Tim Mah's 2018 Montreal Jazz Fest in Review

My good friend and frequent Four on the Floor correspondent Tim Mah recently attended the 2018 edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Tim has great taste in contemporary Jazz music and was kind enough to offer this summary of the great music he heard during his time in Montreal.

Tim also hosts the radio program Jazz Today on CJSW and can be found here: https://cjsw.com/program/jazz-today/

So, without any further adieu:

"Tim Mah's 2018 Montreal Jazz Fest in Review"
A recap of the 2018 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal / Montreal International Jazz Festival

When: June 28 to July 7, 2018

Where: The 39th edition of the festival included over 500 events across 13 venues and 7 outdoor stages, primarily located in downtown Montreal. There were over 150 indoor concerts and over 300 free admission events. The outdoor stages and primary venues are within walking distance. The music ranges from jazz, blues, rock, funk, R&B, pop, and folk musics.

Set length: The outdoor concerts are one-hour sets. The set lengths for the indoor concerts varied by venue. For example, at Gesu, there are no opening acts, so expect the set to be 60 to 75 minutes long. At Place des Arts, the opening acts are usually 40 to 60 minutes, and the headline act runs for 75 to 90 minutes, with a 20 to 30 minute intermission. Expect similar set and intermission lengths at the other indoor venues. This is important to note if you are planning to attend a concert before or after an indoor concert.

Summary:

Festival International de Jazz de Montreal / Montreal International Jazz Festival is the largest jazz festival in the world. With over 500 concerts and schedule overlaps, it was a challenge to hear all of the concerts I wanted to experience. This blog post covers 20 of the artists I heard and will feature the drummer in each of the bands.

1) Cecile McLorin Salvant

Personnel: Cecile McLorin Salvant (voice), Adam Birnbaum (piano), Paul Sikivie (bass), Kyle Poole (drums).

Location: Theatre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts

Recap: Cecile McLorin Salvant’s concert featured music from the Grammy award winning album “Dreams and Daggers.”

In this video (“A Night in the Life: Kyle Poole” from Jazz at Lincoln Center circa. 2014), Kyle Poole talks about being a student at the New School and a working musician at the same time:



This is a video of Kyle Poole with the Emmet Cohen Trio at the Gilmore Keyboard Festival:



2) Christian Sands

Personnel: Christian Sands (piano), Eric Wheeler (bass), Jonathan Barber (drums).

Location: Theatre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts

Recap: The Christian Sands Trio performed a fast paced 40-minute set before the Cecile McLorin Salvant concert. Christian Sands and Cecile McLorin Salvant will be in Calgary on April 11, 2019, as part of the only Canadian tour stop for the Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour (60th Anniversary Edition).

The drummer in the band was Jonathan Barber, who released his debut album, “Vision Ahead,” in May 2018. He can also be heard on Jeremy Pelt’s 2018 album “Noir en Rouge (Live in Paris)” and on Sharel Cassity’s 2018 album “Evolve”.

This is a video of the Jeremy Pelt Quintet performing the song “Make Noise!” at the 2017 Montreal International Jazz Festival featuring Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Victor Gould (piano), Vicente Archer (bass), Jacquelene Acevedo (percussion) and Jonathan Barber (drums):



Here is Jonathan Barber and his band performing “Mr. JB” from Jonathan Barber’s "Vision Ahead" album:



3) Keyon Harrold

Personnel: Keyon Harrold (trumpet), Shedrick Mitchell (piano), Burniss Travis (bass), Nir Felder (guitar), Charles Haynes (drums).

Location: Gesu

Recap: Keyon Harrold performed music from his 2017 album “The Mugician”

This is a video of Charles Haynes with Keyon Harrold at Duc des Lombards in Paris:



Here is Charles Haynes with Marcus Strickland’s Twi-Life band at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London:



4) Emmet Cohen Trio with Veronica Swift

Personnel: Emmet Cohen (piano), Russell Hall (bass), Evan Sherman (drums), Veronica Swift (voice)

Location: Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill

Recap: The Emmet Cohen Trio performed four nights at the Upstairs Jazz - the first night with Veronica Swift, the second night with Houston Person and the last two nights with Benny Golson.

This is a video of a master class in Cleveland, Ohio, featuring Emmet Cohen, Russell Hall and Evan Sherman:



This is a video of the Evan Sherman Big Band:



5) Marius Neset

Personnel: Marius Neset (saxophones), Ivo Neame (piano), Michael Janisch (bass), Anton Eger (drums).

Location: Gesu

Recap: Marius Neset performed music from the 2017 album “Circle of Chimes.”

