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South African rhythms dominate tonight's show
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The Gazette (Montreal, QC), South African rhythms dominate tonight's show >>
Not one but three megaconcerts to mark quarter-century of festival
For its 25th anniversary, the Montreal International Jazz Festival is throwing three big blowouts instead of one:
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Johnny Clegg and Lorraine Klaasen kick off the free outdoor shows tonight. The triple bill, which also marks 10 years since South Africa abolished apartheid, focuses on three kinds of music from that country: Klaasen's worldbeat jazz, Ladysmith's traditional harmonies and Clegg's more rock-based rhythms. Clegg and his band Savuka headlined the festival's big outdoor event in 1988.
Tonight's show will take place at 9:30 on the General Motors Stage at the corner of Jeanne Mance and Ste. Catherine Sts.
The Funk Brothers, legendary studio musicians who played on just about every classic Motown single, perform Sunday. Although many of the sidemen who played on those magic singles are long gone, this is a chance to hear survivors who put the inimitable groove in such chart-busting classics as Heat Wave and Dancing in the Streets. Joan Osborne and Sam Moore are among the special guests scheduled to appear.
The Funk Brothers play Sunday night at 9:30 on a special Labatt Bleue stage at the corner of St. Urbain St. and de Maisonneuve Blvd.
Soleil de Minuit, the festival's closing-night collaboration with the Cirque du Soleil, is this year's Grand Evenement General Motors. The performance is expected to feature 130 circus artists and 60 musicians and will be aired live-to-tape, a half-hour after the 9 p.m. starting time, on CBC and Radio-Canada television. Created by Victor Pilon and Michel Lemieux, the show tells the story of a dreamer who sends out invitations to musicians and performers to celebrate the conjunction of the sun and the moon.
Conceived as a tribute to the festival's 25 years and the Cirque du Soleil's 20, the event is expected to draw comparisons to the festival's 1995 jazz tribute to the Cirque, which set an attendance record of 200,000 for the festival.
Soleil de Minuit will be performed on the General Motors stage, at the corner of Jeanne Mance and Ste. Catherine Sts., July 11 at 9 p.m.
For further information, phone (514) 871-1881 or see www.montrealjazzfest.com 06/30/04
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