „festival’s Big Event concerts typically draw between 100,000 and 150,000 people“[2], and can occasionally exceed 200,000[3]. Shows are held in a wide variety of venues, from relatively small jazz clubs to the large concert halls of Place des Arts. Some of the outdoor shows are held on the cordoned-off streets, while others are in terraced parks.

It should not be confused with the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, which is the second largest jazz festival in the world after Montreal’s[4].

There have been previous jazz festivals in Montreal, including the 3-day Jazz de Chez Nous festival in 1979, created by Montreal bassist Charles Biddle.[5]

The Montreal Jazz Festival (later: Montreal International Jazz Festival) was conceived by Alain Simard, who had spent much of the 1970s working with Productions Kosmos bringing artists such as Chuck Berry, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and others to Montreal to perform. In 1977, Simard teamed up with André Ménard and Denys McCann to form an agency named Spectra Scène (now known as L’Équipe Spectra), with the idea of creating a summer festival in Montreal that would bring a number of artists together at the same time[6].

They planned their first festival for the summer of 1979. Unable to secure sufficient funding, their plans were scuttled, but they still were able to produce two nights of shows at Théâtre-St-Denis featuring Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny.

In 1980, a Montreal Jazz Festival was staged, with funding from Alain de Grosbois of CBC Stereo and Radio-Québec[7]. With Gary Burton, Ray Charles, Chick Corea, and Vic Vogel on the bill, and an attendance of 12,000, the event was deemed a success and has continued to grow since then[8].

 In 2000, the Festival teamed up with Distribution Select to release its 4-CD box set called Over 20 years of music – Plus de 20 ans de musique. The box includes a 13-page booklet with the artists‘ biographies and complete liner notes about the music.[9]

In 1999, a group of Montreal jazz musicians disenchanted with the Montreal International Jazz Festival’s lack of support for and showcasing of Montreal jazz musicians created an alternative festival called the OFF Festival of Jazz in Montreal. The alternative festival continues as an annual, week-long jazz festival in Montreal, programmed largely by musicians.

 

3. Setlists of 3 Leonard Cohen – Montreal International Jazz Festival – Concerts 2008

23. Juni 2008, Montreal/ Quebec, Canada, Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts (First Night)

Set 1: Dance M.T.T.E.O.L./ The Future/ Ain’t N.C.F.L./ Bird On The Wire/ Everybody Knows/ In My Secret Life/ Who By Fire/ Hey, That´s No Way To Say Goodbye/ Take This Waltz / Set 2: Tower O.S./ Avalanche/ Suzanne/ The Gypsy’s Wife/ Boogie Street/ Hallelujah/ Democracy/ I’m Your Man/ A Thousand K.D. (poem)/ Anthem / Encore 1: So Long, Marianne / F.W.T.M./ Encore 2: Sisters Of Mercy/ If It Be Your Will/ Closing Time/ That Don´t Make It Junk/ Encore 3: I Tried To Leave You/ Famous Blue Raincoat/ Whither Thou Goest ( tutti a cappella)

 

  1. Juni 2008, Montreal/ Quebec, Canada Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts (Second Night)

Set 1: Dance M.T.T.E.O.L./ The Future/ Ain’t N.C.F.L./ Bird On The Wire/ Everybody Knows/ In My Secret Life/ Who By Fire/ Hey, That´s No Way To Say Goodbye/ Anthem/ Set 2: Tower O.S./ Avalanche/ Suzanne/ The Gypsy’s Wife/ Boogie Street/ Hallelujah/ Democracy/ I’m Your Man/ A Thousand K.D. (poem)/ Take This Waltz/ Encore 1: So Long, Marianne / F.W.T.M./ Encore 2: Sisters Of Mercy/ If It Be Your Will/ Closing Time/ Encore 3: I Tried To Leave You/ Whither Thou Goest ( tutti a cappella)

 

  1. Juni 2008, Montreal/ Quebec, Canada Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts (Third Night)

Set 1: Dance M.T.T.E.O.L./ The Future/ Ain’t N.C.F.L./ Bird On The Wire/ Everybody Knows/ In My Secret Life/ Who By Fire/ Hey, That´s No Way To Say Goodbye/ Anthem/ Set 2: Tower O.S./ Avalanche/ Suzanne/ The Gypsy’s Wife/ Boogie Street/ Hallelujah/ Democracy/ I’m Your Man/ A Thousand K.D. (poem)/ Take This Waltz/ Encore 1: So Long, Marianne / F.W.T.M./ Encore 2: Sisters Of Mercy/ If It Be Your Will/ Closing Time/ Encore 3: I Tried To Leave You/ Whither Thou Goest ( tutti a cappella)

 

4. Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_International_Jazz_Festival

https://www.montrealjazzfest.com/

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_International_de_Jazz_de_Montr%C3%A9al

https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/28/arts/music/28cohe.html

https://programm.ard.de/TV/arte/leonard-cohen-beim-festival-international-de-jazz-de-montr-al-2008/eid_287247219377493

http://no-ads-youtube.com/video/messalina79/leonard-cohen-hallelujah-live-at-the-montreal-jazz-festival-2008?v=2FpwjQLZTTs

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2p03kz

https://vimeo.com/171631896