This is a video featuring Marius Neset and Anton Eger:



Anton Eger is also a member of the band Phronesis. This is a video of Phronesis performing “Herne Hill” (written by Anton Eger):



6) Ghost-Note

Personnel: Robert “Sput” Searight (durms), Nate Werth (percussion), Xavier Taplin (keys), MonoNeon (bass), Sylvester Onyejiaka (saxophone)

Location: Club Jazz Casino de Montreal

Recap: Ghost-Note is co-led by Snarky Puppy rhythm section members, Robert Searight and Nate Werth. The group performed music primarily from the 2018 album "Swagism".

This is a video of Ghost-Note performing “Swagism” at the 2018 Victoria International Jazz Festival:



This is a video of Ghost-Note performing “Milkshake” at the 2018 Victoria International Jazz Festival:



7) Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop

Personnel: Ernesto Cervini (drums), Dan Loomis (bass), Adrean Farrugia (piano), Joel Frahm (tenor saxophone), Tara Davidson (alto and other saxophone), William Carn (trombone)

Location: Club Jazz Casino de Montreal

Recap: Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop performed music from their 2017 album “Rev”.

This is a video of Turboprop performing “Pennies from Heaven” at the Rex in Toronto:



Here is a video of Turboprop performing “Red Cross” at the Yardbird Suite in Edmonton, AB:



8) Mark Guiliana

Personnel: (Beat Music): Mark Guiliana (drums), Bigyuki (keys), Chris Morrissey (electric bass), Jeff Taylor (voice)

Personnel: (Jazz Quartet): Mark Guiliana (drums), Jason Rigby (saxophone), Fabian Almazan (piano), Chris Morrissey (bass), Gretchen Parlato (voice)

Location: Gesu

Recap: Mark Guiliana performed three concerts at Gesu as part of the Invitation Series. The first concert was with John Medeski and Billy Martin. I attended the last two concerts: Mark Guiliana 's Beat Music, featuring Bigyuki, and the Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet with Gretchen Parlato.

This is a video of Mark Guilana's Beat Music (featuring Bigyuki) from Zinc Bar in 2014:



This is the concert video of the Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet at the 2017 Montreal International Jazz Festival:



9) Herbie Hancock

Personnel: Herbie Hancock (piano, keys), Lionel Loueke (guitar), James Genus (bass), Trevor Lawrence Jr. (drums).

Location: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts

Recap: Herbie Hancock and his band performed classic songs from Herbie Hancock’s repertoire.

This is a video of 2016 Herbie Hancock’s concert on Jazz Night in America from the BRIC Celebrate Festival, featuring all of the band members and Terrace Martin (keyboards, saxophone):



This is a video of an interview with Trevor Lawrence Jr. talking about his 2017 debut album called “Relationships”:



10) Thundercat

Personnel: Thundercat (a.k.a. Stephen Bruner) – bass, voice; Dennis Hamm – keys; Justin Brown – drums.

Location: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts

Recap: Thundercat performed a 60-minute set before Herbie Hancock’s concert.

Here’s a video of Thundercat on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, with Dennis Hamm (keys), Miguel Atwood Ferguson (violin) and Justin Brown (drums):



Justin Brown’s debut album “NYEUSI” was released at the end of June 2018. This is a video of Justin Brown and NYEUSI's Boiler Room Live set:



11) Gilad Hekselman Trio with Mark Turner

Personnel: Gilad Hekselman (guitar), Rick Rosato (bass), Jonathan Pinson (drums), Mark Turner (tenor saxophone)

Location: Gesu

Recap: Gilad Hekselman’s concert featured music from the album “Ask For Chaos” (to be released in September 2018)

Here is a video of Jonathan Pinson with the Gilad Hekselman (“gHex”) trio performing “Take the Coltrane”:



This is a video of Jonathan Pinson with the Daniel Szabo trio at the Blue Whale in Los Angeles:



12) Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band

Personnel: Brian Blade (drums), Jon Cowherd (piano), Chris Thomas (bass), Myron Walden (alto saxophone, bass clarinet), Melvin Butler (tenor and soprano saxophones)

Location: Monument National

Recap: Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band featured music from the album Body and Shadow.

This is a video of Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band at the 2015 Rimouski jazz festival performing “Migration”:



This is a video of Brian Blade with the Children of the Light Trio (including John Patitucci and Danilo Perez):



13) Renee Rosnes

Personnel: Renee Rosnes (piano), Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Robert Hurst (bass), Lenny White (drums)

Location: Maison Symphonique at Place des Arts

Recap: Renee Rosnes was the recipient of the Oscar Peterson award at the 2018 Montreal Jazz Festival. The 60 minute concert featured music from Renee Rosnes’ 2018 album “Beloved of the Sky”.

An interview with Lenny White from the NYU Steinhardt Jazz Interview Series 2015:



Lenny White in Clinic from 1983:



14) Dave Holland Zakir Hussain & Chris Potter Trio (“Crosscurrents Trio”)

Personnel: Dave Holland (bass), Zakir Hussain (tabla), Chris Potter (saxophone)

Location: Maison Symphonique at Place des Arts

Recap: Crosscurrents is an international super group led by Dave Holland and Zakir Hussain, which has been touring across the world over the last year. A subset of the band (“Crosscurrents Trio”) has been performing at jazz festivals this summer. Zakir Hussain was the recipient of the Antonio Carlos Jobim award from the festival.

