Review of Festival International de Jazz de Montréal

Diego "El Cigala" performing at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Ranee Lee performing at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Victor Deme performing at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Sophie Hunger performing at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Crowd at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Crowds at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Crowds at outdoor stages at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Cuban pianist Rafael Zaldivar performing at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Roy Hargrove leading his big band in performance at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Congo’s Staff Benda Bilili performing at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Congo’s Staff Benda Bilili performing at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Etienne Charles performing with Jacques Schwarz-Bart on sax at the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

Allen Toussaint closing the Montreal International Jazz Festival

Allen Toussaint closing the 2010 Montreal International Jazz Festival

As the discourse surrounding the integrity of jazz programming at corporate-sponsored festivals rages on, the 31st edition of the Montreal International Jazz Fest featured a plethora of quality jazz on any given night. In fact, it was impossible to catch all the jazz that was out there. Yes, there was lots of pop and hybrid-genres; and Lionel Richie played the main concert on opening night (on a double-bill with Cassandra Wilson); but Day 1 also featured the Paolo Fresu and Omar Sosa duo, the Bitches Brew Revisited project, David Sanborn’s Trio Featuring Joey DeFrancesco, the Yosvany Terry Quartet, and Vijay Iyer’s trio, among others. Enough said.

Year of the Trumpet