Spanning 10 days, the event offered an eclectic lineup that resonated with diverse musical tastes.

By: Sun Noor

The Montreal International Jazz Festival returned for its 46th year, drawing historic crowds while presenting a thoughtfully curated lineup that showcased a wide range of musical talent. With one-third of its programming consisting of free intimate venue sets and outdoor performances, the festival continued to live up to its reputation as the world’s premier major jazz festival, serving as a playground for musical discovery.

The festival’s kick off featured an enthralling performance by legendary composer Max Richter alongside the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, featuring violinists Ben Russell and George Meyer, violist Kal Sugatski, and celloists Andrew Janss and Caleb van der Swaagh. The musicians illuminated Salle Wilfrid Pelletier with two moving sets taken from Ritcher’s acclaimed albums, 2024’s In a Landscape, along with 2004’s The Blue Notebook. The composer took a moment at the beginning of his performances to address the crowd about how the former record was profoundly shaped by current global conflicts and the divisive political nature of our world. A sequel to the latter which was composed and written in protest of the 2003 Iraq war. By weaving together both of his poignant records, Richter and the quintet offered a transformative meditation that offers a moment of reflection as their core themes continue to resonate deeply in the current landscape.

London-based genre-bending septet KOKOROKO were presented with this year’s Antônio Carlos Jobim Award during their lively headlining outdoor performance for being modern torchbearers of jazz fusion with their unique blend of Afrobeat, Highlife, and neo-soul. McKinley Dixon alongside his backing band were met with a packed house at Le Studio TD in anticipation of his dynamic show. His energetic set characterized by the explosive fusion of jazz and hip-hop kept the crowd on their toes for the duration of the entire set.

anaiis & Grupo Cosmo served as the perfect closing act to Friday’s outdoor festivities, delivering the ultimate late-night performance on the Rogers Stage. Joined by a trio of string musicians, the French Senegalese singer-songwriter, along with Brazilian musicians guitarist and vocalist Sessa, bassist Marcelo Cabral and drummer Biel Basile, were joined by a string trio for the presentation of their eponymous mini-album from 2024. The ensemble’s combination of R&B, bossa nova and 1970s psychedelic Brazilian folk was the perfect soundtrack to the hot summer night. Their lush melodies echoed miles away from the festival site.

Saturday’s main event also happened to be one of the most notable performance of the 10-day event, mainly because of the fervour around it. As expected, Angine de Poitrine generated the largest and noisiest audience of nearly 100,000 on the main stage. From a sea of polka-dotted spectators to crowd surfers in Angine-esque costumery to custom flags being waved throughout the entirety of the performance, the guitar and drum duo’s microtonal compositions wasn’t the sole selling point for the overcrowded performance. For many, being able to witness their historic concert in the city felt paramount enough to withstand the discomfort of the overcrowded site.

Kamasi Washington being one of the latest additions to the festival made for another remarkable performance. The jazz great returned the stage for another landmark performance that felt just as spellbinding and alluring as is 2022 headlining set. Along with his core septet, the composer and saxophonist delivered a well-curated selection of his varied discography which had spectators pouring in throughout the night.

The festival’s following week included just as much of a high concentration of noteworthy performances. Willow‘s headlining slot on Tuesday night was another memorable set. By leaning towards performing improvised renditions of her most recent work, she managed to craft a unique set that felt slightly in line with free jazz without veering away from her alternative pop soundscape. Irish quintet Bricknasty brought the raucous to Le Studio TD with their noisy blend of jazz, soul, hip-hop and folk, presenting one of the most dynamic sets for the festival. Their off-kilter instrumentation and magnetic stage presence fuelled the rowdy energy of dedicated fans and newcomers experiencing their sound for the first time.

A personal highlight was witnessing the double alchemy of GENA, the duo comprised of singer-songwriter Liv.e and renown drummer Karriem Riggins, as they performed the entirety of their debut project, The Pleasure is Yours. The pair wasted no time in jumping into the project, track-by-track behind a backdrop. By the time GENA made it to the familiar portion of their set, notably the pair of singles that introduced fans to their world, the crowd began to sing every word, harmonizing with the group.

Annahstasia‘s afternoon set on Thursday marked another high point before a heavy storm halted the second half of her set. Along with her five-piece ensemble, the singer-songwriter ripped through the majority of the tracks from her luscious debut album, Tether. For a moment, the grey skies served as the perfect backdrop for her introspective and emotive compositions. While the festivities were postponed for a second, the skies cleared up for Gen-Z jazz prodigies Domi and JD Beck‘s late-night performance. Audience members were treated to an exclusive first-listen to the instrumental version of their sophomore album, Who Asked?, while testing out the waters for its live rendition. Beck even used a metal chair as a makeshift cymbal, a stunt which quickly became a major talking point for the crowd.

The final weekend brought together an eclectic lineup with Tanya Tagaq performing an experimental, improvised set rather than opting for a traditional concert debuting material from her Polaris-Prize shortlisted album, Saputjiji. This introduced listeners to a rare, completely unscripted glimpse into her musical world.

Legendary Tuareg group Etran De L’Aïr turned it up to 11 on Saturday night with a lively set consisting of most of the material from their latest release, Agadez and 100% Sahara Guitar. Over on the main stage, Smino closed out the festival with a high-octane set backed by a live band, fusing hip-hop, funk, soul, and R&B while keeping up with the crowds raw energy.

Poet and songwriter Aja Monet customized the stage at Le Studio TD with a backdrop of evocative poetry scrolls and a lush floral bouquet holding her microphone, setting a tone for a performance that was both deeply heartfelt and urgently vital. She centred her audience by transforming the space into a communal sanctuary for collective reflection

Decades into its inception, the Montreal International Jazz Festival continues to bridge the gap between legendary icons, pioneering global acts and up-and-coming trailblazers, proving that the genre’s history is best honored by embracing its future.

Check out the complete photo gallery from the festival below: