Jazz Festivals

Our blog mistress has recommended (she has a whip) that I mention some of the regional festivals. I'll start with Canada first.

Festival International de Musique Actualle de Victoriaville is located one hour north of Montreal. Dates are 5/17/07 through 5/21/07. Musicians from all over the world are invited to this festival. Their music is not for the faint of heart. Fusion is not heard here. Recommend that you plan ahead for lodging. Victoriaville is a small town and you may have to go back all the to Montreal to sleep. I think Lou may have more knowledge about this event.

Ottawa International Jazz Festival  takes place from 6/21/07 through 7/01/07. Ottawa is a beautiful city and the locals are kind to tourists. Music is straight ahead. The late Maureen Shepard related this story to me. She had brought her folding lawn chair to see and hear events in the park. She was chattering away with a friend when she was shushed by the people sitting behind her. I like that. Jazz performances are for listening and are not social events. I very seldom go to performances in clubs in the Burlington area, because the moment the band hits the down beat, the volume of conversation increases to compensate. Pay respect to the musicians and the people sitting around you by shutting up. What the live performance scene needs is more Buddy Rich(s). I also instruct people sitting around me not to applaud after each solo, because they (and I) might miss something while they're making noise.

Festival International de Jazz de Montreal takes place from 6/28/07 through 7/08/07. Touted to be the largest jazz festival in the world. Every genre is covered. I'm getting old and very seldom see performances of headliners, because I need to get to bed at a reasonable time to check my eyelids for cracks and I'm on a  fixed income which negates hotel expenses. Three couples I know rent an apartment for the whole summer and spend time in Montreal as a get-away haven which includes time during the festival. I think this is a good idea. Just be aware that smoking is allowed in most clubs (there's nothing like a reformed smoker). I usually do a day trip during the week, so I don't have to fight the crowds. Street music starts at noon and goes on into the night. If you're perusing through the festival guide and notice  a street performance that you might like to see, be at the appointed time and place that's posted. Believe it or not, you could set your watch at the start of each performance. I like it!! I've seen some great music on the street including a performance by a Latin big band from Toronto in a evening performance in a park which was hot.

The Guelph Jazz Festival takes place from 9/05/07 through 9/09/07. Guelph is located one hour west of Toronto which maybe stretching the "regional" theme of my posting. I just learned about this event from a friend of mine who is aware of my interest in "improvised and/or avant garde" which is always the  theme of this festival. Since I'm a neophyte at this Internet business, I could only find the dates of this festival and not the scheduled artists, so  I'm unable to provide any other information other than I can remember what my home phone number was in 1953 (HEmlock 54904).