This is a video of the Crosscurrents Trio at the 2018 Istanbul Jazz Festival:



The Crosscurrents concert (May 2018 at Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center) featured on NPR’s Jazz Night in America:



15) Theo Croker

Personnel: Theo Croker (trumpet), Irwin Hall (alto saxophone), Mike King (piano, keys, bongos), Eric Wheeler (bass), Kassa Overall (drums)

Location: Gesu

Recap: Theo Croker performed music from his most recent album “Escape Velocity” and new music from his forthcoming album “Star People Nation.”

From the 2015 Montreal International Jazz Festival, this is a video of Theo Croker's “Dvrk Funk”:



This is a video of Kassa Overall in the Geri Allen Trio:



16) Allison Au Quartet

Personnel: Allison Au (saxophone), Todd Pentney (piano), Jon Maharaj (bass), Fabio Ragnelli (drums)

Location: TD Stage

Recap: The Allison Au Quartet was the recipient of the 2017 Grand Jazz Award at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The quartet returned to the 2018 festival to perform on the TD Stage (the largest outdoor stage at the festival). This was the final stop on the cross Canada tour. The quartet was featured in the June 11, 2018 Four on the Floor post, regarding their appearance in Calgary.

This is a video of the Allison Au Quartet performing “Tides” from the Juno Award winning album, Forest Grove:



This is a video of Fabio Ragnelli with the Alex Goodman Trio, performing “Let’s Cool One”:



17) Steve Kuhn

Personnel: Steve Kuhn (piano), Aidan O’Donnell (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)

Location: Monument National

Recap: The festival recognized Steve Kuhn’s 80th birthday with this concert. The Steve Kuhn trio performed a set of jazz standards to an appreciative audience.

Here is a video of Billy Drummond with the Steve Kuhn Trio, including Steve Swallow (bass):



See the Four on the Floor blog post on July 19, 2018 for more on Billy Drummond.

18) David Binney’s Alhambra Quartet

Personnel: David Binney (saxophone), Luca Mendoza (piano), Logan Kane (bass), Nate Wood (drums)

Location: Gesu

Recap: David Binney’s Alhambra Quartet concert featured compositions from Binney and Mendoza. Chris Potter joined the band for one song. Alhambra is a reference to Los Angeles, where all of the band members are from. The concert included songs from across David Binney’s catalogue, including his 2018 album “Hear & Now” and an unreleased song from a 2019 album with Antonio Sanchez, Ben Monder and Matt Brewer.

Nate Wood’s fOUR is a project of one take performances with no prerecorded backing tracks, overdubs or click track. The album, called “X.IT,” is scheduled for release on July 27, 2018.

This is a video of Nate Wood’s “Rabbit” from the fOUR project:



This is a video of Nate Wood performing with Kneebody (2014 in Seattle):



19) Dr. Lonnie Smith Evolution

Personnel: Dr. Lonnie Smith (organ). Jonathan Kreisberg (guitar), Johnathan Blake (drums), Jason Marshall (baritone saxophone), Robin Eubanks (trombone), John Ellis (tenor saxophone), Andrew McAnsh (trumpet), Alicia Olatuja (voice).

Location: Gesu

Recap: Dr. Lonnie Smith was one of the artists selected to perform during the Invitation Series at the festival. The concert I attended featured the large ensemble called “Evolution”, which is a reference to the 2016 album on Blue Note Records. Dr. Lonnie Smith also performed one night with his trio and another night with Chris Potter. Toronto trumpeter, Andrew McAnsh, was a late substitution for this concert (he flew in the day of the concert).

Here is Johnathan Blake with the Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio (Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jonathan Kreisberg, Johnathan Blake) performing “Beehive and My Favourite Things”:



This is a video of Johnathan Blake performing “Shuffle Boil” with the Kenny Barron Trio (plus guest, Elena Pinderhughes on the flute) from the 2016 Montreal International Jazz Festival.



Check out the previous posts on Four on the Floor Blog featuring Johnathan Blake.

20) Shai Maestro Trio

Personnel: Shai Maestro (piano), Joe Martin (bass), Ofri Nehemya (drums)

Location: Gesu

Recap: The Shai Maestro Trio performed an improvised set, drawing from Shai Maestro’s most recent album, The Stone Skipper.

One of the songs performed at Gesu was “From One Soul to Another” from The Stone Skipper. This is a video of the Shai Maestro Trio (Shai Maestro, Jorge Roeder, Ofri Nehemya) performing the song at the 2017 Voll-Damm Jazz Festival in Barcelona:



This is a video of Ofri Nehemya, with Omer Avital’s band, performing “Know What I Mean!?” (from Omer Avital’s 2018 album, Qantar):