After months of preparation and uncertainty, the Montreux Jazz Festival has celebrated the much-awaited return of live music over 16 days!
For both artists and the audience, this 55th Montreux Jazz Festival was the opportunity to finally come together in the name of music. For the first time in many long months, musicians and festival-goers have been able to look into each other’s eyes and move to the beat together. This palpable enthusiasm largely eclipsed the health restrictions and the bad weather conditions of the event. In addition to ensuring the comfort and safety of the public, the reduced format of the Festival made it even more possible to place music at the heart of all its activities.
SCÈNE DU LAC
The main attraction of this event was the new Scène du Lac, which captivated artists and the audience with its supreme visual and audio quality. As if framed in a series of Hodler paintings, the Lake Stage has highlighted all the nuances of its natural charm: a rainy backdrop went hand in hand with the poetry of Yseult, scarlet sunsets danced in harmony with the warm melodies of Ibrahim Maalouf, Hermanos Gutiérrez or Brandão Faber Hunger, an enchanting rainbow accompanied Oklou, Nathy Peluso put on an epic show in torrential rain, and airs of a sun-drenched Amalfi coast swept in for Zucchero and his fleet of boats. As for Woodkid, he transformed the set into a 4D show, complete with giant screen and sub-bass sound, making the stands throb and bodies tremble.
THE OTHER STAGES
Over at the Petit Théâtre, the glittering line-up and the proximity between the artists and their 200 spectators encouraged more of those special moments of interaction, flair and improvisation that we’ve grown to cherish at Montreux.
The musicians relished the return to the live stage with amazing generosity throughout the Festival. In addition to the ticketed shows, many of them took part in the Festival’s free programme, treating the public to extra showcases in Les Jardins or by participating in the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation activities in the Grand Hall (workshops, jam sessions).
Most artists also agreed to be live streamed, allowing everyone to follow the event despite the limited number of tickets. A total of 21 concerts were streamed on the platform Qello Concerts by Stingray.
THE 55TH EDITION IN FIGURES
LOOKING AHEAD: THE MONTREUX YEARS VINYLS, THE MONTREUX YEARS, AUTUMN OF MUSIC & FESTIVAL 2022
After the live albums of Etta James and Nina Simone (entered at the first place of the jazz & blues charts in Great Britain), the series The Montreux Years continues with the releases of “Marianne Faithfull: The Montreux Years” and “Muddy Waters: The Montreux Years”, on August 27th 2021.
The 2nd edition of Autumn of Music, an event organised by the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation will take place on Monday 25 to 30 October 2021. On the agenda: concerts of Swiss talents, jam sessions, workshops and more. The 8th Montreux Jazz Academy will take place during the event with Sons of Kemet members Shabaka Hutchings and Edward Wakili-Hick as well as Alexander Hawkins as musical directors and José James and Marcus Miller as first confirmed mentors.
The 56th Montreux Jazz Festival will take place on 1 to 16 July 2022. The 2022 and 2023 editors will not be impacted by the 2m2c renovations. Only the 2024 edition will take place during the works.
♥︎ THANK YOU ♥︎
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR
1 – 16 JULY 2022
DOLCE RIVIERA!
The last notes of the Montreux Jazz Festival are still ringing in your head, but the summer and the concerts continue on the Dolce Riviera. Decks, deckchairs and parasols on the quays, relaxation areas, easy access to swimming, concerts, musical entertainment, wine tasting or sports activities à la carte: a real flavour of holiday to be savoured between Montreux, Vevey, La Tour-de-Peilz, Villeneuve and Lutry. Choose your concerts and swimming areas!