Welcome to the Montreux Jazz Festival Residency! From October 16 to 19, 2024, up-and-coming talents and big names from the jazz and soul scenes will gather at the Petit Palais of the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace. On the programme: concerts, showcases, workshops, jam sessions and DJ sets. All activities are free. Featuring: Angélique Kidjo, Jeff Mills, Theo Croker, Moses Boyd, Manou Gallo, Macha Gharibian and many others!
The autumn festival organised by the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation (MJAF) is based around a unique artistic residency. Over the course of four intensive days, eight emerging groups will be able to exchange ideas with renowned mentors and take part in workshops. In the evenings from 6pm, the residency opens its doors to the public with a rich musical, educational and festive programme.
CONCERTS
Each evening, two up-and-coming bands – one Swiss, one international – will take to the stage one after the other. Audiences will be able to vote for their favourite artist as part of the Coup de Cœur prize donated by bank Julius Baer.
On the programme:
- Wednesday: Marlin, a young R&B singer-songwriter from Aargau, and MATTERS UNKNOWN, the latest project from London-based multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Enser, best known for his work with the Nubiyan Twist collective.
- Thursday: Dan and the Dynamite, a hypnotic nu-jazz band from Geneva, and freekind., a female duo of Croatian and Slovenian origin mixing hip-hop and R&B influences.
- Friday: Mel D,an artist from Graubünden who is revealing herself in an acoustic project after making a name for herself as part of the electro-pop duo Mischgewebe, and Reinel Bakole, a Belgian singer and dancer with a unique soul voice.
- Saturday: L’Osmose, a psychedelic band from Geneva, and Pipya and The Gang Band, an Italian project fusing electronic, instrumental and art rock inspirations
WORKSHOPS
A key activity at the MJAF, workshops enable artists to share their knowledge and express themselves – often to music – on a theme of their choice.
On the programme:
- Wednesday: Manou Gallo, the ‘Queen of the African Bass’, talks about the place of women instrumentalists in Africa.
- Thursday: Three of today’s leading jazz instrumentalists – Moses Boyd, Emanuel Harrold and Theo Croker – will discuss the themes of heritage and innovation in Black Music.
- Friday: The iconic Angélique Kidjo, a regular at the Montreux Jazz Festival, will discuss the art of vocal mastery.
- Saturday: Jeff Mills, emblematic artist of the Detroit techno scene, will present his ‘Cinémix’, electronic soundtracks for silent films.
SHOWCASES
The showcases are short – but intense – performances given in the intimate setting of the Coupole of the Petit Palais. The programme features artists who have received support from the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation.
On the programme:
- Wednesday: Winner of the Festival’s Piano Competition in 2005, Harold López-Nussa has recently released an album on the Blue Note label, produced by Michael League (Snarky Puppy).
- Thursday: Italian bassist Rosa Brunello, who took part in the 2022 residency, will perform with guitarist Enrico Terragnoli.
- Friday: Programmed several times by the Foundation, guitarist Louis Matute will play in duo with oud player Amine Mraihi.
- Saturday: Macha Gharibian, the Franco-Armenian pianist renowned for her symbiosis of jazz and traditional music, will be performing solo.
JAM SESSIONS
Montreux’s famous jam sessions will be hitting the Coupole stage every night from 10.15pm. The sessions kick off on Wednesday with Harold López-Nussa and Grégoire Maret‘s group, followed by Louis Matute‘s group from Thursday to Saturday.
CLOSING PARTY
From midnight on Saturday, the jam session will feature British DJ Tina Edwards, whose varied selection weaves fascinating links between jazz and club music. As well as touring the world, she hosts programmes on the BBC, Worldwide FM and Soho Radio.
