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45th
MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL – July 1-16 2011
The Beat Overflows on Lake Geneva Riviera
Montreux on the eastern end of Lake Geneva (Lake Leman) has been the
glamour Riviera of Switzerland since the Belle Epoch, with its unique
temperate climate where palm trees will grow where the Alps meet the
glassy lake waters at the foot of the Alps. Musicians and artists of
all stripe have long been attracted to its magical atmosphere. At one
end of the lake shore the statue of one famous musical resident, rocker
Freddie Mercury, stands in celebratory pose toward the lake sunsets,
while at the other end are the enshrined sculptural icons to the music
style Montreux is now known for the world over. Jazz.
The
first Montreux Jazz Festival was held in 1967, the idea of music aficionado
Claude Nobs, and lasted for three days with twelve jazz groups
vying for the prize and headliners Charles Lloyd Quartet and Keith Jarret.
Over the forty-five years since the festival has grown into a massive
summer event over the first two weeks of July. All the greats have appeared
at Montreux from Miles Davis to Ray Charles, B.B. King and Ella Fitsgerald,
even David Bowie and Prince. The festival is held in venues all over
the town of Montreux, with the main performances at the Stravinski Auditorium
and Miles Davis Festival Hall, free concerts at locations around town,
even jazz on lake cruise boats and on special jazz trains.
The festival on the shores of the lake offers something for every taste over two weeks with the whole town vibrating with “jazz” and not so strictly. If jazz formed the historical source of the festival, other musical styles found their place to please the broadest audience attracted to beats on the lake shore. Most of the venues are an easy walk within town, or from the Montreux rail station, in case you can’t find a hotel in the city.
Headlining
main festival performances for 2011 are Carlos Santana, George Benson,
Randy Crawford and Dr John. BB King makes a return and Dave Grusin
is a special guest. If you can’t get a ticket to the festival stage
shows, the festival offers a full line-up of free concert events to be
held in the parks and nightclubs of Montreux, making up the majority
of the music at the event. Afternoons and evenings are focused on the “Music
in the Park” program, and when the late summer sun finally sets,
at night more free concerts jam at the Montreux Jazz Café, and
dance clubbers can take in the programs at Studio 41. For the true jazz
fan, the Montreux Jazz Foundation presents workshops and competitions.
If you like your music moving, get a ticket for one of the Jazz Trains, special runs on the Golden Pass Line (see Golden Pass Tour) and New Orleans Jazz Train. Take a short journey to one of the special venues at the beautiful medieval castle made famous by Byron (see Chateau Chillon) or Vevey, or cruise to the rhythms of the floating concerts of Brazilian Somba or Latin Jazz Salsa on one of the cruise boat venues. © Bargain Travel Europe
Montreux Jazz Festival Tickets 2011
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may not be copied or reprinted without permission. Festival
photo courtesy Montreux Jazz Festival.
SEE
ALSO:
CRUISING LAKE GENEVA IN GRAND STYLE
SWISS CHOCOLATE TRAIN - MONTREUX-GRUYERES
ALIMENTARIUM FOOD MUSEUM - VEVEY
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